mini noob melt down, panic.

super kiteflyer

so basically i have ordered a bike and am going to pick it up tomz (giant trance x4). I'm thinking that in my head i have a different type of ridding in mind to what it is used for.

would some one be able to find me an example of whats its for, plz. don't want to buy the wrong bike

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bik ... 335/49883/

supersonic

What riding do you want to do, and what sort of terrain?

super kiteflyer

this short of thing, but I'm basically starting from nothing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtxkPCzg ... re=related

cooldad

Couldn't be arsed to watch 13 minutes of video, but the snippets I watched, mostly yes, but I reckon you'll crash before the bike breaks anyway. If and when it does you'll have a better idea of what you want to ride, and on what.

super kiteflyer

So are u saying that I'm buying the wrong bike or just not anoth of a hi spec?

super kiteflyer

To be honest, what I really want is a full out dh bike but I would not use it for what is for.

i want to be doing this (another 12 mins vid, but ill get the idea in the first 2 mins)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4CYJPjU ... ure=fvwrel

peter_booker2003

ive got a trance x3 and while it can handle and few jumps and drops, i wouldn't want to take it down a downhill track.

super kiteflyer

yh I've decided not to buy it, i have e-mailed them saying i don't want it i was picking it up from one of their shops.

going to have a look at dh bikes, i have one question, I'm like 6ft 5 will a large be big enough or me, or am i going to have to find a xl? (try)

bluechair84

By the looks of the first video, they're just riding flowing singletrack and fire roads. There's a few rocky moments and some small drops but nothing a Trance wouldn't be able to handle. it looks like the kind of thing you can find at trail centres - but don't forget that you won't have the luxury of lift access in England, you will have to pedal to the top again! Some of the very best and most technical descents I know of are natural descents which require hours of pedalling to get to, and you do not want a DH bike on those rides. Something like the Trance is going to give you 90% of the fun 90% of the time. If you want to build your skills up to start spending more time on proper DH, then you could go one genre up to say a Reign.
Ok, I just watched snippets of the second video you linked and it's just a soddin' fire road with doubles on it. You don't need a DH bike for that. Too much travel will equal a lot of weight which will make learning to ride tiresome and gruelling. A trance might be a tad to 'little' bike for your intentions but I wouldn't go full DH. Giant Reign, Trek Remedy, Specialized FSR evo, Canyon Strive, Orange 5.
As for size, the retailer will be able to advise you best.

super kiteflyer

I'm just worried about buying the trance, I'm thinking this is the wrong this, i don't want to end up having to spend more money is 6 moths,

I'm liking the nukeproof scalp or is that to advance for a noob?

bluechair84

What are your riding skills? How long have you been riding and where are you planning on going? If you live in Bromley, you're closer to the Alps than you are to places like fort william where there is a chair lift. No bike is 'too advanced' but you can have a bike that is not suited.
Put it this way, the videos you linked to are not British, they can use DH bikes because they never have to pedal them. And I'd still suggest that whilst you're learning a full on 40lb DH bike is going to be very hard to learn on.

super kiteflyer

my skills are i use to dirt jump i did that for 2/3 years, stop for a while (6 years, but still got it )

ill prob be going to places like Epping Forest, p.o.r.c, Swinley

bluechair84

Do you know anyone who is a DHer? Maybe you could give the kind of bike you are looking at (200mm+ travel) a go. If you only want to go down proper downhill circuits, then you might enjoy a DH bike (but living in London you are pretty limited for DH). If you're starting out, look at the 150mm types of bikes, they are; lighter, more manouverable, can be pedalled around efficiently, accelerate quicker, stop quicker and will be so much more enjoyable at many more locations. As ironic as it sounds, a DH bike is the furthest thing from a mountain bike because of how niche they are. Epping as far as I know is best for XC bikes. You'll be torturing yourself taking a Scalp around Epping
Checkthis link out.

super kiteflyer

no i don't no anyone, I'm kinda going it alone, this is part of the reason y i don't no what i want cos I'm not really sure what conditions ill be riding on,

bluechair84

Then you want a bike that's as useable as possible on a broad range of terrain, and a DH bike just ain't it. And long travel DH bikes like the Scalp are arguable only useable on full on, big fast DH circuits like the ones that can be found in the Alps, or Scotland. If you really want a DH bike, go for lighter and shorter travel, a 180mm Canyon Torque will tear apart the majority of British DH tracks. But a 160mm trail bike will shred everything else. I'd still recommend anything from my original list and the likes of that ilk.

super kiteflyer

yh I've been looking at a stump jumper, is that the kind of bike u meant by Specialized FSR evo

http://www.tredz.co.uk/.Specialized-Stu ... _48368.htm

bluechair84

Yes, but the evo model has slacker angles and so is more DH friendly. They have an Enduro Evo too which has more travel and slacker angles still.

super kiteflyer

if only i could get the stump jumper with 170 travel how ever i think that 150 will be plenty,

is the bike worth 2.5k i don't mind paying that much just along as I'm getting my moneys worth, see what i mean.

super kiteflyer

am i being stupid or a noob or something, y does the comp have fox forks and the evo have rock shock, are fox not better?

bluechair84

The Canyon Strive is excellent value for money bike because you purchase direct, there's no dealer network.

super kiteflyer

it does not go up to my size, i think i need a xl,

bluechair84

Have you used their size calculator?

super kiteflyer

yh it says large, then when i do it on the nerve (which come in xl) it says XL. which is a shame cos i was liking the look of the bike

Stevo_666

super kiteflyer wrote:

my skills are i use to dirt jump i did that for 2/3 years, stop for a while (6 years, but still got it )

ill prob be going to places like Epping Forest, p.o.r.c, Swinley

Bluechair's talking a lot of sense here - you won't need a DH rig for that sort of stuff (or anything near where you and I live). I'm learning DH on a 160mm AM bike - see link in my sig and it's fine for what I'm using it for and for my abilities. If you get the DH bug then fine you'll just end up trading up to something bigger eventually (or N+1).

Reckon you should try to get out to somewhere with an uplift once you've got yourself something to ride on and see how you find it.

super kiteflyer

Stevo 666 wrote:

Bluechair's talking a lot of sense here

yh I'm taking all his advice on,

is the bike u are learning dh on a spicy 516?

Stevo_666

super kiteflyer wrote:

is the bike u are learning dh on a spicy 516?

916.

Not sure if they do a Spicy big enough for you though, think they only come in S, M and L. I'm 5'10" and a medium fits me just right.

super kiteflyer

I'm still looking at the stump jumper (partly cos it comes in my size ) but what blue chair was saying about the angles being different, there is not much between then.

super kiteflyer

decided that I'm going to buy a stump jumper evo just need to save another 1k

http://www.specialized.com/gb/gb/bikes/ ... fsrcompevo

bluechair84

I think it's the right call, Spesh have a brilliant history of making great bikes and the Evo will give it the edge on descents - after all, it's the down hills that make mountain biking worth while

super kiteflyer

yh and from there promo vid it looks like the type of ridding ill be doing around my area.

cooldad

OK I give up. What the hell does yh mean.