6 inch or 8 inch for Diablo etc

H

handyman

New Member
So I need some advice, I can get a 6 inch travel bike at a really good price or a 8 inch at a goodish price. it will mainly used for places such as Diablo where there are lifts etc, but I am not sure if i would find the 6 inch out of its depth too soon but it is a horst 4 link so rides better than 6 or do i get an 8inch single pivot. any advice greatly received
 
Depends on your riding style. The bike i use at diablo is a 7" freeride bike. I tend to stick to the dirt jumps and flowy trails there more than the rocky double blacks. 7" is more than enough when set up right.

Have you been to diablo? What trails do you typically hit?

Also keep in mind the geometry. I like a steeper head tube angle, again because of my riding style. If you just plan to rip the gnar double blacks than go with a longer travel dh bike.
 
I've taken my 6" travel Turner RFX to Diablo a few times and had a blast. But... there is no doubt that you place a lot more abuse on the bike than through any trail ride. If you only plan to lift ride occasionally, you can probably get away with using your all-mountain bike. But if you plan to go often and hit some of the drops or super chunky trails, then a proper DH bike is the way to go. My $.02.
 
Thanks for replies, yes i agree with you Jeff that is my concern that although a 6 inch bike could handle the rough stuff it may suffer if i do the really rocky drop stuff and i plan to go a lot to diablo or other such riding areas
 
8" hands down, unless your racing 4x. And yes you can do it on a 6in bike, but you will not go as fast as someone with the same experience on an 8". The first clip in this vid will show a dude on a 8" bike following a couple dude on sixes.

http://www.vimeo.com/24580821
 
Unless you're talking about the smooth stuff with dirt jumps and berms, 8" no question. World of difference between an 8" DH bike and a 6" AM bike. I've used my own 6" at Whiteface and a rented 8" at Diablo. I really wish I spent the money to rent the 8" at Whiteface.
 
8" really does make a world of difference. I recently rode Diablo with a friend who rented a bike, while I was on my 6" travel bike, and man are the bikes so very different. When we switched bikes I saw how much of a difference the longer travel makes. Go with the longer travel bike if you plan on riding lift accessed trails.
 
8" it much more plus and your body will thank you by the end of the day. how's it been up there this year anyway - kind of unofficially took the year off.
 
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