# Best DH-All mountain crossover bike



## Dpca10 (Sep 13, 2012)

I am at a crossroads, I can't decide if I should buy a full dedicated downhill rig (Demo 8II) or build up a big all mountain bike (Nomad with 180 vanilla and a coil rear). I have never gone lift riding but plan to a few times this year. Most of the trails I ride require some degree of pedaling and I mostly want a big hit bike for jumps and big drops. I've built up my tallboy LTc as big as it will go and you guys would probably agree jumping with clown wheels should be cancelled. I'm keeping the LTc for long trail rides but thought it would be a good discussion what are the limits of a burly nomad and is a demo 8 overkill for non lift assisted riding. (Of note I was offered a new 2012 demo 8 II with xo, CCDB and a boxer for 4.2k)


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## pizon (Jul 7, 2009)

i rode dh for a while on a intense ss1. worked out fine and was fun as hell, and this was with 160mm. If i didnt get into racing, I would be giving the new Banshee Rune a good hard look. People say they can pedal their dh rigs around fine, but really I think it would be a giant PITA to do on a regular basis. Unless you plan to just straight-line through gnar all day long I dont think you would loose alot by going with a solid 180mm build


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## pizon (Jul 7, 2009)

i should also add that I ended up getting a fullblown dh rig because of racing. If you are smart about how you pick your build, you can transfer alot of parts if you end up wanting a true big bike down the road (i just bought frame + forks + crank). Im keeping the SS disassembled because the bike is awesome and if I ever travel for riding where I will not be riding pure DH, this bike will be the ticket.


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## Duece (Apr 18, 2010)

I love my Nomad. I built it up as a 160mm, and will be putting the sram xx1 drive train on it soon. I rode it at Whistler for a few days and had a blast. I was surprised to see so many "small" bikes ripping the trails there. If your not going to ride full on DH most of the time, you may be better off building/buying something in the 160 - 180 range.


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## schlockinz (Feb 6, 2009)

If you're gonna pedal, get a 7" FR bike with a steep seat tube and one that can fit a front deraileur. I ride with 180mm of front travel all over, and I feel like I need the granny on that bike just because climbing it wears me out FAST, so its a god send.


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## jhill (Mar 4, 2008)

You could always get something like the Canfield The One. It can be set up as a flickable 7 inch bike with a single crown fork or throw on a dual-crown fork and bump travel up to 8 inches on the days you go to the resort.


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## pizon (Jul 7, 2009)

jhill said:


> You could always get something like the Canfield The One. It can be set up as a flickable 7 inch bike with a single crown fork or throw on a dual-crown fork and bump travel up to 8 inches on the days you go to the resort.


if you can find one thats within your price range, go for it. this would be the smartest option.


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## Dougie (Aug 29, 2004)

Dpca10 said:


> I am at a crossroads, I can't decide if I should buy a full dedicated downhill rig (Demo 8II) or build up a big all mountain bike (Nomad with 180 vanilla and a coil rear). I have never gone lift riding but plan to a few times this year. Most of the trails I ride require some degree of pedaling and I mostly want a big hit bike for jumps and big drops. I've built up my tallboy LTc as big as it will go and you guys would probably agree jumping with clown wheels should be cancelled. I'm keeping the LTc for long trail rides but thought it would be a good discussion what are the limits of a burly nomad and is a demo 8 overkill for non lift assisted riding. (Of note I was offered a new 2012 demo 8 II with xo, CCDB and a boxer for 4.2k)


If you're a small guy I have frame-up Iron Horse 6-Point (160mm travel front/rear) build that I'm selling. It's a 15" and has been my trail/shuttle bike for the last 3 years.


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## Dpca10 (Sep 13, 2012)

Unfortunately I'm a bigger guy 5'11 195, I'm surprised how many on here suggest the "smaller" bike bigger build. I reposted on the AM forum to get a counterpoint but it looks like I don't need it


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## jmallory (Jul 29, 2008)

I was recently in the market for a pedalable DH bike and was looking at the Enduro Evo, Banshee Scythe, Canfield One, Trek Scratch, Giant Reign X, and Transition Blindside (that might cover it). I went with the Transition and I love it. 7.5" rear, Boxxer front, FD, and full seat tube. There are a lot of capable bikes is this market. Specialized and Canfield are probably the best pedallers.


