Thx Doddy for that great tip about moving the cleats inward. Will definitely try that. What about tyre choice esp on the front? And have you ever considered installing an angleset? I did, and the slacker angle gives me more confidence when going downhill.
How bout a 500 dollar apollo aspire 10 27.5 built up? Doing that currently, I got it as a bare frame so I could use any parts I want on it, 1x10 11-42t cassette 32t chain ring, haven't decided on the derailuer yet but I'm also getting hydraulic brakes for it, rockshox Judy tk silver fork as I don't see the point putting a fork that costs more than the bike on it 😂
There are entry level hardtail enduro bikes which would be lightweight and affordable like hardtail XCs but has the geometry for better downhill performance. Build something like an XC-Enduro hybrid, but then it will be a compromise between the two.
Agreed. I have a 8yr old XC bike 26er. Id like to see how I can best take on jumps and big drops that come along a flowing trail with OTB'ing as my geometry doest inspire confidence in taking on Jumps especially. On a slack FS it feels a world apart.
When things were at their very worst: 2 Suns, Cross in the sky, 2 comets will collide = don`t be afraid - repent, accept Lord`s Hand of Mercy. The first sign - the Earth will spin faster. The second sign concerns the sun, which will loom larger, brighter and begin to spin. Scientists will say it was a global illusion. Beaware - Jesus will never walk in flesh again. After WW3 - rise of the “ man of peace“ from the East = Antichrist - the most powerful, popular, charismatic and influential leader of all time. Many miracles will be attributed to him. He will imitate Jesus in every conceivable way. Don`t trust „pope“ Francis = the False Prophet - will seem to rise from the dead - will unite all Christian Churches and all Religions as one. One World Religion = the seat of the Antichrist. Benedict XVI is the last true pope - will be accused of a crime of which he is totally innocent. - banking collapse was deliberately masterminded by the Antichrist - Antichrist will step in and create a false peace in the state of Israel by joining them with palestine in an unlikely alliance. - „He will recite extracts from My Teachings, which he will passionately proclaim from every secular stage in the world, until people sit up and take notice of him.“ The Book of Truth mdmlastprophet.com/the-schism-in-my-church-will-be-broken-into-different-stages/ mdmlastprophet.com/arab-uprising-will-spark-global-unrest-italy-will-trigger-fall-out/
Dont forget the tires themself, front one especially. Swapped Nobby Nick for Fat Albert and it makes a lot of difference. Its an older, 26 inch bike but it still packs a punch
Dropper post for sure. On smooth climbs you can keep it high for efficiency, on tech climbs you can drop it very slightly for balance and then slam it on descents for the best agility. Worth the weight penalty IMO
I learned the lesson about wide bars the hard way. I was pedaling along between the trees, and the next thing I knew I was on the ground. Ever since then I've paid more attention to my clearance.
I had a pair of ScottAT-2LF bars on my old bike. www.bikepro.com/products/handlebars/scott_combo.html. 182 grams, 550cm, built in bar ends. Tiny super light, flexible little things, loved them. I could ride slowly through crowds on the beach, knowing my shoulders were wider than my bars. Never had to worry about tree width, but they provided zero leverage when standing and pulling. These were the good old days of early mtb. 1998. If i could get a pair in 750 width id buy them in a second. Ride safe, my friend.
I was riding a trail last year and there was a section where it passed between two trees that must have been about 800mm apart. Needless to say there were score marks in either tree at bar height!
I went back to narrow for the bars due to muscle engagement and shoulder stress issues. I saw by the end of the 2021 UCI XC season almost every man had switched to the 34 stepcast of those that used Fox. thanks for the tech updates.
I just got a cross country bike, and these tips were very helpful to me, especially the one about not going with a shorter stem. I'm currently doing without a dropper post, and I've found a middle-ground height for the seat that's okay for the types of trails I like to ride. However, as soon as I get the bike paid off, I hope to get a dropper in it soon.
I never really thought i needed a dropper until i bought a bike that already had one installed. Absolutely transformed how i ride downhill & technical stuff.
I really enjoyed transforming my Canyon Nerve 120 to suit my trail rides: 120mm dropper post Handlebar - 720mm to 760mm Stem: 90mm to 60mm Angleset: -1.5º HA 69.5º to 68º Fork: 120mm to 140mm HA 68º to 66.5º Wheels: 19mm to 40mm inner rim width Tyres: 2.2" to 2.6" Bottom bracket is 10mm higher, wheel base is 25mm longer and reach is 15mm shorter The bike now is way confortable and way better for my riding
I built mine with a Pike 130mm, M8120 brakes, a 150mm dropper and ofc 30mm wide rims (32h EX511 hoping they cope with abuse better). Depending on the use I might add an insert later. Love the strong wheels, capable brakes and super stable fork on a bike that can go fast anywhere, up or down.
With the stem I would definitely change to a short one. It makes a huge difference. I'm all the way down to a 31mm stem on my Pivot 429sl. It jumps, bunny hops, and wheelies far better for obstacles and meneuvering. Long stems are for a front wheel that never comes off the ground.
I'd also add a riser bar with a sweep. Running a 25mm riser with an 8deg sweep gives a more natural slightly more agressive trail position especially with ergonomic grips es with ergon. Hadn't thought about the q-factor. Dropper post was essential. Added a 100mm to my hardtail made a world of difference. Didn't mention rotors. I changed from a 140/160 to a 160/180 rear/front. Big difference in confidence.
Actually on my hardtail I boosted up the front fork pressure so the front end doesnt dive as much going down steps and drops . It still absorbs some reverberation of the ground and my body does the rest . This has been very helpful for my bike at a 69 degree headtube angle and I never bottom out . The lower pressure created and even steeper headtube angle . Havent went otb in over a year and I have had some nose heavy impacts that I would have with lower pressure . So I gained more confidence and better results pointing down with higher pressure in my front fork on my hardtail .
