# Urban DH Bikes? Why?



## JM01 (Mar 29, 2005)

A quick question from a confused older guy...

Spring has hit Toronto and the kids are out with their new bikes. Commuting through town yesterday i saw kids cruising the downtown streets on full down-hill and free-ride bikes, including a Santa Cruz VP Free, a Kona Dawg and Stinky, a Norco DH, Banshee Scream, and others...180mm forks, 8" rotors, top-of-the-line builds.

Just wondering is this happening in your city or is it something unique to Toronto? Have the DH bikes replaced the cruisers and choppers?...looks weird riding through traffic and around the streetcars, but fun watching them trying to peddle up the little hills.

Seems a bit out of place, but maybe it's a fashion thing?


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## Maida7 (Apr 29, 2005)

cause there mad phat, dawg!


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## Tom Church (Feb 9, 2004)

My DH bike and my Trail Bike are my only bikes...so I ride them on the street all the time. Also fun to hop around and look for jumps, drops, stairs, etc to play around on.

Tom


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## JM01 (Mar 29, 2005)

Tom Church said:


> My DH bike and my Trail Bike are my only bikes...so I ride them on the street all the time. Also fun to hop around and look for jumps, drops, stairs, etc to play around on.
> 
> Tom


That VP Free was about an $8000 (cdn) bike, the Konas around $3K...seems that it would be cheaper and safer (17,000 stolen bikes in Toronto each year) to use an asphalt friendly bike...a couple of kids were riding these things on the sidewalk.

must be me


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## Maida7 (Apr 29, 2005)

They should stay off the sidewalk and obey the laws. But if they are having fun, getting some exercise, riding, etc... What do you care what kind of bike they ride or how much it cost them. I agree it's not what I would do but, To each his own. It's all good. Live and let live.


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## oddestfellow (Sep 15, 2004)

Maida7 said:


> cause there mad phat, dawg!


Werd, yo.

I'm still baffled by all of the freekin' body armor some cross country riders wear now. It seems like not that long ago that 90% of the guys I rode with didn't even wear helmets!


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## JM01 (Mar 29, 2005)

Maida7 said:


> They should stay off the sidewalk and obey the laws. But if they are having fun, getting some exercise, riding, etc... What do you care what kind of bike they ride or how much it cost them. I agree it's not what I would do but, To each his own. It's all good. Live and let live.


well put, i guess that by splitting my time between the city and country, i'm not used to seeing these big bikes in the middle of town...sort of like seeing a roadie on the home trails or hanging from the chair on the DH trails. Definitley a new trend.


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## JM01 (Mar 29, 2005)

oddestfellow said:


> Werd, yo.
> 
> I'm still baffled by all of the freekin' body armor some cross country riders wear now. It seems like not that long ago that 90% of the guys I rode with didn't even wear helmets!


i may buy a helmet this year if i continue to do the rocks and roots on the home trails


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## oddestfellow (Sep 15, 2004)

JM01 said:


> i may buy a helmet this year if i continue to do the rocks and roots on the home trails


The first 5 years that I rode, I didn't wear one. The day I started wearing one I had a pretty nasty fall which was finished off with my bike landing on my head - cranks first. If I hadn't had the brain bucket on, it would have cracked my skull. I haven't ridden without one since.


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## Rivet (Sep 3, 2004)

oddestfellow said:


> I'm still baffled by all of the freekin' body armor some cross country riders wear now.


Kinda funny really, plastic courage for some smooth singletrack.


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## JM01 (Mar 29, 2005)

oddestfellow said:


> The first 5 years that I rode, I didn't wear one. The day I started wearing one I had a pretty nasty fall which was finished off with my bike landing on my head - cranks first. If I hadn't had the brain bucket on, it would have cracked my skull. I haven't ridden without one since.


i'm a relic from the days when you couldn't even find a helmet without going to a specialty store...even in the 60's they were very rare up here.

But last year i missed a turn on my trails, went head first into a tree, but luckily the branch that i hit with my head was dead and broke away. Could have been messy if it didn't, so this year a helmet is on my shopping list...one for Mrs. M too.


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## AL29er (Jan 14, 2004)

Good thread. I was talking with one of the wrenches at the lbs just this weekend about kids and high end mtbs. I think that the media is really driving this trend. Kids see all of the freeride propaganda and think they need a freeride bike to ride around, even if they live in the city. I have noticed an increasing amount of big hit bikes mobbing the streets. I just kind of shake my head.

I rode a bmx bike until I was 18-19. They are not only more durable but less expensive to repair, maintain, and purchase. A bmx bike is also a lot better suited for riding around town and any of the other stupid stuff that kids throw at bikes. Most of my bmx bikes were in the $400-700 range and were simple enough for me to work on. They were also darn near indestructible. To set up a mtb for simillar abuse would run closer to $1000-1200 on a hardtail or $2-3K for a squishy. I dunno about you, but I am not sending my kid out on a $3000 bike any time soon (he is 4 so I have some time ).

The other side of the coin is the parents that come into the shop with the broken bike and want to know why this $1500 bike is falling apart. The kid usually claims the JRA (just riding along) defense. And the mechanic has to try and explain that just because the bike was expensive that it is not a Wade Simmons signature bike and cannot handle extreeme curb hopping. Then you get to explain that a $500 bmx would be better suited for Jr. Kneivel or if he really wants to ride mtb freeride you can set him up with a burly rig for a couple grand. Either way you are dealing with a pissed off parent.

Don't even get me started on armor clad xc geeks


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## shiggy (Dec 19, 1998)

For the same reasons people drive SUVs in the city.