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## jmallory (Jul 29, 2008)

Oh yeah, and the Intense Uzzi


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## pizon (Jul 7, 2009)

Dpca10 said:


> Unfortunately I'm a bigger guy 5'11 195, I'm surprised how many on here suggest the "smaller" bike bigger build. I reposted on the AM forum to get a counterpoint but it looks like I don't need it


because there really isn't a counter point given your initial statement. If you said I live 5 mins away from a bike park with gnarly rocks and plan to rip there all day and try races, than yeah there would be a counterpoint. The "smaller" bikes are at the point now where they are burly enough to take abuse, have dialed geo and allow you to rip single track thats not lift assisted. And you can always get a big bike later.


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## Dpca10 (Sep 13, 2012)

pizon said:


> because there really isn't a counter point given your initial statement. If you said I live 5 mins away from a bike park with gnarly rocks and plan to rip there all day and try races, than yeah there would be a counterpoint. The "smaller" bikes are at the point now where they are burly enough to take abuse, have dialed geo and allow you to rip single track thats not lift assisted. And you can always get a big bike later.


I guess I meant presumed counterpoint, or at least alternate perspective... I was surprised how many people in the DH-FR forum suggested a built up AM bike and not some duel crown beast. I do live 10 minutes from Pacifica with some legit downhill runs, unfortunately you need to climb 1000' -1500' to get to them.


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## DMehalko(DM) (Sep 8, 2008)

I use to downhill a lot on a 160mm rig, the new diamondback scapegoat 180mm is in my crosshairs for what your looking for, too expensive though


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## TheRage43 (Jul 19, 2012)

I've had my Canfield The One for almost a year now and I love it. Best bike I've ever owned! It does everything I've put it to very very well, from DH at Angle Fire and Bootleg Canyon to AM riding on trails like Dakota Ridge, Porcupine Rim, Slick Rock. I rode all last summer with a 888 but have reduced it to a 66 for winter pedal-rides, and both feel great on it.

Great all around bike, perfect for someone in your shoes. Has the availability to ROCK DH, and pedal back up to do it again!!


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## StuLax18 (Sep 27, 2011)

I find myself riding the Firebird almost all the time now, over the Glory. I don't ride any really crazy stuff, so it works just as well and I can pedal uphill. More playful too with the lighter weight. I got it because I was never using all the travel of the Glory, but I still haven't bottomed out the FB either. I did a few times when I demoed one though, which is weird because I was probably riding easier stuff then.


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## motochick (Jun 22, 2010)

Another vote for Canfield, I built up my Diggle in a 180 SC configuration with a CCDB and it pedals better then my Giant Reign. I use it a lot for lift assist and it rips, super fun for jumping, too! Good luck in your quest


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## V E E R (Oct 4, 2005)

I have a Nomad with a Van 180 fork and coil rear and it is definitely a capable park bike that you can still pedal up climbs with.


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## jamescbrennan (Dec 21, 2007)

Pick up a good 7" "Freeride" bike as suggested above. Something with good angles that can do downhill but still climb occasionally (66-ish head angle, 72-ish seat angle). And definitely needs granny ring up front because going up on a 35-40 lb bike is not easy. I recommend a Fox 36 180mm travel fork.

I have a Turner Highline (no longer available, but a good example to use as a base for such a build), 7" front and rear. I have built it up over time to have all the lightest downhill/FR components, but nothing weak. In "DH" mode it weighs just over 38 lbs and can take on anything including park and DH racing. In "AM" mode, I get it down to 35 lbs. The difference is mainly a second set of wheels. One for DH - heavier rims, narrow gearing, dual ply DH tires. And one for AM - lighter rims (Stans) and hubs (hope), wider gearing cassette, single ply tires (Maxxis EXO 2.35 versions) set up tubeless. I also have an air shock that I can easily swap into the rear to save almost another lb.

If I had tons of money, the current bike I like in this category would be the Specialized Enduro EVO. The top of the range one is sick. Or, I have also thought of upgrading just my frame with a Canfield The One. But, I love my Highline and will probably never get rid of it.


