Best bike to take to Queenstown?

[Sputnick]

Few friends and I are planning a trip to Queenstown at the end of the year.
All of us are ex-downhillers, and all own 140-150mm AM bikes currently.

Just wondering what other people have taken over there?
Are we best to swap back over to downhill bikes to get the full potential of the trails?
Or will we be missing out on too much of the more tame tracks with downhill bikes?

Cheers

 

[Puddleduck]

We're planning on heading over towards the end of 2014. At the moment our plans are to take our AM bikes so we hit up a wide variety of rides and when we have to we'll hire DH bikes for the day or days. That way all trails are covered. The 'burners might have some other recommendations.

 

[callum1]

from what iv seen in dvd's and magazines, they all seem to be on am bikes.

 

[RYDA]

I was there earlier this year.

Honestly, most trails at Skyline would be fine (if not better) on a small AM dual sus. I took my DH bike, because I love the margin of error it provides and makes everything just that much easier.

What will get you however - is the braking bumps. In fairness when I was there they hadn't had rain for a long time, so the trails were bone dry, dusty and rutted.

Original and Vertigo would have been great tracks to take an AM bike down.

Also taking AM bikes opens you up to a trip to 7 Mile.

Oh and definitely try and hook up with Jono from Queenstown Bike Taxis, and get him to take you guys up to Rude Rock. I think it may have topped the best trail I have ever ridden, so flowly and amazing views. It's the kind of trail that makes you feel like a helicopter is following you while shooting for a MTB movie.

 

[aligogs]

hi, i took my giant reign there last year and rode pretty much everything on it.. with guys on dh bikes. however, it got a hammering, especially with the braking bumps. i would say a dh bike would be more fun to ride there and you could use that on the shuttles with jono too but an AM bike would be fine if thats all you've got

 

[josh88]

I spent three weeks over there at the end of January on my specialized enduro with a more dh favoured set up and to be honest it was perfect to do everything on. I had 170/165mm of travel and wouldn't really go anything less if you want to make the most of the gondola/ wynyard as i felt like i was missing that extra a bit of travel compared to my big bike on the steeper/ bigger stuff but was perfect for the rest. However having the all mountain setup was awsome for doing the big all day rides including coronet plus skippers and a pointless ride upto the remarkable ski resort plus getting out to 7mile which would be almost impossible on the dh (unless your really keen). Also another vote for Rude Rock and Coronet XC track.

 

[QBT]

I'd reckon 6" is the go. Beef it up a bit by swapping brakes off your DH bike, fat, dual ply tyres. Dropper seat post would be highly recommended, so you can own the return track at skyline!

Heaps of trail/DH options over here, so what ever you bring, you'll have a blast with HEAPS of riding. Plenty of hire options available too, so you might want to get a DH bike for a day trip to Dirt Park (http://www.queenstownbiketaxis.co.nz/tracks/snowdirt-park/) or pick up a trail bike for a day at 7 Mile, Wanaka etc.

Jono

 

[c3024446]

I'm planning a 10 day NZ trip for next year (Feb or March), and wanting to know which of the following would be the best for a group of 4 of us, who ride mainly XC with 29er 100-120mm duallies, (we ride everything except dedicated dh trails really, and will be taking dropper posts)

1. Roturua for 4 days, transfer to South Island and Queenstown for 5 days
2. Queenstown and South Island for the full 10 days
3. An organised tour with one of the above options (i.e. is it better to have a guide show us the best rides to do or we find them ourselves)

Thoughts? Is Roturua worth the time to spend 4 days there and the extra travel time and cost, or spend the whole 10 in Queenstown and the South Island?

Edit: I'm thinking i may have put this in the wrong thread :yield:

 

[Browndog77]

I was there earlier this year.

Honestly, most trails at Skyline would be fine (if not better) on a small AM dual sus. I took my DH bike, because I love the margin of error it provides and makes everything just that much easier.

What will get you however - is the braking bumps. In fairness when I was there they hadn't had rain for a long time, so the trails were bone dry, dusty and rutted.

Original and Vertigo would have been great tracks to take an AM bike down.

Also taking AM bikes opens you up to a trip to 7 Mile.

Oh and definitely try and hook up with Jono from Queenstown Bike Taxis, and get him to take you guys up to Rude Rock. I think it may have topped the best trail I have ever ridden, so flowly and amazing views. It's the kind of trail that makes you feel like a helicopter is following you while shooting for a MTB movie.

