Anybody into DH mtn biking??

creature654
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4/19/2019 6:16pm Edited Date/Time 12/27/2020 6:53am
Sup guys?
been riding and racing moto and bmx for almost 20 years, Got into downhill a couple years ago in Cali and was instantly hooked cuz I think it’s a perfect mix between the 2 sports. When I moved back east I immediately searched CL and found a nice 2013 Kona Entourage with 26” tires and 170mm of rear suspension. Mostly shred at mountain creek in Jersey and as I’ve progressed I feel like the bike is holding me back a bit in rock sections and bigger jumps. Thinking about picking up a YT Tues for 3gs(it’s the cheaper model definitely don’t need the full blown race model) with 27.5” tires and 200mm suspension. Anyone have any experience with the brand? What and where do you guys shred??

https://us.yt-industries.com/shopware.php?sViewport=detail&sArticle=198…
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4/19/2019 6:37pm
I love BMX. I think DH bikes look cool and fun as hell.

Problem is I crash on both. Not sure why considering I can count the number of times I've crashed on a MX bike on one hand. But for whatever reason me and bicycles (in the air) just dont mesh well.
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Casting
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4/19/2019 7:02pm Edited Date/Time 4/20/2019 4:29am
Snowshoe in West Virginia is a solid DH park. Nice mix of pure DH, flow, and jump lines.

I typically ride a Giant Anthem SX on trail/cc terrain but I've been to snowshoe for DH.

Never had the chance to ride a YT.
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seth505
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4/19/2019 11:38pm Edited Date/Time 4/19/2019 11:39pm
I used to race pro dh, so much fun other than the crazy wrecks. I rode at Mountain Creek a lot, fun place. My best ever national race was at Snowshoe, rad place as well!

Now I'm out west in San Diego and mostly ride an Evil Insurgent on everything. We have some fun/gnarly dh trails out here for sure.
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FIREfish148
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4/20/2019 4:41am

I just picked up a used Santa Cruz V10 for downhill. I haven't ridden it yet but it should be fun at stevens pass and whistler when i get around to going up there. We have a lot of places to ride around this area but north of seattle a couple hours is mountain bike heaven. My Insurgent is my go to bike for all around riding. Having a hard time getting used to my yeti. Fuggin thing is tempermental as hell. probably will end up putting a coil shock on it if i cant sell it for a good price.
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The Shop

creature654
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4/20/2019 6:17am
seth505 wrote:
I used to race pro dh, so much fun other than the crazy wrecks. I rode at Mountain Creek a lot, fun place. My best ever...
I used to race pro dh, so much fun other than the crazy wrecks. I rode at Mountain Creek a lot, fun place. My best ever national race was at Snowshoe, rad place as well!

Now I'm out west in San Diego and mostly ride an Evil Insurgent on everything. We have some fun/gnarly dh trails out here for sure.
When I was out there my buddy brought me to lake calaveras a few times which was pretty badass for a place without a lift, also shredded vail lake and big bear a bunch. Plan on hitting up highland bike park in NH after I get a new steed place looks insane
seth505
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4/20/2019 6:59am
When I was out there my buddy brought me to lake calaveras a few times which was pretty badass for a place without a lift, also...
When I was out there my buddy brought me to lake calaveras a few times which was pretty badass for a place without a lift, also shredded vail lake and big bear a bunch. Plan on hitting up highland bike park in NH after I get a new steed place looks insane
Highland is the best! I have to go find my old pics from there...haha
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race
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4/20/2019 12:52pm
Used to ride DH and race local stuff in So Cal. Keep telling my moto buds that it's the next best thing to moto.

Now everyone I used to ride with is too lazy to put together shuttle runs. Angry

You may want to try out a 29" sled as well. I haven't ridden a full DH 29" but I can imagine the death drops are much easier to deal with.
Jrewing
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4/20/2019 4:55pm
Shuttle/lift riding is the best. I still race Downhill a few times a year. I’ve got a 170/160 travel bike and enjoy the DH tracks on the shorter travel bike.
DH died here big time but it’s ciming back as the enduro crowd learns the downs are way better than the ups.
71Fish
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4/21/2019 7:33am
The people who DH well are awesome to watch. I've done some DHing but I'm not very good at all. Way too cautious. I went to Moab and did a long, long run, I think it's called Hazzard. I've seen videos of people easily riding sections I had to walk down.
You have to admire the skills of those people.
I'm more suited to slow cross country riding.
4/21/2019 6:46pm
I have a 2018 capra with around 70 rides on it, zero issues.
seth505
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4/21/2019 10:09pm
When I was out there my buddy brought me to lake calaveras a few times which was pretty badass for a place without a lift, also...
When I was out there my buddy brought me to lake calaveras a few times which was pretty badass for a place without a lift, also shredded vail lake and big bear a bunch. Plan on hitting up highland bike park in NH after I get a new steed place looks insane
These first 2 are from Mtn Creek NJ, like 2005ish! Then a newer pic from Big Bear just because it's fun.






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creature654
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4/22/2019 9:14am
seth505 wrote:
These first 2 are from Mtn Creek NJ, like 2005ish! Then a newer pic from Big Bear just because it's fun. [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2019/04/21/340908/s1200_60930269.DSC_5211copy.a76ef047d8d24c03823acdf41c4ee7c8.jpg[/img] [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2019/04/21/340907/s1200_US_Open_05_seth.a76ef047d8d24c03823acdf41c4ee7c8.jpg[/img] [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2019/04/21/340909/s1200_66975982_IMG_9625.jpg[/img]
These first 2 are from Mtn Creek NJ, like 2005ish! Then a newer pic from Big Bear just because it's fun.






