Enduro rigs in DH

A

avantikid

Likes Bikes
Probably going to cop a lot of shit for this but hey..

Lets start by saying im from adelaide where the tracks dont really warrant full blown DH rigs in my opinion...and as i have just ordered an S-works enduro 29er, id be keen to see peoples opinions in regards to people racing 29er enduro rigs in DH events...

Me personally dont see the problem... Dont see it being any different to racing a 650b.. They all have there pros an cons obviously!


Ive been considering getting back into downhill for a while now, after i did some pretty good damage to my shoulder a few years ago.. Thought i was superman for a second, was mistaken!

Be nice now!

Cheers, Jake
 
Dozer

Dozer

Heavy machinery.
Staff member
Go for it! Anyone who calls you out at a race for riding a bike that isn't the same as their's is racing for the wrong reasons.
Not too long ago, a NSW pinner smashed everyone at a downhill race on a 29er dually, it's not foreign to see it.
 
A

avantikid

Likes Bikes
Well better go buy a new fullface helmet then!


I completely forgot some people ran 29ers at south Africa WC
 
Ezkaton

Ezkaton

Eats Squid
Yeah man, ride whatever works for you. It's really not important.

At the end of the day, everyone is there to have fun!
There's probably some elitist knobs about, but fuck 'em... haha.
 
Jeffgre_6163

Jeffgre_6163

Likes Dirt
My young fella took out 2nd in the CMTBC junior DH club championship on a 650 fiddy B Focus SAM 150mm AM bike
The only flack he copped was questions about how fast he would have been on the world cup course on a "proper" DH bike!!

Run what you brung mate
 
thecat

thecat

NSWMTB, Central Tableland MBC
Pretty Sure Mick Hannah won the National titles in 2009 on Haro X6.
Back before Enduro was a thing. Frame and suspension technology has come a long way since then too.
 
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K

Klips

Likes Dirt
And the specialized team, who were on enduros (Ropelato was on a 29er). And the nuke proof team on 165mm travel protos. And the Devinci team on short travel bikes too, if I remember correctly.
 
4dabush

4dabush

Likes Dirt
Run whatever you like I see no issue with it.... At Eagle Park you could well be quicker!!!
Mitch was on his 29er for practice in Cairns until it just got too sloppy... Remember the ground was like peanut paste here...26 inch bikes were clogged at the end of a run.
I was down in Townsville recently for an enduro and DH race weekend. Took my Norco 6 with 2 wheel sets instead of 2 bikes... It was a bit heavy on the enduro and a bit short on the DH but was great fun none the less.
Tell us how you go once you start racing... Good luck!
 
D

.dan.

Likes Dirt
I'm also selling my DH bike to build up an Enduro bike. Going from a Legend to a Rune. I can't justify having two bikes, so my decision was to go for the more versatile option. Anyway, most of the DH trails here in NSW are fairly easy on a DH bike unless you're absolutely pinning it. So I'm actually looking forward to the new challenges I'll be facing, and the do it all capabilities of the Rune. I hardly ever race nowadays though, I'm sure if I was still doing all the big races I would be keeping my DH bike. But if fun is you're main priority, you'll be more than fine with the Enduro bike.
 
S

speedyjonzalas

Likes Dirt
Considering the majority of the series is at Fox in SA an enduro rig for dh is fine.

The only thing I would recommend is getting a set of dh tyres as they will give your rims a bit more protection.
 
T

tommoDH

Likes Bikes
I used to race DH on an enduro bike before switching to a downhill bike. The differences are noticeable. You're quicker at pinning rock gardens and steep chutes with a full blown DH rig and more likely to grab a podium finish on demanding tracks with a Dh bike. However, this doesn't stop you from racing with an enduro bike. In fact, most Australian downhill tracks don't really require a DH rig.
Personally, I prefer using a proper dh bike for racing as I like the extra travel which makes me feel more confident to push harder and get off the brakes but you can have just as much fun on an enduro bike!
 
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