Downhill bikes

rockmonkeysc

Status is heavy and has poor suspension for the money.

Supersonic, you don't ride DH do you? Seat tube angle does matter, you want the space when in the saddle for pedaling sections but without a massive wheelbase. The Demo's head angle is massively adjustable with a standard angleset fitted and adjustment at the back as well. BB height looks a bit high on the canyon. I can't find any really positive reviews of the Canyon. It's no DH race bike. It's a DH bike for people who don't want to win races.

supersonic

I have ridden DH since 1996, started on an LTS DH, not as much anymore, more into XC.

Well, yes, SA does matter, but not as much as it does on an XC bike were seated efficiency is key. So what is wrong with the SA on the Canyon? But the point is there is absolutely nothing wrong with the angles of that bike, and 'a DH bike for people who don't want to win races' is nonsense. It is light, the suspension works well, the angles and geo are well within the limits of the bikes you post (and is multi adjustable), and it is a bargain. Sure you can't test it - that is the only let down really. Not saying it is 'better' than any other, but to write it off because it doesn't like right, or doesn't have 'good' geo (which I have easily disproved), then you are shooting yourself in the foot.

paul.skibum

Which Canyon are you looking at - the Torque FRX? To be fair there is only one model that comes with triple crown forks in that range which suggests to me the triples are an after thought in a freeride oriented bike rather than say the Demo or Glory which are full on DH bikes fitted with triples in all their iterations.

I have never yet been convinced by Canyons - bargain buys for the kit for sure but I just don't like the look of them (I know looks don't matter, its what's on the inside that counts).

Proutster

DodgeT wrote:

@ sonic - well, I guess maybe up to £2k.

What you need is a nice SX Trail, especially one that you've already ridden

Yours for £1.99k

Good plan mate, the DH's addictive isn't it? Did you get round to going on that skills course?

Anyway, hopefully catch up tomorrow - you can have another test ride on a lovely SX Trail at Macc Forest

The Northern Monkey

I know a couple of lads with the Torque FRX Speedzone ride down here at Cwmcarn, have seen them keep up with the best of them.

More personal preference though, would highly recommend trying something 1st.

RIKO

I disagree on the weight of the Status it's 37lbs that's not that heavy and tbh I've found the suspension pretty good so far the fork in particular.

Anonymous

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Status is heavy

DH bikes are going to be heavy, fact.

And no one cares as they're really only ridden downhill.

rockmonkeysc

Weight makes a difference on long runs and when pushing up.
My mates large Status was weighed at 46lb and the Domain fork is awful. The Status has a very poor spec for the price. It's only a couple hundred pounds cheaper than the scalp comp and Aurum 3 which both come with far better wheels, brakes, suspension and transmission. The Rose Beefcake 2 has better component and is £800 cheaper.
My Scalp is 38lb which is reasonable. Feels light and easy to throw around. DH bikes are getting lighter.

DodgeT

http://www.yt-industries.com/shop/index.php?page=product&info=201 £1500 :shock: and available, might have to order unless there's good reasons not too !?

40.5lbs w/o pedals

So i guess the main question, are either of the aurum 2 or scalp worth the extra £500 over the YT?
Lets be honest, for £1500 i'm gona struggle getting a nice 2nd hand jobbie.

Aurum 2 is 0.4kg lighter(with pedals),
Scalp is 0.5kg heavier (w/o pedals)

So nothing much in it time they're muddy.

RIKO

Cant say I've ridden the Status 2 but one of the reasons I went with the Status 1 is its a lot lighter and cheaper mine is a large and I've confirmed the catalogue weight at 37lbs. Obviously the more you spend the better bike you'll get usually..

The Northern Monkey

DodgeT wrote:

http://www.yt-industries.com/shop/index.php?page=product&info=201 £1500 :shock: and available, might have to order unless there's good reasons not too !?

40.5lbs w/o pedals

So i guess the main question, are either of the aurum 2 or scalp worth the extra £500 over the YT?
Lets be honest, for £1500 i'm gona struggle getting a nice 2nd hand jobbie.

Aurum 2 is 0.4kg lighter(with pedals),
Scalp is 0.5kg heavier (w/o pedals)

So nothing much in it time they're muddy.

YT is a bargain.

The Canyon is lighter, has a better front forks, rear shock and brakes (for £100 more. http://www.canyon.com/_uk/mountainbikes ... tml?b=2579

YT is 1deg slacker (measured differently, not sure if it makes any difference though) but has a longer wheelbase. Canyon has adjustable rear travel.

DodgeT

hmmm, so is the canyon going to be the better bike (on paper).

YT have stock, Canyon 2wk wait.. How accurate are Canyon waiting times?

The Northern Monkey

Were pretty accurate for me, as far as I know the only time they stalled was problems with the postal service and not them.

RIKO

Have to say both look like great bikes at a very good price guess the only issue is test riding or lack of. Checks the reviews and go for the one you like the look of?

felix.london

Ha! I went through all this last year - it was between the Rose Beefcake DH (with upgrades), The Canyon Torque FRX and the YT Tues DH (and a little flirt with the Nukeproof Scalp) and after months of it I decided I was gonna go for the YT Tues 2.0 - but they couldn't guarantee delivery for when my lifts opened end of June and the pre-sales customer service seemed liked they weren't that interested (but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and say they were just overwhelmed)

Then saw a used, ex-rental 2011 Session 8 for €2K and went for that. Easy, 'round the corner from my house, no delivery charge or waiting time and they said if I get any problems just bring it back to the shop and they'll sort it...happy days

DodgeT

@northern monkey - what size did you get and what are your "specs"?

