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Best 7 inch mini DH bike?

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Best 7 inch mini DH bike?
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flag Rippinp1
Posted: Aug 18, 2011 at 19:17 Quote
I have been riding for awhile now and I kinda do a bit of everything but the majority is the gnarly stuff. For 2 years now I have been riding a 2010 specialized p1 for EVERYTHING. I even rode mammoth bike park with it for a day. The other day I had a rental demo 8. I frequently get pegged as a slower rider because I'm doing my best to on 3 inches of stiff travel ONLY in the front. I have taken this thing through hell and back and she is still my favorite machine. Unforntunately, I'm tired of getting absolutely jarred non stop to the point where my vision is so obscured that it becomes a hazard. I think I've done my required sentence with a singlespeed, steel, hardtail as every rider should and I think it is time for some suspension. I think full dh sleds are a bit too much for someone who still is gonna dirt jump a little and pedal to the trail. There comes in the mini dh 7 inch bike. My choices are
1. Sx Trail!!!
2. Transition TR250
3. Giant Faith
4. Kona Entourage
5. Or any suggestions
Weight is not too much of an issue considering my bike is 35+ lbs most likely and with as much weights as I lift 40 lbs of lead sled ain't half bad. Pedal power isn't important either because I don't normally have gears. Most important is DH speed and a good amount of playfulness. I rode the new SX and loved it but with 3-5 grand on the line I'm not going to make rash decisions.
flag ambrogino
Posted: Aug 18, 2011 at 19:42 Quote
their all great bikes, worth getting whatever you can get your hands on for the best price I think.
but me being obsessed with Specialized, I would hands down take the Sx Trail if I could
flag arapp14
Posted: Aug 18, 2011 at 19:45 Quote
I'm sure the TR250 will be dope, it's udjustable beyond many other bikes, would handle downhill better than most of those bikes, yet still be a great freeride bike beyond most of them. I would say the SX trail, yup can never go wrong, but the TR250 would be the best bet out of them, but the SX is still cheaper also.

May I also suggest a Trek Scratch? IMO, i've ridden SX trails, not the TR250 sadly, but it's the best bike i've ever ridden to be honest. That's just my 10 cents. Or even the Trek Scratch Air's, just as freeridish, alot lighter and can climb if it's your do it all. The Scratch is the bike I would want the most if I were you, goodluck anyways though.
flag Rippinp1
Posted: Aug 18, 2011 at 19:53 Quote
Freerideguy14 wrote:
I'm sure the TR250 will be dope, it's udjustable beyond many other bikes, would handle downhill better than most of those bikes, yet still be a great freeride bike beyond most of them. I would say the SX trail, yup can never go wrong, but the TR250 would be the best bet out of them, but the SX is still cheaper also.

May I also suggest a Trek Scratch? IMO, i've ridden SX trails, not the TR250 sadly, but it's the best bike i've ever ridden to be honest. That's just my 10 cents. Or even the Trek Scratch Air's, just as freeridish, alot lighter and can climb if it's your do it all. The Scratch is the bike I would want the most if I were you, goodluck anyways though.

Ya thats my thing, I like the sx a little more than the scratch cuz it feels just a little more DH like but the scratch definitely has a better climbing feel. the tr250 looks like it could be great especially with the adjustability but I feel like as a first go at that kind of bike, it may be a toss up for this year. Until I can see someone who has ridden its a tough little choice. Hmm is the Claymore decent?
flag arapp14
Posted: Aug 18, 2011 at 20:08 Quote
Hmm never considered the Claymore or anything about it to be honest. Sorry I have no input for that.

Also, I would essentially rule out the SX trail, unless you have cost issues, don't get me wrong, I love specialized, and might by the new Demo for a race bike, but the SX trail I think is in the past for freeride.

If you like it over the Scratch for the downhill feel, get the TR250, I promise that will be a better downhill feeling bike than both. And though it's a new bike, that's somewhat(not really) unheard of, it's made by Transition(local to me) and I trust them very much and that bike is on the rise, I promise that. The Scratch, I have one, it almost like a XC bike (I had the Scratch air) but it rode like a full freeride bike. I had the 9 speed only, short cage rear derailluer Atlas FR cranks, I had a full freeride set-up and it climbed perfectly. Ofcourse, that was half of it, I found it rode downhill very nice, the ABP suspension, man that is no lie haha. That is the shit. Now for jumping, it jumped like nothing i've ever had, I love it. I might still buy a Trek Session just because I love the Scratch so much, but the price kills me.