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## monstertiki (Jun 1, 2009)

The Knolly delirium was the best am/freeride/light dhsled I've ridden. The easily adjustable h/a, uninterrupted seat post tube, the versatility of taking a 160-180mm forks made it able to be setup of for any condition. The frame is a little heavy when compared to todays standards but the bike peddled very well despite that and it was well balanced when airborne. I can't wait to see the next version of the delirium hopefully sometime soon.


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## Pädi1 (Jan 2, 2012)

Don't forget the TR250, love mine. So fun and pedal decently too. You have to ride it to understand it.


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## MOJO K (Jan 26, 2007)

I have a Blindside to fit that groove.


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## jakester29959 (Aug 30, 2011)

Depends on how much dh you will be doing.


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## onesloryd (Aug 31, 2011)

I would also look at the Cove STD


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## juanbeegas (Oct 1, 2007)

Pädi said:


> Don't forget the TR250, love mine. So fun and pedal decently too. You have to ride it to understand it.


^ This, plus a vote for the new Banshee Rune, or a Canfield One. Almost everything else can be used for riding DH(you could technically ride DH on a hardtail, but how much fun is that?), but with the TR250, the One and the Rune, you're essentially getting a bike that is tough enough, pedals well and has good angles for actual DH.


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## Tim F. (May 22, 2006)

Dpca10 said:


> I guess I meant presumed counterpoint, or at least alternate perspective... I was surprised how many people in the DH-FR forum suggested a built up AM bike and not some duel crown beast. I do live 10 minutes from Pacifica with some legit downhill runs, unfortunately you need to climb 1000' -1500' to get to them.[/
> 
> If your only 10 min from Pacifica, and alredy have a trail bike, I would go with a dh rig. The climb up is easy enough to ride up with afull blown ri. All you need is an XC cassette.


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## SSteel (Dec 31, 2003)

Canfield One. Downhill fun with XC legs.


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## rsullivan (May 16, 2009)

Canfield ONE..... Such a fun bike!!!! When pedaling it is hard to believe your on a 7-8" travel bike. It feels more like a 4" XC bike when pedalling-But when pointed downhill it just opens up. 
Here's mine in it current state... (waiting for a winter make over)


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## colin1 (Jan 6, 2009)

pizon said:


> i rode dh for a while on a intense ss1. worked out fine and was fun as hell, and this was with 160mm. If i didnt get into racing, I would be giving the new Banshee Rune a good hard look. People say they can pedal their dh rigs around fine, but really I think it would be a giant PITA to do on a regular basis. Unless you plan to just straight-line through gnar all day long I dont think you would loose alot by going with a solid 180mm build


My Current Bike:


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## pizon (Jul 7, 2009)

colin1 said:


> My Current Bike:


sweet ride. is that the 170mm lyric or just the standard 160mm?


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## Pädi1 (Jan 2, 2012)

pizon said:


> sweet ride. is that the 170mm lyric or just the standard 160mm?


Looks like a 170mm

My vote goes still for:








But The One, STD and Uzzi would also be great options.


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## onesloryd (Aug 31, 2011)

Here is mine been really happy with it.


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## pizon (Jul 7, 2009)

we have a local guy who races an std with a double crown on it. very capable bike


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## colin1 (Jan 6, 2009)

Yep - 170 Coil with the DH damper
Thanks man,
Colin


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## dropadrop (Sep 20, 2005)

Happy with my Uzzi, works great on trails, especially when they point downwards (but no problem climbing either).


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## bodhizafa (May 27, 2006)

What about the Cdale Claymore? I had one and rode it everywhere, up/down/sideways . About 35lbs, 180 travel. Adjustable travel.

I'd love to try the Blindside though.


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## griffinsurfboard (Jul 14, 2004)

dropadrop said:


> Happy with my Uzzi, works great on trails, especially when they point downwards (but no problem climbing either).


I have a 2006 Ellsworth Dare

Its been great for 7 years .

8.8" rear travel that pedals better than most bikes still today .

Frame weight less than 2 pounds more than a Nomad coil .


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## Mike H. (Aug 28, 2006)

onesloryd said:


> I would also look at the Cove STD


That is a plain silly statement. 
It should read, "just go buy a Cove STD and be done with it."
It will be my next bike... if my 7" Rocky Mountain Switch ever gives up.