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## Hardtails Are Better (May 4, 2005)

I'm a teenager, and often ride my freeride bike in the city because I like to mess around on any interesting things I might find, as long as I won't do any damage or be in people's way. If I actually want to get somewhere on the road, I crack out the roadie. And I have an XC bike too, which gets most of my trail time. I work at a bike shop, and know how to take care of my bikes. I know that my 19# XC bike isn't up to any real drops, nor is my super budget freeride bike capable of anything too huge. Not that *I'm* up for any massive drops either.  And I paid for all my bikes myself, with the exception of the odd dereilleur birthday present, and that sort of thing. I'm not going to worry what anyone is riding for what purpose. As long as they are having a good time riding their bike, what's the problem, right?


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## gunfodder (Jan 13, 2004)

*Why not?*

Any bike will suffice for tooling around town. If your passion is DH/FR then your best bike will be a big rig, so you'll end up riding it around town eventually. When I see kids riding around on bikes that cost thousands of dollars I taste sour grapes since I couldn't afford anything like that when I was young. But that's just me.


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## Maida7 (Apr 29, 2005)

yeah like when I meet somebody on the trail and there riding a fully rigid fixed gear bike with no hand brakes, cyclecross tires and droped bars. I think wow what a nut job. You coudn't pay me to ride that on a trail. Heck I thick the single speed crowd is crazy. Personally I like gears but if it makes you smile then by all means.


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## Ricko (Jan 14, 2004)

Personally I can't STAND riding my FS bike on the street around town. I feel like I'm in one of those stupid dreams where I'm trying my hardest to run fast but I juuuuusssst caaaannn'ttt gggetttt ggooooiiinnnggg. 

Skinny azz tires, drop bars, carbon andTi....that's the way I like to scoot around town .


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## Hardtails Are Better (May 4, 2005)

Yeah, FS on the road is no fun. My freerde tank is a HT (shocked, huh? ), so it isn't so horrible, but roadies are still the way to go. No Ti or carbon for me though.


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## rkj__ (Feb 29, 2004)

Hardtails Are Better said:


> Yeah, FS on the road is no fun.


With good tire pressure, my NRS does great on the road. Some of the roads are kinda bumpy in Niagara


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## Hardtails Are Better (May 4, 2005)

That's not surprising, since the NRS is one of the more efficient FS designs around.


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## Unknownrash (Sep 22, 2004)

Maybe the trails are still too wet to ride. I know it's soggy where I live right now. I love taking my Six Pack urban riding and dropping off stuff and everything. I have a road bike but a lot of the times I prefer to go do the urban thing, it's more of a workout.


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## rkj__ (Feb 29, 2004)

Hardtails Are Better said:


> That's not surprising, since the NRS is one of the more efficient FS designs around.


some people really like it as a road bike...





Unknownrash said:


> Maybe the trails are still too wet to ride. I know it's soggy where I live right now. I love taking my Six Pack urban riding and dropping off stuff and everything. I have a road bike but a lot of the times I prefer to go do the urban thing, it's more of a workout.


I think this probably has a lot to do with the observed trend. They are just itching to get on their big rigs again, and many trails are not ready for them yet.


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## Hardtails Are Better (May 4, 2005)

rkj__ said:


> some people really like it as a road bike...
> 
> 
> 
> I think this probably has a lot to do with the observed trend. They are just itching to get on their big rigs again, and many trails are not ready for them yet.


Hmmm..... I joke that my road bike has more rear wheel travel than all my MTBs combined, since the frame is so freaking flexy (Vitus 979- gluing isn't the best way to hold an aluminum tubed bike together.... and pencil thinkness aluminum stays.... well, lets just say it gives a comfortable ride) but that's just a little rediculous.


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## Tom Church (Feb 9, 2004)

Concerning the Armor...I guess it depends on where you live...Out here just north of NYC there really is no such thing as a smooth XC trail...they are all super rocky and tech. The woods around here are covered in rock and roots...very different than out west. I wear shin guards all the time. The first time I went of a 4' drop and my shoe unclipped on the landing and my shin ended up a bloody mess I went out and bought shin guards. I sometimes wear a full face as well. Like I said an XC ride around here is not all that smooth. Sometimes I thing that most people in the country must be riding ultra buff and groomed singletrack. 

Concerning the SUV's...I drive and SUV in the city 2-3 times a week...why? Because it's my only vehicle. 

And back to the big bikes in the city...same reason as the SUV...it's the only bike most people own...so why not? Who cares? I an 26 and only own 2 full suspension bikes (a Cannondale Gemini and a Cannondale Prophet MX) so those are what I ride on the street when I go out. I ride urban all spring while waiting for the trails to thaw and stop being mud holes. And since the fully's are my only bikes...well they are what I ride. 

And I would NEVER consider riding without a helmet. I have cracked at least 5 in the past 10 years. Like I said...there really is no such thing as a really smooth trail around here unless I ride the rail trails which are boring as hell...

Tom


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## grnxb (Jan 8, 2006)

*I'm picturing all those jerks in Hummers*

I'm not talking about the H2's and H3's (also called the Chevy Trailblazer, or whatever it's based on). I mean the original Hummer. Built to climb a Sycamore or Redwood, but yet only gets street miles.

Of course, if WE had a Hummer, WE would be really pushing it to it's limits.

Same thing with the $$ FR and DH bikes ridden as commuters in the city. It's overkill.


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## Techfreak (Feb 17, 2005)

Hucks to flat are better with 180mm of travel underneath you. 

The big bike thing is definitely overkill for urban riding, and a BMX bike would certainly be better. If you only have one bike, ride it by all means - but why would a massive DH rig be your only bike?


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## Jim311 (Feb 7, 2006)

There's PLENTY of gnarly stuff to get into in the city on a FR bike if you're so inclined.. at least where I live!


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## jugdish (Apr 1, 2004)

Tom Church said:


> very different than out west.


 so what's it like out west?


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## croatiansensation (Feb 21, 2005)

jugdish said:


> so what's it like out west?


