BoTM March 2010 - Downhill Special - Nominations please.

Personally I question whether some of the entries so far are really presented as downhill bikes even though the frames were used in downhill competition in their day.

For example is a bike with:

• bar ends,
  a long low stem,
  narrow flat bars,
  saddle height way higher than the bar height, and
  a triple chain ring.

really a downhill bike as presented?? Sure you may have raced it like that in a local race back in the day but calling it a DH bike is stretching things just a little considering they weren't raced setup like that at the higher levels of DH competition.

I'd be expecting to see at least some of the following on a DH bike depending on its age and based on what the DH articles called DH throughout the ages:

• a lower saddle,
  riser bar,
  some form of chain device (be it the useless long spring things which fitted to the rear QR and help tension the rear derailleur, to chain stay rollers etc)
  Maguras either on both ends or just the rear
  some early form of disc brake, sometimes just on the rear
  a chainring the size of a dinner plate (with the granny removed even if the middle ring was retained)

Anyway this isn't meant to be too critical of any bikes and their builds but simply a question 'Is it really a downhill bike?'

agree with most of what you say andrewl but not the magura / disc thing

v-brakes were such a revaltion back in the day. Many downhill competors favoured them over maguras and discs of the time, mike king used them

Vouillez even had canti's on his lts down cap d'ail. at a time where maguras and discs were available.

i do see where you are coming from with your post tho as this could end up a similar botm as the full sus one a few months back.

can i enter a bike i entered previously?

crud":36hk94h5 said:

Vouillez even had canti's on his lts down cap d'ail. at a time where maguras and discs were available.
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Maguras came standard on my 1989 Pace RC100, and I am sure predate that by a couple of years. LONG before the LTS was ever dreamed up.

andrewl":120y9qn7 said:

Anyway this isn't meant to be too critical of any bikes and their builds but simply a question 'Is it really a downhill bike?'

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I certainly agree that it would be a shame if something so obviously set up for XC won this month. That said, it is true that before DH took off many events were won on bikes that had few, if any, specific changes made to their setup (aside from tyre choice/pressure or saddle height!).

hoegaardenadds1":357v8c0l said:

can i enter a bike i entered previously?

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Yes since its a special month.

Pickle":22rrt4wr said:

1996 GT RTS-2

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From a somewhat of an outsider's perspective, I think this 'entry' goes against the whole theme of this month. For all intents and purposes, this bike was designed for XC, although it certainly had its DH applications (and eventual pedigree).

Then the photos show you riding it on XC trails with XC gear. To me, it seems as if you're just throwing it out there in an"I want to play too" type scenario.

Discuss...

andrewl":1zom0wo3 said:

Anyway this isn't meant to be too critical of any bikes and their builds but simply a question 'Is it really a downhill bike?'

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Let the voting decide, if the entrant considers the bike to be retro downhill others might too even though you don't.

Didn't JMC first do downhill racing on a rigid Kona and win?????

Kentphil":1zua9kf4 said:

Didn't JMC first do downhill racing on a rigid Kona and win?????

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but would you call it a downhill bike? or just a very good rider.

To me a downhill bike is a bike that has been marketed at somepoint as such by the manufacturer.

not a bike that has been adapted for downhill biking.

but others will have a different point of view.