Santa Cruz VP Free

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Thanks for all the input. I most likely will stick with Santa Cruz because the shop I work at can get them. The other brands my shop gets is Jamis, Kona, and Diamondback. Kona is pretty sick, but I'm leaning towards Santa Cruz.

Feb 9 2007 4:25PM

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Loner

Then all of the people you knew are complete idiots and cannot maintain their bikes. I ride a VP free, and I check the pivots to make sure they are tight. I you ride them loose, they will not feel good. checking the pivots on VP also takes like 2 minuetes. I have ridden my VP for a season of 9 races, and it is running perfect, even with my race spec ( Boxxers, full sram, lightweight DT wheels etc) What kind of riding do you plan on doing?

Feb 9 2007 5:15PM

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Mostlty freeriding and downhill trails, but probably no races. Some of the trails are ride up ride down, no shuttle, and I heard the VP Free has a better pedalling efficiency than other big bikes.

Feb 10 2007 3:12PM

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Loner

yeah, great pedaling efficiancy for a bike with 8.5 inches of travel. Get it with a DHX and a totem, that will keep it nice and light and it will pedal well, but will still be nice and plush for DH riding. Also, I would highly reccomend getting SRAM componentry

Feb 11 2007 1:56AM

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charmander

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ummm kona stinky - stinky primo would be good for you
idk about the santa cruz im not a fn of their bikes myself

Feb 11 2007 3:45PM

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dbstar

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you would be an idiot to get anything but the demo

Feb 11 2007 4:07PM

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4ReeL_

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no way the vp is a dope bike, i used to race one along with a v 10. anyone who says your paying for a name is retarted. the bikes are worth every penny

Feb 11 2007 4:27PM

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ArabianKnight

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i personally own a vp-free. not only have i looked at the welds but i have riden it. it is a sick bike for everything except cross country. if you do downhilling and freeriding with mild cross country it is the bike for you. the vpp works very well too. it is a great value for what it does. if you want to pay for a name buy an intense bike.

Feb 11 2007 6:40PM

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TimothyLord

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santa cruzes are quality bikes.

Feb 11 2007 7:01PM

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Thanks for all the input, I think I will probably get one.

Feb 11 2007 8:13PM

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siversex

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DONT DO IT!

jk

Feb 11 2007 8:18PM

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Canuker

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yea santa cruz doesnt make that good qaulity shit.

Feb 11 2007 8:20PM

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Insane

so having ridden a vp free or two, and having owned a stinky, trek session 77, trek session 10, and now an intense socom, i'll give you my input. The vpp suspension on the vp free isn't the most active in the world. it's def, a pure free ride bike, and it pedals pretty well. The trek session 77, pedaled better, and the 10 pedaled better still. as far as how active the travel was... The 10 was the best. As far as value, think about who makes a similar bike. Just about everyone has a freeride bike now, and a lot of companies use vpp. it's awesome for dh racing/ xc/ trail applications where high speed pedaling is a must, but it's not my favortie freeride squish. I really liked my stinky, it was hella smooth. And the trek's were even better. these all cost less than the vp free. well not the 10. but honestly if your going to shell out some real cash, look into other companies. I found the santa cruz frame to be flexy compared to my other rigs. Look into cove, yeti, and intense for your small companies, and trek, kona, and specialized for your bigger ones. demo 7's are sick. So overall i wouldn't recomend it, but to each his own

Feb 11 2007 9:16PM

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Huh, now I'm not so sure. One of the main factors about getting a Santa Cruz is that my shop that I work at gets them for a steal of a deal, probably the same for any shop who carries them. I will find someone who has one, then ride it, and see what I think. Thanks again.

Feb 11 2007 10:23PM

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Insane

see if you're on shop discount, and an employee, what other bikes do you sell? and I am an intense person because they gave me a mad hookup, and they are really chill.... and where are you riding?

Feb 11 2007 11:10PM

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4ReeL_

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buy one you puss

Feb 11 2007 11:11PM

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Kona, Jamis, and Diamondback. I live in Whitefish, Montana, and there are a bunch of trails around here. My family likes to take trips to southern Utah also and ride Virgin and Moab. Fernie B.C. is also a sweet place that's close by.

Feb 11 2007 11:29PM

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peak28

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Loner

Demo to much bike for you, go transition gran mal or dirtbag or vp free or big hit, dont get a complete bike build from the frame i have some pre made lists based on how much you want to spend to get the best bang for your buck, send me a message and ill hook u up.

Feb 11 2007 11:43PM

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Insane

k, go with a stinky, you can get a the second highest one for the cost of that frame on your bro form.... for about the cost of that frame and a fork.... It;s a sick bike and will hold up better than anything.... I wouldn't touch the other two brands though... Good trail bikes, bad freeride. Or if you are a pure gravity rider get the basic stab, that bike is soooooo cheap for what it is built with, but my money is on the stinky, any of them... I rode my on a ton of xc, it was pefrect for freeride, it handles like a hardtail in terms of flickability, and that frame is much stiffer than the santa cruz.

