I've been seriously considering a Santa Cruz v10 and am able to justify it in my budget but just because you can do something doesn't necessarily mean you should so I need some insight from other form users.
Some helpful context. I do about 17 bike park days a year, mostly Trestle and Keystone if you're familiar but do often travel to other bike parks within driving distance such as Snowmass and Big Sky. My current and only bike is a v2 Megatower which does double duty trail riding and bike park. I understand that a DH bike makes no sense given my current bike but this is kinda like buying a jet ski. They're expensive and nobody needs one but boy are they fun when they come out. I'm shopping the v10 because it seems like the most well rounded dh bike out there given I'm not racing and do frequent trails that aren't strictly dh tracks. I have ridden a friends Commencal Supreme and it was a ton of fun but a bit more glued to the ground than I would prefer.
What I want to know is are there some logistical considerations to owning a downhill bike that aren't immediately obvious to someone who owns an enduro bike? I understand the additional yearly maintenance as well as it only works in lift accessed terrain but wasn't sure if there was anything else either positive or negating.
Thanks!
Rent or demo a downhil bike and you'll quickly realize there's nothing quite like it.
Positives:
Downsides:
The mental gymnastics I used to convince myself a downhill bike was a reasonable purchase was that I would be keeping the hard miles in the bike park off my trail bike. That means fewer creaks and wobbly rims to deal with on the 99% of the rides where I'm just pedaling locally. The DH bike is just better built for a bike park situation and can handle that abuse much better, meaning less overall maintenance for me. Plus there's nothing like riding a downhill bike. If it's in your budget and you're doing 10+ days in the park a year, I say go for it.
Absolutely. YES
For all the reasons above, plus: New Bike Day.
I mean, come on!
Yes,
100%
Downhill bikes are like nukes: if you want to be taken serious you need to own them, if you use them or not. 😉
Hoping that the downhill bike gets plenty of use and the nuke none.
I agree with the others that that many lift days and you can justify a 'park' bike of some kind but- I'd keep the Megatower as your park rig and maybe look at a lighter trail bike for your pedal rides.
Only reason is- most of those parks have 1 or 2 good DH bike trails- the rest are kinda flat and boring on a full DH bike. Also nice to have the dropper post, big cassette and waterbottle for some of the side country stuff you can access at Snowmass.
for me buying a used dh bike has pretty much paid for itself since I’m not beating up my enduro bike to bits. I’d say there’s been at least two close calls that I rode out on the dh bike that I don’t think I would have on the enduro.
Buy used, get soft instead of super soft tires and plenty of brake pads.
You can also look into a dual crown trailbike. But it’s probably much easier to get a used dh bike with 200mm travel.
Thats what has kept me from buying one so far, but logistics are aligning right now for the DH bike I want so Im seriously considering it.
I have also looked a short travel trail bikes too but everything I ride would be kinda rough on one.
The only real questions are:
If the answer to both is yes, that’s your answer!
STATUS 2 170 DH
Might want to jump on this deal. Sheesh
No other justification needed than this. If you can get one, do it. Doesn't matter how burly you build your enduro bike, it never REALLY feels like an actual DH bike.
The other points mentioned in the thread so far are great for talking yourself into the purchase (sturdier parts, less hard riding on the enduro bike etc. etc.).
I am in a similar situation and am looking at buying a dh bike for the park. I have seen lots of good deals on the Commencal Furious, but I am unsure of riding a 27.5 bike as I haven't ridden one in years. Have I just been bike industry brainwashed that I need a full 29 or mullet setup?
Another way to think about is... Now that I've got a DH bike. Should I race? You don't have to have Pro dreams or want to go to the World Cups to have fun racing. There are a lot of categories and you fit into one of them. Racing is fun and takes you to new places, new mountains and new trails. Why not have fun? The Cat. 3 podium is still a podium.
Im glad everyone understood the assignment that I needed help with my mental gymnastics lmao
Always a good idea to look at rental shop sales as they usually sell off the old-ish fleet and they’re pretty much guaranteed to have low use. Angel fire bike park is where I buy almost every DH bike I’ve owned!
The longer you wait to get a DH bike, the less fun you’ll have and the more you’ll beat up your daily driver.
Had to log in to say I’m proud of you all. Thank you. It can be disappointing to read all the derivative dead ends you guys can babble on about, fantasizing sports, speculative tech talk, finance guy biz (!)…so to see the unanimous support for a guy considering a DH bike is heartwarming. You haven’t totally lost it!
DH bikes are the best bikes. Always. They’re the best bikes for the best stuff and they look the coolest. By far.
If the place you’re riding only has one DH trail then you just ride that one over and over again.
Vital!
Just do it.
Yes, there’s no replacement for displacement. More travel = More fun.
1000x yes, buy the DH bike.
An enduro bike doesn’t hold a candle to a DH bike for park days.
Life is short. Buy the DH bike.
People that think an Enduro bike is close to a dedicated DH bike for proper DH trails have never actually ridden a DH bike. The reality is your going to get down the hill and your going to have fun on an Enduro or a DH bike however one is faster and the same one is more fun. There is one right answer and you know what it is.
If it makes you feel any better, I'm considering building one because I got a really really good deal on a Dorado. I live 7h from the closest lift assisted park, and ride park like once or twice a year...
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