What kind of drops will an XC bike handle?

WipeOut_Dude

Since it seems there is a different bike for every occasion these days I was wondering what can be thrown at a XC bike in terms of drops and jumps.. I know air shocks aren't really designed for anything serious..

After all I have just paid all that money I don't want to go out and break it..

nicklouse

they will take what you will find on an XC trail. the limiting factor on bought bikes is the wheels.

To flat nothing. but to a good transition a bit.

_Ferret_

depends what you call an XC bike.

Mine is regestered as "a long travel XC bike" by the manufacturer and has 140mm travel.

It also depends how heavy you are. what pressure are in your tyres. (wheels of coarse). just too many factors to list here.

If it's a gurantee question then an XC bike is only designed for the road...

Big Red S

Depends on the bike, the drop and the rider.

ride_whenever

The best way to find out is ride it.

Touch expensive though, unless the manufacturer has a decent frame warranty...

WipeOut_Dude

Its a Giant Trance 3 which should mean its a reasonably good frame.. I am not planning on riding off cliffs or anything but may have to get down a flight of stairs or similar on occasion..

Surf-Matt

Reckon that would handle most drops up to about 3 feet.

In the "old" days you just jumped and dropped without worrying what frame/bike type you had - Mountain bikes were mountain bikes - tough bikes for off roading!

ride_whenever

I think the above comment about wheels is a good one. You'll generally bust a wheel before you break the frame, if you bust them regularly then perhaps a burlier bike is for you.

supersonic

Landing slow and flat is what kills bikes. If I jumped off a 3ft step on to a flat stone landing, and landed like a sack of spuds I'd expect to cause some damage! Lifting the front end up at slow speeds means it drops even further.

passout

The Trance has a tough frame - as tough as some bikes with more travel. Should handle most stuff. Wheels would be more of a worry.

tom_majski

as said, the trance is tough. i've got a trance 3 and i wouldn't be worried about taking it off most small(ish) drops and jumps.

WipeOut_Dude

Thanks guys, good to know.. I feel a lot better now about having some real fun with my first full susser..

Surf-Matt, I come from that school of thought too.. My 10 year old rigid mountain bike took everything I threw at it and is still perfect with straight wheels and original components.. They built them strong back then..

supersonic

Just so we know what 3ft is... the face of this rock is not even four foot! I would not go anywhere near that on an XC bike!

Surf-Matt

Wipeout - yep ,y 1997 steel fully rigid Stumpjumper (which is usefully light) has been flung off all sorts, crashed and generally abused - it's still straight as a die and the wheels are 100% true.

WipeOut_Dude

Supersonic, I certainly cant see myself going off anything like that in a hurry.. Probably half that is about all I would want to take on these days..

Surf-Matt

WipeOut - then you'll be fine.

Northwind

TBH it's not a question with an answer really, too many variables- rider skill will make a big difference for instance, some people really soften the blow on the bike with their body work while others basically brace up and let the bike do the work. Obviously that's much harder on the parts.

WipeOut_Dude

Northwind - Thats a valid point.. Guess it all depends how much of a surprise the drop is when you go over it..

cee

I uploaded a video on this very site of a little drop on the 10 under the Ben trail at fort bill.

I think it is called hardtail xc drop....

Have a look if you fancy....I reckon it was about 2.5 to 3 feet.....on the hardtail (spec hardrock).... I reckon I have hit drops a little bigger than that (maybe 4 feet at Innerleithen) but to a much steeper transition....

Northwind

WipeOut_Dude wrote:

Northwind - Thats a valid point.. Guess it all depends how much of a surprise the drop is when you go over it..

Ah, well, if I get surprised by a drop I land right on my front wheel, then on my face

WipeOut_Dude

Northwind wrote:

Ah, well, if I get surprised by a drop I land right on my front wheel, then on my face

HAHA.. Been there, done that!!!

supersonic

In the end, bikes are designed with a bit extra in mind if something goes a little pear shaped (in context!). Just that XC bikes don't like pears that much.

marinman1

i ride a claud butler trailridge which has 50 mm travel forks which have seized up and all stock parts, its a couple of years old and im guessing your bike is a bit better. it has handled a few drops the biggest probably the one on the fort william 4x and i have not done any real damage, if your only doing small drops every so often then i doubt you should have anything to worry about hope thats given you a bit ofan idea what it can handle.

passout

I generally don't ride off anything higher than 2ft - don't enjoy that sort of thing.

Kowalski

Mornin'

Northwind is right, the biggest variable is the rider. I have an old rigid steel GT Outpost that I occasionally take round the trails and one of my old mates, on his Kona Dawg, (who isn't particularly, erm... 'gifted' on his bike) can't go off many of the drops i do.

Also, i don't believe that air shocks are necessarily unable to withstand a bit of heavy treatment. I've been abusing a pair of Marzocchi Dirt Jumper air shocks for a while now without an issue.

It's not until you go past the limit that you really know where it is... just have fun!

ST Colin

The rider is very important on the trails. Getting a good technique and allowing the bike to work underneath you will take away some of the stresses put on the bike if you other wise rode as stiff as a board. I try to pride myself on being silky smooth when I'm out.

rhyko7

Reckon that would handle most drops up to about 3 feet.

In the "old" days you just jumped and dropped without worrying what frame/bike type you had - Mountain bikes were mountain bikes - tough bikes for off roading!

i agree with the second statement here

i ride a trance 3 and ride off 3-4 foot drops without giving it any thought, i am sure the bike is capable of much more than this its a very burly frame (the cranks would give way first), i have not come across drops any bigger than this on the tracks i have rode so cant confirm that.

it also depends on how smooth you land, how much you weigh and what ya land on. i should imagine it would cope with hucking it off a 6 foot drop (stairs) onto hard flat ground without any trouble.

trail bikes and XC bikes are different, Trail bikes are generally burlier and will take more of a beating, if you want the extra travel though get an all mountain bike- consider an orange 5 or giant reign

supersonic

There is no way a Trance3 would take upto repeated 6 ft drops onto a hard flat surface!!! It has 100mm of XC tuned suspension, with 17mm wide rims!