Park bikes and playful dh bikes.

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mittagongben

Likes Dirt
I haven't had a chance to take the darkside down any really technical trails just Stromlo, Kowen and Oxford falls all of which we heaps of fun.
The fact that is has 180mm of travel is the best thing, less travel equals more pop and more playful.
I'm running the 40 Float on the darkside at the moment with no issues.
 
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SaabG

Likes Dirt
What about a single pivot down hill bike like the nuke proof scalp? They can be picked up real cheap and I've found that single pivot bikes have always been "poppier" than any other linkage and if the scalp is good enough to get Sam Hill across the line in first place I t must be pretty good on the down hills as well.
 
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shadow knight

Likes Dirt
Awesome I'm not to familiar with those trails, do they have any gnarly rock gardens ?
How does she go in the rough stuff ?
Also if you don't mind me asking how much did it set ya back ?
I just want to get some feed back on how it handles in the rough stuff, because it will be my dh bike but I want it to be more jump orientated but still be able to smash through the rough stuff if that makes sense hahah.
Cheers dude !!!
 
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csrides

Likes Bikes
I think it will be really hard to find a bike that can plow through the rough sections of trail but also be poppy. You are deinitely going to need to get something with fully adjustable geometry like the TR450. It sounds to me like you enjoy the jumps more than the actual DH side which is like me, I have a 7 inch freeride bike that pops amazingly but can also handle rough terrain, it depends how you ride it really. If you do decide to get a 7 inch travel bike you can also adjust the head angle and I know people who have done that to make their freeride type bike better for DH but still have the ease of jumping. In the end a DH bike is a DH bike thats what its deisgned for but some are easier to jump then others, it depends on the rider, look at how slack Brendan Fairclogh's Gambler is but look at how he rides it. If I was you I would seriously consider what I like more when I ride and go from there, the Banshee Darkside is a sick choice, 180mm travel rear 200mm upfront if you want dual crowns, maybe even look at a NS Soda FR they are amazing the jump or a Transition TR 250 even.
 
guitar1234

guitar1234

Likes Dirt
shadow knight said:
Hey Guitar yeah that's me hahah the guy that played tour guide on a track that I had hardly ridden.
Was a lot of fun wish all dh tracks had a view like that at the top of a run, will deff head back out there to have a ride of the wc track.
I deff remember who you are, buy the way how did the polygon ride ?
Yeah that sucks that we don't get all the cool bikes to our shores.
My cousin works at a bike shop and can get giants and Scott's so can get a a good deal on them not to big of a fan on giants don't mind the Scott's but think I will go the frame route rather then a complete.
The tax man treated me well so I'm itching for a new frame lol.
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You played the role well regardless dude, I can't wait to get back there on my own bike, sick trail

The Polygon was pretty progressive in the rear, was set perfectly for my weight so I really had no issues with bottoming out too hard and I hit all the jumps on Kuranda so it was pretty good to be honest. For a bike with such a slack HA it was somewhat playful. For what they cost too they're rad value complete.
 
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shadow knight

Likes Dirt
Hey Saab I did not know that single pivot bikes tend to be more poppy.
I just did a quick search and apparently my cove shocker is what they call a dual link ? System.
I haven't heard enough reviews on the nuke proof and as much as I love Sam Hill, he could smoke me on a penny farthing with a flat and a buckled wheel lol.
I did see a guy out at my local on one and it did look sexy ( looked quite low slung ) just want to make sure I'm making the right decision before I splash the cash.
Thanks for your info and input dude !!!!
 
