4x specific bikes

chillinuk

This may seem a stupid question but I thought I would put it out there anyway.
How would bike frames specifically designed for 4x racing perform climbing a hill.
I am talking in the terms of an aluminium ht, with 4-6" travel and head tube of say 69 degrees (ish).

Thanks.

rob cole

most 4X specific bikes whether hardtail or full suspension will use 100mm (4") forks as 160mm (6") would be way too long to make the handling snappy enough for 4X

the problem you would find with 4X specific frames is the shorter length of the top tubes, again designed to make the handling snappy and very nimble for mid-air direction changes, pumping the track and sprinting off the gate

if you look at a 4X specific suspension frame like the Mythic Rampant its an awesome short travel (4") play bike and 4X bike for chicksands 4X track and similar venues, but you wouldn't want to take it up a hill as even the long only has a 22.5" top tube length which is going to make the bike want to flip backwards and will cramp your ability to breathe and shift weight forwards

when i had my Identiti Dr. Jekyll (one of the first BSX / 4X frames) it was a great play bike but way too cramped to ride up any hills on....