What is the ultimate park bike?

what bike park? what trail style preferences? how many days of park riding? will you use outside the park and how many days?

definitely a lot of variables that would change my answer by a lot depending on certain things. either way. sounds rad and like good times to come!

with all the parks I ride, I opt for full blown  dual 29 DH bike with coil front and rear. That is just me though. 

Parks: Whistler, Northstar, Crested Butte, Telluride, Purg, Big Sky, Whitefish, etc. 

I ride parks primarily for DH tracks and raw tech. 

Nice!! Angel Fire is a freaking blast. Haven't been there in some years. Need to go again. Still haven't been to Trestle. 

If you are riding just flow at both places, I think you could definitely get away with less than a DH bike. That being said, there is nothing that can actually replace a true DH bike. I certainly wouldn't want to either if I am strictly riding lift accessed park. 

Just my.02

to answer your string of questions based off this communication thus far:

mullet (versatile if you'll want to mix in any of the tech trails (AF has a lot of great ones!!)

7 speed for sure! less room for damage and def less chain slap

cable shifting-less chain slap and less likely to damage something with some real coin behind it 

external for sure. easier for maintenance things (I think internal der cable is okay and can't be avoided with most frames)

coil- very personal preference. check leverage rates on frames and what they were built around primarily using

I've only ever ridden non high

no dropper, no tools, no storage. never pedaling. water and tools kept at base

Full DH

Angel fire deserves a DH bike 

I'm not trying to be funny or dismissive. Isn't the ultimate park bike just some cheapish bike that you are ok tacoing the rear wheel, running with dodgy gearing and suspension, thus preserving your nice enduro and or DH bike?

The dh bike you can afford.  If buying used try to go with someone with transferable crash replacement policies.  

Lot easier on the body and bikes parts compared to a trail bike.  

Usually go with soft versus super soft for tires.  Sure if I was racing I’d pony up for regular tire changes and extra grip but it’s just not worth it for me.

Invest in a second wheel set even if it’s cheap semi functional ones to finish a day or trip.

 if you only going to ride park a couple times a year probably just take your trailbike and spend some cash on a beefy wheelset.  

It depends on how many days a year I'm going to spend in a park.  If below 10-12, then a long travel free-ride or enduro bike is the answer for me, which is what I have done (nomad 6).  If more then that and I have no desire to try to dual use and pedal it anywhere, then the answer is simple, santacruz v10 or commencal.  I've ridden 4 dh bikes in the last 2 years... of all of them, the sc v10 was like a pair of pants I've owned for years.  The others required a getting to know you period, or they dictated or leaned hard into the racing pedigree and not so much the park bike feel.  (frameworks, glory and commencal)  

I think if the use case is there and one has the means to n+1 without causing D-1, building a Park/Shuttle rig is def the manuever.

For Myself, I built up a Park/Shuttle Rig specifically as I was beating the ever-lovin' out of my Propain Tyee between oodles of pedal days and in excess of 60-80 park days over the summer season. Not that the Tyee cant handle it, more so saving wear and tear on my pedally rig. Which as a 6'3" 225lb Clydesdale, it a lotta wear and tear.

To Answer your initial questions, and these are my own opinions
~ Dual 27.5, mullet or dual 29? Mullet fo' sho. This rig is built to party and mullets are just a riot to toss around
~ 12, or 7 or single speed? 7 Speed GX DH but Id be happy with an SS set up
~ Cable shifting or electronic? Cable!
~ If cable, internal or external? Internal, but would prefer external
~ Air or coil shock? Hot Boys Ride Coilz
~High or low pivot? Either
~ Does it have to be able to accept a dropper? Nicety not a Neccessity, one came stock with the Shore but its been swapped for a solid post
~ Does it have to have a water bottle or accept a bolt on tool kit under the top tube or a down tube storage box? Again, Nicety not Necessity, but the shore has bottle and tool mounts and I always ride with a 2L hydro-assbag
~ Is it a 170/180 enduro, 180/180, something like the 190/200 Delirium or a full blow 200/200 DH bike? I sit at 200/190 in current config
~ Different geometry from a 200/200 DH bike? Nearly Identical geo after overforking and mulleting. 60.3deg HTA bayby...
~ Why have 170/180 when you can have 200/200? More Squish is better, cause this rig is for smashing

THE BIKE:
I consider Berkana my Gravity Pig, a MY23 Norco Shore A2, the ultimate park/shuttle bike in its current iteration. I was leaning towards a Propain Spindrift as the base as I love the performance but with the Tarriffs and shipping uncertainty, as well as a staff deal, I couldnt say no to Norco's offering and went with their Shore as the base of the rig. If I were racing I'd build a DH specific race rig, but this is already yucky fast and absolute hoot to hoon on. 

2023 Norco Shore A2 complete with changes from stock.
Major Changes:
-200mm 29er Boxxer Ultimate (180mm 27.5" Zeb base stock)
-RS SD Ult Coil DH overstroked to 190mm travel with a Sprindex coil (came as 180mm travel stock...til a 5mm travel spacer on the damper shaft disappeared...weird)
-Hayes Dominion A4's on a 223/203mm Hayes D Series rotor combo (Shimano mt520's Stock on 203/203 rotors)
-Continental Kryptotal DH SuperSofts with Tannus Fusion pro inserts Front/Rear (Stock: Maxxis Assguy/DHR MaxxGrift/Terror combo, no inserts)
-29 and 27.5" DT Swiss FR541's Laced to Hope Pro4 Hubs (e13 LG1 DH came stock in dual 27.5... rear rim survived 4x rides before becoming unrepairable)
- SRAM GX Dh 7 Speed Drivetrain (Shimano Deore 12 Spd came stock. Retained the e13 LG1 crankset for the drivetrain swap)
- Deity Highrise 50mm Bars on a 30mm DM stem with about 40mm of risers below the stem (Im on the Disciples of Dak high rise train... It's good)
- Cheapo Straight seatpost with an Ergon SMC Enduro saddle (Came stock with a trash TranzX dropper that gave out in 4 rides)
 

Nice paint job... gotta ask though, you lassoing cattle with those brake lines?  😂

Are we talking more free ride park bike, or something that works great for both black chunk and black flow trails? 


Compromise of the two is 27 front and rear. Would say single crown 180/190 front with 170/180 rear. Standard 7 speed gearing,  no dropper needed but a QR seat post clamp depending on your local park 

My perfect park bike (as someone who is 6'4) is basically the single speed, Yalla version of my Madonna: 

RAAW Yalla! v2 (raw, probably XL, but would consider a large for jumps/playfulness)

- Vorsprung Telum shock w/ Boxxer Ultimate

- WAO rims (mullet) laced to Profile Hubs (polished), Reverse Colab SS tensioner/set up, Conti tires

- NSB cranks (160mm) w/ Dagga pedals

- Hope GR4 brakes

- Title kit (seatpost, saddle, stem/bar). Sensus Emil slide on grips

DH bike! Every time!

I agree, DH bike everytime 100%

Well... I Am from Alberta and did spend time on a working ranch growing up

but I digress, that pic is 10mins after finishing the filmed dream build for the sponsors and I didn't have my cable cutter with me to shorten it. 

Rookie maneuver i know, but that cable no longer exists as it's a fixed seatpost now 😅

i’m a big fan of my banshee legend 27.5 

basically a working man’s v10

all aluminum

external cable routing 

1699 for a frame and shock

does the banshee legend come in adults size yet?

i’d say so, mine is a 470 reach. 

pretty sure the 29 version is even bigger