Miles and miles of rock free, buffed singletrack, of course. . . .


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## fiddy_ryder (Jun 15, 2005)

I rode my bullit with 6"+ all the time around town,, it was my only bike. I did trails, light dh and freeride, jumps, urban all on one bike. I could hit drops and stuff aorund town with no worries.. jumping stairs were cake too. plus pedaling a barely sub 40lb bike uphill was a great workout


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## mondaycurse (Nov 24, 2005)

I don't know about others, but I can't afford 2 bikes. I can barely afford my own "entry level" 600 dollar bike.


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## jugdish (Apr 1, 2004)

croatiansensation said:


> Miles and miles of rock free, buffed singletrack, of course. . . .


 yup, no rocks west of the Mighty Mississip


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## Fuelish (Dec 19, 2003)

rkj__ said:


> With good tire pressure, my NRS does great on the road. Some of the roads are kinda bumpy in Niagara


Feel that way about my Fuel as well.....pump up the tires, fork, and shock, and go at it (I run fairly narrow xc tires, so they're not too inefficient when pumped, compared to, oh, 2.3's or somethin'  )


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## bomber (Jan 13, 2004)

My answer: Watch the movie JIB


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## K'Endo (Dec 23, 2003)

JM01 said:


> well put, i guess that by splitting my time between the city and country, i'm not used to seeing these big bikes in the middle of town...sort of like seeing a roadie on the home trails or hanging from the chair on the DH trails. Definitley a new trend.


New trend? Well, maybe in Toronto. They're always behind the times. I was doing big bike urban assaults in Vancouver something over 8 years ago. Of course, back then a big bike was a beefy hardtail with a 5" fork. Still, there are lots of stairs, loading docks, curbs, etc. to hop up, jump off and rail in any urban environment and you can go bigger with a cushy bike.

Ever hear of stair gaps?

Kn.


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

oddestfellow said:


> Werd, yo.
> 
> I'm still baffled by all of the freekin' body armor some cross country riders wear now. It seems like not that long ago that 90% of the guys I rode with didn't even wear helmets!


fast speeds and falls......body armour is really nice


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## ICanDigIt (Jun 23, 2004)

Hey thats me!

Yup. You might see me pedaling around town - on the sidewalk- on my 45lb FS with body armor and a full face helmet. You might think, wow, what a poser/dork/wannabe/whatever...

But you know what...I couldn't care less. Im doing something I love...

And the small fact that I don't own a car and never will, means that I have to ride wherever I can. And since I find myself surrounded by an urban jungle, well, thats where I ride. Also, the lack of health insurance means I literally can't afford to get hurt. If 150 bucks worth of armor is going to save me 2 grand in medical bills, you bet your arse Im going to armor up!
And hey, with my fancy bike and gear, I may LOOK like I should be riding off 20ft drops...but Im no where that level yet. I do what my skill level permits, while trying to go just a little bigger, or a little faster each time. And eventually, who knows, I might just be riding of roofs and whatnot. The only person I really need to impress is myself...and, well maybe that cute security guard girl that patrols downtown... 

I just love to ride my bike...simple as that.


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## Cozza (Oct 20, 2005)

I'm in a similar situation. I only have my Stinky to ride around on, and I need to ride, so I do!


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## ChipV (Jun 6, 2005)

I ussually ride my road bike around town if I am trying to get a workout in during lunch, but occasionally it's nice to bring in the boinger and just go have some fun. Chattanooga is a fun town for a little urban assault riding.


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## ochirider (Dec 15, 2005)

It makes more sense to ride a freeride bike around if you are gonna hit ledges, stairs drops etc, concrete hurts! I don't see any point in riding a road bike but am considering getting a freeride HT,until then i will ride my Bullit everywhere. Just like the SUV thing, some people are just posers,but at least the bicycle posers aren't messing up the environment.


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## misctwo (Oct 24, 2004)

i saw a dude riding a manitou FS and his hottt GF riding a MC San Andreas along the beach bike path, both circa 95(?)..pretty cool! ride it if you got it....just lock those mothers up!


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## exitor (Oct 15, 2005)

Yeah for me it's the financial thing. I'm in college and would LOVE to own a couple of $2k+ bikes, but that's just not the way it goes. For any kid that works for his hobby, everything else (even video games) is out of the question if you want to seriously ride. 

It's by far the most frustrating aspect of the sport. I wanted to get into a freeride bike when I was 16, but the money just wasn't there and I had to save for another two years just to get into a $1000 hardtail. I feel like the money has kept me from doing everything I want to because I can't afford to taco wheels, backflip derailleurs, and bust stems. The fact I don't have decent insurance coverage is always in the back of my mind when I'm thinking about trying something stupid. 

So when I read a post like the one I read today: "I'm 14...should I get Boxxer WC, 888RC2X or Fox 40" one part of me is happy that someone can really go for it when they're young, but the other part wants to say 'you're a kid: ride the **** out of mongoose until you snap it in two and spend your parents money later'.


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## misctwo (Oct 24, 2004)

exitor said:


> So when I read a post like the one I read today: "I'm 14...should I get Boxxer WC, 888RC2X or Fox 40" one part of me is happy that someone can really go for it when they're young, but the other part wants to say 'you're a kid: ride the **** out of mongoose until you snap it in two and spend your parents money later'.


more than half the time they're full of **** but we can all dream, right?

yeah just when i was spending on tons of ski/boarding gear and thought that no sport can 'get' more expensive, along comes my bike passion, and it saps my coffers dry whenever it can.

that said i use a mtx bike for everything.


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## moto_123 (Apr 3, 2006)

haha, ya i know the money issue. try racing motocross all thru high school, that's real expensive compared to bicycles. replacing two tires, chain and sprockets and doing a top end (common mainainence every month) would easily total $500. plus gas and race fees every weekend. i had nothing left over. i had to switch to freeride and urban cuz i ran out of money to fund dirt bike racing when i hit college. all im saying is money is relavent to the person and whatever they happen to make.


