Mountain Biking - Ok time to grow up some.

Yea I've decided that I love this sport to death and will always ride. I have a Trek 4500 and have put miles and miles of riding on it and its still in great shape. I'm starting to look at other bikes and I'm having a tough time with if I should choose a fully or a hardtail. I want to start XC racing real bad and try to get some local sponsers. I just need to know what would be the best choice for a racing bike because I love to hop off of stumps and get big air (for Greensboro NC riders, like jumping off the roots next to the crest of the ravine and landing on the end of the down slope) What should I do here.

Give up on the xc racing dream and take up DH.

I would love to DH. The problem with that is that I live at least 2 and a half hours away from the nearest DH place which I think is in Sugar Mountain NC.

I'd vote dual but I'm selectively answering. I've ignored the racing aspect and am strictly focusing on which type of bike to buy next. I loved my hardtail dearly as well but the only dirt it's seen in a long while is dust. A long while. A lot of dust. Some sawdust every now and then to simulate trees for it. Betwixt the dirt dust and sawdust it most likely thinks it's riding right now.

I would love to DH. The problem with that is that I live at least 2 and a half hours away from the nearest DH place which I think is in Sugar Mountain NC.

How close are you to pisgah?

sounds like a trail-oriented bike would be right up your alley. Don't bother with a super-racy rig.

You CAN race xc on just about anything - get a bike that suits what you ride MOST. On the other hand, I have a 3.5 lb frame for sale........

can't give an answer without knowing the budget.



Yea I've decided that I love this sport to death and will always ride. I have a Trek 4500 and have put miles and miles of riding on it and its still in great shape. I'm starting to look at other bikes and I'm having a tough time with if I should choose a fully or a hardtail. I want to start XC racing real bad and try to get some local sponsers. I just need to know what would be the best choice for a racing bike because I love to hop off of stumps and get big air (for Greensboro NC riders, like jumping off the roots next to the crest of the ravine and landing on the end of the down slope) What should I do here.

How close are you to pisgah?



I dont have a deffinent answer. I'd say at least two hours before I get to the sign that says, entering pisgah national forest and start seeing some big mountains. I live in Greensboro though so no downhill here. Downhill has always been something I have wanted to do though. I would deff get into it if i went to school up at App or I went to WCU. I see something about the 828 from other riders from that area. Is that just the pisgah region in general?

How close are you to pisgah?

I'm thinking that Pisgah is actually farther than sugar, but I could be wrong. Sugar is up near Boone, but Pisgah is southish of Asheville, which would probably add another hour to hour and a half.

well, for hitting some stuff, fully if probably your best bet. an all mountain XC type bike would be good. or you could check out the Specialized P. all mountain. its apparently at home on aggresive trails. its a hardtail, so ya...

i just thought id give you a start. others can build on this/correct me if ive mention something that won work

Yea I have been trying out new bikes for awhile though. I think All Mountain is what I would be riding the most as well. I launching from things and rock gardens and ex. If I had a spot to downhill though, I would deffiently do it.

same here, i ride dj, street/urban, and trials, but if there was some DH around here, id be doin that too. i live in a valley, with 2 mounts (my friend said that a mount is inbetween a hill and a mountain, these things look like really big hills so...) on either side. i pretty much live at the bottom of one, so if there were any trails, i could do some, but so far, no luck.

How close are you to pisgah?

Not as close as I am.........:p

lucky