# advice for a 7 inch freeride bike



## dft (Apr 9, 2004)

i have a 8 inch DH bike that is great, but i really don't do enough of pure lift/shuttle riding and would like to get a good 7 inch beefy freeride bike. (i also have a 6 inch bike that i use for trail riding that is lighter). but the DH bike is too hard for pedal rides, so looking for a 7-7.5 inch freeride bike that can take a front derailer, have a steeper seat tube (to make climbing easier) but still pretty slack so it can handle steeps,drops and chunk good. 

what do folks recommend out there? want the bike to have uninterupted seat tube. i was thinking of the SX trail (since they are 7 inches now). i had a stinky for 4 years and likd it alot (but it didn't have isg tabs and was single pivot)
thanks!


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## 11053 (Sep 19, 2009)

So many choices these days.
One of the best things going(although it doesn't quite meet 7x7) is a Santa Cruz Nomad with a 180mm fork.
Long travel bikes that can be pedaled up are my favorite bikes to ride.
I can hit a lot of DH trail, bike park trails, and HUGE backountry earn your turns descents on the Nomad with the 180 on the front.
Nomads with 180s, big brakes, and burly wheels are more than capable freeride/park rigs and can do a lot of real DH duty in the hands of a skilled rider.
Not too painful on the uphill either.
The new Specialized EVO whatever with the 7" ish fork in the front and slacker angles appears good too. People rave about it for the up and down.
The newer SX trails are awesome, but are really better for park/dh than pedaling if you are doing serious climbing to get to the DH.


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

Tom...check out a Canfield The One....I think that is what you want...you can also put a big fork (like an 888 Ti) and have a bike that runs 34 pounds with an 888 Ti....The One pedals real nice...I am impressed and who knows I might be getting one the next time I talk with Chris


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## dft (Apr 9, 2004)

Norman Clydesdale said:


> So many choices these days.
> One of the best things going(although it doesn't quite meet 7x7) is a Santa Cruz Nomad with a 180mm fork.
> Long travel bikes that can be pedaled up are my favorite bikes to ride.
> I can hit a lot of DH trail, bike park trails, and HUGE backountry earn your turns descents on the Nomad with the 180 on the front.
> ...


thanks. but i want alittle bigger than a nomad (too close to my rune). basically a mini DH bike (kinda like my stinky was), it will have a boxxer on it. my rune (slack and ~33-34 pounds) can handle any backcountry ride. i want this to be able to do big drops, gaps, whistler, mamoth, etc (yes i know people can do them on a smaller bike) but nomad is alittle too close to what i got. (i want to ride some bishop backcountry with you for sure though!). i used to do 5000 foot climbs all the time on my 40 pound stinky.


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## rideut (Dec 10, 2008)

Check out the '12 TBC Blindside. 180/190mm travel & full length seat tube.


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## meSSican (Aug 8, 2010)

I had a Scott Voltage FR and it was a great bike. There are alot of options out there but if I was in the market for a 7" bike Canfield's The One would be the bike I would get. 
As for fork I would go with a X Fusion 180mm. I am really digging the HLR rear coil shock on my Jedi and have heard great things about them.


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## Jumpcaser (Apr 7, 2012)

IMO 7 inch bikes are where it's at; beefy enough to hit all the stunts and steeps at the park but still pedalable (depending on the bike). since I don't race and I have just one bike then this makes perfect sense for me. Kinda sucks that many companies are dropping this platform but there are enough good choices out there to keep us 180mm single crown lovers happy. here's my shortlist follwed by my own impressions:

Specialized - SX trail (getting dropped from lineup next year, good price and support like warranty, lots of shops service them, good geo & numbers)

Transition - Blindside (has a shorter toptube and long chainstays, also getting dropped from lineup next year, good price and company)

Intense - newly updated Uzzi (perfect geo and numbers IMO, heard some people not happy about quality control, looks dope)

Supreme - FR (looks rad, unique in that not everyone rides one, chainstays are too long)

Canfield - The One, get the revamped 2012 (a bit more expensive, not crazy about the look, RAVE reviews saying pedals amazing and downhills like a champ)

Knolly - Delirium, coming 2013...


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## Hydesg (Jul 4, 2010)

add a fox 40 to your Rune.
I did that to mine.

It rides uphill fine and can bomb downhill.


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## dwyooaj (Dec 14, 2006)

a 40 will likely snap a runes headtube. Not a good idea, thats just thje wrong bike for a dc fork. Tom, i was gonna suggest a Transition Blindside , or why not a Banshee Scythe? Very adjustable bike. But the blindsides stock HA is slacker and lower BB. Crazy that so many manufacturers are dropping or have dropped 7" burly yet pedal-friendly bikes from there lineups.


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## good4nothing (Aug 14, 2009)

SHIVER ME TIMBERS said:


> Tom...check out a Canfield The One....I think that is what you want...you can also put a big fork (like an 888 Ti) and have a bike that runs 34 pounds with an 888 Ti....The One pedals real nice...I am impressed and who knows I might be getting one the next time I talk with Chris


this is exactly what you want. Here's mine, currently built to do exactly what you're looking for.


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## delirian (Jan 1, 2009)

Jumpcaser said:


> IMO 7 inch bikes are where it's at; beefy enough to hit all the stunts and steeps at the park but still pedalable (depending on the bike). since I don't race and I have just one bike then this makes perfect sense for me. Kinda sucks that many companies are dropping this platform but there are enough good choices out there to keep us 180mm single crown lovers happy. here's my shortlist follwed by my own impressions:
> 
> Specialized - SX trail (getting dropped from lineup next year, good price and support like warranty, lots of shops service them, good geo & numbers)
> 
> ...


i would agree with the above,,,, i have a knolly dt had it for the last 3 years it pedals uphill no problem even at 43lbs, i had a 2011 delirium for a short while ( all of 10 days, sore subject dont ask,) this was even better at climbing,

also might add if you were to consider the transition blindside, also check out the ns soda, its basically the exact same frame but cheaper.