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## bedheadben (Jan 30, 2006)

Hey, I ride my DH bike in town because it is my only bike. I have a 2005 Specialized BigHit FSR and it likes to stick to the ground because that is what it was meant to do, so it completley sucks in urban. But I have to deal, and when I'm out I don't want anyone giving me **** for riding my DH bike in the city.


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## panthro (Feb 1, 2004)

SHIVER ME TIMBERS said:


> fast speeds and falls......body armour is really nice


No joke...I wear shin pads and elbow pads when I trailride because I'm tired of gashing the s*** out of them when I don't. I like to ride hard and jump around instead of always picking the cleanest line. If wearing armor on the trial is "lame" then I'm glad to be lame.


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## defenestrator (Dec 4, 2005)

dscot420 said:


> ...I have noticed an increasing amount of big hit bikes mobbing the streets. ...
> 
> The other side of the coin is the parents that come into the shop with the broken bike and want to know why this $1500 bike is falling apart. The kid usually claims the JRA (just riding along) defense. And the mechanic has to try and explain that just because the bike was expensive that it is not a Wade Simmons signature bike and cannot handle extreeme curb hopping. Then you get to explain that a $500 bmx would be better suited for Jr. Kneivel or if he really wants to ride mtb freeride you can set him up with a burly rig for a couple grand. Either way you are dealing with a pissed off parent.


Same thing, i was at the lbs and this kid is there with a bighit. The mechanic is explaining you have to clean, oil, etc. But the reason he was there was because his hydros failed on him, the rear shock got screwed, and he had no brake pads left in the back. Dads there saying how much will it cost and mechanic says it shouldn't have happened in the first place.

In response to the thread... Lot of kids here in San Diego riding the DH rigs around and most of them are brand new with the little kid jumping up and down on the shocks and showing it off to their friends.


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## bedheadben (Jan 30, 2006)

But actually, we don't see many kids on DH rigs here in Los Angeles.


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## turbodog (Feb 28, 2004)

I live in the city and urban riding is by far the easiest way to get out on a quick solo ride for exercise and to work on technical skills on a FR/DH bike. Any real trail riding is about a half hour drive way, so I have to go directly from work or on weekends, and I have to bring someone incase I kill myself. To street ride, I can go out my door and be a decent spot in a 5 minutes. Just because someone is riding their DH bike down the street doesn't make them a poseur - they'll probably be doing a big stunt very soon.


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## MiddleOfN0wHereGuy (May 2, 2006)

....my town has the best urban setting ever... hundreds of planters surrounder by staiirs and dirtjumps and wall rides behind the buildings.... but hey.... canada is just plain better......


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## Heals120 (Apr 16, 2006)

croatiansensation said:


> Miles and miles of rock free, buffed singletrack, of course. . . .


You don't even have to go as far as western new york for that.


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## Tracerboy (Oct 13, 2002)

*20"*

Its strange how most people seem to think if your going to do a huge drop 4ft or more , you need a dual sus bike. Its cool to see guys on crazy rigs doing crazy stuff, but I'm seen just as many BMXers drop off roof tops, and huge gaps as I have mtb's, and the BMXers seem to do it with a bit more style :thumbsup:

BTW you don't need a big bike to drop, or ride Loading docks, and ledges.


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## KevinM[Freerider] (Aug 12, 2005)

i bet most of those kids have trails to ride on that their riding to or something. you guys are all smashing on em now but in about a month why dont you follow them sometime and i bet you wont keep up after the first big drop. i ride mine around town because it gets u used to the bike, so you can whip it around and stuff (yes yes i know alot of poeple dont comprehend that yet) but yeah, and then when you get on trails you shred. theres so many things to do on a big bike in the city. 8 foot drops (strair gaps), loading docks, retaining walls, wallrides. they dont buy the bikes to ride in the city, they buy them for FR and DH, but you can also ride them in the city as long as u dont b*tch it doesnt feel like youe 10 pound xc weenie bike.


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## arai (May 8, 2006)

I dont know if you saw people who ride them cause there cool or people inbetween local hangouts. however, I've only ever used my dh rig for urban rides, they're great for lazily getting from one spot to the other on the back wheel, but if your in the right city, the stair gaps and drops and general mayhem that can be found easily warrant a big rig.


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## Z1bomber (Dec 1, 2004)

it depends

for big drops etc like on jib i think you do need a full susser, but dylan tremblay does most of his stuff on a hardtail, and so does aaron chase etc


but as slopestyle becomes more popular, i think the trend is going to be for shorter travel bikes like the ventana X-5


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## bedheadben (Jan 30, 2006)

IMO, my bighit is lots of fun in the city, just not the pedaling part.


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## bedheadben (Jan 30, 2006)

or maybe I just say that because I haven't ridden a real urban bike before.


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## KevinM[Freerider] (Aug 12, 2005)

i think it would be interesting to see bender ride an urban bike, see how good he REALLY is.


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## snaky69 (Mar 8, 2005)

Gotta love riding my Norco 416 around the city.


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## Dairy_dude (Nov 2, 2004)

I ride my dh rig around the streets so I can get used to it, and because it's less expensive to pay for a mountain dew to get me to my trails/jumps than it is to buy a gallon of gas, and since I can't ride my road bike with my dh bike on a trailer on the back I ride my dh bike.


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## Evader 53 (Apr 19, 2006)

I ride my FS bike around town all the time. Reasons; 1- The only other bike I have is a crappy mongoose, and a 13" trek 2- When I come up on the end of a sidewalk and there is a big drop off, I just can't resist 3- I like getting used to my bike and the more I ride it, the more comfortable I am on it 4- I sure ain't buying a new bike just to get around town 5- The difficult petaling helps me improve my leg strength for mountain biking as well as other sports.