Just gone through the size calculator and it came out as medium. I'm 6ft 1, 33" leg etc. Normally ride a large enduro which feels bang on, but have a medium C456 which feels good.

Comparing sizes (main ones)

______________enduro Large______torque Large
top tube_________620_______________585 (575 med)
stand over_______773_______________832 (827 med)
reach___________457_______________415 (401 med)
wheelbase_______1185_____________1189 (1173 med)

Seeing as I find the fit of the enduro spot on, me thinks a Large Torque would be fine going off those sizes. any other critical size I should be checking?

Is the optitune for the forks worth having at £34?? Guessing its a different spring due to weight?

The Northern Monkey

I'm 6ft2 ad went for the large, but I have the FR not the FRX which i think are slightly different.

It is large tbh, but the only thing I really look at when choosing a bike is the effective top tube length lol.

For DH, you may want to size down in order to be able to move about on the bike easier, but as long as you can drop the saddle enough you should be ok. User preference again I guess.

Play about with the canyon size calc and see how much you need to change it for it to bring up a large..

Stevo_666

Waiting times for the YT might get even longer after the review in this month's 'Dirt'. Seems they were pretty damn impressed with it regardless of price.

felix.london

Stevo 666 wrote:

Waiting times for the YT might get even longer after the review in this month's 'Dirt'. Seems they were pretty damn impressed with it regardless of price.

Same as last year..The Tues went straight into the Dirt100. The Tues 2.0 definitely looks the part (geo, kit etc) - and like I say that was gonna be my choice after a lot of looking.

If I had £2K to spend on a new DH bike right now it would be the Tues 2.0 again I reckon

DodgeT

Forgot about seat tube length, just measured the enduro, 470mm, exactly the same as the large torque.
The enduro feels really good size wise and moving around is not a prob on it, so reckon large is the way to go

Coming out at £1650 plus shipping, so not going to be much change from £1700... Looks like best spec for the money though.

Yt tues coming out at £1550 shipped, so roughly £150 in it. Guess that covers the better brakes and forks/shock on the torque.
Interestingly on the size front, the yt's look bigger, so medium would be the one I think.

Still think the canyon's out front at the minute...

felix.london

DodgeT wrote:

Forgot about seat tube length, just measured the enduro, 470mm, exactly the same as the large torque.
The enduro feels really good size wise and moving around is not a prob on it, so reckon large is the way to go

Coming out at £1650 plus shipping, so not going to be much change from £1700... Looks like best spec for the money though.

Yt tues coming out at £1550 shipped, so roughly £150 in it. Guess that covers the better brakes and forks/shock on the torque.
Interestingly on the size front, the yt's look bigger, so medium would be the one I think.

Still think the canyon's out front at the minute...

Forget the Tues and go straight for the Tues 2.0 !

I'd say it's worth the extra £275 over the Torque and you are getting a proper DH bike with a race geo, lighter (but who really knows), better brakes, adjustable chainstays, RaceFace & Thomson bars, stem & post..and it looks better

felix.london

You said £2K - so blow the budget baby!...you know it makes sense

DodgeT

Aaagghh, so thats just about £2k bang on delivered... So... top trumps time here (as I don't know that much about DH stuff- as if you hadn't guessed..) does the tues 2 represent a much better (on paper) bike than the torque 6 ?

They both "look" nice

edit - i'm getting carried away now, lets bear in mind that I aint going to be racing, and doing mahoosive stuff, so is there really anything on the basic tues which is going to hold me back?

felix.london

Apart from 2kg in weight, basic brakes, a bottom of the line shock and a cheaper fork & wheels it's spot on!



- listen I've just done my first DH season and missed most of it due to being away so I'm a complete noob. But if you go for the cheaper option I bet you regret it in a years time.

felix.london

Sorry - ignore all (well most) of that. I was comparing to the Tues 2.0 to the Tues not the Canyon!

rockmonkeysc

YT does get great reviews but their quoted delivery times aren't always accurate. I met someone at FoD last weekend who has been waiting 6 weeks so far when the quoted delivery time was 2 weeks. It should be worth the wait but just be prepared for it. I would definitely take the YT over the Canyon. The YT gets amazing reviews.

DodgeT

I assume your on about the tues 2.0 and not the basic tues though?

rockmonkeysc

Yes but both bikes have the same frame. Great components are worthless unless they are bolted to a great frame.
Starting to see more YT's at downhill races now and riders doing well on them.

Stevo_666

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Yes but both bikes have the same frame. Great components are worthless unless they are bolted to a great frame.

Nope, the 2.0 frame is different. It doesn't look the same as the 'old' Tues and has been redesigned according to YT's own blurb
http://www.yt-industries.com/shop/index.php?page=categorie&cat=21
http://www.yt-industries.com/shop/index.php?page=product&info=215

felix.london

The Tues 2.0 is based on completely different frame. a lot lighter, adjustable chain stays etc