I would add riser buzz or a fork stem extension. I have done this to both my mountain bikes, and with the higher bar position definitely gives me more confidence going down very steep gnarly tracks
Just discovered this video! Thank you for the tip on the break levers! I struggle with wrist pain on the downhill because of my fingers on the break, so I'll try that! I switched from 100mm to 120mm fork on my HT and I agree, a dropper post is a must have! I run 27.5+ tires (I'm short) and while it's not the fastest set up for flat and uphill, it gives me great comfort and confidence on technical descents. This way I can ride stuff where I only meet riders with FS bikes.
Just wanted to let you know I enjoy a few channels and you have become one of my favorite. I must admit I am a definite Ebike kinda guy and tend to migrate more towards Ebike channels but really enjoy all your great information. Good job and Thanks 🙏
I bought a second hand 90mm mechanical dropper post just to try it out and is the best upgrade I could have done to my bike. I even like the mechanical system better than the hydraulic, because of weight, fixed positions and simplicity of maintenance.
@@theparadigmshift74 With making room to shift your weight over the bike while going downhill on broken terrain. It is safer and more comfortable. For XC, where you have constant ups and downs is ideal.
Here were the upgrades I implemented on my SC Blur to make it more downcountry: 1) rigid carbon seat post -> fox transfer dropper post 2) racy Aspen tires -> Maxxis Ikon in back and forecaster in front 3) six inch rotor -> 8 inch rotor on the front 4) 100 mm fox 32 fork -> 120 mm rockshox SID ultimate fork 5) removed remote lockout to get rid of all the clutter on the cockpit (shock is now always open and fork has lockout switch on the crown) All of these changes have made my blur sooo much more capable and fun!
Man flexible shoes are the only shoes I wanna ever ride a bike on, I use Vans on my flats and love how well I can feel where the pedal is! Have had only a single pedal slip on an MTB since I've been running those
Sounds odd to some but I live in a hilly part of Wiltshire so I've had to build a bike capable of DH riding but with XC comfort. The solution is a DMR Bolt frame with 800mm Nukeproof Neutron bars, a 35mm DMR Defy stem, Fox Vanilla 130mm forks, all very DH/slopestyle, however the drivechain is pure NX Eagle 12spd for the miles. The seatpost is as long as will slam in the frame so it can come up to the height I require. Some big HT pedals get the power to the road. It goes the distance very well, climbs comfortably enough but it flys down the bigger, gnarlier hills too.
@@nathanloftus6988 I've got plans to get it on film doing all the different actions it's capable of, issue is getting a good ride in around work. Hopefully I'll be out riding in the next few weeks.
If you wait a year, the next generation should be coming out, thats what im waiting for right now. Till then, im riding a $30 garage sale bike. Lol. 35 pounds of rigid steel. By the time i get the 2022 Lux, i should be in insane shape. Cheap bikes get you fit enough to really take advantage of expensive bikes.
I have a Trek marlin 8 2nd gen rockshox judy air 100mm , from the store the shox were way too stiff , I dont weigh much ..I went to the shop and took out air and now the diference is incredable ..now it feels like a new bike 👍🚴♂️
One thing I noticed is that geometry is really everything. Ok true you cannot change that on a bike but you could go for a xc bike with a better geometry than another one. Was just testing my steel fully rigid mtb that I got for bikepacking and it felt more capable than my Scott spark tuned which is fully suspended!
That's was my factor when was upgrading my garage from Specialized Carve Pro to Canyon Neuron CF8. Light trail bike cross upgraded with some CX components. Im tall like you but lite bit heavier and love it now.
So I was in a unique position where I didn’t have a single bike. It I had a decent budget to either get 2 mid range bikes or one high end bike. Thinking a gravel bike might be the best option as I could do some road and basic off road riding with it I discovered the bike that I wanted was still out of my budget range. But I think this was a good thing as it lead me to look at an XC bike. I was surprised that the geometry was steeper than a trail bike, the 29” tires made the bike fast on or off road, and it even had carbon wheel that made the bike super light and again really fast. So I decided on getting the Giant Anthem Advanced Pro 3. It’s great for basic trail riding, which is all I want after some unfortunate crashes due to me thinking I’m a better biker than I actually am, and it’s fun on the road as well. I’m sure that one day I’ll get some type of drop bar bike, but in the mean time I have the all round XC bike that suits my needs to bring full two wheel enjoyment. So what are your thoughts? Did I make the right decision?
I was in a similar position, looked at gravel (only for 5 minutes because i know i'd never get on with curly bars & brifters!) & then bought a 2017 giant xtc advanced. Frame shapes of modern gravel bikes look suspiciously like hardtail xc bikes from that period! Shortened the stem & swapped the fox step cast 32 performance for a bright orange 2022 step cast 34 factory, & this thing is now an xc weapon. It's got aero bars too for the road. I think all it needs is a 4 piston front brake & it's been fully "downcountrified".
Good video overall with some good points. I like that you qualify some of the statements by height, weight, intent etc. I have to laugh about "massive" (and other emphasis words) when we're talking about small deltas. A few millimeters wheel width, a few millimeters q factor, a few millimeters fork travel. They all make a difference, but none fit the truth in advertising effect of "massive". Thanks for the smiles!
I usually have my break levers uneven, I always have my rear break pointed a bit more down so it's easier when I stand up and my front break a bit more up so it's easier when I sit. Since I don't want to slam my front break when I go downhill it works
I have done all these to my ride plus a Slack-R headset making my head angle 1.2° slacker. It instantly felt much more stable on the descents plus I have 120mm fork which is really nice for slightly bigger impacts.
