Waki-Leaks' Down-Duro Conversion Kit
Back in 2008 Downhill Racing was probably the most vividly growing genre of MTB. We could finally watch our sport on live stream thanks to Freetoaster TV. Sam Phill was the king, dominating the racing scene on flat pedals and Bob Warmer was still allowing himself to burp and pee in the commentator's booth. In this post huck-to-flat era, owning a DH bike was something to be proud of, it was the best weapon of choice to dominate rocky (technical) terrain and send any jump. Simply put, the Cool Aid used to have Downhill flavor.
But those days are gone, we have God-only-knows (or Richard Dawkins only knows) how many hub standards and wheel sizes, nearly each brand sells a full carbon frame. COOL AID business shifted to those weird small bikes that used to be ridden in bike parks by people in full body armor and Meth Para helmets. I-only-ride-park mentality has further deteriorated the authority of gravity heroes (as if that wasn't the case all along before Matt Denison made his masterpiece video) So... you may want to have one of them super capable 6" bikes now. The problem is that they cost a fortune while you have a perfectly working, stout Downhill bike from the flat pedal days. You have a bike that has almost no resale value on the second-hand market. Selling a DH bike from 2010 won't even buy you a 6" Enduro fork or a metric large volume air shock. You may buy a decent 2012 DH bike on the Buy&Sell, take a flight to a bike park and leave it there to rust - it will still be cheaper than renting a modern one for a week.
Despair NOT, though! Enter DOWN-DURO - a start-up company that allows you to keep your fantastic machine, stay trendy and keep up with friends that probably betrayed you. After all, Enduro bikes of today have geometries even more radical than your old trusted DH bike. They too can handle the technical terrain. Down-duro sells Enduro conversion kits for 26" DH rigs like the Socialized Emo, the Comical DH-Supreme or the Copper Horse Saturday. The kit includes:
1. Headtube enhancer:
Making your reach super cool (read: longer) and head angle even better for technical terrain (read slacker).
2. Lock-out kit:
For the shock that will come in 3 different options to fit Faux DHX 3-5.0, Marz-foxchi Rockon, and all Manatee Singers
3. Down-Duropper:
A dropper post with a negative setback, steepening a relatively slack seat angle of a DH bike to extremely effective 74 degrees or more.
4. 47-tooth Cassette Expander
A kit that does not violate any newly filed patent because it works ONLY with 8 or 9-speed drivetrains.
All this comes at an interesting price point of $899 which seems like a lot, definitely, but is nowhere close to buying an SLX level Enduro bike. Of course, you may need to buy a new cassette and medium cage rear mech for climbing, which will set you back for another $100 or so. Climb up and ride down that technical terrain. Down-duro also recommends a tightening strap to be fastened on the lower crown of the fork and the arch of the lower leg assembly for climbing. You compress the fork while your friend tightens the strap for you. You cannot do that on a single crown fork. It will make your fork harder and lower the travel - simple but very effective. The whole kit adds about 4 pounds to the weight of the bike, but since you have 3-pound tyres on your bike, that won't do too much, will it. Especially on technical terrain.
So fear NOT, your 26" DH bike can be cool again! You can be a bro again. Since when were 6 inches better than 8 inches on technical terrain?
Arguably yours,
Wacek Kipszak
WAKi-leaks on Facebook
Antidote Bikes
Ryan Leech coaching, bike skills, and yoga
Lee Likes Bikes online school
Disclaimer: This article is meant to be a satire. My very intention with it is to entertain you and eventually provide some food for reflection in case we treat our sport a bit too seriously. I honestly do not wish to insult or harm anyone or any company. The resemblance to persons, names, and places might be coincidental.
