DiamondMX

For some reason my recording was just static… probably an issue on my end. My podcast question: Hello hosts and listeners! My long-time riding partner, a 2006 Specialized Big Hit, needs forks, a shock, and tires. That's a decent amount towards a new bike, so I'm curious about what is out there. Tried a MD Shore, which I thought would be the replacement, but it felt too long and whips were awkward. It had a dropper and climbed like a dream, though. Until that long rear cage caught something and snapped off. Tried a LG 27.5" Fury at Whistler. It whipped amazingly, but wheelies were difficult. A bit long in the back/overall. But it had the room in the cockpit and stack height allowing me to hunch over less while standing compared to the Big Hit. Rear suspension on both *felt* kind of strange. Not sure if it was an actual difference in feel due to shock model and/or linkage design, or just placebo because it looked different. I'm wondering if there are any DH/FR/park bikes out there that could fit some unusual criterion: - Durable enough to survive as long as the Big Hit has (old enough to vote) - 180/190mm rear travel that can be increased for park days with a longer stroke shock (or just 200mm if DH bike), love this feature of the Big Hit - Climbs decent-ish (the Big Hit is decent enough; that's the bar). I'd change a 7spd DH to a 9/10spd with a medium cage - Manuals okay - Whips nicely - 27.5-able, if not stock Potential candidates I know of: 26” or 27.5” Glory, non-hsp Aurum, sm or md last-gen Fury, One.2, Spindrift, FRS… I live in a flat*ish* area, so local trails are XC-like, but every couple of weeks, I go 2 hours to a hilly area with short DH runs and big jump lines, or a longer 6-hour drive to a bike park. I also always have a jump in my yard, currently 14ft, so that's what the bike is really holding up to. That, and the weekend trips.