Feb 12 2007 1:34AM

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Insane

a gran mal is much bigger than a demo 7, dude you need to check your facts... Both frames are retardedly heavy for there categories though, with the seven being the lighter.... and a built bike is always cheaper than a part kit, just get a bike with the most parts you like, and swap out the parts you don't like when they die, or if you work at a shop, sell them and make enough money to buy the parts you do.

Feb 12 2007 1:38AM

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Loner

Man, I can't believe you would suggest that over a VP free. I rode a stinky for about half a year, and now my VP free destroys it in everything,( Braking,(Tons of jack with a stinky) cornering, way smoother suspension, etc) Not to mention way lighter. Never rode a session 10 though, but The session 77 was one of the worst bikes I have ever ridden. (could be that the complicated manitou suspension was set up wrong) I would highly reccomend a VP over a stinky

Feb 14 2007 10:32AM

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Insane

That's why all the kona's have floating break arms now. And in terms of frame stiffness, nothing beats kona. period My Howler is much stiffer than my 77 was, and is stiffer than my socom. But a lot of people love the vp free. i dunno. And yes, manitou forks were aweful, and all the treks came with way to soft of springs. but that was only a 15 dollar upgrade, and the manitou shocks are the shit, i wish there forks could match.

Feb 14 2007 1:27PM

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Loner

Yeah, the dope system, which does work you are right. But the VP is far superior over the stinky. I have ridden them both, the VP is better for everything(except possibly stiffness, I dont pay to much attention to that) And about the manitou shocks, the swingers suck. Impossible to set up properly, and feel like shit. Have ridden a revox though, meh, alright, my DHX felt way better. (Again, maybe it was set up poorly)Personally, I would not reccomend a session 10 ( 10 inches does not like to climb) I hated the one I rode, prob. because of the manitou suspension. Ski_k2PE, I would reccomend you go along with a VP free. If you can maintain your bikes, and get the right build, it will be perfect for what you are looking for.

Feb 15 2007 1:04AM

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K2skipunk

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i have a giant faith 2 and it pedals good

Feb 15 2007 1:31AM

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Insane

haha, this is getting silly. I agree that a good dhx works awesome, and I put one on my socom, just because it was cheaper than a revox. But I really like the revox. Now as for the fact that you say 10 inches doesn't climb, I rode my 10 in an xc race and finished 23 out of over 100 people.... It pedals flawlessly, like a hardtail, it's just sooo damn heavy. Trek claims to have an improved and lighter sesion 8 coming out next year that uses the same system, in which case my socom better work nicely because a lighter version of the 10 would be my perfect bike. But as far as which bike to get? I dunno santa cruz has quite a name, and all though they are good bikes I really believe the frames lack stiffness, which is noticable on a good ride. If you are sold on vpp, loke at an intense uzzi. Stiffer frame, same suspension, and intense is the coolest company in the world to deal with. And as for moneys sake The konas win every time. worst comes to worst, buy the stinky, and if you don't like the frame, use all the parts on a frame you do like. Then sell your stinky frame and come out making some money.

Feb 15 2007 10:20AM

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skiinscotland

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Ridiculous

i just had a thought, ever considered a hardtail????. evil imperial's are fucking sick they can take big triple clamps and are stupidly strong, its my next frame.

Feb 15 2007 11:33AM

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Loner

yeah, the session 8 sounds awsome, I'd like to see if they can make it sub 40 pounds. As for the hardtail suggestion, some people do like them, while others dont. This guy prob wants a full suspension for what he is doing.

Feb 15 2007 8:33PM

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guerillafreeride4099

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Lame

dont get a fuckkin santa cruz you are paying for a name and there not half as sick as alot of freeride bikes out these days
Check out the transition dirtbag, the sinister r9 (big i kno but dank if you put a 66 or totem on it), sinister splinter mx?
demo 8 or 7 i dunno
i have a transition dirtbag and the frame and shock cost me $1000 and it rides way better than the vp free and can be set up for anything from light freeride to DH
its hot

peace
sam

Feb 15 2007 9:00PM

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I work at a bike shop, so maintanance shouldn't be a problem. Also, I would like to go along with a full suspension and not get a hardtail. I currently have a Rocky Mountain Flow for dirt jumping and stuff. Anyway, I didn't expect to get all this good advice, so thanks a lot.

Feb 15 2007 10:20PM

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Loner

Perfect, the pivots just need to be checked every 4 rides or so, no big deal. The guy that said that you are paying for the name with santacruz does not know what he is talking about, but hey, you are getting a shop hookup, so who cares?

Feb 15 2007 10:24PM

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PhattTim

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I wouldn't do it.