I see someone else riding a FS/DH bike around, I just go up to them and tell them nice bike and ask where they ride in hopes of finding a new hidden trail.

Whatever floats your boat.


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## Ojai Bicyclist (Nov 4, 2005)

Ever considered that they may be riding to get to trails/drops?


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## JM01 (Mar 29, 2005)

Ojai Bicyclist said:


> Ever considered that they may be riding to get to trails/drops?


thought didn't even cross my mind that day...when you see a group of kids that (we have to be PC here) obvioiusly don't ride these bikes on trails, riding full DH rigs on the sidewalks and streetcar tracks of downtown Toronto, many miles from some easy trails on the east side of the city, you have to sit back and wonder why...its obvious that its a fashion statement and that looking cool on these bikes is the motivating factor.

Just a long way of saying that when you see a group of gang-bangers, dressed in their top-drawer hip-hop gear, on $10K Santa Cruz, Turner, Foes, and Banshee DH bikes, it makes you take notice

It's a growing fashion trend, and with all of the DH and FR bikes being stolen outside of the city core...you begin to see that there's a market for these things with a different type of rider

Just my .02


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## Tracerboy (Oct 13, 2002)

Thats funny, its reminds me of when I first saw music vidoes filmed in New York with guys riding and doing tricks on 4 wheelers in the city. Why would you have a 4 wheelers in NYC?!?!?! OH to bomb down stairs and to jump off loading docks I remember now.



JM01 said:


> thought didn't even cross my mind that day...when you see a group of kids that (we have to be PC here) obvioiusly don't ride these bikes on trails, riding full DH rigs on the sidewalks and streetcar tracks of downtown Toronto, many miles from some easy trails on the east side of the city, you have to sit back and wonder why...its obvious that its a fashion statement and that looking cool on these bikes is the motivating factor.
> 
> Just a long way of saying that when you see a group of gang-bangers, dressed in their top-drawer hip-hop gear, on $10K Santa Cruz, Turner, Foes, and Banshee DH bikes, it makes you take notice
> 
> ...


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## sittingduck (Apr 26, 2005)

Bikes rule. Who gives a shyt what kind it is.


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## bedheadben (Jan 30, 2006)

I thought this died a long time ago.


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## Andrewpalooza (Dec 7, 2004)

K'Endo said:


> New trend? Well, maybe in Toronto. They're always behind the times. I was doing big bike urban assaults in Vancouver something over 8 years ago. Of course, back then a big bike was a beefy hardtail with a 5" fork. Still, there are lots of stairs, loading docks, curbs, etc. to hop up, jump off and rail in any urban environment and you can go bigger with a cushy bike.
> 
> Ever hear of stair gaps?
> 
> Kn.


Pretty sure that drop (we dropped in from the side railing) is in London. I remember seeing that vid on here a long time ago. Sick. Good visual reminder of just about the only practical reason to ride a big bike in the city; the odd stunt. Of course, I can also recommend them from drunken excursions on campus...the suspension smooths over a lot of rider error.


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## revmonkey (Jun 5, 2005)

sry just had to add this in:

THE ULTIMATE urban DH bike.


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## JM01 (Mar 29, 2005)

revmonkey said:


> sry just had to add this in:
> 
> THE ULTIMATE urban DH bike.


it could be...i was looking at a brochure of the new shimano 8 speed internal drive trains...the bigest selling point is that there's no rear derailleur to break

could be the next big thing if Shimano licenses more mfg to use their new system

But it would be a grind to peddle this thing up some of the little hills we have downtown, especially this those jeans with 12" inseams


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## revmonkey (Jun 5, 2005)

if you're talking about the shimano nexus system, it's already been used on the GT IT-1.


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## Hardtails Are Better (May 4, 2005)

Holy shite. What's the rear travel on that beast? And the front has more travel than all of my bikes combined, front and rear. That's changing soon though. :thumbsup: Anyway, sweet bike, but that has to be one heavy motherf*****. :yesnod: Would be lots of fun to blast around on fo' sho'.


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## Unknownrash (Sep 22, 2004)

JM01 said:


> it could be...i was looking at a brochure of the new shimano 8 speed internal drive trains...the bigest selling point is that there's no rear derailleur to break
> 
> could be the next big thing if Shimano licenses more mfg to use their new system
> 
> But it would be a grind to peddle this thing up some of the little hills we have downtown, especially this those jeans with 12" inseams


So where does the water bottle cage go? j/k


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## 56Bulldogs (May 1, 2006)

revmonkey said:


> sry just had to add this in:
> 
> THE ULTIMATE urban DH bike.


You could mount a .50 cal on that and be the ultimate urban warlord...that thing looks like a tank. It comes pre-painted in a camo-ish brown for your stealth needs.


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## Err (Mar 21, 2005)

Right tool for the right job. Sure a road or cross bike works just fine if you're just riding through town but what about all the drops and stair gaps? I usually ride my HT for Urban but last night I had my fully out. Fully makes the big drops to flat a little easier as well as some of the bigger stair gaps. The HT is way better at the slow techie stuff. Our downtown is full of killer drops, gaps, skinnies, stairs, etc, etc. I'd just be pissed if I had to ride downtown on a road or xc bike and have to skip all the play.


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## mzungo (Sep 14, 2004)

*Who cares !!!!!!!!!!!!!*

let people Ride their bike what ever sort it is and respect the man/woman.......dont criticize others choice its their's to make.


