Forum

Hello guys,

Im quite new on the Mountain Bike and Down Hill stuff, so I was wondering if I can do it with a Specialized Hardrock Sport Disc 29 2014 that I bough new last year is only like 1 year old, I really want to get into to the Mount/DH stuff but I now I can't afford a full suspension one, only if I sell my one first. So what you guys recommend me to do? Stick with this one for now and get better and stuff them try to sell and buy a full suspension or try to sell now and buy a full suspension straight way?

I mainly go to the Danbury trails!

Thanks!

I'm a 29er rider, and a full sus one at that. I have done DH on mine and ride Danbury quite often but if you want to get into free ride and DH you need a different rig.
29ers just don't have the wheel strength and on tight DH tracks you can't turn them as tightly in the same space.

Thanks! But do you for Danbury for now its alright? I really want to buy a full suspension one but I have no idea what to look for, I want a used one cos is cheaper, any suggestions please? And how much do you think I could sell mine for?

Yeah ride whatever, don't listen to the mags saying you must have this must have that, ride with what works for you.
No idea on pricing sorry.

For Danbury I would suggest a cheap hard tail jump bike not these massive DH rigs you get here, learn nothing plowing through.

Thanks for all the tips! I just feel like bit intimidate when I see everyone riding the full suspension one and Im the only one with single! but I think for now I will stick with mine, just bought a helmet today so quite happy!

Just discovered that my model is the 2014!

As Danbury is quite smooth, as suggested, HT jump bikes are a good choice, there are no rough rocks to use your full suspension travel on.

I have a FR/DH bike and it gets used for evrything, my preference is for more Dh orientated stuff. As mentioned there are no rules, but clearly some bikes are better suited to certain terrains, this is why some end up with multiple bikes, get into riding and you may decide to change bikes or buy another.

29"ers are clearly most suited to flatish XC type routes but can be ridden anywhere.

Thanks for the help! But I think I will go with a full suspension so I can jump etc! I'm scared if I do that with mine the frame will break!

Decent frames shouldnt be snapping if you land correctly , watch BMXers and dirt jumpers land huge jumps/drops on hard tails.

Id recommned not rushing into learning to jump, Im not a great expert at it despite riding for quite a few years, Danbury is good in that you can just do the runs at a slow speed, everything is rollable but as you get faster, youll find yourself getting air out of the various bombholes, etc

True! But I just don't want to risk to break it because I can still sell the bike now to help buy a new one and I'm crazy hahaha so I want to fly as soons I can

Jumping and rideing skills are two different things, better to learn the correct bike handling skills (corning, pumping, steep decents, off camber, roots ect) before trying to go big in the air

I cant agree with Matt more, people are all too eager to try and fly off big jumps too soon, youll only injure yourself, just learn all the other techniques first, tips from friends or training can be done via Tom Dowie at Chicksnads, Uk Bike Skills or various free courses through Hadleigh MTB club at the Olympic track, everyone I know has learnt loads of real basic skills even if they have been riding for years.

Can't agree more with you guys! This is what I'm doing right now! When I said I want to go crazy etc I didn't mean now heheh I been taking tips from everyone that I meet on the trails and going as I can not in a rush, but I always wanted to do this and just now that I found good trails round my area, cos here in Colchester you can't find anything as good as Danbury trails! Thanks for all the tips and help guys! Really appreciate!

There is a DH trail being built in Colchester...