# Who rides their downhill bike for everything including cross country?



## ebeds18 (Jan 1, 2013)

Hey everyone just wondering who out there rides there downhill bike for not just downhill but cross country as well. I am going to be getting back into it and purchasing a kona operator because I want the downhill capability. I also will want to be doing a good amount of cross country with it. I was just wondering if anyone does that already?

Thanks


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## rideut (Dec 10, 2008)

I use a Transition Blindside for everything. It's more of a FR than DH bike. Not sure what the Operator will be like on XC rides.


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## fryed_1 (Nov 8, 2010)

If it doesn't need suspension, then I don't have any. 78% of the time, they're 92% of most of what I've only never needed.


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## lobster_CT (Jan 8, 2013)

I use my santacruz dh bike for everything. (with a stiffer rear spring than otherwise recommended). I use the hammerschmidt with 11x 36 xtr rear cassette and make good use of the low gearing on climbs. I don't win any races uphill, but I enjoy it for the exercise as well as the fun factor of the more technical aspects of my rides. If you can only have 1 bike, can stand not being the fastest on the XC trails, and DH is your favorite, I'd say go for it.


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## csermonet (Feb 2, 2009)

I know iggz pedals his ~35lb DHR on xc loops some times. think it has more to do with fitness than bike setup, although correct gearing will certainly make it more feasible. i know i could never pedal my 38lb'r on an xc loop


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## jtnord (Jun 5, 2010)

I guess a 34.5 lbs Canfield the One w/ Totem doesn't count?


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## TheRage43 (Jul 19, 2012)

I do!


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## guim (May 2, 2006)

39 pound FR bike here, because I can only afford one bike (except my loaner hardtails) I do 30km XC rides every weekend and I lead most people on 30-33pound AM bikes. It might be a bit more exercise, but I prefer to have confidence in my bike's durability when doing rougher stuff. Honestly, I would have bought a lighter bike, but I got a deal I could'nt pass on, and don't regret it one bit.


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## ebeds18 (Jan 1, 2013)

Thanks for all the replies just wanted to make sure I wasn't the only out there thats gonna be doing this. Yeah I only want one bike, I had a Session 77 a few years back and used that for everything. I got a sweet deal on the operator that I couldn't pass up. I was in between that and the entourage which is essentially the same bike but the operator has 30mm more travel and a dual crown fork.


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## jkidd_39 (Sep 13, 2012)

The leader of my riding group runs an older transition DH bike that is like 37lbs. Another guy is riding a 34lb Canfield The One.


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## aedubber (Apr 17, 2011)

You should be fine and its doable but its going to feel like sh*t ... I used to take out my Operator on some local trails and it sucked , i was able to ride but it wasnt made for the trails . The Operator needs to go fast , it felt sluggish , was heavy , turning wasnt great , and i could tell it needed to be at a bike park .. Im not saying you cant but every bike has its place.

Why dont you just buy a cheap used hardtail for XC ? im sure you can get something for like 500-700 bucks .


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## cglasford (Sep 26, 2011)

aedubber said:


> Why dont you just buy a cheap used hardtail for XC ? im sure you can get something for like 500-700 bucks .


yeah i was thinking the same thing... you can totally ride any bike on an xc trail, I ride a dj bike some time just have to stand the whole time... but you could easily pick up a used hard tail XC bike for cheap and have 2 bikes, 2 bikes are always better than 1 and 3 is better then 2, haha you get the point


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## jtorlando25 (Mar 1, 2011)

How many xc miles do you guys do in a ride on your dh bikes?

I ask because I've ridden my Entourage on a few xc rides 10-15 miles long and it was miserable every single ride. Not so much the weight of the bike, but the geometry of a dh bike is just stupid for climbing, sit & spinning, or just riding along...so I don't really know how you do it.


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## delirian (Jan 1, 2009)

my knolly dt weighs in at 43lb it's built up for whistler bikepark riding mostly. with 180mm bos ndee fork, ccdb shock, mavic ex721 hope pro2 wheels, x9 drive train and hammerschmidt crank. saint m820 brakes. i also use it to ride xc trails in whistler. also did a 38k chilcotin trip on the dt 2 years ago. so yes it can be done, is it fun, in my opinion yes, but it would be alot more fun with a lightweight trail bike. but not everyone has the funds to have multiple bikes so i guess sometimes you have to ride what you got, and if thats all you have then ride it and have fun. it will make you stronger and fitter in the long run.


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## ebeds18 (Jan 1, 2013)

Yeah I think im just going to suck it up and just go for it. If it is terrible I will invest in another bike but for know its the operator for everything.

Thanks for the replies


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## guim (May 2, 2006)

My bike came stock with a Totem and I put a Marz 55 on it instead, so it steepened the head angle to 67* instead of 66. BB is a little lower too at 13,75" (13,25" with 8.5 x 2.5 air shock). It has a good seat tube angle and I just have enough seatpost insertion to make it low or high enough.