I took at 1990ish hardtail xc bike down lift-served trails once. Biggest problem with that was honestly the cantilever brakes being worthless. Slowing down was a safety issue. If I had upgraded that thing to have even modest mechanical disc brakes a la 2005, it would have been perfectly fine. I also did lift-served trails later on a 2004 Specialized FSR. The full suspension was nice, for an older xc bike, but the main issue was still brakes. The V brakes were still awful, not as bad as cantilever, but still bad. I did the same trail recently with a modest trail bike that had 180mm hydraulic disc brakes and it was so much less panic-inducing.
If your going to buy a dropper post don’t go cheap. I bought a £50 dropper post, it rattled, it was difficult to setup, it broke within a couple gentle rides. You have to splash some cash to get one that’s worth the money.
1. Fox Transfer Factory $360 2. OneUp Dropper V2 $215 3. BikeYoke Revive $375 4. PNW Loam $199 Just my opinion. I have a Fox Transfer dropper rn and it has been amazing but I will say that the oneup is almost a good!
trans-x or brand-x (same thing) they make some great dropper posts, they are OEM dropper suppliers. also the pnw posts and levers are essentially rebranded trans-x posts
I really like your underlying message in this video in that, set up your bike how it best suits you. No need to follow the heard and confirm to how everyone else looks and how they set up their bike. Ignore the funny looks and enjoy yourself! I often wear trail shoes on my XC bike, and if riding heavy stuff on my own i sometimes go full knee pads, even full face helmet at times. A Nay sayers advice might help at times; I too tried a shorter stem yrs ago but as doddy said it ruined my handling so i swapped it back. This video has good advice and i might try wider pedals to see if my Q stance can help my handling improve. Cheers. Happy peddling ppl :-)
I bought a SCOTT Spark yesterday and am awaiting measurement setup so I can bring it home and try it out, I come from a 500€ bike haha, should be a massive step up, just a bit worried about the 100/110 travel back and front. Its a decent sum of money spending so I hope the bike will bring me loads of fun. This is a great video however that will help me tweak any gains I may consider needing for the techy or downhill parts, great video so thank you!!
About the brake levers, to me it seems foreign to see you braking with the second knuckle on your finger. I use my finger tips for braking which puts the brake levers into a lower position still (but not XC low). Maybe it's just me.
Back in the day I added chunkier 2.3 tires and wider bars on my 26er xc hard tail to better suit the terrain in my area. I had know idea I was doing “down country” over a decade ago 😜
Why don’t they connect the dropper post with the rear shock, so you open the rear shock when you drop the post. This way the shock is closed when you’re climbing and open when you descend and every small adjustment in between.
What about the triangle of head and hands? A wider bars puts your hands out and pulls your shoulders, chest, and head forward. The wider bars should have dictated a shorter stem to maintain the existing balance of the cockpit.
My Orbea Mx 50 has a sr suntour fork that has 100mm travel but I am to light for it even in its softest setting. I end up using half of the travel, in theory doubling the affective travel. So I have been considering some of these upgrades.
When adding a shorter stem, wouldn’t wider bars compensate for that with your position. The stem brings you back but the wider arms would bring you forward a bit?
No wider your bars do not bring you more forward. It would be negligible. What it will do is negate the shorter stem. A shorter stem reduces the steering Arc a wider bar increases the steering arc. When you want to Quicken the steering you either shorten the stem and or the bars. If you want to slow the steering down you increase the length of the stem and the bars. Not too mention very wide bars are not ergonomically correct, they put undue stress on your shoulders. It's okay if you just strictly doing DH, but for any type of prolong riding you are doing damage to ligaments and tendons over a long period of time.
#askgmbntech Doddy I am confused. If you install wider bars with the same length stem wouldn't you effectively be putting more weight bias toward the front of the bike? I would think if you widened the bars you could shorten the stem and keep the same weight distribution on the bike. ???
Vittoria Barzo to make it more DH capable? Why not put the meatiest, widest tires on the bike??? The tires make a gigantic difference in downhill capability. You will probably have to pump up the tires more to roll ok, but you simply can't run XC tires downhill and expect great performance. You can however expect a lot of drama and uncertainty, if not a string of unnecessary crashes. That's really the number one XC fallacy, that they by definition have to run skinny slick tires. Absolutely not. Throw on whatever fits, point it downhill, and see the difference. One might argue that it's not an XC bike anymore if it has trail or DH tires on it. OK, whatever. We are talking about how to improve performance, not keeping some definition pure.
Okay I'm taking some of your advice I usually run at 45 degrees I like them low but I moved them up 5° . And I switched out my ESI Chunky's to ergon ga2's.but I am sticking with my flats. Live in the desert and sometimes you have to move your feet and legs fast. Because we have cactuses in plants that will actually just come out and grab you.
Hardtail XC bike with 70.5 head tube angle... How about slackening the head angle with and adjustable slacker headset? Also, what about the mullet setup? Thanks Doddy.
There is tons of videos explaining how to Trailish your XC bike, but what about XCish your Trail bike, thats whats Im after 🙂 I have very lightweight Trail/Enduro bike and I think with propper changes it will ride crazy fast, I have already backed up from 2.5 to 2.35 tires, (fast hard rear semi slick gravity rubber and soft, semi grippy front) I stiffened sus too, what elese I can do? MAybe just do the opposite what he adviced in this video? 😀
That’s a lot of customisation going on there (maybe you chose the wrong bike) I ran a 60mm stem on my Scale Large (stock 80mm) it was far too short and I found it uncomfortable and messed up my riding position so I’ve gone back to 80mm. It doesn’t look as good but short stems are better suited for trail bikes with the riser bar, unless you’re trying to achieve the Doddy “down county” of course.
