Ask the experts

[toast2266]

My "casual" evening ride is 2500-3500 feet of climbing and descending fast flow up to double black slab/chunk and DH lines with gaps and big drops. Am I crazy to consider a 170 bike like a Spire even though I climb a ton? I know its a "good" climber, but I think it's fair to say I do a fair amount more climbing than your average "endurBro".

I know plenty of guys (including myself) that do that kind of ride on 170mm bike on a regular basis. You can set a big bike up to be more manageable on climbs; air shock, use the lockout, etc.

Yes, a shorter travel bike is a bit easier on big climbs. But it's not the end of the world to do it on a big bike. Tires also make a big difference. I'd rather climb 3000 vert on a 170mm bike with maxxterra tires than 3000 vert on a 140mm bike with maxxgrip tires.

[rideit]

My Mullet Altitude excels at this. With a 170 Zeb, DD tires, an X2 Air, etc, it weighs a hair over 33#’s. Very, very manageable. Perfect for Teton Pass shredding without a shuttle.

[ClarkleberryFinn]

So on the other end of the "light vs capable" discussion, I'm currently obsessing over new bikes at the Enduro catagory. I started biking on a Giant Trance 27.5, upgraded to a Ripmo AF last year, been flogging it a ton, upgraded the wheels to carbon, got a cascade link, stroked the fork out to 170, and I'm not super happy with the bike still. Yeah the pedals are fairly efficient but when it weighs 37 pounds, the rear triangle feels like a noodle, and you run DD casings, I'm not sure how big a difference the DW link makes.

My "casual" evening ride is 2500-3500 feet of climbing and descending fast flow up to double black slab/chunk and DH lines with gaps and big drops. Am I crazy to consider a 170 bike like a Spire even though I climb a ton? I know its a "good" climber, but I think it's fair to say I do a fair amount more climbing than your average "endurBro".

My afterwork rides are more like 2000 feet, but I pretty regularly ride 1500-2000m (6500 feet) on a 170/165 YT Capra with MaxxGrip Assegai/MaxxTerra DHR2.

The big days definitely feel like big days, but that’s kinda the point! I’ve never felt like the bike holds me back on how much I can climb, only how fast I can do the climb, if that makes sense.

[Dantheman]

My "casual" evening ride is 2500-3500 feet of climbing and descending fast flow up to double black slab/chunk and DH lines with gaps and big drops. Am I crazy to consider a 170 bike like a Spire even though I climb a ton? I know its a "good" climber, but I think it's fair to say I do a fair amount more climbing than your average "endurBro".

I do a lot of 3k-4k+ climbs on my Megatrail (170/165, though light-ish at 33 lbs). If the down justifies it it's worth it. It's flatter rolling terrain type rides where the big bike will be a chore. Winch-and-plummet is all good.

[east or bust]

Winch-and-plummet is all good.

Heh, I like that term.

[teledad]

Not sure I can still call myself an "expert" (despite many years of wrenching on bikes, sometimes professionally). I spent 10 minutes grunting over an SPD pedal removal (swapping for a longer hex wrench, adding penetrating oil, using a handlebar for more leverage) - only to realize that it was left hand threaded and I'd been tightening it. Doh.

[Boissal]

+4 or whatever on big bikes being fine for big vert if the downhill portion justifies them. I spend most of my summer in the upper reaches of BCC, the usual rides start with a relentless 2500' climb on single track and dirt road. Not the fun type of climbing either, barely any flat ground and a 1.5 miles section near the top that is at the limit of what I can do without pushing. I'm barely slower on my Gnarvana than on my Stumpy and there's more than 5 lbs of difference between the bikes, not to mention the squishy coil shock vs locked air shock. A quick look at Strava for the typical evening loop says 1:34 on the GG and 1:27 on the Stumpy, 8% slower. That looks significant on paper but I'm more than happy to lose 7 minutes on the up, regain half on the down, and not rattle my teeth and brains loose in the gnar cause I'm on a less capable bike.

[Huskier]

I do a lot of 3k-4k+ climbs on my Megatrail (170/165, though light-ish at 33 lbs). If the down justifies it it's worth it. It's flatter rolling terrain type rides where the big bike will be a chore. Winch-and-plummet is all good.