MENTIONS: @WAKIdesigns
 |
 Converted Socialized Emo |
But those days are gone, we have God-only-knows (or Richard Dawkins only knows) how many hub standards and wheel sizes, nearly each brand sells a full carbon frame. COOL AID business shifted to those weird small bikes that used to be ridden in bike parks by people in full body armor and Meth Para helmets. I-only-ride-park mentality has further deteriorated the authority of gravity heroes (as if that wasn't the case all along before Matt Denison made his masterpiece video) So... you may want to have one of them super capable 6" bikes now. The problem is that they cost a fortune while you have a perfectly working, stout Downhill bike from the flat pedal days. You have a bike that has almost no resale value on the second-hand market. Selling a DH bike from 2010 won't even buy you a 6" Enduro fork or a metric large volume air shock. You may buy a decent 2012 DH bike on the Buy&Sell, take a flight to a bike park and leave it there to rust - it will still be cheaper than renting a modern one for a week.
Despair NOT, though! Enter DOWN-DURO - a start-up company that allows you to keep your fantastic machine, stay trendy and keep up with friends that probably betrayed you. After all, Enduro bikes of today have geometries even more radical than your old trusted DH bike. They too can handle the technical terrain. Down-duro sells Enduro conversion kits for 26" DH rigs like the Socialized Emo, the Comical DH-Supreme or the Copper Horse Saturday. The kit includes:
1. Headtube enhancer:
Making your reach super cool (read: longer) and head angle even better for technical terrain (read slacker).
2. Lock-out kit:
For the shock that will come in 3 different options to fit Faux DHX 3-5.0, Marz-foxchi Rockon, and all Manatee Singers
3. Down-Duropper:
A dropper post with a negative setback, steepening a relatively slack seat angle of a DH bike to extremely effective 74 degrees or more.
4. 47-tooth Cassette Expander
A kit that does not violate any newly filed patent because it works ONLY with 8 or 9-speed drivetrains.
 |
| Waki-Leaks DOWN-DURO conversion kit |
 |
| DOWN-DURO lockout kit for non-metric shocks |
All this comes at an interesting price point of $899 which seems like a lot, definitely, but is nowhere close to buying an SLX level Enduro bike. Of course, you may need to buy a new cassette and medium cage rear mech for climbing, which will set you back for another $100 or so. Climb up and ride down that technical terrain. Down-duro also recommends a tightening strap to be fastened on the lower crown of the fork and the arch of the lower leg assembly for climbing. You compress the fork while your friend tightens the strap for you. You cannot do that on a single crown fork. It will make your fork harder and lower the travel - simple but very effective. The whole kit adds about 4 pounds to the weight of the bike, but since you have 3-pound tyres on your bike, that won't do too much, will it. Especially on technical terrain.
So fear NOT, your 26" DH bike can be cool again! You can be a bro again. Since when were 6 inches better than 8 inches on technical terrain?
Arguably yours,
Wacek Kipszak
WAKi-leaks on Facebook
Antidote Bikes
Ryan Leech coaching, bike skills, and yoga
Lee Likes Bikes online school
Disclaimer: This article is meant to be a satire. My very intention with it is to entertain you and eventually provide some food for reflection in case we treat our sport a bit too seriously. I honestly do not wish to insult or harm anyone or any company. The resemblance to persons, names, and places might be coincidental.
MENTIONS: @WAKIdesigns
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That conversion kit is epic, though it wouldn't lighten my 40 lbs DH bike a bit, lol.
Overall, a fun read.
Happy destroying the trails - Cheers!
I genuinely thought about moving to Scotland when I heard the news
Who knows
More pub games.
Anyone?
Thanks Waki!
Could do this and send em off to those south that dont have bikes at all...or use them for newbs to learn on instead of trashing a 5000$ rig that dad bought because they have the money.
He's got a Scott Gambler frame and we're building it up as a 27.5" bike.
Custom drop outs being made for the rear.
Only has a 44mm head tube so having to use a Cane Creek lower cup to fit the tapered fork as all 650b SC forks are tapered.
If it all works well then may look at selling the drop outs.
The frame was a very good condition second hand item and being 26" wheel and out of vogue not that expensive any more. We deal in high quality second hand parts so the build isn't going to cost the earth + He managed to get a very nice set of 650B Rockshox forks for £75 off eBay.....Bargin!!!!
So a second hand YT cheaper.....No I don't think so!
Sorry missed out a 2 there.
Meant to read £275 but couldn't edit it.
- buy an Ego-kit (de.ego-kits.com)
not cheap though
Where do I send my cheque to..!!?