# Enduro Bike on a DH Race?



## dimitrisp (Aug 16, 2017)

Okay so here's the situation:
I have an upcoming DH race and two bikes I can use. 
One Giant Glory 00 from 2008 (I have upgraded most parts - it has a shitty 180mm stock Marzochi fork but a good Rockshox vivid coil rear shock) and it weighs around 19.5kg (heavy as ****)
The second bike is my enduro bike - a commencal meta am v4 with a 160mm Pike RC and Rockshox monarch rt3 rear shock at around 14kg.

The track is pretty rough but I can definitely ride it with my enduro bike with a bit of practice. The thing is that the DH bike is super steady and tough, however it's very heavy and not agile at all in turns and in the air. The commencal is super agile and more maneuverable (I can pedal faster and turn better etc.) but it doesn't handle the rough sections very well and I'm afraid it will break. 

So do I practice the track on my enduro bike and use that (since it's new and well built), or do I use my DH bike (26" wheels), even if it's heavy and the components are out of date?

Give me your guys' thoughts


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## Mudguard (Apr 14, 2009)

I can ride DH runs on my trail bike, however if I've done half a dozen runs in practice and getting tired I think I'd take the heavy tank. Slacker and more travel. Besides. Gravity will pull it down!
Erm. You're not in Cairns this weekend are you?


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## csermonet (Feb 2, 2009)

I'd ride the downhill bike. you don't want to beat the **** out of your trail bike and your body. it's not that big of a deal though, are you getting paid for your results? just ride the dh bike and have some fun


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## stripes (Sep 6, 2016)

DH bike. I can ride my enduro bike on the runs but I'm much faster and much more confident on the DH sled any day. 

Wheel size and components are irrelevant to type of bike. Sounds like that run will be better off the the DH sled than an enduro. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## dimitrisp (Aug 16, 2017)

Notched said:


> I can ride DH runs on my trail bike, however if I've done half a dozen runs in practice and getting tired I think I'd take the heavy tank. Slacker and more travel. Besides. Gravity will pull it down!
> Erm. You're not in Cairns this weekend are you?


Fair point, the big bike will have more momentum and inertia since its so heavy lol, good for going down but not good for turning. I'll make sure I train my sprints then! 
And no, I'm actually in Greece and we have a national cup with the best riders so it's quite a tough race for my ability at least. I wish I was in Cairns though haha


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## dimitrisp (Aug 16, 2017)

csermonet said:


> I'd ride the downhill bike. you don't want to beat the **** out of your trail bike and your body. it's not that big of a deal though, are you getting paid for your results? just ride the dh bike and have some fun


No I'm not sponsored (yet ), however I would like to finish in top 5 or top 10 in the Junior category. Will be a tough one though, seeing as last year in the same race I crashed and really ****ed up my run.

EDIT - but of course there are prizes for podium finishes I believe!


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## dimitrisp (Aug 16, 2017)

stripes said:


> DH bike. I can ride my enduro bike on the runs but I'm much faster and much more confident on the DH sled any day.
> 
> Wheel size and components are irrelevant to type of bike. Sounds like that run will be better off the the DH sled than an enduro.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Yeah I agree with you about the confidence part. When I'm riding super rough DH tracks with the enduro bike I always feel jittery and as if I'm always losing traction, that probably overweighs the fact that ill be quicker in the start and flat sections.

A 27.5" on the DH bike would be perfect though as for me at least it makes a big difference on how smooth you can pass over the jagged terrain and rock gardens.


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## dc40 (Oct 4, 2013)

Line section will be different for each bike, specifically in rock gardens. If course is not to technical with alot flats and/or sprinting, enduro bike might be a better tool.


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## Jayem (Jul 16, 2005)

That's a tough one, the Enduro bike has far better front-damping, yet the shock is going to be more ill-suited to smashing through the rough. On the DH bike, if it's a low-end marzocchi, it could be like a jackhammer in the rough at speed too, yet the rear shock is pretty decent for smashing through the rough. Maybe if you dropped them both off a building together something would be formed from both bikes impacting each other at high speed?


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## dimitrisp (Aug 16, 2017)

Jayem said:


> That's a tough one, the Enduro bike has far better front-damping, yet the shock is going to be more ill-suited to smashing through the rough. On the DH bike, if it's a low-end marzocchi, it could be like a jackhammer in the rough at speed too, yet the rear shock is pretty decent for smashing through the rough. Maybe if you dropped them both off a building together something would be formed from both bikes impacting each other at high speed?


hahahahhah I wish that was possible. Then I'd have an amazing superenduro bike. I wish I could merge the DH tyres are the Rockshox vivid coil on the enduro but unfortunately its not possible.