Yeah I think it comes down to distance. I can chop 30-35 mins off my 3.5hr/17mi/3k ft loop on the downcountry bike (admittedly clipped in and locked out) but if I just lap the major vert it's like a 5 min difference and definitely slower on the way down

[Andeh]

It kind of depends on whether you're riding with others and how fast/slow they are as well. I'm plenty happy pedaling my 35# Nomad on "winch & plummet", and have owned medium (Sentinel v1) and short (Smuggler v2) travel bikes in the past. The Nomad is like 2-3 lbs heavier than my Sentinel was, actually feels more efficient climbing, and is a lot more forgiving going down. I mostly ride with buddies who are slower or the same pace climbers as I am, even on the big bike. So a more efficient bike just means I sit around for an extra 30sec or so per lap at the top, and get beat up more on the way down. Each lap where I usually ride is about 850', and I don't think something like a Tallboy would make me want to do even 1 more lap than I'd do on the Nomad.

I notice tires the most out of the typical tinkering when it comes to climbing. When I put on Schwalbes in the fall instead of the usual Assegai/DHR, the rolling speed was really noticeable. Likewise for the new Contis instead of the same Maxxis setup.

[SchralphMacchio]

If always wondered if, on a quiver of one bike (that doesn’t go to the park), it’s worth having 2 wheelsets. One mounted with faster rolling trail tires and one maybe a touch wider and with heavier tires. I assume you still have to do caliper alignment with the rotors when switching.

[jamal]

I tend to ride lighter and faster tires in the spring and then when things get dry and dusty and loose in late summer/fall I go to something a little chunkier and more durable. I do have the stock wheels around but never bothered putting tires on them and switching.

[Skistack]

If always wondered if, on a quiver of one bike (that doesn’t go to the park), it’s worth having 2 wheelsets. One mounted with faster rolling trail tires and one maybe a touch wider and with heavier tires. I assume you still have to do caliper alignment with the rotors when switching.

I’ve got 2 wheelsets for the gravel bike, one with 43 gravel tires and the other with 32 road tires. Even though I run the same hubs and rotors on both I still had to shim one wheel to avoid rubbing the pads.


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[Whiteroom_Guardian]

The Push fork we have all been waiting for. First time seeing it in this video.

[toast2266]

If always wondered if, on a quiver of one bike (that doesn’t go to the park), it’s worth having 2 wheelsets. One mounted with faster rolling trail tires and one maybe a touch wider and with heavier tires. I assume you still have to do caliper alignment with the rotors when switching.

I do that on my big bike. Burlier wheelset with maxxgrip dh casings, and lighter(ish) wheelset with maxxterra doubledown rear, exo plus front.

Calipers needs aligning when swapping, but it's pretty quick. Derailleur needs like a quarter turn on the barrel adjuster too. Limits are close enough though.

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

Doesn't someone on here have a WAO Arrival?

This is a very tempting buy:

https://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/3593602/

[toast2266]

Doesn't someone on here have a WAO Arrival?

This is a very tempting buy:

https://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/3593602/

Superboost. Ew.

[Velomayniac]

I’m trying to buy a cheap, mint, used DH bike.

I found a 2015 Giant Glory 2 locally for $1200. It’s barely been used, you can still see the little hairy/prickly things on the stock Magic Marys that are there when tires are new.

Now I’ve ridden that generation Glory 2 and I know I like it. What will I likely have to rebuild/grease/perform maintenance on? I have never bought a downhill rig this old before, however this thing is barely used.

Toast you told me bearings, anything else I should look out for?

should I avoid and go a little newer? I’m broke, but live near a bike park

[Huskier]

Crash damage dilemma update WWYD:

Old, moderately fun bike value $2500, maybe
Crash replace cost + labor: $1200
New Frame+Fork+wheel+Labor to get desired wheel size and geo: $4500
F it, New bike - Craigslist old bike ($6700-1000) = $5700. BUT the build is meh

Pour money into the outdated money pit?
Pour more money into a build that will inevitably cost more than I think it will but maybe not?
Or swing for the fences recession be damned I'll just eat beans or something

[gramboh]

So on the other end of the "light vs capable" discussion, I'm currently obsessing over new bikes at the Enduro catagory. I started biking on a Giant Trance 27.5, upgraded to a Ripmo AF last year, been flogging it a ton, upgraded the wheels to carbon, got a cascade link, stroked the fork out to 170, and I'm not super happy with the bike still. Yeah the pedals are fairly efficient but when it weighs 37 pounds, the rear triangle feels like a noodle, and you run DD casings, I'm not sure how big a difference the DW link makes.