@@scottlstone it’s been an evolution, a work in progress allied to my journey over the last 5 years. It was a questionable choice back then but one I’ve had to live with and I’ve learned a lot and improved along the way... my Scott rides very well in its current setup and I enjoy pushing it as well as myself. It’s gone as far as it can, unlike me and I’m constantly learning and hopefully improving. My next bike will be a full sus but in the meantime I will live and ride within my means, until circumstances and good fortune permit
@@darcyphillips70 I’m expecting a new Scale frame out in 2022 (the old one hasn’t changed for a few years so geo is getting dated) so I may take a look at that, but I think I’m with you as I want a full suspension option. Maybe I’ll remortgage house and run two bikes, a Yeti perhaps 😂
@@scottlstone yeah they ain’t cheap are they 😬 Love my Scale 740 and you’re right, geo is well dated know but I wasn’t sure what I wanted out of MTB when I first started out. Slackening the head by 2 degrees, shortening the stem and raising the bars transformed for it for me. She’s a keeper, she still climbs well but does the off piste stuff and trail centre shenanigans that I enjoy most... odd bit of XC thrown in for good measure. I’ll not get rid of it, my goal is a Nukeproof Giga though.... opposite end of the spectrum and I’m a little way off turning that into a reality. In the meantime, it’s me and the Scott at FoD with plenty to smile about 😊 Good luck with the Yeti, nice bike... and good to talk, stay safe dude
There’s another GMBN vid where they suggest you don’t run wide bars along with a longer, (70mm+), stem? Personally I settled on 60mm with 760mm bars on my XC bike and it feels fine.
congratulations for this so good and explanatory video!!! Please provide me with your feedback on the following query: ktm Machina chacana 691 ltd is suitable for trails or only for XC ? thank you !
So I have a Specialized Camber Pro, which is a trail bike. It has 110mm travel in the front. Is it possible to make it more aggressive by replacing the front fork with 130 mm of travel? My riding style has changed, now I want a more aggressive ride. Close to a enduro style riding.
The maxxis aggressor, whilst not technically an XC tyre is still pretty fast rolling, especially in the lighter casings and offers much more grip for trail riding 👍
Have you tried any of these adjustments or upgrades?
Great tips, I adjusted my brake handles a little higher and excited to try it out.
Just ordered an XC bike today! Definitely excited to try some of these, especially because I'm coming off an enduro bike.
I just put a set of 780mm raceface chesters on my Scott scale
Not as such, I’ve added lightness to my bike
Thx Doddy for that great tip about moving the cleats inward. Will definitely try that. What about tyre choice esp on the front? And have you ever considered installing an angleset? I did, and the slacker angle gives me more confidence when going downhill.
Todays fs xc bikes are already very capable. What i want to see is a cheap 'xc' entry level hardtail modded and shreded downhill
How bout a 500 dollar apollo aspire 10 27.5 built up? Doing that currently, I got it as a bare frame so I could use any parts I want on it, 1x10 11-42t cassette 32t chain ring, haven't decided on the derailuer yet but I'm also getting hydraulic brakes for it, rockshox Judy tk silver fork as I don't see the point putting a fork that costs more than the bike on it 😂
There are entry level hardtail enduro bikes which would be lightweight and affordable like hardtail XCs but has the geometry for better downhill performance. Build something like an XC-Enduro hybrid, but then it will be a compromise between the two.
Agreed. I have a 8yr old XC bike 26er. Id like to see how I can best take on jumps and big drops that come along a flowing trail with OTB'ing as my geometry doest inspire confidence in taking on Jumps especially. On a slack FS it feels a world apart.
@@sepg5084 isn't xc-enduro called trail? they are made to go through the trails so up and down, enduro is a bit like this too but more towards dh
I'd like to see this too
Doddy always talks with common sense and logic backing him up. Take heed I say
The one thing I would recommend is a dropper post, it adds lots of weight but the benefit is unbelievable
At that point just buy a trail bike lmao
There's one on that bike, did you watch the video?
@@Nosloveingneko lux comes with a dropper...
Just buy a trail bike it be more better lol
@@Nosloveingneko a trail bike ain’t winning no xc races. An xc bike with a dropper will.
Here I was hoping Doddy was going to go Sam pilgrim style with DH forks, mullet set up and high rise bars.
A dual crown would snap that head tube off so fast though. The geo would go so wonky too.
That being said. I want to see it too!
🙄🤦♂️
When things were at their very worst:
2 Suns, Cross in the sky, 2 comets will collide = don`t be afraid - repent, accept Lord`s Hand of Mercy.
The first sign - the Earth will spin faster.
The second sign concerns the sun, which will loom larger, brighter and begin to spin.
Scientists will say it was a global illusion.
Beaware - Jesus will never walk in flesh again.
After WW3 - rise of the “ man of peace“ from the East = Antichrist - the most powerful, popular, charismatic and influential leader of all time. Many miracles will be attributed to him. He will imitate Jesus in every conceivable way.
Don`t trust „pope“ Francis = the False Prophet
- will seem to rise from the dead
- will unite all Christian Churches and all Religions as one.
One World Religion = the seat of the Antichrist.
Benedict XVI is the last true pope - will be accused of a crime of which he is totally innocent.
- banking collapse was deliberately masterminded by the Antichrist
- Antichrist will step in and create a false peace in the state of Israel by joining them with palestine in an unlikely alliance.
- „He will recite extracts from My Teachings, which he will passionately proclaim from every secular stage in the world, until people sit up and take notice of him.“
The Book of Truth
mdmlastprophet.com/the-schism-in-my-church-will-be-broken-into-different-stages/
mdmlastprophet.com/arab-uprising-will-spark-global-unrest-italy-will-trigger-fall-out/
@@gabmichael8546 ooooh. You’re a special kind of crazy. Tell me more of your secrets!
@@dennispikephotography LOL
love it, 'i bottom my ring out a couple of times, the o-ring on the shock that is!!'
