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March, 2024

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Can you climb on a downhill bike?

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TheQuailman
Posts: 7381 - Karma: 144
Is it possible to climb stuff on a downhill bike?

what are the disadvantages of getting a downhill/freeride bike compared to an "all - mountain bike" or a trail bike

http://www.diablofreeridepark.com/

thts were I ride ^^ and i do some other trails too
Mar 24 2006 5:14PM
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jarossamdb7
Posts: 6322 - Karma: -10
of course you can climb. it would probably be hard as fuck to climb anything somewhat substancial because of weight though.
Mar 24 2006 5:16PM
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TheQuailman
Posts: 7381 - Karma: 144
thts the point ^ how do you go down without first goin up, and how do you go up ifi ts so damn heavy
Mar 24 2006 5:18PM
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freestyler540
Posts: 13046 - Karma: 18,292
That is why chairlifts exist. A downhill bike is designed to be riden in ski centers. Sure, you can go in the woods, but the effort is greater.
Mar 24 2006 5:21PM
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Blademan
Posts: 137 - Karma: 10
If you have a lockout on the rear suspension, it would be "easier" to climb with
Mar 24 2006 5:26PM
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AMcCraw
Posts: 845 - Karma: 703
how are they 4 d/jumps cas i heard from bike shops they are no good but from the riders they are good
i tried 1 one time on a few jumps and the extra beef and suspenison feels nice
Mar 24 2006 5:26PM
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ESfreeridepa
Posts: 2204 - Karma: 11
hey i ride diablo on a hardtail. get hardtail. like an evil, banshee
Mar 24 2006 7:02PM
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zerospinskier
Posts: 4867 - Karma: 350
just get a bike fit for what ur riding. its like skis. sure its possible to ski an icy park with prophets, but its not hte best. you can shuttle(thats what i usually do) if ur trails r like that, becuase i hate riding uphill. there r plenty of nice freeride bikes that allow u to still have uphill possibility and nice plush dh. once u go pure DH, u dont go back.
Mar 24 2006 7:22PM
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skirbrt88
Posts: 1090 - Karma: 23
you can climb, but it's kind of like skiing nipple deep pow on cross-country skis
Mar 24 2006 7:25PM
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spin
Posts: 1330 - Karma: 11
its pretty heavy in general, and pedal bobs a bitch. also, the forks generally have wide enough stanchions that its hard to make any hairpin turns if your trying to rally a singletrack to the top. id either go for a burly hardtail (the choice i made) or go with something like the gemini
Mar 24 2006 7:27PM
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Am.Aaron
Posts: 443 - Karma: 22
hes got it. [/thread]
Mar 24 2006 7:29PM
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mammothpunks
Posts: 5724 - Karma: 372
if your looking to ride up just go for a freeride bike with 2 chainrings. i just have a single 44 tooth chainring on my bike and its pretty hard to climb anything
Mar 24 2006 7:55PM
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Latch
Posts: 499 - Karma: 10
Not well.
Mar 24 2006 9:56PM
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JoeySchusler
Posts: 38 - Karma: 20
dh bikes all climb like shit. and if you riding to the top of your favorite trail. Imagine like 2 hours of climbing for 20 mins of good dh.
Mar 24 2006 10:00PM
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fizzlefry
Posts: 4662 - Karma: 15
damn, i wish i could ride there.
Mar 24 2006 10:02PM
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skiierman
Posts: 28699 - Karma: -5,563
Depends on what bike you get, but there is an easy answer to your problem and that is to not be a pussy.
Mar 24 2006 10:16PM
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010
Posts: 1427 - Karma: 13
haha thats the dumbest thing ever! you'd have to carry your bike uphill every time so youd walk just as far as you ride
Mar 24 2006 10:31PM
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skirbrt88
Posts: 1090 - Karma: 23
santa cruz vp free
Mar 24 2006 10:32PM
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MistaSkier
Posts: 1781 - Karma: 17
I have a Cannondale Gemini, which is far more of a freeride/downhill bike than anything, but I climb a shitload on it. I take the suspension down as low as I can, but there's still a ton of bob and I'm tired as a bitch when I reach the top of the hill, but, hell, I get a better workout than anyone else, and there's nothing quite like taking that thing on a strictly cross country trail and somehow passing the geeks in their tight shorts and clipless pedals.
Mar 24 2006 10:47PM
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hurrisun
Posts: 6284 - Karma: 49
i saw this guy on a kona prima-stab or w/e and he was climbin sum hills that ppl on cross country hils had trouble wiht
Mar 24 2006 11:35PM
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Anti-Hero
Posts: 1269 - Karma: 338
my friend has a stinky and he climbs on it, mostly just roads and stuff, he goes wicked slow, but it works i guess
Mar 24 2006 11:36PM
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CTD
Posts: 6300 - Karma: 348
dont bother with a dh bike. like some of the other guys said, get a burly hardtail. they are seriously, SOOOOO versitile. i have a mountain cycle rumble, built with a super t. it rails Dh, good on DJs (im not too into that though)climbs fine, good for agressive xc, and, to top it all off, a hardtail makes you a much better rider. (i think they are more fun, cause your moving and pumping alot more than on a big tall dh bike. and another thing, is suspension adds alot of maintnence to your bike, both in terms of drivetrain and pivots. i built my bike for under a grand, and it has been runnin hard for over a year with no problems. i had a dedicated DH before, and i had well into 5000 into it, cause it never stopped breaking.