So back to it, I think it's between the TR250, and a Trek Scratch, air or coil. The Coil, might make a better freeride bike, but I disagree, I preferred the air over it much more. Preference there, but it will make climbing 100 times easier, so that's up to you, same freeride feel (I think) but a much easier climb, hmmm? I still lean towards the Scratch..yes I clearly have a bias haha
flag Rippinp1
Posted: Aug 18, 2011 at 20:27 Quote
Ya I think it may just be the tr250 because my local trails only need 6 inches of trade so I can shorten it or take it to 7 for mammoth or big bear. I would take the scratch but the geo wasn't slack enough for me haha and the tr250 has 800 mm bars Razz and that is WIDE i can't resist that
flag arapp14
Posted: Aug 18, 2011 at 21:16 Quote
Rippinp1 wrote:
Ya I think it may just be the tr250 because my local trails only need 6 inches of trade so I can shorten it or take it to 7 for mammoth or big bear. I would take the scratch but the geo wasn't slack enough for me haha and the tr250 has 800 mm bars Razz and that is WIDE i can't resist that
Are you buying used? Or what are you buying them from? I can't imagine a stock bike with 800mm wide bars haha. That'd be way too much for me. I thought I liked wide bars..haha I guess not. Yeah the Scratch, I will be the first to say, is not slacked out very much at all. I had a large and it felt very short and tall, which is why it jumped f*cking amazing. But the TR250 i'm sure is slacked out alot, looks like it, like a mini DH bike, i'm sure it will be great, I even want one, I want everything though. Goodluck Razz
flag dirtworks911
Posted: Aug 18, 2011 at 21:16 Quote
Transition TR250...$4,699.00. Gravity Light DH Bars...$80. Riding a Trek Scratch for the rest of your life... Priceless.

Buy a Scratch. It will change your life.
flag arapp14
Posted: Aug 18, 2011 at 21:19 Quote
dirtworks911 wrote:
Transition TR250...$4,699.00. Gravity Light DH Bars...$80. Riding a Trek Scratch for the rest of your life... Priceless.

Buy a Scratch. It will change your life.
I agree with this 100%. I still think the Scratch is a much better choice, but I mean, look at the TR250, it's sick haha. Can't deny that, I still beleive the Scratch would be more fun, it is a life changer Razz but it's all preference I guess.
flag dirtworks911
Posted: Aug 18, 2011 at 22:12 Quote
Ripp,

I bet you wont change your travel settings if you get the Transition. The downhiller inside of you is going to be all, "OH BOY! 7 inches feels so much better than 6 inches" and you will keep it locked on the higher travel setting permanently.

There is soo much more to a bike than just travel though. Head tube angle, swing-arm design, etc.

Do me a favor before you end up buying a bike: Go to a Transition shop and ride one and have the sales guy tell you want sets the TR250 apart from all the other bikes in it's "mini DH bike" category. Then do the same thing at a Trek shop.

Make sure that when you go to the Trek shop the sales guy tells you about these things about the Scratch:

ABP (Active braking pivit.)
Full-Floater Linkage.
E2 Tapered Head Tube.

But when it all comes down to it, you should buy the bike that feels best for you.
flag arapp14
Posted: Aug 18, 2011 at 22:14 Quote
dirtworks911 wrote:
Ripp,

I bet you wont change your travel settings if you get the Transition. The downhiller inside of you is going to be all, "OH BOY! 7 inches feels so much better than 6 inches" and you will keep it locked on the higher travel setting permanently.

There is soo much more to a bike than just travel though. Head tube angle, swing-arm design, etc.

Do me a favor before you end up buying a bike: Go to a Transition shop and ride one and have the sales guy tell you want sets the TR250 apart from all the other bikes in it's "mini DH bike" category. Then do the same thing at a Trek shop.

Make sure that when you go to the Trek shop the sales guy tells you about these things about the Scratch:

ABP (Active braking pivit.)
Full-Floater Linkage.
E2 Tapered Head Tube.

But when it all comes down to it, you should buy the bike that feels best for you.
+1, the ABP and full floater, I could instantly notice after my previous bikes, made me never want to go back, so i'm looking for a session now possibly.
flag kizzapalooza
Posted: Aug 19, 2011 at 1:54 Quote
SCOTT VOLTAGE FR!!! Seriously, great bike.
flag Singlespeed-Seb
Posted: Aug 19, 2011 at 1:57 Quote
morewood halula hands down bos suspension front and rear for the same price as a tr250!!
flag takezo
Posted: Aug 19, 2011 at 2:25 Quote
May i Suggest the Giant Faith. I own one and i love her

Pedal efficiency is good, jumps like a mountaingoat, feels very light and agile for a 7 Inch travel bike.

Everyone who took my bike for a run is enthousiastic.

Try one
flag ninjatarian
Posted: Aug 19, 2011 at 2:45 Quote
Its not the most popular, but I love ripping my Marin Quake. The 7" of suspension feels bottomless and it pedals like a dream. My Totem bottoms long before the shock. The bike feels very spry too and I can bunny hop it decently high.

Unsecure image, only https images allowed: http://mountain-bikes.findthebest.com/sites/default/files/796/media/images/Marin_Quake_7.9.jpg
A decent review of it-
http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/bikes/mountain/product/review-marin-quake-xlt180-79-10-35517/
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