Dilemma!!! Keep the DH'er or change to a...

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May 22, 2012, 04:59:59 PM

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[samsung]

Lately ive been thinking of selling my supreme in order to custom build a meta 4x. If i do this i will be doing it after this season, so around christmas time.

My reasons for the change would be:

-A meta 4x would be a lot lot more fun and easier to "rag" on the trails i mainly ride. A supreme is so much fun to ride and i love it but i cant help thinking something lighter with less travel would be better, and possibly even faster.

-Im off to uni next year, hopefully in shefield, so i will have wharncliffe, the peaks, the bole hills and the indoor BMX track on my doorstep. A meta 4x will obviously allow me to ride to all these places and ride all sorts of different tracks and riding with out being to much of a slog, like it would on a downhiller.

-I dont race a great deal, i cant find the time off work and the money to be able to do it often so giving up my downhill bike wont make me miss out on racing. And im sure i wont be racing at uni, well maybe a BUSA but thats nothing serious.

So basically my supreme in my opinion is overkill for everything i ride, i dont even think its needed on most UK downhill tracks, bar a few. I mean look at the athertons, they ride everything on their meta 4x's. Id have mine specc'd up with burly light components, i did my spec list last night, which i will post up later and it weighed in a 32 lbs. Quite a saving, as my supreme weighs 40lbs give or take.

So what do you think i should do? Thanks for any opinions and advice  !

Sam

[damo]

Or8.

What happens if you are out on the trail and you come to nice drop off and realise its too big for the 4x but swallowed by your DH?

Why don't you go for a compromise between your Dh and a 4x?

What about the Meta 6 or 5.5?

Damo

[Yogi]

Sounds like you've pretty much made your mind up. Drive away with the 4X and see how you get on.
You can always get a nice 2009 Supreme if it doesn't work out for you.

[twin]

not to suggest one more alternative here, but what about a minidh? It will still be extremely capable downhill, yet be more trailfriendly than the dh. While it will weigh more than the 4x it is also flickable and lighter than the dh with the right build. Other than that, try out the 4x option if you feel like it. Better to  give it a go than wonder of what might've been. I'm currently completely reamping my quiver of bikes just to see if it would suit my riding better and more in fitting with my aspirations.

[rico]

I used to own a Meta4X and its the one bike I've sold that I regretted selling. Only saving grace was the kid who bought it was super excited so knew it was going to a good home.

I think a lot of people assume you need big travel to go fast/big. At the Megavalanche, we were all beaten by a guy on an Orange 4X bike (rare 4in travel patriot basically), so if you're smooth you don't need huge travel, although it can help.

I used mine at Aston hills DH and only really found it out of its depth on cocaine alley if you know the black run. It's a steep step like bit of trail that really throws the bike around. A full on DH bike has the travel to absorb the bumps, the 4X didn't.

The big benefit was it was just soooo much fun to rag around trails. As you say, they can be built up light. I had a semi-bling spec with XTR hubs on 5.1 rims so my wheels were light, then went for DH bars, stem and Saint cranks. It could have been even lighter with say XTR cranks, scandium bars etc.

I sold it thinking I needed a bike with more travel, got a Supreme and hit the same trails. The Supreme was better on the steep bumpy trails, but then would feel sluggish elsewhere.

The eternal quest for the 'right' do-it-all bike goes on, but I think if you're a smooth rider then the Meta 4X is bloody brilliant.

If funds allow, I'll get another Meta4X in the new year.

[gravity-slave]

Alright Sam!

Sheffield is the place for riding (except the indoor track is no more), you'll love it.

While the Meta4X looks amazing, I suspect you'll find it compromised in quite a few situations.  If you are prepared to make compromises and know what you are getting in to, go for it!

 A full sus in not the best tool for the Bolehills, there's quite a lot of pumping on the track and you'll struggle to get a lot of speed round the track.  All the locals ride a hardtail or BMX.

Wharncliffe DH is rideable on a hardtail or XC bike but the best tracks have some really big hits on them so you may find the Meta4X struggles a bit unless set up beefy and quite slack.

Conversely, a lot of Peak XC riding is probably really well suited to the 4X due to the steep/rocky nature - I reckon it could rule here for chucking about, if you are not into day rides or big climbs.

It's all down to cash and priorities but personally, I'd stick with the DH bike and get a hardtail sorted for bombing around, hitting the bmx tracks and some XC.  If the DH bike is too 'big', maybe swap it out for a lightish spec on a MiniDH.

This doesn't help but the riding round here is so varied, I have a fleet (DH, Meta and hardtail) and often ride them all in a week!

[samsung]

Thanks for the replies guys. I'm still in between them both. Now swinging towards just getting the new Supreme but custom building it to a nice light weight. Ive got it down to a smidge under 37lbs on a spreadsheet at the moment, with an awesome spec. I suppose if i get a meta 4x ill come to some tracks and think, "arrghh should have kept the big rig" then visa versa with the supreme. Im not to keen on the idea of a mini DH, never really appealed to me, fussy like that, so thats out of the equation.

Cheers for the heads up Phil, Im defiantly applying for Sheffield, and if i get accepted will most likely end up there. Some good riding around and its not too far from home. I think id end up missing the Downhill bike to be fair, like you say Phil, stick with the DH'er and get a cheap hardtail just to razz' about on.

Ill be at Sheffield Hallam studying Graphic Design, roughly how long is the ride from there to Wharncliffe Phil?

[gravity-slave]

Ill be at Sheffield Hallam studying Graphic Design, roughly how long is the ride from there to Wharncliffe Phil?

Depends which side of town you live on but it's a fair ride, about 8 miles each way with some decent hills.  Too far for me to pedal a DH bike, good job I've got a van!

[Steve P]

From Hallam Uni to the start of the trails at Wharncliffe it's about 6 - 6.5 miles, but with a fair bit of climbing as well!  Then another mile or so the downhills.

[gravity-slave]

Via Middlewood Road to Oughtibridge is almost flat until you get to the woods. Saves a lot of climbing up to Grenoside then dropping down to the trails.  You'll still have a decent climb up to the trails - and also one into Sheffield after a days downhilling and a fair few road miles! One good way to get fit quick.