Can Enduros really handle DH?

neilus

Hiya,
Im looking to get kitted out for steeper/gnarlier stuff, which basically comes down to replacing my Giant Trance (most likely with a Reign) or scan the local classifieds for a decent 2nd hand DHer.
I live in Austria so were talking about alpine bikeparks here, so the usual "its overkill for UK bikeparks" doesnt really apply. Im just not convinced about Enduros. My AM Trance is perfect for my day to day trail riding, i dont need an extra 20mm travel for that. I do a fair amount of climbing and the extra travel might actually be a hassle. And at the other DH end, Im not sure an enduro can really cut it, especially for mid/late season when the trails in the bikeparks are absolutely wrecked with brakebumps that make your teeth fall out.
98% of the people at these bikeparks have DHers. If enduros were really good enough for DH I think you'd see a lot more, but you dont.
Being able to "handle" DH and riding DH terrain with a degree of enjoyment are quite different I reckon...
Any thoughts?

larkim

Sounds like you know the answer - DH bikes are designed for DH riding, anything else is a compromise. So long as you're happy to buy a specific bike for specific terrain (and accept that it will be compromised, possibly disastrously so, for anything other than it is designed for), then that's clearly the optimal way to go.

larkim

I should add, there will now follow a debate about how much compromise a DH bike would be on other terrain, and that's where there'll be differences of opinion.

neilus

Cheers, yep thats the word ive been looking for, compromise. Just found a 2014 Glory 2 for €1100, which would be a cracking deal I reckon! Fingers crossed its the right size...

rockmonkeysc

An enduro bike will be fine on any trail. I've done double black graded trails on mine which are as tough as anything I've seen in the alps.
The difference with downhill bikes is speed. When you want to ride like your arse is on fire, on the limits of your abilities then you want a downhill bike.
If you want to get down the trail at a quick pace but want a bit more versatility then an enduro bike is ideal. The difference in speed for most people isn't huge.

neilus

RockmonkeySC wrote:

An enduro bike will be fine on any trail. I've done double black graded trails on mine which are as tough as anything I've seen in the alps.
The difference with downhill bikes is speed. When you want to ride like your ars* is on fire, on the limits of your abilities then you want a downhill bike.
If you want to get down the trail at a quick pace but want a bit more versatility then an enduro bike is ideal. The difference in speed for most people isn't huge.

Cheers RM, I guess if i was planning on upgrading from my Trance anytime soon id go for an enduro but Im perfectly happy with it so ill probably go the 2nd hand DHer route. Talking of which, what are your thoughts on this?:
https://bikemarkt.mtb-news.de/article/9 ... 2014-small
Comes with 2014 BoXXer Word Cups, the owner said I could take it for €900 (about 800 quid). Considering Merlin are selling the same forks for 900 quid it seems like a reasonably (though not amazingly) good deal. Its a 2012 Status bought in 2014, it has a pretty good review here:
https://www.pinkbike.com/news/Specializ ... -2012.html
Whaddya reckon?

rockmonkeysc

Personally I wouldn't touch boxxer world cups, they're high maintenance and fragile. If you look closely at pictures of some world cup dh bikes with boxxers, they might have wc stickers but coil adjustment knobs.
I would always go coil for downhill, it's reliable and performs better. Air is just more adjustable and lighter.

neilus

Hmm ok. Well, Ive pretty much decided to buy the Status, hopefully being none the wiser regarding coil v air on DH forks the performance should be ok, cheers!

rockmonkeysc

You'll need to service them very regularly. Lower lube after every 4-6 days riding and full service twice a year otherwise they'll very quickly give you problems.

neilus

Cheers ill bare that in mind. Rode the Status for a day at a bike park in Slovenia which was fun but man, there aint half a lot of dials on the Boxxers! I tried to go through them systematically but whatever i tried it still felt harsh, i was running around 75psi which for my 73kg maybe making the fork too stiff...i guess it'll take a lot of trial and error getting it totally tuned.

rockmonkeysc

They are harsh. That's the reason so many people convert them to coil spring.

neilus

You know people that have done this? How did it work out?

rockmonkeysc

Yes, a few friends have done the conversion. It basically turns the fork in to the R2C2 spec which is a really solid, nice fork and what I would fit to any downhill bike I build.

neilus

Cheers, that could be a plan B if i cant get the set up dialled in. Its a bit disconcerting to hear the WC air spring is so bad that people effectively downgrade their forks! The first thing I want to try is to get the psi as low as possible and crank up the LSC to prevent diving...at 73kg what would you say the absolute minimum psi?

rockmonkeysc

That's not really the way to go about setting up a fork.
Set the sag first, 30%-35% should be about right.
Download the guide below. It's for a Cane Creek rear shock but the principles transfer to a fork and it's really a well written guide for setting up any high end fork or shock.
http://www.canecreek.com/resources/prod ... nglish.pdf

neilus

Great thanks for that. I've just been trying to set the sag and theres something wierd going on, when I just apply a steady body weight to compress the fork (how i normally test sag %) the fork hardly budges at all, its like its locked out. Its only when i grab the front brake and then weight the forks that they move.
Any idea what the heck is going on? Is that normal?
Cheers for the help man, none of my bike buddies are too clued up about this!

rockmonkeysc

Does the fork feel a bit sticky to get moving? That's quite normal with new boxxers until they've had some use and bedded in the seals

neilus

Hiya, nah theyre certainly not new. Its like when i push down the shock shifts slightly and the forks are somehow misaligned and seem locked out. Gonna take them to a local suspension servicing place and see what they say...
Cheers!

rockmonkeysc

You haven't got the LSC wound up have you?

neilus

Nah tried that. The previous owner said the last big service was 3 months ago including new oil in the damper so im really curious to see what it is when i take it to the service place.

rockmonkeysc

Might be the new seals. I used to run Racing Bros seal in mine. They make a big difference.

neilus

Do you have a preference for seal grease? I have a pot of Sram butter in my shopping basket...
Also I'm wondering how you tell when seals are kaput. Do they just look worn out?
Cheers!

rockmonkeysc

I use SRAM butter. I do a lower lube about every eight days riding with new seals once a year. Keep up the lower lubes and they'll last a year no problem.
Keep an eye on the On One website, they occasionally have Rockshox 35mm seal kits less than half price. I bought six sets at a fiver each last year.

neilus

She's gone into to get serviced, they said they would replace the seals, which for €130 i would expect!