get a hardtail
Mar 25 2006 12:22AM
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MacMahoooon
Posts: 9009 - Karma: 3,305
agreed...I love my beefy hardtail. I may not be able to do the massive drops of some of the full suspension but its def more versatile
Mar 25 2006 12:40AM
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spin
Posts: 1330 - Karma: 11
preeeetty sure this guy just hit it. they make you a better rider, and theyre more fun. and cheaper. and you get man points for riding the same lines your buddys are riding on their cushions.
Mar 25 2006 12:42AM
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duhamelski
Posts: 3842 - Karma: 192
it would suck so bad
Mar 25 2006 1:44AM
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TheQuailman
Posts: 7381 - Karma: 144
wat about an all mountain bike?

I think i need a little suspension even if its only a few inches
Mar 25 2006 9:33AM
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FUUUCK
Posts: 18426 - Karma: 4,888
think of a fusion of a cross coutry and a freeride bike
Mar 25 2006 9:50AM
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hurrisun
Posts: 6284 - Karma: 49
yes but its not easy
Mar 25 2006 1:42PM
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CTD
Posts: 6300 - Karma: 348
nah, dude, a burly ht makes a fine all mountain ride, thats what i was sayin, you seriously dont need suspension. the ONLY, and ONLY negative i could find with a hardtail, is that if your running a reall long travel fork, it steepens your headangle when it compresses. and that really doesnt do much. get a hardtail with a sherman breakout plus or something, so you can take the travel down for all mountain/XC/DJs, and then toss it up for DH. besides, if your riding diablo, you dont want a all mountain bike. youll either break it, or the angles wont work well. TRUST everyone here when they say that. a long travel freeride ht will be your best bet for all that you wanna ride.
Mar 26 2006 1:37PM
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Petey.
Posts: 5736 - Karma: 4,881
if ur friggin ripped, then yes.....but downhill bikes r called 'downhill' for a reason
Mar 26 2006 3:03PM
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Forum*
Posts: 3455 - Karma: 10
Alright of coarse you can climb with a downhill big, its just harder because of oviest reasons..back suspension, large forks, heavy frame. We do a 20 minute climb at Mt. Mckay, or DH spot, its a hard push, but a DH bike won't kill you.
Mar 26 2006 3:35PM
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oakleyaaa
Posts: 558 - Karma: 23
DONT CLIMB ON YOUR DOWNHILL BIKE, ITS JUST NOT COOL, get a downhill bike AND and hardtail
Mar 26 2006 4:48PM
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flabiscus
Posts: 26 - Karma: 10
you obviously don't ride much if you have to ask that. go demo a dh rig and find out. if you get any bike with about 6" front/rear suspension, you'll have a decent bike for anything and everything.