You do have to think about the head angle, seat tube angle and setapost insertion if you want to climb a bit. Too slack and you won't enjoy the uphills. My bike has an FSR linkage and pedals quite well + I have a lockout on my rear shock. It might be a good idea to buy an air shock with lockout (can be found quite cheap) for long XC rides if you end up buying the Entourage.

I had a FR hardtail before, and a 26 pound XC hardtail and timed myself on a 45 minute-loop that I try to ride as fast as I can. As much uphill as downhill. I ended up with my time being 30 seconds faster on the 39 pound full-suspension bike in the same conditions.

The best thing is that I have so much more fun than before (spent 11 years on FR hard tails since my older FS bikes) and it made me ride more than the previous years. Also something to consider, depending on how you enjoy your current bike. I do take my lighter XC bikes often on easier trails and I really enjoy it too. Different feeling bikes for different moods.


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## RED5 (Jan 4, 2004)

Crash Maxwell on the socaltrailriders.org site, lives in Socal and rides a Kona Operator for everything, should check out his posts. He's a beast when it comes to riding, of course what he can't ride up he just hikes. Case in point every years he sponsors a local ride called the Push-A-Kona ride, which are brutal. 

Pesonally, ride what you want, dont worry about weight, travel or angles, weight will only make you stronger, slacker angles and longer travel are more fun and thats the point isnt it. njoy


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## OhTeeBee (May 14, 2006)

I ride a '13 Special-Ed Enduro Evo for AM/XC and plan to hit lift assist runs @ Angel Fire NM. I ran my DH rig there 2yrs ago, but I think an AM/Freeride rig would be more fun there.

Ya, so Im not the first to the top, but gtfo my way on the DH.


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## .WestCoastHucker. (Jan 14, 2004)

ebeds18 said:


> ...just wanted to make sure I wasn't the only out there thats gonna be doing this...


not sure why you even care. if it puts a smile on your face, do it....


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## Pädi1 (Jan 2, 2012)

I ride seven-ten hours epics on my 17,1kg TR250 on a regular basis. Planning to switch to a V3, Demo or a Session, but doubt it'll reduce my riding considerably, if at all.


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## ebeds18 (Jan 1, 2013)

Thanks everyone for the responses im just gonna stick with the operator and see how it goes


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## blaized30 (Feb 24, 2013)

i take my 2012 status 1 on almost everything. sometimes i find myself walking the rig up hills.. thats okay. its still a work-out. 
cheers


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## ebeds18 (Jan 1, 2013)

do you have a dual crown fork?


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## blaized30 (Feb 24, 2013)

ebeds18,

i think you're asking me.. if so, the answer is nope. i do not. i'd love one though...


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## ebeds18 (Jan 1, 2013)

Yeah I was sorry forgot to put your name there. The only issue with the dual crown is the turn radius, but it will bomb the downhills


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## dv8xin (Mar 10, 2013)

Does 8-12 miles on some slightly hilly stuff on a DH bike count as 20 miles on a XC bike, considering the XC bike weighs almost half as much and rolls a lot better?


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## the glassman (Oct 27, 2013)

Demo8 here in texas......my only bike......converted to 2 by 10 and just set it up alittle stiff for normal xc around here and soften it up for trips to the lift park that is 12 hour drive away....i love the looks and responces i get around here............lol


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## cookieMonster (Feb 23, 2004)

I currently only have one bike, a Spec. SX Trail. We don't really have much true "XC" where I live though, so my bike isn't inappropriate for most of what I ride. Most of our trails are out-and-backs that feature a lot of climbing followed by fairly steep, fast, moderately technical descents. That's not really what I think of when I think of "XC."

True XC really sucks on a FR/DH bike. My rule is, if the descent is actually SLOWER on my big-rig, I'm either on the wrong trail or I need to get a different bike. Since I sold all of my other bikes to get the SXT, I've stopped riding the handful of true "XC" trails we have. Currently I'm borrowing a very light XC 29er hardtail and have been enjoying some longer-distance XC rides. Those rides would suck on my bike, but they're fun on this one. The new bike sucks on most of our other trails though, lol.

To anybody that rides true XC on a DH bike -- I'd say save up and buy a cheap hardtail for that stuff.


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## FASTIVAB6TG25MR (Apr 12, 2014)

ii ride my 50+lbs RM-7 every where cause its my only bike. no reason not to. If its the only bike you ride its surprising how fast you can get used to pedaling a tank everywhere. plus its way better exercise. just my $.02


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## TroubleZone13 (May 1, 2014)

I use my YT Capra as my 3rd transportation.
From commuting - XC.



the glassman said:


> Demo8 here in texas......my only bike......converted to 2 by 10 and just set it up alittle stiff for normal xc around here and soften it up for trips to the lift park that is 12 hour drive away....i love the looks and responces i get around here............lol


You converted your Demo 8 to 2x10 set up?
How did you do that?


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