20 Short Travel Bikes of the British National 4x Series Round 1

 Dual Slalom 4 life

 Was just going to say that!

 4X is probably fun to watch, but DS is way more fun to race! I really miss DS... 4X killed DS because it was easier for organizers to not need timing systems.

 If what works in 4X is a good indicator, we should probably all go with hardtails, choose steel as a frame material and go singlespeed?

 @FuzzyL: I'm down with that

 @FuzzyL: who is downvoting this?

Must be e-bikers

 Who told you you can't have fun? Where did the bad people touch you?

 i own a 26er hardtail, built it myself with scraps from other bikes, just upgraded its fork to a 2009 totally rebuilt fox talas, it kills at my local 4x and pump tracks, one of the best investments i've done in MTB.

 @FuzzyL: I'v been thinking the same thing lately. Sounds like a fun setup for my local trails.

 you may be on to something. Don't let the pinkbike advertising team know about this general consensus though lol

 @FuzzyL: you just described my main bike.

 @spaced: A 29” poke right in my e-motor

 @Narro2: Building wheels for my 26er with new-to-me Fox Talas...because A$$holes on PB buy/sell believe their dented, beat up Mavic Crossmax's from '06 are worth $350 and it should be a privilege for someone else to ride (rebuild) them

 Shhh, the industry is listening. Talk like that will get you sent to the re-education camps.

 @Narro2: I have a 2011 Supercross Shine. Put a smaller 9 speed cassette and a Bomber fork on it. Very light and nimble. Lots of fun at the pump track and out on the trails.

 @FuzzyL: yes

 More cogs, more faster!

 Amen brother...! So nice to see REAL BIKES....that require REAL RIDERS to handle them. The gear is YOU, the bike is secondary. Work hard to get the skills and ride a truly capable bike. Not the other way around like the industry is trying to force feed us. Run with the big dogs...or stay on the porch!

 4X is just a bit different than a trail ride. My dirt jumper dirt jumps, my trail bike trail rides. The only time paths crossed is when my DJ was down for the count and my trail bike had to be my pump track bike for a bit. If 4X was still as popular as it was 15-20 years ago, and I really wish it was, we would see more production bikes like these. The industry is making bikes for what 99% of the current cohort of riders are riding. The geo debate for bikes of a similar intended use are valid, but comparing this list to the current "industry" offerings is a bit of an apple to grapefruit scenario.

 You do realize those are 4x bikes and no one wants big wheels and super slack geometry for 4x while probably most racers want wagon wheels and crazy geo because that's what works in a race environment.

 @NikolaiB: using your logic the real bikers only ride unicycles and everyone else is a poser.

 @fly4130: but...you see that’s the problem. You think everyone’s idea of a trail ride is the same. Not everyone wants /needs the same thing. That Specialized Enduro SX was the last best play bike they made. That’s what some of us want. No hate on other designs....but the industry completely ignores some of its core customers and aggressive riders.

 @bikebike69: I don't think everyone's trail ride is the same, and stated as such. I agree that the geo debate over what a trail bike should be is a valid one. My ideal trail bike is closer to a 5010 than a long reach/long travel bike. Hell, its more hardtail than fully to boot. What I should have more directly said is a bike that is good at 4X racing will be a shitty trail bike. If you disagree, cool, but you are far from the norm and what the industry at large would and should cater from a business perspective. The Enduro is definitely an outlier here, and very cool for what it can do.. I would LOVE one of those Yeti 4x bikes, but taking for a trail ride would be for novelty purposes only.

 Great dude too. Bought a boxxer off him ~11-12 years ago.

 Yeah, its a good thing 4x is so popular these days.

 Do you ever need multiple DJ bikes though? I have multiple trail bikes, and want more. I cant imagine anyone buying more than one jumper or 4x bike even if they were the hardest of hardcore. They are cheaper, more durable and there are less changes year to year.

 @RonSauce: There's a dude in the forums who has like 10 DJ bikes, he is my hero

 @T4THH: sure, there are plenty of madmen loose on the planet, im speaking more from a marketing perspective.

 @RonSauce: Ye, oh my I am also a madman hahaha. 2 DJ bikes to my name but I completely agree with you

 Never too old! Paul Mounsley was racing at 76 (maybe 78?) something around that age anyway!

 @Joebohobo: yeah, I used to be on a gate with him a while back. My last race was Chicky 2019 when Niel Harbour an Michael Snappy got tangled an Niel got KO'd, Hard! Went home in an ambulance! I'm strictly big fun after seeing that!

 I was looking for the bit where it said "British national 4X Junior series".

 The bikes belong to people from different age groups, they haven't concentrated on just adults.

 Sounds like the masters b final on the Sunday! Trail bike 29er vs a 24in singlespeed hardtail.... There was a 27.5in trail bike and a 26 hardtail in there too!

 Yeah, but I also like the "ride what you've got" attitude with this. Of course when 4X was an UCI WC event, riders were riding more and more specialized equipment. But the beauty here is that it doesn't matter that much. 4X may have lost the mainstream attention, but what it has regained is the fun/casual/wild vibe of the days when the DH riders would dabble in 4X racing too.

 Museum??? I would LOVE that frame!! I would love it HARD.....

 @nojzilla: I would probably maim myself on it and still be grinning from ear to ear, but it's the kind of bike "collectors" would hoard away like Gollum with the one ring.

 @ROOTminus1: shouldn't be allowed! I bet that bike is a absolute rocket!

 Yeah, I always loved that bike! I don't think after they left Commencal, Dan ever got a frame that special from a sponsor. Obviously now with Robotbike/Atherton they can do what they want, but I've yet to see their hardtail. I recall Dan mentioned that they were working on a titanium BMX though so I'm still excited about that one. But until then, I think this is the coolest frame they ever (publicly) got to ride.

 delete

 @JamesOliver: good point! This Argyle damper is sick. You can actually fit it in a Revelation 2015 to lighten the front of a bike

 In the bin...where they belong.

 @losidan: hahah what a banger!!

 Must be the dad’s bike

 SOOOOOO.....SICK!

 Indeed, so many Nobby Nics!
What's going on there?

(especially as UK riders usually don't like Schwalbe tyres)