It has.... Been a while....

Sky_Collapsed

Not particularly enlightened
Not sure if this is the right sub forum for this but feel free to delete if it is.

Well, i kinda sold my dh bike back around 2014 or so then sold the xc bike around 2017 and yeah,, really regret it and now i wanna get back into it but wanna ask a few q's.

whats the standard rim size these days? 27.5 29 or are we back to 26s?

If someone was a medium on giant 26ers way back when would this still correlate to medium on most or all frame sizes?

I'd be looking at buying something used preferably maybe new if there's something that can competently do dh and all mountain, but not really sure what the models are for all mountain these days.

one of those "How longs a piece of string" questions really but would still be good to get some feedback so i get more of an idea.

If I buy used i'd likely be looking at around 1k for an ok all mountain bike and around 2k for a dh bike or for a new bike i can do 4-5k if there's something that can competently do both dh and all mountain riding.
 

yuley95

soft-arse Yuley is on the lifts again
Where are you based and what trails do you ride DH? These days you might find a good enduro rig that does everything and will get a good one in the 4-5k bracket.

I ride a transition sentinel (29er) on everything from mellow trails to the DH tracks at Mt Buller and it kills it all.

There are still people who prefer 27.5 bikes but most stuff is 29 now and works well
 

Sky_Collapsed

Not particularly enlightened
Where are you based and what trails do you ride DH? These days you might find a good enduro rig that does everything and will get a good one in the 4-5k bracket.

I ride a transition sentinel (29er) on everything from mellow trails to the DH tracks at Mt Buller and it kills it all.

There are still people who prefer 27.5 bikes but most stuff is 29 now and works well
based around north west tasmania so we've got some great trails around and my own property is suitable for mixed riding styles.

how do 29ers feel compared to a 26er or 27?

what enduro bike would you recommend in the 4-5k bracket that's capable of handling everything?
 

indica

Serial flasher
DH bikes - there are not any.
My 2015 GT Sanction is 27.5 and I love it but next would probs go 29. The GT is an Enduro (all mountain) bike as in I can ride up big hills and bomb down them.
Ask @moorey he's been across the new wheel sizes as soon as they come around.
 

Sky_Collapsed

Not particularly enlightened
For me, now looking at the old vids of 26'er DH races, the bigger wheels look normal, the smaller ones look like a bmx
yeah plus i guess having a 27 or 29er would roll over obstacles better, i do recall how easy it was to get snagged on the ole 26er
 

yuley95

soft-arse Yuley is on the lifts again
based around north west tasmania so we've got some great trails around and my own property is suitable for mixed riding styles.

how do 29ers feel compared to a 26er or 27?

what enduro bike would you recommend in the 4-5k bracket that's capable of handling everything?
There are a good few bikes now that are in the 150-160mm range with 29” wheels and 64 degree or so head angle that are great. Transition sentinel, norco sight, commencal meta, nukeproof mega and many more.
You can then go up to 170-180mm and get something even more capable but you lose a little In the ‘poppy ness’. In the same brands you have the transition spire, norco range, commensal mata am, nukeproof… something.

Anyway, new style geo is amazing and anything will be a vast improvement on what you used to ride. It’s all gravy
 
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Sky_Collapsed

Not particularly enlightened
supply shortages are screwing everything atm including the availability of shipping containers .

although i have a budget in mind im not quite ready to buy just yet, i should be ready next year though unless an fb market place buy comes up, just getting some options loaded up.

id have to look at sizing though assuming im medium on giant i guess it should translate through to other brands but ill tackle that when im ready to pull the trigger.

One thing i didn't expect though; is how little dh bikes there actually were. i never would have expected that market to have slimmed off so much.
 

yuley95

soft-arse Yuley is on the lifts again
supply shortages are screwing everything atm including the availability of shipping containers .

although i have a budget in mind im not quite ready to buy just yet, i should be ready next year though unless an fb market place buy comes up, just getting some options loaded up.

id have to look at sizing though assuming im medium on giant i guess it should translate through to other brands but ill tackle that when im ready to pull the trigger.

One thing i didn't expect though; is how little dh bikes there actually were. i never would have expected that market to have slimmed off so much.
How tall are you? New bikes will feel quite different. The distance from bottom bracket to handle bar (reach) has generally grown while top tube length has often shrunk. All due to more upright seat angles. It‘s all good but worth looking more at the reach figure to get your right size rather than top tube
 

Sky_Collapsed

Not particularly enlightened
How tall are you? New bikes will feel quite different. The distance from bottom bracket to handle bar (reach) has generally grown while top tube length has often shrunk. All due to more upright seat angles. It‘s all good but worth looking more at the reach figure to get your right size rather than top tube
ill have do a proper check but from memory im roughly 5ft 8in

edit: it looks like ill be either borderline medium or on the edge of small for most things it seems.
 
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puffmoike

Likes Dirt
You lucky bastard. You live in Australia’s MTB Mecca. Just in case you’ve haven’t been paying any attention check out videos of Derby and Maydena to see why the rest of us wish we lived in Tasmania. With trails like that only a few hours away you are almost certainly going to want a capable bike fairly soon, so either go cheap and be ready to upgrade if the bug bites, or just get an enduro bike straight away.

The lack of DH bikes on the market does not suggest the trails are getting easier. It’s just that 150mm and more enduro bikes are incredibly capable on the downhills, and a whole lot better to ride back up. Watch a few EWS (Enduro World Series) highlights packages on YouTube to see the terrain that ex-DH riders like Sam Hill (yep, he’s still racing, and is a three time series champion) and Jack Moir (current champ) are hitting on these bikes.

I’m fractionally taller than you (175cm) and happily ride mediums. I only took up mountain biking in my mid-thirties, and can ride most trails competently, but stay away from big air and double black runs. I own a five year old Trek Fuel EX 29” 130mm trail bike, which I’ve ridden at Maydena and Derby. But having ridden mates’ 29” 150mm enduro bikes (a Specialized Stumpjumper EVO and Yeti SB150) I’d get something like that if I lived in Tassie.
 

geekman

Squid
I got back into riding a few months ago after a ~7 year break from the sport. Use to ride when I lived in Perth as the surf is so crap there but sold everything when I moved to the Mornington Peninsula in Vic.

Got a Marin Alpine XR (29er 160/150mm) and it has blown me away on how capable it is both descending and climbing. I feel more confident on it charging through a rock garden than I did on 180mm Kona Stinky I had and it climbs better than my old 26in Reign fully locked out. Bike choice was pretty limited when I was shopping for one with nothing available in the LBS's or from Canyon/YT in the $4-5k mark but glad I found the Marin for just a little bit more (Bicycles Online). Also I'm a big fan of the 29in wheels now I'm use to them, just rolls over and down anything with no fuss. I am tall though (riding an XL size) so never felt that comfortable on 26
 
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