Respect your signature.
True music genius.

 

[shake_rattle_and_ roll]

I'm planning a 10 day NZ trip for next year (Feb or March), and wanting to know which of the following would be the best for a group of 4 of us, who ride mainly XC with 29er 100-120mm duallies, (we ride everything except dedicated dh trails really, and will be taking dropper posts)

1. Roturua for 4 days, transfer to South Island and Queenstown for 5 days
2. Queenstown and South Island for the full 10 days
3. An organised tour with one of the above options (i.e. is it better to have a guide show us the best rides to do or we find them ourselves)

Thoughts? Is Roturua worth the time to spend 4 days there and the extra travel time and cost, or spend the whole 10 in Queenstown and the South Island?

Edit: I'm thinking i may have put this in the wrong thread :yield:

From experience, if I was packing a 100-120mm XC-orientated ride I'd be spending the core of my time in Roto, Taupo & Napier.
And only being in Queenstown for a couple of days to have dabble.

Honestly, both islands have an abundance of trails, however the North Island is WAAAAY more rider-friendly than the South Island is if you're only on an XC bike- certainly as far as an easily accessible variety of trails is concerned. You can spend 6 whole days riding in Roto alone & you still won't have covered all of the trail options. Rad having Taupo only 45min down the road too. The Moerangi Track is also just down the way from Roto & is what I'd consider one of the greatest point to point rides in the Southern Hemisphere, if not in the world.

 

[c3024446]

From experience, if I was packing a 100-120mm XC-orientated ride I'd be spending the core of my time in Roto, Taupo & Napier.
And only being in Queenstown for a couple of days to have dabble.

Honestly, both islands have an abundance of trails, however the North Island is WAAAAY more rider-friendly than the South Island is if you're only on an XC bike- certainly as far as an easily accessible variety of trails is concerned. You can spend 6 whole days riding in Roto alone & you still won't have covered all of the trail options. Rad having Taupo only 45min down the road too. The Moerangi Track is also just down the way from Roto & is what I'd consider one of the greatest point to point rides in the Southern Hemisphere, if not in the world.

Thanks for that. Seems like my plan for 4 days in Roturua should be 6, with the Moerangi Track on the to-do list.

We want to do the heli-biking in Queenstown (probably Roaring Meg), might spend another day in the Queenstown MTB park or Riding up and down Coronet Peak , and the third on Moonlight and 7 Mile, maybe. I need to turn our 11 day leave pass into 14+, but even then we will still miss lots.

 

[QBT]

I can do return transport to the Roaring Meg for around $100pp, depending on numbers. No guide going with you, but it's pretty much one way. Allow around 6hrs, including 2.5-3hrs on the bike.

Coronet is a great option, we could look at dropping you at the Ski Area base building on the way back from Roaring Meg and you can make your way back in to town at your own pace. Bout a 45min climb above the Base Building, followed by 10kms of single track down hill, and another 45min climb out the Skippers Road. Half hour easy ride back to town from there.

Let me know some dates etc and let me know if you have any other questions.

Jono
Queenstown Bike Taxis

 

[chonox]

I'll be bringing my specialized enduro late november but I'm doing mostly trails where you earn your turns and only have 1 day of bike park + 1 shuttle session.

Question for those who have been to Queenstown Bike Park though or any of the shuttled DH tracks - will my fox flux be okay? I have ridden mostly XC/trail and the gnarliest thing I've attempted is in the order of 1.5m drops. I've never ridden DH or hit a road gap (aggressive trail is maybe where I fit in) but was wondering if a full face is warranted just for those 2 days or will I be right as long as I B-line the 40 foot gaps (no way I'm trying that stuff at Wynhard/Dream Track).

I have absolutely no idea with regards to the appropriate level of protection and was wondering if purchasing a full face (are goggles also required?) was worth it given I'd probably never use it in Brisbane... except maybe the occasional trip to Beerburrum. I normally rock my fox flux, some gloves and thats about it (will bring knee pads although I never wear them in Brisbane).

Is rental an option or not worth it? Finally if additional equipment is required what are some decent entry level full faces? Cheers

 

[Nautonier]

Why not spend the extra $50 and take DH and AM bikes (assuming you have a DH bike)? I did this earlier this year and was able to do SO much riding around Queenstown, Wanaka, Clyde, Alexandra and Cromwell. There are tracks in the bike park that would be really scary on a 5-6" bike (world cup, hobbit etc)...