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## nano5467 (Jun 2, 2006)

In my town me and my friends ride around on are dh rigs all the time.(i got acove shocker, 2 of me buddies got big hits, 1 had a karpiel apocolypse). We ride them around town with relative ease. And we are the only mtb'ers in our town. I do hav a urban bike, but sometimes i just want to take out the big rig and try some new, bigger stuff on the streets


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## Kenny C. (Feb 13, 2006)

My Yeti AS-X is the only bike I have, therefore I use it for urban riding. Suspension definetely makes slow speed drops to flat and stair gaps feel a lot better, however BMX bikes are fun too.


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## Chone (Jun 17, 2006)

JM01 said:


> thought didn't even cross my mind that day...when you see a group of kids that (we have to be PC here) obvioiusly don't ride these bikes on trails, riding full DH rigs on the sidewalks and streetcar tracks of downtown Toronto, many miles from some easy trails on the east side of the city, you have to sit back and wonder why...its obvious that its a fashion statement and that looking cool on these bikes is the motivating factor.
> 
> Just a long way of saying that when you see a group of gang-bangers, dressed in their top-drawer hip-hop gear, on $10K Santa Cruz, Turner, Foes, and Banshee DH bikes, it makes you take notice
> 
> ...


Not true, whenever I go to the local trails I end up going back to the city for a nice commute (probably to go to my home, to eat, to have my bike serviced or go to somewhere I need to be) and while people do look at me funny riding around in my Rockhopper with a full face helmet and dirt all over I don't really care, its not like I'm going to change my helmet, my bike and my clothes just to please the people who watch me...

I also always wear a helmet, no matter what, and its a full face, commuting, urban, jumping, cross country, downhill, freeride, I wear a full face for ALL of them.


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## dahowe (Mar 5, 2006)

My tag line says it all for me.


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## dosh142 (Sep 25, 2005)

Here is all I have to say. I have 1 complete bike, my 2006 kona stuff, I'm sixteen, but I also have an early 80's schwinn super le tour, that by the ways is being parted out and going on ebay because it is too small. I also have a mid eighties schwinn peloton with columbus slx tubing, which some of you old guys probably know is pretty good tubing. Yet, once i get my peloton build up, as it is only a frame right now, I will still ride my stuff around town. Why you ask, because if I see a 4 foot drop, or a five stair I sure as hell won't be hitting it on a road bike. Now obviously I don't have some huge Santa Cruz or Kona Stab but this is the same principle, I ride it for the fun of it, not JUST to get around town.


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## free rider (Nov 14, 2005)

revmonkey said:


> sry just had to add this in:
> 
> THE ULTIMATE urban DH bike.


hmmm, mechanical discs (looks like it anyway with the cables on the top tube) and slicks front and rear...i smell p.o.s and it looks like a wallet clip on the top tube near the seat post?


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## Hardtails Are Better (May 4, 2005)

Those are Hope M6 hydros. I dunno what that thing by the seatpost is, (you're talking about the camo thingy right in front of the rear shock, right?) but a wallet clip isn't what comes to mind.  And those tires (Maxxis Hookworms) are a pretty good urban tire.


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## coma13 (Sep 3, 2005)

why is this thread a sticky???


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## JM01 (Mar 29, 2005)

Chone said:


> Not true, whenever I go to the local trails I end up going back to the city for a nice commute (probably to go to my home, to eat, to have my bike serviced or go to somewhere I need to be) and while people do look at me funny riding around in my Rockhopper with a full face helmet and dirt all over I don't really care, its not like I'm going to change my helmet, my bike and my clothes just to please the people who watch me...
> 
> I also always wear a helmet, no matter what, and its a full face, commuting, urban, jumping, cross country, downhill, freeride, I wear a full face for ALL of them.


so...you probably look like you ride...i should have posted a pic of these kids...a Santa Cruz VPFree on the sidewalk in downtown Toronto, about 10 miles from the closest trail in one of our ravines

these kids obviously don't ride MTB's off asphalt...just a lot of attitude, trying to look cool


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## mzungo (Sep 14, 2004)

*Why this thread exists bafles me*



JM01 said:


> so...you probably look like you ride...i should have posted a pic of these kids...a Santa Cruz VPFree on the sidewalk in downtown Toronto, about 10 miles from the closest trail in one of our ravines
> 
> these kids obviously don't ride MTB's off asphalt...just a lot of attitude, trying to look cool


Why this thread exists bafles me:madman:

Look at this all you people knocking kids on downhillers in town,this pic is from the Lisbon street race that the Brits totaly own every year.....and leave the city kids alone ffs.

"Peat's fourth crown!

Like the Lisboa Downtown organization had promised, Alfama went crazy over the world's best Down Hill riders. The event went beyond all expectations and turned the oldest part of the city upside down.

The 15.000 spectators who were in Alfama felt the vibration of the bike that gave the victory to the king of Lisboa Downtown and cheered for the fourth time the rider who claims to have already a portuguese soul running in his blood. Steve Peat never gave a chance to his opponents and left everybody amazed with his technique, his skills and his ability to slide through the narrow street"

article here.

http://www.singletrackworld.com/article.php?sid=1620


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## Hardtails Are Better (May 4, 2005)

Anyone know what fork that is on Peat's bike? That's a crapload of exposed stanchion, but it dosn't look like a Super Monster. :yikes:


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## brodie_rider (Jun 27, 2004)

JM01, that was probably me you saw on the Santacruz VP Free.. I rode it around lakeshore / downtown area a few weeks ago when the weather was really nice. It's fun doing urban with it and riding the stairs, looking for drops as some have mentioned.

http://public.fotki.com/cowkao/my_vp_free/dsc01693.html


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## Instigator (May 10, 2006)

i was just out riding this weekend with a friend of mine who was riding his DH bike thru our town just to get to some stairsets, he was keeping up with me and my other buddy on our cross country bikes. of course he had to play with gears all the time just to get oing art a decent rate. he uses a KHS DH50 for everythng he does. he dropped a 12 stair (ill never try on hardtail, not skilled enuff) and a 7 stair, which i bent my crank and seat on (say good bye to an old fizik seat). BTW, never use an xt crank for Jumping : )


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## JM01 (Mar 29, 2005)

brodie_rider said:


> JM01, that was probably me you saw on the Santacruz VP Free.. I rode it around lakeshore / downtown area a few weeks ago when the weather was really nice. It's fun doing urban with it and riding the stairs, looking for drops as some have mentioned.
> 
> http://public.fotki.com/cowkao/my_vp_free/dsc01693.html


was that you?...on the sidewalk at the NE corner of Ossington and Bloor W. @ 5:30 PM...your bros had nice bikes as well...loved that Kona Stinky Deelux and the big Norco rig. You looked great in that red satin B-Ball gear too.