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## Iceman2058 (Mar 1, 2007)

Morewood Zama. Ticks all your boxes (it's actually one of the few frames that really does tick ALL your boxes, including running it with a DC fork). Uninterrupted seat tube that's steep enough to put in some serious pedal time on, 7" travel, FD-compatible. I run mine with a FD, can pretty much climb anything if you're patient about it, and it's still got the angles to handle any abuse you can throw at it on the way down. Stops short of a full-on DH rig of course, but that is what you said you wanted anyway. Get it with the adjustable XPi pivot, and you can play with BB height/chainstay length as well. 3 sizes so you can get the TT length/wheelbase that you need/like. Tapered steer tube (44/56), if you run it with a DC get a 1 1/8 steerer so you can run a zero-stack headset, keeps the front end nice and low, or an angleset maybe for pure DH days (although it's pretty much slack enough already for almost any riding).

Here's mine,17.5 kgs (38.5lbs), with dual ply Minion/HR2, and tubes:


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## mgs781 (Dec 10, 2007)

*Mojo HD with Totem*

180/160 with the Totem. Burly but light, mine is just over 29 lbs. Wtih the Totem and Angleset, HT is 66 degrees. Add a Vivid air (next on my list) am you have a bike that pedals, climbs, and descends with the best of them.

MGS


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## mint355 (Mar 9, 2012)

Sounds like a Intense Uzzi is what you are after really cant beat them. Down and UP The specialized Enduro EVO look the goods too...


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## singlesprocket (Jun 9, 2004)

tr 250 transition with a 1x10 drivetrain?


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## gretch (Aug 27, 2010)

mint355 said:


> Sounds like a Intense Uzzi is what you are after really cant beat them. Down and UP The specialized Enduro EVO look the goods too...


x 2... love mine and its currently setup in DH bike park trim with Marz 888 up front. Weight is under 36lbs.


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## jmallory (Jul 29, 2008)

I have a Blindside with a FD and Boxxer up front. I wanted a DH bike but still needed it to pedal since I don't shuttle. It's been about a year and the Blindside has been perfect. 7.5 inches of travel and I still pedal it up everything I've tried. It has definitely made me a better DH rider and can handle anything I can!


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## schlockinz (Feb 6, 2009)

A new set of wheels and a 180mm fork for the Rune? How big are you thinking about going?

The scythes look pretty slick as well.


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## motochick (Jun 22, 2010)

Another vote for a Candfield the One. I built up a park dh bike with a totem and ccdb coil and it came to 35 lbs on a budget build. (mine is diggle a beefier version of the one) good luck!


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## dwyooaj (Dec 14, 2006)

nicolai ion 18? but...$$


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## dft (Apr 9, 2004)

thanks guys, good advice, i'll look more into some of the bike you mentioned.


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## gticlay (Dec 13, 2007)

Norman Clydesdale said:


> So many choices these days.
> One of the best things going(although it doesn't quite meet 7x7) is a Santa Cruz Nomad with a 180mm fork.
> Long travel bikes that can be pedaled up are my favorite bikes to ride.
> I can hit a lot of DH trail, bike park trails, and HUGE backountry earn your turns descents on the Nomad with the 180 on the front.
> ...


Especially if you put the PUSH link on with an RC4. Schweet!


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## genemk (Sep 15, 2009)

I've heard great stuff about the Norco Truax too. Pedals really well uphill and is great going down.


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## Ronny Grady (Sep 14, 2003)

I've got a blindside + Totem, great bike

Also consider the cove std


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## onesloryd (Aug 31, 2011)

I have Cove STD climbs great and descends fast a great bike.


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## monstertiki (Jun 1, 2009)

Knolly deliriums are awesome do it all freeride/mini dh bikes. A few frames on pinkbike, but otherwise very hard to find. Both the blindside and the scythe are excellent as they are very versatile and tough bikes. 

I have never ridden a canfield but I'd definitely check the one out. Especially after reading what canfield did for the guy with the cracked rear triangle going to whistler. Service like that is above beyond what is expected.


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## SKS09 (Aug 31, 2012)

Check out the Giant Reign X


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## Decatur_Tide (Nov 30, 2011)

You might want to wait until this comes out. Should be soon.
https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/551654_10151124342044259_612275093_n.jpg

It's the new freeride bike from Airborne called the Toxin with 7" travel.


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## The Beater (Aug 17, 2008)

I will throw another vote for the canfield One, My buddy has one set up at 180 in the back and 170 front and it still only weighs under 31 lbs.


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## iguanabartola (Aug 24, 2006)

dft said:


> (i also have a 6 inch bike that i use for trail riding that is lighter


What is your 6" bike? Just a bit more travel on the front and changing the back to coil can do the trick!!!! CCDB comes to mind for rear and Talas 160 for the front? Cheaper too :thumbsup:


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## Teqtonik (Jan 14, 2012)

genemk said:


> I've heard great stuff about the Norco Truax too. Pedals really well uphill and is great going down.


In some way, shape, or form this will be my next bike.


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## Teqtonik (Jan 14, 2012)

Norco has a new lineup, with the entry level bike starting under 3k.

$5800








$3785








$2835









I am loving the color scheme of the Truax 2 over last years bike, but the Truax 1 seems like such a better deal.


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