Your choice-5" or 6" Bike for Socal?

Hi all,

Just wondering about everyone's bike selection and experiences. I currently have a 5" bike (Fuel Ex) and really enjoy it on the trails I do around here (Whiting, Aliso, SJT, etc). It seems there are a lot of popular 6"ish bikes amongst forum members that ride SoCal trails (Nomad, Remedy, 5.5 spot, Firebird, Enduro etc).

For those of you who ride those bigger rigs, why did you choose them over 4-5" bikes (Mach 5, Blur LT, Fuel Ex, etc)? Are there specific SoCal trails you ride where the bigger bike makes a big difference? Do you perform jumps/drops, etc?

Anyone deliberately stick with a 4-5" bike over a 6" rig-if so, why?

Long story long, just wondering if I might be missing anything these slacker 6" bikes may offer.

Thanks for any inputs!

 

I ride a nomad with 6.5. Little beefy mine is built coil f an r with 1.5 steerer and huge headset. XL weighs 35-36 lbs.

It's insane downhill(built like that) climbing requires me to maintain alot of strength. I weigh 210 and am 6' 4" so You wont climb fast.

For so cal I recomend a light build of 5-6" You can ride almost anything here. Just try to build it under 33 lbs shoot for 30 and you'll be happy.

Slackness is like most things, personal preferance. I think the 08 nomad was 69 deg(correct me if I'm wrong) but I'd like 68-67

 

not really, you should be fine with a 5" bike, i have an enduro with 6" travel, only reason is frame geometry preference and that extra umf of travel that i like to have (drops/Jumps/Downhill while still being able to maintain the bike pedaling uphill) so basically an all around bike.

 

Pretty simple really...

... If you are going downhill get more travel. If you are going uphill get less travel. If you do both get 5". Preferably a Turner 5 spot or other Turner 5 spot. Maybe a Turner 5 spot would work or possibly a Turner 5 spot. In a pinch you could get a used Turner 5 spot or maybe a not so new Turner 5 spot. All in all your'e probably gonna need a Turner 5 spot.


BTW I am not biased in any way. I ride a Burner.

 

I have a 6" travel bike but only because I liked the frame when I saw it on sale at Jenson.

Aside from that, I have no preference to be honest.

I think I've used the full rear travel once or twice but that was because I had low pressure in the airshock (rp2).

I was told 4" travel is plenty for general riding by a buddy of mine.

I say if you get another one, just find a class of frame you want (am, xc, dh, etc...) and pick a frame from that class that appeals to you and go from there.

 

Yes and yes.

I started out on a 6" travel bike, but eventually found it's limitations with certain types of riding/stunts. Most of the time I ride a bike with a 7" fork and 8" rear travel.
I'd rather climb with a heavier bike and be able to ride most anything, than opt for an AM rig and find myself "undergunned" when it matters.

 

personally, I ride a 4.5" bike (a fuel EX as well), and my gravity rig is a Giant ReignX. The Reign is SIGNIFICANTLY plusher downhills. It would suffer on the climbs a bit, but still be more than manageable.

personally, I've been wanting to go with a hybrid AM bike. go 140mm-ish in back, and a 160mm fork in front. best of both worlds, with efficient climbing, and a big plush fork.

In that sector, I'd be looking at the 140mm bikes that handle big forks. frames that come to mind, the DW turner 5.spot, Santa Cruz Blur LT2, knolly endorphine, intense tracer.

honestly, around here I don't think you're really missing anything on the fuel. it may be more comfortable, and you can flub around a bit on the bigger bike, but it probably wont be any faster. I've never felt under-biked on my fuel, and I ride it all over the place. being underbiked IS a matter of rider skill level too, though.

when it comes down to it, though, its a matter of riding style and preference. If you could care less about how fast you're going to be pedaling it, but want the best experience when going down, get the big bike. if you still want it to be quicker, more versatile, get the small bike. if you want both, consider what I said about a big fork on a shorter travel frame.

 

What trails are you riding that you find this necessary?

 

i ride my heavy ass giant reign 3 all over socal. its 6" front and rear. having the manitou nixon IT on the fork makes climbing much easier (steepens the headangle). then i go full travel before the downhill and i BOMB!

my next bike will be a lighter 6inch travel bike (most likely ellsworth moment)

 

I was thinking the same thing. That's a DH/bike park rig. Nothing in SoCal requires that much bike.

 

Contact me via PM.

 

oh sneaky sneaky trails...

 

He may be doing what I like to do with my Stinky, and that's just pedal it every where because it feels so dog gone good on the downs!
I also take my Stinky on road trips because I know, no matter what trail I'm going to be on, climbing or descending, it can handle it.

It's not really a matter of needing that much travel around here, but enjoying that much travel around here.

I have a hardtail and a Kona Dawg, and my Stinky still gets ridden the most! It makes me SMILE!

 

I'm riding a 6" am bike and use every bit of it. I ride quite hard and usually hit whatever jumps, drops I can find along the way. I think you can easily ride everything in socal with a 5" frame. I don't see any reason to trade your 5" bike for an extra inch for the riding around here.

For me it makes sense because I use my 6" bike as a do all bike... It's my XC bike for 30+ mile epics, it's my shuttle bike and my mammoth bike.

 

seriously? you don't get out much, do you?

I have a 6point with 160mm of rear travel and bottom it on every ride, but i ride some pretty rocky, steep trails with jumps and drops.

to the OP, ride what makes you comfortable. if you prefer climbing over descending get an XC bike, if you prefer descending over climbing get an AM bike. Ultimately the frame travel matters less than the geo and parts build.

 

4" .243 Steel hardtail. Tried up to 160 mm but it was a little vague on anything but down. Want to try a On One - Lynskey 456. If the glove doesn't fit, you must acquit. Try a bunch or borrow one a friend bike and try it out.

 

When i started riding, and could only have 1 bike, a 5" bike IS the epitome of Do-All. They climb OK, and they descend OK.

My quiver expanded to having a hardtail, a 4" XC bike, and now a 6" bike. Other than being a bit heavier, the Nomad climbs as well as any of em... and rails teh DH. Like art mentioned, (but to a lesser degree), i like to lug the biggest bike i can up the hills to totally engulf my senses in speed and comfort on the downs.

Got the bike for each and every trail.. with no bike travel overlap....

You wouldnt wear high heals and try to drive a formula 1 car... (but freekengo tried it once....)

 

It all depends on how aggressively you ride. Unless you find yourself hitting bottom often, the 5" on your Fuel is plenty. I ride a 6" travel Rocky Mtn SXC and though I don't always need the extra travel, I do make use of it. I found that the extra travel has made up for my lack of skill on more than one occasion.

You have a nice ride. Enjoy it.

 

8)7in rear, Totem on the front, I will ride up, down, sideways ,whatever, I am never gonna detravel my ride.

 

I get out plenty, which is why I say this becuase I see guys clean the sketchiest trails locally on 5-6" travel bikes. Unless you are going huge (15ft+drops) like at whistler 7-8" travel, heavy bikes seem overkill.