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May 24, 2012, 05:53:14 AM

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[RAFChris]

Hey folks... well I know I was banging on about getting hold of a DH bike and being spolit for choice by the bigger brands a few months ago but unfortunately life kinda got in the way! (Had to pay for several repair to my flat thanks to storm damage!  )

So now I'm faced with a problem... I love my Supreme, it's a brilliant hardcore AM / Mini DH ( ) bike BUT I am REALLY looking to give the SDA series a serious go this year, as well as the DH Enduro at Fort Bill, and so I'm wondering whether to change my forks (by selling off my Fox 36s) and stick on a set of Totems to get an extra 20mm of travel up front, or even to go for a set of Boxxer Races (not sure what would happen warranty or handling wise though!)?

The other option is to sell/PX my bike for a full-bore DH bike and save up for something along the lines of a Super 4 or 55 for trail riding?

What do you guys think?

100MPH+ / SteveB, you got any advice on whether I really need to go for a full-bore DH bike or do you think a longer travel fork would make the battering I take during runs easier and therefore my times faster?

Cheers folks!

[steveb]

Hi, just read your email, will reply tomorrow when have some energy and not pissed!

Only you know if a longer fork will work as only you know what your capable of. Go run the courses now with your mini. What runs out first: The bikes abilities or your balls. If the former, bigger bike time. If the latter, bigger balls time.

[RAFChris]

Pissed? Good man! Muchos respect!

As for the balls vs bike's abilities issue it's a bit of both (60% balls / 40% bike), there's nothing that I won't / haven't given a go on the bike, but having bottomed out on the jumps at FB I just think I need a bit more travel plus some coaching in jumping skills... think Balnain Park needs hitting up this weekend!

Cheers Steve... will have an objective think!

[tank_rider]

Could always pick up some cheap 2nd hand 06-09 boxxers and sling them on their for the full DH only?  Should be able to pick up some races for about £200 if not less.  You can usually find pre 06 boxxers with 7" travel for £100-£150 as well if funds are even tighter.

[RAFChris]

Cheers Tank. I've had a look at that option and it's one i'm considering, although i'm not sure how much effort it is to keep swapping forks?!

Also, anyone know what Commencal are like warranty wise about longer forks? I know the frame's designed around 160-180mm forks, so would the 200 of the boxxers cause problems?

[larry]

Would a second hand pair of Fox 40's with the travel reduced to say 180 be an option.  I've often thought that would work well on a Supreme.  Although will full on DH forks on a Supreme make it too slack?  Just my 2 cents!

[RAFChris]

It's a thought Larry... the Head tube angle is about 66.5 degrees with a 180mm fork, so with my 160mm fork it's probably 0.5 to 1.0 degrees steeper, so adding a longer fork would slacken out the geometry quite nicely towards full on DH bike leves... BUT it would mean no more climbing stuff... which is why i'm thinking of sticking to the 180mm length fork the frame is designed around... or chopping the bike in and getting a dh bike and a trail bike instead!

[100mphplus]

Chris,
You can certainly race with your Supreme, although the limits of it will hold you back on some SDA courses - FW, Dunkeld and Pitfichie which are real big boulder fests.  Yes the extra travel up front will help but you'd be blowing through your rear travel a hell of a lot if you made it plusher to cope with those courses.

It's been discussed elsewhere, if funds are limited then CRC are selling Iron Horse Sundays for £1500, which is a hell of a bargain for a ready to go DH bike.

Oh and don't forget, entries to the first 2 SDA races open on Monday.

[RAFChris]

Cheers Steve... I've had a look at those IHs and they look like a pretty awesome bargain but I'd still have to sell my Supreme to be able to afford it at which point I might as well look at getting a Supreme DH and a Hardtail trail bike... all depends on what STeveB would give me for My Supreme  

Cheers for the reminder about the SDAs, I hadn't forgotten and will be trying to get myself a place for sure!

Might have to clean up the bike and take a few photos to send to SteveB and see what he says!

*Edit: All the £1500 IH's have gone now... CRC are out of stock, so only the £3000 WCs left!*

[tank_rider]

Cheers Tank. I've had a look at that option and it's one i'm considering, although i'm not sure how much effort it is to keep swapping forks?!

It's not too bad so long as you have a spare crown race for the 2nd set of forks and have the right brake mounts on each set of forks (pre 2010 boxxers required a special "boxxer" brake mount adaptor).   That way it's just undoing some bolts and swapping them over, should take about 30 mins.  You should be giving your bike the once over before each race anyway, and will probably be changing tyres etc depending on conditions, so the extra time won't make much difference.

There is always the option of finding some 06 boxxer rides as they have 5-7" uturn travel so could be used for all riding, however they will only give you 178mm travel and will weigh a fair bit more than a single crown fork but would get you a stiffer front end.  Someone on here has them on their supreme, check out the supreme/mini dh thread in the users bikes section.

[sastusbulbas]

I have to say I have been more than happy with my Supreme DH, the adjustable wheelbase and head angle are an added bonus, though the low BB has caught me a couple of times and I would rather have an SDG Bell Air. I think it peddles well considering the travel, and I have even been playing around in the woods with it as a trail bike lol.

I am now thinking of selling my Marin full sus and buying a cheap hard tail.

[bong69uk]

!

As for the balls vs bike's abilities issue it's a bit of both (60% balls / 40% bike), there's nothing that I won't / haven't given a go on the bike, but having bottomed out on the jumps at FB I just think I need a bit more travel plus some coaching in jumping skills... think Balnain Park needs hitting up this weekend!

To be fair mate do you not think that the bike is a tad more capable than that? say a 95% balls/ 5% bike ratio ?        .
You really used up all your travel? maybe you need to learn to be a smoother rider and imrove your technique(which sticking with the smaller bike with less travel will have far benefit to you to do so) ,cos i personally havent yet found my suoreme to be out of its league yet, not close !! its a very capable bike and remember im much much fater than you  .
If you ask me the route of throwing on a set of 180mm forks for this season is a great call ,thats what im planning on doing(as soon as my money stops going on all my snowboarding that is )  i will be ordering a set of the 2010 totem coils.

[RAFChris]

Bong you cheeky fat g*t! Lol!

Ok I'll give you it's probably more like 70% balls/30% bike!

Improving my technique is a given anyway, I guess I'm trying to run before I cna walk a bit seeing as i only really started 18 months ago!

I'll have a look and see if I can get a cheap set of Boxxer rides, or Totems as I really do think that as the frame is designed for either a 160mm or 180mm fork, the extra travel would help with the bigger courses.

[steveb]

Boxxer Rides? That's a joke right? More travel does not equal better travel. Remember that.

[tank_rider]

They have the same motion control as the 06-09 teams so I don't see how it isn't good quality travel?!