DJ to DH?

.blitz

Hi all. The last couple of months I have been riding from home to Stile Cop (Cannock's DH area) and throwing myself down the hillside. Although the ride there and back is OK on my trail bikes they are fairly shite on the DH runs - high BBs, steep angles and a fragile feeling - and although the Stile Cop posse ride a wide range of bikes I think I would feel more comfortable on something else.

A proper DH/FR rig is unfortunately not an option but the other day I was looking at my trusty GT Chucker. It is brutally overbuilt from bits of scaffolding, has a slack seat angle and I feel comfortable throwing it about. At the moment it is built up as a DJ bike with a 100mm fork but I wondered if it could be made into a pocket DH bike by fitting a 150/160 U-turn fork e.g. a Domain? My thinking is that the longer fork would slacken it right off and make it more DH-tastic but I would still be able to ride it to Stile Cop and back.

Is this A Good Idea or will the longer forks simply rip the head tube off on the first run?

The other alternative would be a used Stinky or Big Hit but sorted ones for £600-ish that aren't about to explode are hard to find. Any advice is welcome cheers.

Raymondavalon

An On-One 456 frame is quite cheap, plus it has a slack angle and ISIS mount for chain guides etc. so using that frame with some 150mm front forks and completing the build with donor parts may be a solution?

.blitz

Do you think a 456 would cut it as an inexpensive DH bike? My Ramones is pretty slack and burly but it is still a trail bike. The features that help it go uphill are exactly what hold it back on sustained descents :?

milfredo

Just change the fork and give it a blast. I doubt your going to snap the head tube although it might be fun to try.

Thewaylander

fella,

I would be coming E-bay to get a slack 6" of some kind.

Been using my Dune R for a fair whack of DH duties and the important things i have found are,

1: run a 36 fork up front (i think rockies are 35), On decent DH anything less flexes and generally strugles at speed making you lose alot of confidence and often ending in washing out.

2: Tyres, get some real Duel Ply items in 2.5" they don't roll over the rims at low pressure inthe same way.

3: slack is nice!

I

Torres

Personally i wouldn't stick a domain on your GT, in my opinion you're just asking for trouble.

The 456 is a good call if you can afford a new frame, the summer season may also be worth a look as it's slacker and a bit burlyer (if a bit more weighty.)

I'd be tempted to try the GT first before you change anything, it's also worth noting that throwing a longer fork on the GT would also raise the BB - so you'd end up with one of the same problems as you have now.

ilovedirt

.blitz wrote:

Do you think a 456 would cut it as an inexpensive DH bike? My Ramones is pretty slack and burly but it is still a trail bike. The features that help it go uphill are exactly what hold it back on sustained descents :?

I have a regular 456, I've ridden it downhill, and it's definitely a very capable bike, i mostly use mine for XC, trail centre and natural stuff, but set it up right (smaller frame, 1x9 setup, long fork etc) and it would be great for a beginner downhill bike, especially if you get the summer season, even slacker, burlier and has ISCG mounts. I know people that have thrashed the hell out of them on the downhill and they hold up really well.

Raymondavalon wrote:

An On-One 456 frame is quite cheap, plus it has a slack angle and ISIS mount for chain guides etc. so using that frame with some 150mm front forks and completing the build with donor parts may be a solution?

You're thinking of the 456 summer season, and that would be ISCG