My "casual" evening ride is 2500-3500 feet of climbing and descending fast flow up to double black slab/chunk and DH lines with gaps and big drops. Am I crazy to consider a 170 bike like a Spire even though I climb a ton? I know its a "good" climber, but I think it's fair to say I do a fair amount more climbing than your average "endurBro".

I ride a Patrol (mullet Spire) XT build kit with a coil RS Super Deluxe shock and Maxxis DD tires (Assegai MaxxGrip front, DHR II MaxxTerra rear) and I find it fine for 1000m/3500ft rides as long as it is not technical climbing the entire way. The weight, length and geo of the bike makes tech climbing fairly labour intensive. Spinning up paved/FSR roads locked out is easy, as is double track and smooth single track, but if I am out of the saddle humping up tech stuff I get tired noticeably faster than my previous bike (YT Jeffsy 160/160 27.5, carbon frame/wheels). I'm sure the cabon Spire/Patrol make a bit of a difference here, as would faster tires.

But the fun factor on descents vastly outweighs the say 5-10% climbing penalty. It's all winch/plummet stuff here in Sea to Sky anyway. I do have to admit I haven't ridden Lord of the Squirrels or done any 1500-2000m days since getting this bike though. I know I could do it but it will be big.

[carlh]

Huskydoc

Maybe buy Marshall’s gnarvana for a steal?

[rideit]

The Gnarvana is an XL...

[Andeh]

Crash damage dilemma update WWYD:

Old, moderately fun bike value $2500, maybe
Crash replace cost + labor: $1200
New Frame+Fork+wheel+Labor to get desired wheel size and geo: $4500
F it, New bike - Craigslist old bike ($6700-1000) = $5700. BUT the build is meh

Pour money into the outdated money pit?
Pour more money into a build that will inevitably cost more than I think it will but maybe not?
Or swing for the fences recession be damned I'll just eat beans or something

Your list isn't quite clear. Is the 2,700 cost of an old but moderately fun used bike that you'd get? $1,200 to crash replace your current one (how good is that bike)? Is the $4,500 option basically writing off your current frame, buying new fork/wheel/frame and moving the rest of your parts?

Used market is truly awful right now. Like 40% of what it was new, assuming a relatively modern (last 3 years) bike, unless it's something people pay a premium for like Santa Cruz or Yeti. So don't count on getting much for selling anything.

It would probably help if you listed what you have / are looking at.

[Huskier]

Sorry should've been more clear. I can replace the current broken bike for $2500, but if I fixed and sold that's probably the cap for what I'd get minus cost of repair.

$4500 to write off the frame and swap applicable parts.

I looked briefly at used but to get into something substantively better and more to my liking (HT<65 160 travel mullet with a reach in the 480-490 range) the list is short and I'm kinda gunshy now about going used w/o warranty recourse

[Andeh]

Assuming you mean it's 1,200 for new frame + rebuild, could then sell for 2500. So only like 1,300 net that route, sounds like a bad deal.

I'd go the 4,500 route. You can probably get *something*, however little, for the 27.5 fork & front wheel, to ease the sting. Rest of your parts suit you well enough now, so no reason they can't carry over to the mullet.

You could also pick & pull parts off the complete new build, but the value isn't great there either, especially if they're not top end parts. I parted out a Levo Comp a couple months back, and was selling brand new parts (Performance 36 / Float X, Code Rs, etc.) for like 40% of retail. If it was brand new Factory / XTR type stuff, I'm sure I could have gotten more like 75%-80%. I didn't even to try and sell the Roval MX wheelset because it's only worth like $200, and shipping that shit would be like $50.

[rideit]

Right now even ‘brand new’ Fox Factory, XTR, etc, is going for 30% off retail if it’s not from a reputable dealer with warranty/CS.
I can’t even get wholesale for BNIB EEWings, but that’s a specialty item.
I’m getting Chi Chi parts cheaper again on eBay than QBP (but what else is new)