Nice Bike.


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## SurfHenk (Dec 13, 2005)

*Ride and let ride*



free rider said:


> hmmm, mechanical discs (looks like it anyway with the cables on the top tube) and slicks front and rear...i smell p.o.s and it looks like a wallet clip on the top tube near the seat post?


I don't really smell more p.o.s than I smell with most of us technobling mtb fan's (to be clear, I consider myself one of those, enjoying my way too expensive but oh so fun to ride bike a lot).
but I do smell a whole lot of ignorance...
Not such a bad thing, were it not that you should not judge other's when you don't really know what you are talking about yourself.
For the record, these brakes are indeed Hope Hydro brakes, although I am not sure whether it are M4's or M6's, not that it really matters.
If you would have looked a bit closer to the photograph, you would have noticed that apart from the front brake hydro cable, there are three cables going to the back of the bike. One obviously is the back brake hydro line. And according to me, the other two cables are the gearing cables for the internal Rohloff hub, which indeed needs two cables.
But in fact, none of this really matters, I just hope that the owner of this impressive bike enjoys riding it as much as I enjoy riding my bike.
As a matter of fact, although it may have it's negative sides too, it is my opinion that it is not necessarily a bad thing that highend MTB's are seen by some as fashion objects and are possibly sometimes bought just to show around. It gives the students among us (like many of you, I have been there) the opportunity to buy a top of the line MTB in perfect condition two/three years down the line when the next big thing comes around and it also supports the bike industry as a whole, allowing more money to be invested in improving bike designs. I am not even sure where I have to position myself regarding to this issue, as like many of us my bike is capable of more than I am myself...
Heck, if none of us cared for some technobling, we would probably never have come to the level of quality bikes we ride today.

So, enjoy riding your bike, whatever and wherever you may ride.


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## brodie_rider (Jun 27, 2004)

JM01 said:


> was that you?...on the sidewalk at the NE corner of Ossington and Bloor W. @ 5:30 PM...your bros had nice bikes as well...loved that Kona Stinky Deelux and the big Norco rig. You looked great in that red satin B-Ball gear too.
> 
> Nice Bike.


Hmm, no that was not me then. I was around Front St. , Lower Simcoe St area and Lakeshore with a buddy who has a Kona Scrap Hardtail. Was that VP Free the same colour as mine?


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## JM01 (Mar 29, 2005)

no, this one was black...


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## brodie_rider (Jun 27, 2004)

Oh ok, not as cool as mine then ;P


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## fprintf (Jul 12, 2006)

I see a few posts in here about getting a BMX bike for riding jibs and stuff around town. Do they make adult sized BMX bikes? Or is that what single speed hard-tail 26" mountain bikes are for?


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## Hardtails Are Better (May 4, 2005)

They make 24" wheeled BMX bikes. Or you could always go with a SS DJ bike, and slap a rigid fork on it. Or even not, and run front suspension. Those would all work.


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## Rover Nick (Jul 13, 2006)

Its kinda like kids driving around in jeeps and lifted trucks with $15 grand worth of lights,racks,winches and all the goodies, and have never been 4 wheeling. Also, I mean no disrespect to the whi truly love biking and have worked for every penny of there $8K DH bikes, but most(w/ a few exceptions) 16 year old kid that just got an $8k DH bike from there parents is just plain spoiled. I mean my dad bought me a really nice bike(a stumpjumper) but come on.


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## brodie_rider (Jun 27, 2004)

LOL, talk about A$$umptions. Jealousy anyone? But yeah, I worked for every penny on my all my bikes.


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## Instigator (May 10, 2006)

if i had money id buy myself a downhill bike, theyre fun to ride. although i agree they are impractical in a city atmosphere


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## karpiel666 (Jan 7, 2005)

JM01 said:


> Just a long way of saying that when you see a group of gang-bangers, dressed in their top-drawer hip-hop gear, on $10K Santa Cruz, Turner, Foes, and Banshee DH bikes, it makes you take notice


That sounds like me, I ride my DH bike everywhere. Half the time im riding im just scooting around town enjoying the fresh air.


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## standard235 (Jul 23, 2005)

I worked for everything I have as far as bikes go.


Hell, in a matter of about another month, I will have an old 6" Kona Stab with a Drop Off Triple. I'm getting it for close to nothing. Mostly because my local race series has a frame with a bunch of parts up for 1st place, and I have 1 more race to win. 


My point? I bet that probably 90% of the time, I'll grab the Stab. I just enjoy finding natural jumps and drops and just sending it as hard as fvcking possible. I actually have a DOT on my P.1 Cromo for urban at the moment!


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## J-dogg (Aug 7, 2006)

JM01 said:


> That VP Free was about an $8000 (cdn) bike, the Konas around $3K...seems that it would be cheaper and safer (17,000 stolen bikes in Toronto each year) to use an asphalt friendly bike...a couple of kids were riding these things on the sidewalk.
> 
> must be me


this might sound dmb, but was it a white vp-free with a fox 40?