Those pics are freakin badass man!!!
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seth505
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4/22/2019 9:48am
Those pics are freakin badass man!!!
Thanks bud, I wanna get back to Highland so bad.
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Jeff alessi
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4/22/2019 1:03pm
Going big in that last pic, def looks like you have skills. I have a enduro that’s more hybrid for training but triple clamp forks to make me feel like I can do something going back down hill but I tend to use the throttle to get myself out of mistakes and that to doesn’t relate well to the mistakes I make on a bicycle so I’m not gonna be able to hang with most people that have no fear. Forsure bicycles are one of my challenges because I wanna be good every time I ride! Lmao
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Falcon
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4/22/2019 2:36pm
I've been getting more and more serious about MTB for the last 4 years. I've had bikes forever, but always used them as training tools for moto. Now that I have a group of friends who ride bikes, it has become yet another costly habit! Laughing

I don't do DH, but I have rented a big bike and done Summit bike park out here in Big Bear. My daily ride is a Commencal Enduro bike (Meta AM 4.2). I'll probably use that at Summit the next time I go.


Seth, it sounds like you know all the spots; do you ever come up to Murietta and ride Greer Ranch?

71Fish, you are probably talking about Hazzard Down, which is a portion of The Whole Enchilada - the greatest MTB ride in America! I did that one with some friends of mine last year, but we only made it to LPS before we had to bail out. We started too late and got too many flats! I'm going back soon to finish what I started!
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nytsmaC
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4/23/2019 12:33am
I got back into MTBing last summer after I hurt my shoulder as a way to stay active, and it became my new obsession. I bought a YT Capra for a do-it-all bike, and quickly learned what it means to be overbiked. That thing is only fun when you’re going downhill at warp speed.
Bought a 29er hardtail which is so much more fun for general use. The YT is great at the bike park though.

I’m actually replacing it with a Tues, since I’m only using it for downhill riding anyways. I feel the DH rig will be more forgiving for a noob like me with a bad shoulder.

Spent a day at the Whistler bike park, and our local ski hill here in Kamloops, Sun Peaks. So much fun! And it uses the exact same leg muscles that MX uses which I’ve yet to find anything else that does.
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Falcon
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4/23/2019 9:55am
nytsmaC wrote:
I got back into MTBing last summer after I hurt my shoulder as a way to stay active, and it became my new obsession. I bought...
I got back into MTBing last summer after I hurt my shoulder as a way to stay active, and it became my new obsession. I bought a YT Capra for a do-it-all bike, and quickly learned what it means to be overbiked. That thing is only fun when you’re going downhill at warp speed.
Bought a 29er hardtail which is so much more fun for general use. The YT is great at the bike park though.

I’m actually replacing it with a Tues, since I’m only using it for downhill riding anyways. I feel the DH rig will be more forgiving for a noob like me with a bad shoulder.

Spent a day at the Whistler bike park, and our local ski hill here in Kamloops, Sun Peaks. So much fun! And it uses the exact same leg muscles that MX uses which I’ve yet to find anything else that does.
Do you have lockouts on your Capra? My bike is technically too much bike for XC riding also, but I like it... it's really comfortable for long rides, even though I lose some pedal efficiency. I don't do much in the way of popping off stuff, though - if you like to hit the edges of the trail and grab "bonus" stuff, yeah the Capra is a little too much beast.
nytsmaC
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4/23/2019 11:46am Edited Date/Time 4/23/2019 11:52am
Falcon wrote:
Do you have lockouts on your Capra? My bike is technically too much bike for XC riding also, but I like it... it's really comfortable for...
Do you have lockouts on your Capra? My bike is technically too much bike for XC riding also, but I like it... it's really comfortable for long rides, even though I lose some pedal efficiency. I don't do much in the way of popping off stuff, though - if you like to hit the edges of the trail and grab "bonus" stuff, yeah the Capra is a little too much beast.
Yes it has a climb switch on the shock, but I still find it does not pedal well, and it's just like driving a monster truck around a road course on most of the trails that aren't in the bike parks. It takes way more energy to climb, and it just feels like I'm disconnected from it in slow/technical stuff, it wants to wander and wallow around. The only place I find the hardtail is lacking for general use is on rough rocky trails where you feel everything from the back wheel. Otherwise it feels like it's hardwired to my brain, it's already doing what I want it to do before I even finish the thought. Very few of the trails have downhill features that overwhelm it, too, at least so far. It's a well set up full carbon Transition with a custom XTR build, Fox 34 120mm up front and a dropper post so it's very utility. I've thought about putting a 140mm 36 up front but it works so well as is, why mess with it?

I love the Capra on the flow trails where you can really open it up, my shoulder was too weak last year to test it on the more techy trails.. But I feel like a Tues will just do everything the Capra does a little better for that kind of riding. And it should hold up to bike park abuse better over the long run.
rosebud441
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4/23/2019 11:53am
Yep. looking forward to another summer of Whistler bike park..


Here is my daily driver,

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seth505
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4/23/2019 1:02pm
When does Whistler open up for biking? I neeeed to go there as well.
creature654
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12/24/2020 9:49am


well 2 seasons later im so into this shit!!heres a video of some sick northeast spots. Ended up picking up a specialized demo 8 for 2500 bucks and the thing has been a dream!
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OG725
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12/27/2020 6:53am
Not really sure what I like, Mountain Bikes are fun though. Thought it was DH that I was in to, but my first park visit was mostly really fast groomed trails. Finding that I'm in to a little more technical stuff. But hey, I'm just out having fun. One of things about getting older I can actually appreciate, no delusions of grandeur, just accept activities for the fun that they are. Finding that I can ride every thing on my antique, but it sure would be faster on a new bike.

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