# 4X Bike For All Mountain? Experience?



## Majestix (Oct 5, 2004)

So I am looking at a GT La Bomba. It is pretty much a 4X/Slope bike however... I have never owned one. I know I will have to change the seat post to a 400MM. Has anyone done much of this? I want to use it at local resorts for some single track and possibly flowy downhill stuff. Maybe commute on it a bit and the mandatory pump track/DJ/4X. They are built pretty well, and the reason I ask this is I get smoking deals but still I don't have enough money to drop on a full on DH rig again... had to sell my last two. So kinda need an "all around" bike. I could get a Marin Mount Vision XM6 but it costs a bit more and is more of just an AM rig, no jumping, commuting, 4X...

So yeah, I know it is possible... but to people who have done it.. was it fun? Can you go pretty fast still with only 100MM?

Also I had medium DH frames but a large XC frame.. The La Bomba only comes in Medium.. huge problem?? 5'11"

https://www.gtbicycles.com/2012/bikes/mountain/enduro/2012-la-bomba


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## evilazonic666 (Mar 19, 2012)

I use my dj/4x bike for literary everything. Commuting xc park, pump track.etc.


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## Moosey (May 18, 2010)

I use my felt compulsion Slopestyle bike for everything non-DH. it has 4.5-5" travel front and rear, but it has slopestyle Geo.


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## OS cuda' (Aug 10, 2005)

I use my jamis kromo for everything. The one problem you're gonna have is if you use it for cross country. Even with a 400 mm post ... At 5 11 you will never get correct leg extension while sitting down. This won't be a problem if you stand while climbing but just throwing it out there. Other than that the bike will be a blast and make trails a lot more fun!


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## DownRange (Apr 5, 2012)

I'm a new member. I heard great things about the La Bomba. 

I'm personally considering either the Trek Ticket Exchange or the Giant STP. The price difference between the two is about $300. Can anyone recommend the best package of the two? Thanks.


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## Majestix (Oct 5, 2004)

Eh I hate uphill on mtns. I catch flak nut oh well. Mostly just short uphills to go down. Super D like. Does a 4x bike build skills pretty fast for jumping? If you go out at least haha. I guess i am asking if you zpend a year doing 4x it will help your dh a lot?


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## Majestix (Oct 5, 2004)

Ive heard the stp rocks. The gt is a smoking deal for me so id have to get it but.. a lot of people ride the stp here. Problem with la bomba is not many people are on it.


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## enicma (Jun 30, 2007)

I rode a jamis parker for an AM bike for a while, 100mm out back and 160mm in front, super fun & capable bike. not as plush as a 6" bike (and probably not as fast through techy stuff) but if you like popping off rocks, ledges & banks on your xc trails this is a good idea, gives you a bit more trail feel than bigger bikes, and when you do get on a bigger bike you'll feel that much more shreddy


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## mrsa101 (Jul 19, 2011)

what about a more aggressive mountain bike, rather than a DJ bike? something along the lines of a cotic BFE, evil soverign, ragley troof/bagger 288, on-one 456 summer season, chromag stylus(or if you have the money a gypsy)

personally im in a similar situation. i have a full suspension bike, but i want something for dirt jumping xc, etc.. but still rip downhills. and most those bikes i listed can be run with around 130-160mm forks. personally i think im going with a gypsy.


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## DownRange (Apr 5, 2012)

Most shops I visit are too generic in terms of the MTB scene. Any shops in the NJ/NY area that has urban/DJ bikes on display? Most shops I visit say these bikes are too specific and don't sell well, obviously.


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## schlockinz (Feb 6, 2009)

I was just in a similar situation and I decided to go with a more AM/FR bike. I got a large NS surge, probably can't DJ well with it since its fairly long on me but it rocks at everything else. Had I gotten a medium it probably could have been a do it all bike.

The only real problem I see about making one of these bikes a do it all bike is the geometry. You're either gonna have to sacrifice DJ performance for trail/commuting performance or vice versa.


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## his dudeness (May 9, 2007)

schlockinz said:


> I was just in a similar situation and I decided to go with a more AM/FR bike. I got a large NS surge, probably can't DJ well with it since its fairly long on me but it rocks at everything else. Had I gotten a medium it probably could have been a do it all bike.
> 
> The only real problem I see about making one of these bikes a do it all bike is the geometry. You're either gonna have to sacrifice DJ performance for trail/commuting performance or vice versa.


+1.

If you're looking for something to pedal uphill you're going to want a seattube long enough to enable you to have a seatpost long enough to pedal up a bit, unless of course your feet start below your knees. If you'll be pushing uphill then don't worry about it, just be prepared to get bitter on some long uphill walks.


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## mrsa101 (Jul 19, 2011)

the problem i have with buying a DJ/ 4x bike for all around use is the fork travel.. I really really want a hardtail i can take to the resorts and do some DH trails, do some of the more aggressive DH style trails close to me etc.. so i want something with a little more travel, like around 140-150seems pretty ideal. 
if i could find a DJ bike that worked with a longer travel fork id seriously consider going that route. 

I own an STP, the components and fork are going to ****, and it would cost me a good 1000 bucks to get the components and fork i want, maybe more. plus i want a steel hardtail. so id rather just go with something completely new. 

i rode the STP on local trails and stuff quite a bit, and it did pretty damn well, the only thing that got annoying was the fork just couldnt handle the more aggressive DH trails. but on anything smooth and fast it was good. I also want something that might be a bit quicker on climbs and flat. i dont see the point in having a hardtail for mountain biking if its going to be as sluggish as like a 6 in. full suspension bike. i wanna be able to haul ass on the flatter stuff. 

How much does the geometry matter for speed? do the tires, gearing, and weight make more of a difference? or will a 28 lb DJ bike be as fast as a 28 lb all mountain hardtail on climbs and flats? so long as you have a good seat position and everything? or does the geo have more to do with it?

Im seriously considering the chromag gypsy, the thing pretty much looks like a DJ bike anyway, it would be nice guess to have an excuse to not spend 1200 on a frame! but the gypsy seems like the best in the aggressive hardtail category so id just be dissapointed if i didnt go with it! 

I want a bike i can use to get into jumping, learn some basic tricks and whips and stuff, maybe even learn 3's. but thats about it, i dont plan on getting really seriously into DJing, just learning the basics, so seems unnecessary to go with a 100mm travel DJ bike


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