Jumping a Trance x3

sandy771
sandy771 Posts: 368
edited February 2012 in MTB beginners
Popped into my LBS tihs afternoon and mentioned that I was doing some jumps on my x3. They commented that this isn't really a bike for jumps but more of a wheels on the ground bike. I said it was more of an on-route jump rather than a jumps track and they said that this would be OK.

I want to be able to ride a nice downhill with drop offs and jumps but to do this confidently I probably need to practice first. So this got me thinking what do those that are more experienced than me think I should be able to do on an x3? is a limited amount of jumping within its capabilities, should I/it be able to manage a 3/4/5 foot drop..... Is going to a jumps/drops venue (course) for a days coaching something I should be doing on this bike?

Comments

  • Eyon
    Eyon Posts: 623
    I wouldn't worry. I've taken my Anthem (which is the "one down" from the Trance as you most likely know) down Cwmcarn downhill (though slowly I will add), and will happily put it off a good 4 foot+ drop to slope. It's also been abused down a few 4X tracks with jumps too. It's only 100mm, and I'm not light at 85kg, but it holds up fine.

    The Trance is beefier, and although its by no means a freeride/DJ bike, I'd say it would be great fun for hitting the jumps "on trail" without any worries.
  • bartimaeus
    bartimaeus Posts: 1,812
    You can do this sort of thing (about a 2 footer, though this guy caught a bit more) on a 100mm bike with no problem... well, no problem for the bike that is - I'm only about 50/50 landing this properly and under control, but that's pilot error! A Trance should be able to manage something bigger...
    dscn5021.jpg
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  • 1mancity2
    1mancity2 Posts: 2,355
    The Trance is a very capable bike, before I got the Reign my Trance was thrashed and never let me down, jumps to flat are were you may find its limits, but jumping and landing on a transition is fine, after all a 3ft tabletop is the same as a 10ft tabletop only difference is the time your in the air.....

    I did drop offs, jumps upto 4ft on my Trance and it bottomed out but never harshly.
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  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    It's not the jumps, it's the landings! If your 4 foot is to flat and you land it hard or squint then it'll beat it up over time. If they're to a nice transition and you land smooth and clean, then you could do it on pretty much anything. You'll know yourself how hard you land, if it feels rough on you then it's rough on the bike too.

    But it doesn't sound like you've got too much to worry about, Trance is no shrinking violet and moderate jumps and drops are part of its job really.
    Uncompromising extremist