My skewer got quick released.
On my wheel that is.
And here I thought you were talking about your Prince Albert!
Dont forget the tires themself, front one especially. Swapped Nobby Nick for Fat Albert and it makes a lot of difference. Its an older, 26 inch bike but it still packs a punch
i use a shorter stem ans a narrower set of bars it has improved my comfort and the bike seems track better !
Dropper post for sure. On smooth climbs you can keep it high for efficiency, on tech climbs you can drop it very slightly for balance and then slam it on descents for the best agility. Worth the weight penalty IMO
I learned the lesson about wide bars the hard way. I was pedaling along between the trees, and the next thing I knew I was on the ground. Ever since then I've paid more attention to my clearance.
I had a pair of ScottAT-2LF bars on my old bike. www.bikepro.com/products/handlebars/scott_combo.html.
182 grams, 550cm, built in bar ends. Tiny super light, flexible little things, loved them. I could ride slowly through crowds on the beach, knowing my shoulders were wider than my bars. Never had to worry about tree width, but they provided zero leverage when standing and pulling. These were the good old days of early mtb. 1998. If i could get a pair in 750 width id buy them in a second.
Ride safe, my friend.
I was riding a trail last year and there was a section where it passed between two trees that must have been about 800mm apart. Needless to say there were score marks in either tree at bar height!
Show and describe a downcountry bike, without calling the name.
Love Doddy and the rest of the bunch.
You guys got me hooked
I went back to narrow for the bars due to muscle engagement and shoulder stress issues. I saw by the end of the 2021 UCI XC season almost every man had switched to the 34 stepcast of those that used Fox. thanks for the tech updates.
I just got a cross country bike, and these tips were very helpful to me, especially the one about not going with a shorter stem. I'm currently doing without a dropper post, and I've found a middle-ground height for the seat that's okay for the types of trails I like to ride. However, as soon as I get the bike paid off, I hope to get a dropper in it soon.
I never really thought i needed a dropper until i bought a bike that already had one installed. Absolutely transformed how i ride downhill & technical stuff.
I really enjoyed transforming my Canyon Nerve 120 to suit my trail rides:
120mm dropper post
Handlebar - 720mm to 760mm
Stem: 90mm to 60mm
Angleset: -1.5º HA 69.5º to 68º
Fork: 120mm to 140mm HA 68º to 66.5º
Wheels: 19mm to 40mm inner rim width
Tyres: 2.2" to 2.6"
Bottom bracket is 10mm higher, wheel base is 25mm longer and reach is 15mm shorter
The bike now is way confortable and way better for my riding
How about downcountry hardtail setup? I'm looking for it. Hope you can make vid of it
same stuff thats in this video
I built mine with a Pike 130mm, M8120 brakes, a 150mm dropper and ofc 30mm wide rims (32h EX511 hoping they cope with abuse better). Depending on the use I might add an insert later. Love the strong wheels, capable brakes and super stable fork on a bike that can go fast anywhere, up or down.
@@DrivingMatterMedia what bike is it? I also have m8120 brakes on mine, fox 36 130mm and 30mm wide rims. I have a Marin San Quentin
@@calebolson6500 I built up a recent Niner Air 9 aluminium
@@calebolson6500 Nice spec on the Marin as well!
With the stem I would definitely change to a short one. It makes a huge difference. I'm all the way down to a 31mm stem on my Pivot 429sl. It jumps, bunny hops, and wheelies far better for obstacles and meneuvering. Long stems are for a front wheel that never comes off the ground.
I thought it would be logical to put a shorter stem if you go for wider handlebar to keep the same lean of the body.
I'd also add a riser bar with a sweep. Running a 25mm riser with an 8deg sweep gives a more natural slightly more agressive trail position especially with ergonomic grips es with ergon. Hadn't thought about the q-factor. Dropper post was essential. Added a 100mm to my hardtail made a world of difference. Didn't mention rotors. I changed from a 140/160 to a 160/180 rear/front. Big difference in confidence.
Actually on my hardtail I boosted up the front fork pressure so the front end doesnt dive as much going down steps and drops . It still absorbs some reverberation of the ground and my body does the rest . This has been very helpful for my bike at a 69 degree headtube angle and I never bottom out . The lower pressure created and even steeper headtube angle . Havent went otb in over a year and I have had some nose heavy impacts that I would have with lower pressure . So I gained more confidence and better results pointing down with higher pressure in my front fork on my hardtail .
I would add riser buzz or a fork stem extension.
I have done this to both my mountain bikes, and with the higher bar position definitely gives me more confidence going down very steep gnarly tracks
Just discovered this video! Thank you for the tip on the break levers! I struggle with wrist pain on the downhill because of my fingers on the break, so I'll try that!
I switched from 100mm to 120mm fork on my HT and I agree, a dropper post is a must have! I run 27.5+ tires (I'm short) and while it's not the fastest set up for flat and uphill, it gives me great comfort and confidence on technical descents. This way I can ride stuff where I only meet riders with FS bikes.
Glad we could be of service 🫡
Just wanted to let you know I enjoy a few channels and you have become one of my favorite. I must admit I am a definite Ebike kinda guy and tend to migrate more towards Ebike channels but really enjoy all your great information. Good job and Thanks 🙏
Thanks for the kind words!
I bought a second hand 90mm mechanical dropper post just to try it out and is the best upgrade I could have done to my bike. I even like the mechanical system better than the hydraulic, because of weight, fixed positions and simplicity of maintenance.
What does it help with?
@@theparadigmshift74 With making room to shift your weight over the bike while going downhill on broken terrain. It is safer and more comfortable. For XC, where you have constant ups and downs is ideal.
I just bought a thicker grips because thinner ones makes my arthritis flare up. Since then, my hand feels more relax and comfortable.