The thing that worries me the most is the rear suspension. Its only a 150mm Rockshox RT3. Due to this it will just get hammered in the rock gardens, and it's quite a rough trail but still has its flat spots. Other than that the Pike and the other components are very good.

EDIT - Of course the course is rideable with the enduro, just that I need to go fast, as per any race


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## kpdemello (May 3, 2010)

That Rockshox RT3 is going to be absolute **** in the rough sections. I have an eduro bike with that shock and it is really rough when things get bumpy. I much prefer my 10 year old DH sled for those kinds of sections.


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## toomanyhobbies (Jul 25, 2014)

https://www.pinkbike.com/news/sam-hill-goes-full-enduro-at-world-champs.html


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## stripes (Sep 6, 2016)

dimitrisp said:


> Yeah I agree with you about the confidence part. When I'm riding super rough DH tracks with the enduro bike I always feel jittery and as if I'm always losing traction, that probably overweighs the fact that ill be quicker in the start and flat sections.
> 
> A 27.5" on the DH bike would be perfect though as for me at least it makes a big difference on how smooth you can pass over the jagged terrain and rock gardens.


This is why I have a 27.5 big bike  but I'm still learning as this is my first real year DH riding (I'll have 12 days in provided I can ride the rest of the season).

I did ride my trail bike for the first half of the year. Wasn't worth it. I go much faster now on both bikes because of it.

Still working on the braver part but the big bike helps with that.


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## dimitrisp (Aug 16, 2017)

toomanyhobbies said:


> https://www.pinkbike.com/news/sam-hill-goes-full-enduro-at-world-champs.html


Yeah but Sam Hill has a Rockshox Lyrik with a Super Deluxe in the rear. Much more DH suited that my 160 Pike and 150 RT3. And Sam Hill is also Sam Hill...

Anyways I decided to take the DH bike for some training laps on the course tomorrow - I'll update you guys on how it went when it comes to it being heavy and sluggish


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## dimitrisp (Aug 16, 2017)

stripes said:


> This is why I have a 27.5 big bike  but I'm still learning as this is my first real year DH riding (I'll have 12 days in provided I can ride the rest of the season).
> 
> I did ride my trail bike for the first half of the year. Wasn't worth it. I go much faster now on both bikes because of it.
> 
> Still working on the braver part but the big bike helps with that.


Agreed. I was learning DH about 4 years ago with the big bike and it does wonders to your confindence. Super stable, however when you get better you can handle the sections with lighter bikes and in some parts a trail bike gives you an advantage.


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## stripes (Sep 6, 2016)

dimitrisp said:


> Agreed. I was learning DH about 4 years ago with the big bike and it does wonders to your confindence. Super stable, however when you get better you can handle the sections with lighter bikes and in some parts a trail bike gives you an advantage.


I'm sure there are advantages and disadvantages to both. For me, I really like riding the DH bike but I can ride the trail bike but it just beats me up too much.


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## dimitrisp (Aug 16, 2017)

stripes said:


> I'm sure there are advantages and disadvantages to both. For me, I really like riding the DH bike but I can ride the trail bike but it just beats me up too much.


What DH bike do you have? Fork?

I rode the course yesterday and it certainly can be done on an enduro but it was very rough and steep in some sections. Leaning towards the DH bike but the single crown fork is really ****ing me over. Might buy a dual crown one soon.

EDIT: It really sucks that I don't have a good DH bike because I feel like the one I have is a huge limiting factor. Would be able to do so much better, maybe even podium, with a V10 27.5 inch bike. Sucks but I have to keep grinding I guess


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## Mudguard (Apr 14, 2009)

Trail bike was good enough for 6th at the World Championship...


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## stripes (Sep 6, 2016)

dimitrisp said:


> What DH bike do you have? Fork?
> 
> I rode the course yesterday and it certainly can be done on an enduro but it was very rough and steep in some sections. Leaning towards the DH bike but the single crown fork is really ****ing me over. Might buy a dual crown one soon.
> 
> EDIT: It really sucks that I don't have a good DH bike because I feel like the one I have is a huge limiting factor. Would be able to do so much better, maybe even podium, with a V10 27.5 inch bike. Sucks but I have to keep grinding I guess


I ride a 2015 Scott Gambler 710. I bought it as a used demo bike. Changed out the chainring and cassette to make it more pedal friendly (trestle has some annoying pedal sections), changed out the handlebar, the grips, and brakes.

Honestly, I would have been fine with the geo of the megatrail but it doesn't support a slammed 180mm dual crown (I asked Guerrilla Gravity, they said no go).

But yeah it's the single crown on the DH section doesn't track like a dual crown. So I opted to get a big bike and don't regret it.

Right now the drivetrain is a 34t 165mm saint cranks with an 11-28 cassette. I would have to change out the rear derailleur, cranks, and chainring if I need smaller gears.


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