Downhill and bike park bikes.

I am going to try and explain what to look for when looking to purchase a downhill bike, a bike park bike or both.

Downhill bikes usually have 7 to 8 inches of travel with a dual crown fork. They are the perfect machine for the gnarliest stuff you will ride. Having a extremely s l and to n will have this thing wanting to go straight down. Giving a lot of confidence and comfort.

The catch? It will be almost impossible to pedal up hill and anything that isn’t straight down and gnarly will be hard to keep speed with such a big bike.

So in the bike park a full downhill bike might be overkill. But there are good reasons still to get a downhill bike.

Why get a downhill bike?

There is a reason World Cup races aren’t done on long travel trail bikes. When working with suspension and performance on a particular field of stability and speed on technical and steep tracks, downhill bikes are the bees knees.

If racing is your thing or something you want to do, my advice is to find a bike that you like the look of as far as there riders display of the bike in races for performance(can mistake a win) as well of course price and really which one you like.

I will try to explain a downhill bike for you easily. The more money you spend the better the bike will be. In every way. Weight , suspension, components, sizing, and durability. Many bike brands will offer there downhill frame in different builds due to price. All of this should be taken into account when you figure out what your going for. The highest end downhill bikes will have high and low compression and rebound on the suspension side. Usually carbon or very occasionally aluminum in prototype bikes. Your going to have amazing components and a lighter weight on all parts. Usually being stronger as well.

You do not need the top bike to race well. When starting racing you can look at a frame you really like and get a lower end of that model that will not have all the bells and whistles but will be perfect for you. This goes as well for bike park downhill rigs. You don’t need to be working on suspension but just a bike that is almost bombproof as that’s what a bike park takes, bike parks are a bike punisher.

So racing and riding the gnarly stuff all the time at the bike park will validate a downhill rig.

There is a more popular way to go in most bike parks, and that is a long travel trail or enduro bike. You will be able to pedal a lot easier and ah e use for it on the trails and not just at the park. These bikes usually have almost the same travel but will be better in the tight stuff and if you’re not just riding the pro line at your park the big travel trail rig is a perfect way to go. Downhill will be overkill.

When looking at a frame you want to have a well known linkage in suspension. VPP, 5 pivot , four bar are the most used. Some companies have really gone above and beyond to help the suspension work well with pivots all over to make the rear wheel work through the travel the best. But still a four bar design which is very simple can win races. It’s all been shown and continues to be noticed that you can play a lot with linkage but it really comes down to the rider. With big travel trail bike you want to find the same idea of something you like the feel and or look of. The suspension will be better and worse in some places but generally the big bike brands have down designs that will work amazing. And if your not counting hundredth of seconds it is pretty much the same.

So the higher the price on a complete or custom bike will make it better. But the mid range and lower range component builds on the same frame will be fine unless you are a expert racer.

A good frame with well priced parts for light racing and bike park usage.

A good frame with high priced parks for is for top end racing and will get beaten up in a bike park.

A good big travel trail bike will take gnsrly stuff well wit a little give but can be much more mobile on trails and they can take a bike park. Where again price and quality of parts will deck it out or be able to get you through to another fun day riding.

Forks are important with being adjustable and easy to maintain for you or a shop. I would go with a well known brand and stay in budget because they can get out of hand in price .

Components are usally aluminum but carbon is great for downhill. Rule of thumb as always is that you get what you pay for and it will function as so. Meaning the top end parts will be better because the weigh less and are stronger, but this doesn’t mean well known brands are putting out anything they haven’t tested a ton on the market and it will handle a ton.

If downhill is something you want to get into to just ride a lift assisted park or to race. Think of what it will be used for, racing , flowing trails . And how much you will use it. Be willing to make some sacrifice as there is no one perfect bike for a park or even race. So justify what you are willing to spend and think of the pros and cons. Being able to pedal some, just loving going to the big stuff, personal feel. Agility in the bike. Then see what fits your price range.

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