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## skeptikl-jc (Jan 7, 2010)

I loved my Highline too! But I moved to an apartment in Portland and went to one bike. Yes a Canfield One. It doesn't jump as well as the Highline but pedals better and is better through the rough stuff I think. And it weighs 34 lbs when I have it in All mountain mode. Great bike.


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## lifer (Feb 5, 2004)

My NomadC is set up 1x9 with a Ti 66 and some nice custom CK wheels. ~33lbs. wearing folding Minions. Love it at the DH Park. I be riding it @ Angel Fire next week


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## lifer (Feb 5, 2004)

Taking a break from Northstar last year...


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## Gman086 (Jul 4, 2004)

Dougie said:


> If you're a small guy I have frame-up Iron Horse 6-Point (160mm travel front/rear) build that I'm selling. It's a 15" and has been my trail/shuttle bike for the last 3 years.


That's what I use. I slackened mine out with a 170 Lyrik DH and minus 1.5 Works headset so it's down to 65.5 deg HTA and also did the 8.75"x2.75" Avy coil over rear shock so it's actually 7" front and back travel now without affecting the BB height. At 35 lbs it pedals fine (won't win me any XC races but it works for AM) and actually KILLS it on the DH so well that I sold my M3 because the 6 Point is more capable!!! I was rather shocked, to say the least (no pun intended), at learning how much more fun a bike build like this was going to be.

Have FUN!

G MAN


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## charging_rhinos (Jul 29, 2008)

Not sure if you've found your new ride yet, but I've got to throw in my vote for the Canfield One. It's truly the best 'middle ground' bike I've ever ridden. Super good at going down, and it does pedal quite well. By quite well, I do mean as well as almost any 6" AM bike I've owned or ridden, including Nomads, Reigns, SB-66, anything. I'll be posting up a longer term review of it here in the DH/FR forum soon. but you really can't go wrong with that bike. It does it all very well.


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## crazyjohnny (Aug 15, 2006)

Been riding my Nomad for 8 years now, it is a 1st gen nomad. I have ridden thousands of miles on it, from 3 weeks of straight Whistler, to Hood River, Downeville, Bend, Mammoth, Bellingham, pretty much all of the freeride destinations on the West Coast. . While the nomad isn't a "real" DH bike, they sure can keep up. I have been putting my through it paces of downhill trips but still do XC rides one or two times a week. It is an awesome bike. It is a real do all.....

Happy trails!


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## KU_MechE (Oct 29, 2011)

bought an '11 SX Trail II and love it.


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## kameraguy (Oct 12, 2004)

*Canfield The One*

Some more love for the Canfield The One. It was designed specifically as a DH to AM/Enduro crossover. Lots of people run it as a DH rig, but configure it for everything else. Lots of geometry and travel options by using different shock lengths and anglesets, but it's already a slack and low bike out of the box.

The '13 is the best iteration yet with minor tweaks to address feedback from previous owners. I have had a One from the original generation, then a 2011, and finally a '13. It has been great seeing the bike morph from a XC 8" travel bike (before the term AM was coined), to what it is now. If you can find one to test ride, it's a great great bike for what you have in mind. Their suspension design is truly awesome.

Bonus: You have probably heard of the legendary customer service from Canfield, and it is true. This alone is invaluable if you EVER have any problem, they will do what they can to take care of you.


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## mtnryder56 (Sep 13, 2008)

If you are riding Pacifica, a Nomad can take everything there and more. I have a VP Free that I ride there, but recently started pedaling my TranceX to the top, just so I could get there faster and to see if I could hang on the top trails with it. Well, just barely. But a Nomad would work perfectly for what you are looking for.


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## ryan_daugherty (Oct 8, 2006)

Banshee Rune V2 is a pretty amazing "do-everything-you-need-it-to-do" kind of bike. I like that it is a good climber and great descender out of the box. No need to buy a different shock or an angleset. Personally the last thing I want to have to do is sit there and make adjustments to my bike before every ride to dial it into the terrain. Especially if that means changing out an angle sleeve or throwing on a new shock. Who wants to have to own more than one shock anyway? The Rune adjustability is pretty easy with the flipchip in the dropout area but honestly though I keep mine in the mid range with a 65.5 HTa.