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shadow knight

Likes Dirt
csrides said:
I think it will be really hard to find a bike that can plow through the rough sections of trail but also be poppy. You are deinitely going to need to get something with fully adjustable geometry like the TR450. It sounds to me like you enjoy the jumps more than the actual DH side which is like me, I have a 7 inch freeride bike that pops amazingly but can also handle rough terrain, it depends how you ride it really. If you do decide to get a 7 inch travel bike you can also adjust the head angle and I know people who have done that to make their freeride type bike better for DH but still have the ease of jumping. In the end a DH bike is a DH bike thats what its deisgned for but some are easier to jump then others, it depends on the rider, look at how slack Brendan Fairclogh's Gambler is but look at how he rides it. If I was you I would seriously consider what I like more when I ride and go from there, the Banshee Darkside is a sick choice, 180mm travel rear 200mm upfront if you want dual crowns, maybe even look at a NS Soda FR they are amazing the jump or a Transition TR 250 even.
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I think I finally figured out how to do this quote shit lol.
Yeah I completely agree with you dude that's why I started this thread.
That's why I kind of had my heart set on the session park till they stooged me coz it had 190mm travel.
Yeah I deff enjoy the jump side of it more but still want a bike that I can ride the really rough stuff with so I'm not completely getting smoked by my mates haha
It's kind of like having a bike that pedals like a fully rigid bike but descends like a 200mm dh sled haha
The darkside is what I'm leaning towards coz it's still slack but is supposed to be poppy and playful and is adjustable not as much as the tr450 or tr500 tho.
I didn't used to bottom out my kona stinky much but my riding has increased a fair bit from then so don't know how I would go now.
My current ride has 8.7" of rear travel and the rear end is long which I think are the key factors of it not being as playful.
I thought my operator was a lot more playful.
Yeah Brendog is a beast and on a whole different level then your average joe/ wknd warrior like myself.
Even in the scott catalog he quotes it's the most playful bike he has ever ridden, yet every review I read they recon it a bike for the gnarliest of terrain and the demo which he came off I read everywhere that they are playful as argh.
Decisions decisions.
 
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shadow knight

Likes Dirt
guitar1234 said:
You played the role well regardless dude, I can't wait to get back there on my own bike, sick trail

The Polygon was pretty progressive in the rear, was set perfectly for my weight so I really had no issues with bottoming out too hard and I hit all the jumps on Kuranda so it was pretty good to be honest. For a bike with such a slack HA it was somewhat playful. For what they cost too they're rad value complete.
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Hahaha cheers man it was so much better riding in the dry that day then the previous days I rode there I also can't wait to get back out there.
Yeah I agree as a complete they are freaking awesome specced and the new 2015 one in black looks so much better then the 2014 one.
Do you head out to the youies much ? Might see ya out there...........
 
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swatto90

Likes Dirt
Hi shawdow knight. I have a darkside I also had a nukeproof scalp before. I honestly would say grab the darkside. Seriously the funnest bike I have ever owned. If you go through my history I have had a few bikes. Im 110kgs I run the ccdb air and fox 40 floats so air both ends I have never blown through the travel like you read in reviews. I have rode it on a few tracks with rock gardens and it handles finds. Skims over the top. Really fun in corners and jumps. Talk to mittagong ben he is the Importer of banshee and I know he has a few frames in stock ready to sell. Forger a demo they are rubbish and main stream. Scalp was fun but banshee is amazing.
 
guitar1234

guitar1234

Likes Dirt
shadow knight said:
Hahaha cheers man it was so much better riding in the dry that day then the previous days I rode there I also can't wait to get back out there.
Yeah I agree as a complete they are freaking awesome specced and the new 2015 one in black looks so much better then the 2014 one.
Do you head out to the youies much ? Might see ya out there...........
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Was mint.
I go out every now and then so I'll probably see you around
 
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shadow knight

Likes Dirt
Awesome hopefully I bump into you out there, I get out there every chance I get.
I think I'm going to go to the darkside.
After searching heaps of threads and forums and even getting in contact with that shredder that did that banger edit a little while back " freeride lives " who did the edit on a demo and is now on banshee and riding a darkside.
Even tho he is sponsored by banshee he has given me the answers I have been looking for and a quite honest description of pros and cons between both the bikes.
Now just need to get my dirty little paws on a medium, stealth coloured one.
Eagerly waiting to build up this bad boy.
 
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