I have a friend who rides a VP and it's a heap of shit.

We ride hard, and I'm not some kid who just says that, we ride HARD. I'm talking like huge drops and hucks, every day we ride, racing national downhill circuits, bikes do a lot of kms and everything gets thrashed. I've had 4 downhill bikes in the last 3 years. My mate's VP has now been ridden for about 12-18 months. It was nice to start with but the suspension is soggy as all hell, it's noisy and rattly and the bearings give out, rub and grind an it's just not a nice, smooth set up.

If you do get one make sure you fit a rocco or a DHX, don't even think about the 5th element they usually throw at them, it's just not paired well for the bike set up and it's super spongy.

I rode a stinky deelux for just over a year and that rode like new until the day it died, would recommend that over a VP by FAR.

If you're going to spend that much cash why not get a Stab Supreme or something like that if you're shop can get them in?

I'm running a Mountain Cycle Shockwave 9.5 at the moment and it's off the hook. I'd never look back and would buy it again without a doubt.

Check out some online shops coz you might even get something cheaper than your shop can get.

www.adrenalinebikes.com is where I got my frame.
www.torpedo7.co.nz
www.beyondibkes.com
www.jensonusa.com

in short, don't get a VP unless you want a soggy, heavy, noisy bike that feels like a BMX that weighs a million pounds and cost you a bundle...

Feb 15 2007 10:25PM

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Insane

thank you, some one else who races dh on a higher level. And someone else who will attest to the quality of kona. I agree with most of what this kid says except for the online stuff. No way any of those will beat your e.p. form. I also recomend you look at what he says when he talks about bearings... And the other thing is the vpfree top tube is way short. most people won't like that too much... The shock waves are nuts but not my steeze.
You can totally get a session 10 under 40 lbs, but the price tag would be nuts, I used the same parts from my 10 with the exception of cranks, and put them on my socom. 39 lbs. After I switch to the boxxer world cup it'll be about 37.5.
Like I said, get the best stinky or stab, (stab only if you only go downhill they don't pedal that amazing...) And ride it and if you don't like it you just got a near perfect parts package...
After working at a multiple shops for the past 4 years selling all major brands, i've done enough homework that I think I can give you a solid answer.

Feb 15 2007 11:31PM

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Loner

You did not even ask if I raced DH. And I do, nor am I just some guy that enters a race that is close. i have had multiple podium finishes, and I race in the expert category.I fitness train 5 days a week to be in shape. I recieve coaching weekly from Schaums March. I am not the fastest out there and I might not be on your "Higher level" but I do know what I am talking about. it sounds like everyone hates the VP, fine, but I would personally reccomend it over a stinky. if you guys work in shops than you know more than me. just dont call me down when you have not even asked if I raced. Sorry if I sound like a bitch,that really hit a nerve. And phattim, if your friend had a 5th element that is why the rear suspension sucked.

Feb 16 2007 1:24AM

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mysterymanjgj

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Ridiculous

get a cove they're sick

Feb 16 2007 2:02AM

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Insane

woah dude, i never ripped on you. I bet your hella fast. But I was assuming you did some racing. And it's sick your putting in a ton of work for it, most people I know just freeride. Don't be offended or anything. I'm pretty sure I said somewhere that a lot of people like the vp. I just don't after having ridden one, and working on way to many santa cruz bikes.
And just because we work at a shop doesn't always mean we're knowledgeable. Some people work at crappy corporate shops and just do sales. I will never be one of those people, but you have to consider the source. All I'm saying is money is best spent on a stiny or stab because the parts specs are sick, and if he doesn't like the frame, he can swap that out. But kona frames are bomb proof. If the kid really likes vpp he can get an ep form from intense and get an uzzi which is very similar to the vp free but a stiffer frame. Don't get all fired up man, dh is the most chill thing there is, and nobodies talking shit.

Feb 16 2007 10:43AM

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720laxskier

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demo 9. why bother with they others, its like $200 more and you get so much more bike. but personally i just build my bikes from the ground up. just ordered the azonic gravity frame

Feb 16 2007 10:56AM

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Aenigma

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Try checking the reviews on mtbr.com or asking this question on the FR/DH section or on pinkbike. You should be able to get a lot of good answers there; and maybe from a little less biased crowd.

Feb 16 2007 3:21PM

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Loner

you're right, I took that too personally. An uzzi would be great for him also, but I am assuming he wants whatever his shop can get. Ski_k2PE, get a stinky or a VP, whichever you like the most. Personlly, after riding both of them, I believe that the VP is better, but obviuously others don't. just get whatever you think suits you best

Feb 16 2007 5:28PM

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Insane

see that's the cool thing about intense, just call the company up say your from a shop, give them your shops info. and they'll probly give you an ep form. Worked for me

Feb 16 2007 6:23PM

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