I did the same , I love my Lizard Skin Northshore grips.
Here were the upgrades I implemented on my SC Blur to make it more downcountry:
1) rigid carbon seat post -> fox transfer dropper post
2) racy Aspen tires -> Maxxis Ikon in back and forecaster in front
3) six inch rotor -> 8 inch rotor on the front
4) 100 mm fox 32 fork -> 120 mm rockshox SID ultimate fork
5) removed remote lockout to get rid of all the clutter on the cockpit (shock is now always open and fork has lockout switch on the crown)
All of these changes have made my blur sooo much more capable and fun!
Man flexible shoes are the only shoes I wanna ever ride a bike on, I use Vans on my flats and love how well I can feel where the pedal is! Have had only a single pedal slip on an MTB since I've been running those
Sounds odd to some but I live in a hilly part of Wiltshire so I've had to build a bike capable of DH riding but with XC comfort. The solution is a DMR Bolt frame with 800mm Nukeproof Neutron bars, a 35mm DMR Defy stem, Fox Vanilla 130mm forks, all very DH/slopestyle, however the drivechain is pure NX Eagle 12spd for the miles. The seatpost is as long as will slam in the frame so it can come up to the height I require. Some big HT pedals get the power to the road.
It goes the distance very well, climbs comfortably enough but it flys down the bigger, gnarlier hills too.
Post a vid of it on you youtube channel I really want to see it now
@@nathanloftus6988 I've got plans to get it on film doing all the different actions it's capable of, issue is getting a good ride in around work. Hopefully I'll be out riding in the next few weeks.
I've said it before an I'll say it again that Lux is a seriously beautiful, I nned one!
Would be what I’d get to be fair. The groupsets you get with them are generous too
If you wait a year, the next generation should be coming out, thats what im waiting for right now. Till then, im riding a $30 garage sale bike. Lol. 35 pounds of rigid steel. By the time i get the 2022 Lux, i should be in insane shape. Cheap bikes get you fit enough to really take advantage of expensive bikes.
I have a Trek marlin 8 2nd gen rockshox judy air 100mm , from the store the shox were way too stiff , I dont weigh much ..I went to the shop and took out air and now the diference is incredable ..now it feels like a new bike 👍🚴♂️
One thing I noticed is that geometry is really everything. Ok true you cannot change that on a bike but you could go for a xc bike with a better geometry than another one. Was just testing my steel fully rigid mtb that I got for bikepacking and it felt more capable than my Scott spark tuned which is fully suspended!
That's was my factor when was upgrading my garage from Specialized Carve Pro to Canyon Neuron CF8. Light trail bike cross upgraded with some CX components. Im tall like you but lite bit heavier and love it now.
So I was in a unique position where I didn’t have a single bike. It I had a decent budget to either get 2 mid range bikes or one high end bike. Thinking a gravel bike might be the best option as I could do some road and basic off road riding with it I discovered the bike that I wanted was still out of my budget range. But I think this was a good thing as it lead me to look at an XC bike. I was surprised that the geometry was steeper than a trail bike, the 29” tires made the bike fast on or off road, and it even had carbon wheel that made the bike super light and again really fast. So I decided on getting the Giant Anthem Advanced Pro 3. It’s great for basic trail riding, which is all I want after some unfortunate crashes due to me thinking I’m a better biker than I actually am, and it’s fun on the road as well. I’m sure that one day I’ll get some type of drop bar bike, but in the mean time I have the all round XC bike that suits my needs to bring full two wheel enjoyment. So what are your thoughts? Did I make the right decision?
I was in a similar position, looked at gravel (only for 5 minutes because i know i'd never get on with curly bars & brifters!) & then bought a 2017 giant xtc advanced. Frame shapes of modern gravel bikes look suspiciously like hardtail xc bikes from that period!
Shortened the stem & swapped the fox step cast 32 performance for a bright orange 2022 step cast 34 factory, & this thing is now an xc weapon. It's got aero bars too for the road.
I think all it needs is a 4 piston front brake & it's been fully "downcountrified".
@@skyriminspace that sounds perfect. Enjoy the trails.
Good video overall with some good points. I like that you qualify some of the statements by height, weight, intent etc. I have to laugh about "massive" (and other emphasis words) when we're talking about small deltas. A few millimeters wheel width, a few millimeters q factor, a few millimeters fork travel. They all make a difference, but none fit the truth in advertising effect of "massive". Thanks for the smiles!
I usually have my break levers uneven, I always have my rear break pointed a bit more down so it's easier when I stand up and my front break a bit more up so it's easier when I sit. Since I don't want to slam my front break when I go downhill it works
That's quite an interesting setup! 👍
@@gmbntech Thanks
I have done all these to my ride plus a Slack-R headset making my head angle 1.2° slacker. It instantly felt much more stable on the descents plus I have 120mm fork which is really nice for slightly bigger impacts.
I took at 1990ish hardtail xc bike down lift-served trails once. Biggest problem with that was honestly the cantilever brakes being worthless. Slowing down was a safety issue. If I had upgraded that thing to have even modest mechanical disc brakes a la 2005, it would have been perfectly fine. I also did lift-served trails later on a 2004 Specialized FSR. The full suspension was nice, for an older xc bike, but the main issue was still brakes. The V brakes were still awful, not as bad as cantilever, but still bad. I did the same trail recently with a modest trail bike that had 180mm hydraulic disc brakes and it was so much less panic-inducing.
I lifted the controls a bit higher on my Ragley Big Al and it's made a big difference to hand comfort!
Love this one Doddy! I have a 2020 Scott Spark 940, and loving that 120mm travel. "Down country" style bikes are definitely my jam!