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## dbabuser (Jan 5, 2004)

I'm pretty happy with my '12 Enduro Comp. If you're going to be pedalling to get to the goods, pick something that you won't hate on the way up.


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## keithrad (May 4, 2007)

I love the playful feel of a single crown...I've been down-hilling with this Yeti AS-X for the last several years, (also ran it with a Fox 40 dual crown) but ended up with the Totem single...These frames can be found on the cheap and are versatile enough to run either fork and a front derailleur. BTW I have a medium 2006 AS-X in raw for sale frame or full build...pm if interested


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## KBS604 (Aug 7, 2012)

I know this thread is a bit old but no one mentioned norco range? I have a 2011 range 3. I upgraded a bunch of parts to make it more downhill friendly like wider bars, short stem, bigger tire up front and added a chain guide. I've been riding everything from shore style technical trails to black diamonds at whistler bike park. I can keep up with my buddy on his specialized demo 8 when we're blasting down A-line.


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## charging_rhinos (Jul 29, 2008)

KBS604 said:


> I know this thread is a bit old but no one mentioned norco range? I have a 2011 range 3. I upgraded a bunch of parts to make it more downhill friendly like wider bars, short stem, bigger tire up front and added a chain guide. I've been riding everything from shore style technical trails to black diamonds at whistler bike park. I can keep up with my buddy on his specialized demo 8 when we're blasting down A-line.


I don't mean to sound like a douche, so please don't take it as such. But if the OP is looking for everything from AM to true, full-on DH, the Range falls short. It's a super good bike, don't get me wrong. But things like A Line aren't really DH. They're more like fast, fun slopestyle sidewalks. Garbanzo, Val Di Sole, Vallnord, etc require a lot more of a bike than fast sidewalks like A Line. A Range can easily get down any of those trails, to be sure. But if you want to get down them fast, you'd find the limits of the Range pretty quick. Again, that's not to say it isn't a great, capable aggressive AM bike. But DH is a very specific and small category within the biking world, and few bikes have the odd geometry and tank-like build to make it into that category.


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## gurp (Jan 20, 2004)

Dpca10 said:


> I guess I meant presumed counterpoint, or at least alternate perspective... I was surprised how many people in the DH-FR forum suggested a built up AM bike and not some duel crown beast. I do live 10 minutes from Pacifica with some legit downhill runs, unfortunately you need to climb 1000' -1500' to get to them.


If you life 10 minutes from Pacifica I'd recommend at least a 7" bike like The One or Uzzi. I can ride all the same stuff on my 6" bike there that I can on my DH bike, but it's sure a lot more fun on the big bike.


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## jimw (Aug 10, 2004)

Maybe this is heresy for not suggesting a Canfield/Transition/Intense...  ... but in this category I have been waaaay stoked on the Enduro Expert Evo. The thing climbs surprisingly well, and just kills it on the DH. I'd be really stoked to check out the 2014 version with the Ohlins shock and the 1x11. I posted more thoughts on mine here.



Here are a couple pics of it in its element. To the OP, you might recognize these from Pacifica...


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## KBS604 (Aug 7, 2012)

charging_rhinos said:


> I don't mean to sound like a douche, so please don't take it as such. But if the OP is looking for everything from AM to true, full-on DH, the Range falls short. It's a super good bike, don't get me wrong. But things like A Line aren't really DH. They're more like fast, fun slopestyle sidewalks. Garbanzo, Val Di Sole, Vallnord, etc require a lot more of a bike than fast sidewalks like A Line. A Range can easily get down any of those trails, to be sure. But if you want to get down them fast, you'd find the limits of the Range pretty quick. Again, that's not to say it isn't a great, capable aggressive AM bike. But DH is a very specific and small category within the biking world, and few bikes have the odd geometry and tank-like build to make it into that category.


I understand what you mean. I would never take my range on any double black diamonds or real downhill runs. But my comment was directed towards the original post. For someone who has never riden downhill before or lift access trails, an AM bike like a range is a good choice.


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## bardilino (Sep 13, 2013)

I ride the SX Trail, It does everything, I don't do any monster gaps but my biggest drop has been 15 ft, it handles speed well, fun to ride and its easy to swap the tires and really lighten it up for trail rides. Or just pick a solid midline tire and rock your sox off. Fun bike, love it.


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