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Would 7-8 inch travel bike be enough for world cup DH or do you almost need 8.5-10 inches?

PB Forum :: Downhill
Would 7-8 inch travel bike be enough for world cup DH or do you almost need 8.5-10 inches?
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flag will54869
FL
Posted: Dec 4, 2007 at 20:34 Quote
For me the only difference between a 8.5-10 inch bike to a 7-8 inch bike is the tendency to stick to the ground. So would 7-8 inch travel bike be enough for world cup DH or do you almost need 8.5-10 inches? Not just to ride the course but do well on it.
flag scotteh
Posted: Dec 4, 2007 at 20:46 Quote
assuming you picked the right lines it should be enough
don't quote me on that though
flag michael-scott
Posted: Dec 4, 2007 at 21:17 Quote
Just ask cedric gracia and the rest of the commencal team, they ride the supreme dh which has only 7" of travel and they do quite well on the wc circuit. The truth is alot of the bigger bikes on the market (v10, session 10, foes 2.1, ect...) are a little overkill in most situations, rarely does a course actualy require that much bike to take the win. Another example of a smaller bike beating out it's longer travel compitition is the 8" Iron horse sunday which is used by sam hill, who finnished first overall in the wc standings this season.
flag will54869
FL
Posted: Dec 4, 2007 at 21:26 Quote
awsome so ya im thinking of getting the new canfield jedi with a white bros fork
flag ninjatarian
Posted: Dec 4, 2007 at 21:29 Quote
its true. that extra travel just weighs you down and sucks up your pedaling power when its not being used. you know that if company's came out with a 12" travel frames people would run out and buy them even though its not necessary. im in no way saying 10" is never needed or nice but i think you can definitely be competitive on a 7"-8" bike
flag ninjatarian
Posted: Dec 4, 2007 at 21:31 Quote
i read some bad reviews on white bros forks. got the lowest rating in the mbuk downhill fork test and i havnt seen too many people use them or stand behind them. thats saying something right there. that frame on the other hand looks nice
flag eastvan
Posted: Dec 4, 2007 at 21:37 Quote
The V10 is one of the lightest and best pedaling bikes out there so there goes that theory
flag ninjatarian
Posted: Dec 4, 2007 at 21:38 Quote
i never said there weren't good 10" bikes with a good pedaling platform, just that in general a 7" or 8" bike will pedal better
flag will54869
FL
Posted: Dec 4, 2007 at 21:46 Quote
ninjatarian wrote:
i read some bad reviews on white bros forks. got the lowest rating in the mbuk downhill fork test and i havnt seen too many people use them or stand behind them. thats saying something right there. that frame on the other hand looks nice

Ya ive ridden them and really liked them, i like the lower feel and the weight is great. The canfield bros really stand buy them and i definately trust them. Also there costomer service is awsome, but if I cant afford it I will just lower my 40s.
flag michael-scott
Posted: Dec 4, 2007 at 21:53 Quote
eastvan wrote:
The V10 is one of the lightest and best pedaling bikes out there so there goes that theory

To be fair the v10 isn't exactly a feather. And have you actualy taken one for a spin? The vpp system is very good but it doesn't help nearly as much on a bike that's designed to have 4" of sag.
flag a-r-c
O+
Posted: Dec 4, 2007 at 22:00 Quote
Nicolas Voulliouz only needed 7"...remember it is quality not quantity at any amount.
flag whatsabike
Posted: Dec 4, 2007 at 22:08 Quote
depends on the course really. look at a course like mount st. anne, a frame with 7" won't do as well because of how it sits and sticks to the ground. all in all, it depends on the rider. you should pick a frame for which suits your riding style as you go down the hill. If you're going to ignore the fact that there's rocks all over the place and just plow through it, get a frame with more travel to keep the rear wheel where it's the fastest, on the ground. If you're going to weave between the rocks, and jump more, then get a frame with less travel so that you make up time( pedalling efficiency) in the more flat, open sections because It's a known fact that you loose time when you're in the air.
flag a-r-c
O+
Posted: Dec 4, 2007 at 22:21 Quote
whatsabike wrote:
depends on the course really. look at a course like mount st. anne, a frame with 7" won't do as well because of how it sits and sticks to the ground. all in all, it depends on the rider. you should pick a frame for which suits your riding style as you go down the hill. If you're going to ignore the fact that there's rocks all over the place and just plow through it, get a frame with more travel to keep the rear wheel where it's the fastest, on the ground. If you're going to weave between the rocks, and jump more, then get a frame with less travel so that you make up time( pedalling efficiency) in the more flat, open sections because It's a known fact that you loose time when you're in the air.


Ummm. History lesson for you, but Nicolas Voulliouz won there many times and never with more then 7".

Besides like I have said before...you need a bike that handles well and is durable but in the end it's the rider not the bike, PERIOD
flag stabdee661
Posted: Dec 4, 2007 at 22:21 Quote
the honda team which has been ranked #1 in the team standings for the last 2 years has 8 inch's on the back and only 7inch's on the front, thats a seriously large lack of travel if you ask me but they stil beat every other team out there.. also, the orange 222's that greg minnaar and steve peat were running a few years ago only had 8 inch's of travel and they dominated on those bikes.. something maybe to watch next year is greg minnaar on a v10, going from a short travel to a long travel bike and see how he does, if he ends up doing better maybe it is better to use a bike with longer travel.
then again maybe its because he's finally had has shoulder op and because he's running around town(pietermaritzburg, south africa) in a sling and when he gets back on the bike in 2 months he'll have alot of energy to get rid of.. haha..
flag a-r-c
O+
Posted: Dec 4, 2007 at 22:23 Quote
stabdee661 wrote:
the honda team which has been ranked #1 in the team standings for the last 2 years has 8 inch's on the back and only 7inch's on the front, thats a seriously large lack of travel if you ask me but they stil beat every other team out there.. also, the orange 222's that greg minnaar and steve peat were running a few years ago only had 8 inch's of travel and they dominated on those bikes.. something maybe to watch next year is greg minnaar on a v10, going from a short travel to a long travel bike and see how he does, if he ends up doing better maybe it is better to use a bike with longer travel.
then again maybe its because he's finally had has shoulder op and because he's running around town(pietermaritzburg, south africa) in a sling and when he gets back on the bike in 2 months he'll have alot of energy to get rid of.. haha..

Still the rider, more then the bike.
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