Doddy is a treasure
If your going to buy a dropper post don’t go cheap. I bought a £50 dropper post, it rattled, it was difficult to setup, it broke within a couple gentle rides. You have to splash some cash to get one that’s worth the money.
1. Fox Transfer Factory $360
2. OneUp Dropper V2 $215
3. BikeYoke Revive $375
4. PNW Loam $199
Just my opinion. I have a Fox Transfer dropper rn and it has been amazing but I will say that the oneup is almost a good!
BrandX do some excellent ones. Not the fanciest but cheap and near bulletproof
trans-x or brand-x (same thing) they make some great dropper posts, they are OEM dropper suppliers. also the pnw posts and levers are essentially rebranded trans-x posts
I really like your underlying message in this video in that, set up your bike how it best suits you. No need to follow the heard and confirm to how everyone else looks and how they set up their bike. Ignore the funny looks and enjoy yourself! I often wear trail shoes on my XC bike, and if riding heavy stuff on my own i sometimes go full knee pads, even full face helmet at times.
A Nay sayers advice might help at times; I too tried a shorter stem yrs ago but as doddy said it ruined my handling so i swapped it back.
This video has good advice and i might try wider pedals to see if my Q stance can help my handling improve. Cheers. Happy peddling ppl :-)
Just a genius !! Thanks very much.
When I'm watching to my dream bike💯 ultimate fan of canyon bikes
Doddy had showed his Canyon Lux in many videos. But never done a bike check of it.
Why???
I think his DNA is Trail style bikes rather than XC
I bought a SCOTT Spark yesterday and am awaiting measurement setup so I can bring it home and try it out, I come from a 500€ bike haha, should be a massive step up, just a bit worried about the 100/110 travel back and front. Its a decent sum of money spending so I hope the bike will bring me loads of fun. This is a great video however that will help me tweak any gains I may consider needing for the techy or downhill parts, great video so thank you!!
This video basically: take a cross country RACEBIKE and turn it into a trailbike :)
I really really like the music in this video than the others
About the brake levers, to me it seems foreign to see you braking with the second knuckle on your finger. I use my finger tips for braking which puts the brake levers into a lower position still (but not XC low). Maybe it's just me.
Second knuckle braking gives you more endurance for long descents, imo. Also good for modulation.
Good info doddy wide bars are the best have been running 810mm bars on both my bikes and would never go back , love the cats wiskers comparism , kel
Also a higher rise bar to increase your virtual stack height.
There's actually hand blockers you put on the handle bar and it protects then very well
Really good video doddy thx
Great video and tips Doddy
Back in the day I added chunkier 2.3 tires and wider bars on my 26er xc hard tail to better suit the terrain in my area. I had know idea I was doing “down country” over a decade ago 😜
Love the vids always guys🤙🏼
havent watched it yet but im guessing
1. tires
2. cockpit
3. bigger rotors
4. dropper
5. slightly more travel fork and shock
how did i do?
More travel shock?
Think about it for a moment.
@@braamschmidmountainbiking632 ahahah u know what i mean a longer stroke shock and a longer travel fork
Volume spacers are great!
I went with an Intense Sniper T.....it kills it on the climbs and downhills
you have the xc race tires with the weak sidewalls, get them changed to the trail version.
Why don’t they connect the dropper post with the rear shock, so you open the rear shock when you drop the post. This way the shock is closed when you’re climbing and open when you descend and every small adjustment in between.
What about the triangle of head and hands? A wider bars puts your hands out and pulls your shoulders, chest, and head forward. The wider bars should have dictated a shorter stem to maintain the existing balance of the cockpit.
As well as the steering axis
You have cat whiskers on your elbow!? =O gnar
Doddy you just wanted to show us the nice bike 😉
Great video Doddy!
Doddy’s Stem: 80mm
My forks: 75mm
Great tips better info then gcn
My Orbea Mx 50 has a sr suntour fork that has 100mm travel but I am to light for it even in its softest setting. I end up using half of the travel, in theory doubling the affective travel. So I have been considering some of these upgrades.
Great video. Thanks 🙏🏽
Great video, I learned few things I didn't know before
A lot of promises from Doddy👍😁
When adding a shorter stem, wouldn’t wider bars compensate for that with your position. The stem brings you back but the wider arms would bring you forward a bit?
Yes, see how far Doddy has his seat loft also. Combining the two really puts his weight much further forward
No wider your bars do not bring you more forward. It would be negligible. What it will do is negate the shorter stem. A shorter stem reduces the steering Arc a wider bar increases the steering arc. When you want to Quicken the steering you either shorten the stem and or the bars. If you want to slow the steering down you increase the length of the stem and the bars. Not too mention very wide bars are not ergonomically correct, they put undue stress on your shoulders. It's okay if you just strictly doing DH, but for any type of prolong riding you are doing damage to ligaments and tendons over a long period of time.
#askgmbntech Doddy I am confused. If you install wider bars with the same length stem wouldn't you effectively be putting more weight bias toward the front of the bike? I would think if you widened the bars you could shorten the stem and keep the same weight distribution on the bike. ???
Then you’d have less weight over the front wheel, unless the bike stock is on the short side I personally wouldn’t widen the bar
Oh man I was hoping that thumbnail was real
Q Factor has no play in stability at two wheels. Though narrow Q factor may limit how much you can play with your position on the bike
Always good content
Vittoria Barzo to make it more DH capable? Why not put the meatiest, widest tires on the bike??? The tires make a gigantic difference in downhill capability. You will probably have to pump up the tires more to roll ok, but you simply can't run XC tires downhill and expect great performance. You can however expect a lot of drama and uncertainty, if not a string of unnecessary crashes. That's really the number one XC fallacy, that they by definition have to run skinny slick tires. Absolutely not. Throw on whatever fits, point it downhill, and see the difference. One might argue that it's not an XC bike anymore if it has trail or DH tires on it. OK, whatever. We are talking about how to improve performance, not keeping some definition pure.