(and i don't understand the dh forks on a hardtail... seems so bizarre)
Apr 21 2007 11:43AM
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prosnurfer
Posts: 1842 - Karma: 83
if u want a bike that wil handle pretty much anything u can dish out unless ur pretty good already get a kona stinky. my friend has one thats a 18 speed so u can climb hils in it even tho it kinda sucks but that bike is prolly the most beef u can get dule suspention that wills till be able to climb soem shit... but liek i have a stinky deelux with only 9 speeds so my 1st gear is liek a 8. so i cant climb shit and my bike weighrs liek 40 somethin lbs. but thats my best call is stinky with as amny speeds. also it depsends on how much ur spending and shit
Apr 21 2007 12:16PM
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Jwenz
Posts: 8893 - Karma: 7,633
well i am sure there are some limits...but every bike has peddles and you peddle to get up the hills so i am sure it works
Apr 21 2007 12:25PM
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dbstar
Posts: 2038 - Karma: 20
you can climb its not that hard if your in shape and if it gets difficult just walk your bike
Apr 21 2007 1:01PM
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[Pacman]
Posts: 51 - Karma: 10
im just postin to get status
Apr 21 2007 1:10PM
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meggles
Posts: 3156 - Karma: 54
like everyone else said..you can, but it'd be hard as hell cause dh bikes weigh a lot 
i have a commencal meta and its amazing
Apr 21 2007 1:16PM
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zylstra
Posts: 3613 - Karma: 125
What the fuck. You don't just post to get "status". Status comes with intelligent posts, very unlike this one.

Apr 21 2007 1:30PM
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iwasaskier
Posts: 171 - Karma: 10
whatever you decide to do, get a mongoose

so fucking sick

Apr 21 2007 6:27PM
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PeteyG
Posts: 2946 - Karma: 49
dude man up and climb it. but even pushing your bike up the hill, you still get a workout in your legs. And get a downhill bike youll be much more satisfied.
Apr 21 2007 7:11PM
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french_fry
Posts: 4698 - Karma: 53
Ok, I'm in the same position right now, except that what I'll be riding is the north shore (no lifts but gravel roads) and Whistler, as well as a little bit of commuting (but i don't care about that).

I have a friend that told me exactly what you're saying, but I have ridden a DH bike and a hardtail on DH trails, and there is a noticeable difference, even though I'm not a very good rider. I'm more oriented towards buying an all mtn bike, but I'm still not sure that grabbing a rockhopper or something similar would be a bad idea...

Do you have any recommendations for a hardtail that does it all? RM flow, Norco Sasquatch,...? I need to stay under a grand so I'll most likely be buying second hand.
Apr 21 2007 7:13PM
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LINE169
Posts: 267 - Karma: 12
just walk up
Apr 21 2007 7:27PM
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Bulky
Posts: 1054 - Karma: 11
you live by creek aka diablo, just take the lift up
Apr 21 2007 8:39PM
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Mavrck
Posts: 2765 - Karma: 27
your guy's thoughts on Rockhoppper Pro disc...yay or nay?
Apr 21 2007 9:05PM
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toominator
Posts: 4792 - Karma: 120
A DH rig is designed for one purpose - to go fast downhill. it is possible to ride back up the hill on them but its probably not going to be particulary enjoyable. the frame geometry is totally wrong for riding uphill. I'd go with a hardtail ae for one they are cheaper and have less to go wrong with them (unless you know how to do it yourself bike shop repairs / services aren't cheep) and they are alot more versatile than a DH bike. If you're set on a DH bike though make sure you get one with lockouts
Apr 21 2007 9:29PM
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UNREAL
Posts: 3989 - Karma: 23
If your in for Xc and downhill your top 5 choices are:
In no order

1. Rocky mountain slayer
2. Cove Hustler
3. Kona coilair
4. Specialized SX trail
5. Santa cruz Heckler

There ya go, hope this helps you
Apr 21 2007 10:12PM
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UNREAL
Posts: 3989 - Karma: 23
What? Im pretty sure mongoose only has like 2 bikes that are decent. Get a brand that dosent sell bikes at canadian tire....
Apr 21 2007 10:13PM
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UNREAL
Posts: 3989 - Karma: 23
Nay.
Apr 21 2007 10:14PM
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akpat
Posts: 28 - Karma: 10
it depends on how stong you are i can cause i am super man and have legs of steel
Apr 21 2007 10:26PM
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The_4_Frnt
Posts: 94 - Karma: 10
TROGDOR BONES WHILE DANCING!
Apr 21 2007 11:56PM
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