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## J-dogg (Aug 7, 2006)

JM01 said:


> That VP Free was about an $8000 (cdn) bike, the Konas around $3K...seems that it would be cheaper and safer (17,000 stolen bikes in Toronto each year) to use an asphalt friendly bike...a couple of kids were riding these things on the sidewalk.
> 
> must be me


this might sound dumb, but was it a white vp-free with a fox 40?


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## harris (Sep 29, 2005)

i think that most of those kids on expensive bighit bikes just like 7 inches in the rear  

i ride urban on my first mountain bike, a 04 fisher marlin that i bought myself, and now bash around town on, jumping off things. it works just fine. no need for a bighit bike, even on the 5 foot to almost flat i launched yesterday. its all body english


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## karpiel666 (Jan 7, 2005)

harris said:


> i think that most of those kids on expensive bighit bikes just like 7 inches in the rear
> 
> i ride urban on my first mountain bike, a 04 fisher marlin that i bought myself, and now bash around town on, jumping off things. it works just fine. no need for a bighit bike, even on the 5 foot to almost flat i launched yesterday. its all body english


Dosent sound like "real" urban riding. When teh crew i rode with went downtown it was all about finding the 15+ foot drops and sets of stairs that are gapable. And a drunk monkey can land 5 footers, no offence, but you seem out of your element posting on the subject. There is a difference between riding a bike in an urban enviroment and urban freeriding.


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## harris (Sep 29, 2005)

karpiel666 said:


> Dosent sound like "real" urban riding. When teh crew i rode with went downtown it was all about finding the 15+ foot drops and sets of stairs that are gapable.


 there isnt a "downtown" where i live. i live in a town of less than 1500 people. 4 hours north of the bay area, and on the coast. not many big 15+ foot drops


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## karpiel666 (Jan 7, 2005)

harris said:


> there isnt a "downtown" where i live. i live in a town of less than 1500 people. 4 hours north of the bay area, and on the coast. not many big 15+ foot drops


Oh I just came up with a snappy response to the 7+ inches in the back  .

At least we have more than 4 inches up front


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## KevinM[Freerider] (Aug 12, 2005)

karpeil666 is right. any kid with a mid price range bike can jump off anything 6 feet high. when real riders talk urban freeriding, there doing exactly as he says. that leads to the kids with the xc bikes like idk a gf marlin to go out and buy bighit bikes and use them for 5 foot drops and sh1t. theres people who go big, and people who think they go big. the 4 inches in the front is pretty funny.


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## mzungo (Sep 14, 2004)

*Well said young Jedi !!!*



harris said:


> there isnt a "downtown" where i live. i live in a town of less than 1500 people. 4 hours north of the bay area, and on the coast. not many big 15+ foot drops


These forum snobs really get up your nose ...i wonder how many of them belive there 4" dicks a really 10"


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## karpiel666 (Jan 7, 2005)

mzungo said:


> These forum snobs really get up your nose ...i wonder how many of them belive there 4" dicks a really 10"


Are you telling me that MM dosent stand for inches? Because I almost hit the 11 MM mark on my ruler. Damn I thought I had something going for me  . And about last night, please tell me it felt like it was more than 10 mm 

EDIT: that is a really nice B&B, do you own it all yourself?


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## =ChrisB= (Aug 8, 2006)

harris said:


> i think that most of those kids on expensive bighit bikes just like 7 inches in the rear
> 
> i ride urban on my first mountain bike, a 04 fisher marlin that i bought myself, and now bash around town on, jumping off things. it works just fine. no need for a bighit bike, even on the 5 foot to almost flat i launched yesterday. its all body english


Harris is just scarred of those LOOOOONG travel rigs:thumbsup:  . Anyway yea there is not downtown to Mendo, maybe fort bragg but not mendo.


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## grahamjtriggs (Jun 26, 2005)

Nice thread!

So when I read a post like the one I read today: "I'm 14...should I get Boxxer WC, 888RC2X or Fox 40" one part of me is happy that someone can really go for it when they're young, but the other part wants to say 'you're a kid: ride the **** out of mongoose until you snap it in two and spend your parents money later'.[/QUOTE]

Just want to say (I'm not spoilt, my parents have average jobs and are nice, I have a part time job, I'm still at school) I and 16 and I have a VP-free with marzocchi 888's, and a month ago I had a Giant Glory frameset and my first proper bike was a coiler 
I'm not trying to brag or anything like that I'm just saying that some people put every one of their hard-earned pennies towards something they really really love doing, like me 

On the main topic...I personally cant stand going around town messing around with my VP-free. Every time my friends ring my doorbell and expect to go and jump some wall or down a stair set I just get so depressed. WTF is the fascination in 'being able to do this' and 'being able to do that' when all you can do is jump down a silly stair set. (PS no harm to anyone who like doing this, I like riding DH) but this is what my friends do all day. They just find something I can't or don't want to do then they rip it out of me that theyre better than me and I cant do anything. I try to ride with new people i find at my dh track. I just hate going around stuff on a FS which is why im saving up for a HT to ride DJ's and street properly!


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## BikeSATORI (Mar 20, 2004)

MODS --> why is this a sticky?


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## ChromedToast (Sep 19, 2006)

BikeSATORI said:


> MODS --> why is this a sticky?


good point..


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## =ChrisB= (Aug 8, 2006)

mondaycurse said:


> I don't know about others, but I can't afford 2 bikes. I can barely afford my own "entry level" 600 dollar bike.


My excuse as well . I only have my bighit rig. 38 pounds with 5 inches of pretty pluse travel makes for a great workout uphill


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## Jbluth (Oct 20, 2006)

i feel ya. Being in college and wanting to ride seriously is tough when your parents are trying to make you financually independent. Then you have these kids whose parents buy them waht they want even thought is is completely unpractical.


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