Okay I'm taking some of your advice I usually run at 45 degrees I like them low but I moved them up 5° . And I switched out my ESI Chunky's to ergon ga2's.but I am sticking with my flats. Live in the desert and sometimes you have to move your feet and legs fast. Because we have cactuses in plants that will actually just come out and grab you.
I put 28mm ID wheels and 2.35 tires, a dropper and a works 2deg angleset on my old XTC ..night and day - now I need a fork.
Really helpful!
I kid you not, I sold my bike this week! to get a more downhill capable.
Congrats man
I know you are a big fan of the Canyon Spectral. For everyday cross country trail riding which do you prefer, Lux or Spectral?
Hardtail XC bike with 70.5 head tube angle... How about slackening the head angle with and adjustable slacker headset? Also, what about the mullet setup? Thanks Doddy.
Dropper posts are expensive. Can you make one out of an office chair lift?
My bike set up 730mm handle bar 80mm stem length ..its that ok??
I would pay to see Doddy and Seth Alvo from Berm Peak make a video :) one is really tall .. the other, Seth
Can you make a video on angleset headsets?
There is tons of videos explaining how to Trailish your XC bike, but what about XCish your Trail bike, thats whats Im after 🙂 I have very lightweight Trail/Enduro bike and I think with propper changes it will ride crazy fast, I have already backed up from 2.5 to 2.35 tires, (fast hard rear semi slick gravity rubber and soft, semi grippy front) I stiffened sus too, what elese I can do? MAybe just do the opposite what he adviced in this video? 😀
Scott Scale 740... Brand X Ascend II 150mm dropper, Nukeproof Horizon Carbon bars 780mm 25mm rise (original 730mm flat), Nukeproof Horizon stem 60mm 5mm rise (original 90mm -2 degree drop), Works Components 2 degree (slackened) headset (original 67.5 degree, now 65.5 degree), 1x conversion 11/46 cassette 36t absoluteBLACK oval chainring, Shimano sintered pads, tubeless conversion, MAXXIS MINION DHF EXO 27.5 2.3front/MAXXIS MINION DHR II EXO 27.5 2.3 rear, Nukeproof Horizon Pro Enduro peddles... XC dna with trail/enduro genetic modifications 😊
That’s a lot of customisation going on there (maybe you chose the wrong bike) I ran a 60mm stem on my Scale Large (stock 80mm) it was far too short and I found it uncomfortable and messed up my riding position so I’ve gone back to 80mm. It doesn’t look as good but short stems are better suited for trail bikes with the riser bar, unless you’re trying to achieve the Doddy “down county” of course.
@@scottlstone it’s been an evolution, a work in progress allied to my journey over the last 5 years. It was a questionable choice back then but one I’ve had to live with and I’ve learned a lot and improved along the way... my Scott rides very well in its current setup and I enjoy pushing it as well as myself. It’s gone as far as it can, unlike me and I’m constantly learning and hopefully improving. My next bike will be a full sus but in the meantime I will live and ride within my means, until circumstances and good fortune permit
@@darcyphillips70 I’m expecting a new Scale frame out in 2022 (the old one hasn’t changed for a few years so geo is getting dated) so I may take a look at that, but I think I’m with you as I want a full suspension option. Maybe I’ll remortgage house and run two bikes, a Yeti perhaps 😂
@@scottlstone yeah they ain’t cheap are they 😬 Love my Scale 740 and you’re right, geo is well dated know but I wasn’t sure what I wanted out of MTB when I first started out. Slackening the head by 2 degrees, shortening the stem and raising the bars transformed for it for me. She’s a keeper, she still climbs well but does the off piste stuff and trail centre shenanigans that I enjoy most... odd bit of XC thrown in for good measure. I’ll not get rid of it, my goal is a Nukeproof Giga though.... opposite end of the spectrum and I’m a little way off turning that into a reality. In the meantime, it’s me and the Scott at FoD with plenty to smile about 😊 Good luck with the Yeti, nice bike... and good to talk, stay safe dude
Hey Doddy, What are you doing with that canyon bar/stem? Hook me up lol
There’s another GMBN vid where they suggest you don’t run wide bars along with a longer, (70mm+), stem? Personally I settled on 60mm with 760mm bars on my XC bike and it feels fine.
Doddy, 194cm is 6ft 4. I'm 193cm myself, which is also 6ft 4.
Me too and I wonder, is this L or XL frame?
@@marin982 Better to ask Doddy himself.
@@marin982 XL. Got one myself, 191cm
congratulations for this so good and explanatory video!!! Please provide me with your feedback on the following query: ktm Machina chacana 691 ltd is suitable for trails or only for XC ? thank you !
So I have a Specialized Camber Pro, which is a trail bike. It has 110mm travel in the front. Is it possible to make it more aggressive by replacing the front fork with 130 mm of travel? My riding style has changed, now I want a more aggressive ride. Close to a enduro style riding.
Which inserts do you use in your rear tire?
I insert compressed air and sealant into mine
Great O-Ring joke.. ;)
On the dirtjumper i run the brake in a position in witch it can't get damadged if i go over the bars on flat ground
0:52 sound familiar
Rare video from GMBN in sense that there is lot of audio issues
First step: get a trail bike 🔥
Can you make a trail bike an xc racing capable?
What’s a good XC but more trail friendly tire ?
The maxxis aggressor, whilst not technically an XC tyre is still pretty fast rolling, especially in the lighter casings and offers much more grip for trail riding 👍
Maxxis Ardent and Rekon are good options, pretty fast and lots grip till gets super wet.
@@nebnollock5198 I run the Aggressor/Dissector combo on my trail-ish XC bike. Feels much faster/lighter than expected.