My wife needs a new DH rig can you help.

[Nige]

Hi all I know another boy posting on the girls page but my intentions are just I think. My wife has been DH racing for a few years had some kids and then started racing again last year. I spent some money and reserected her tyred but not dead Giant AC 2. This year some of the other ladies have all got themselves new bikes and seem to be hammering and my girl is feeling a bit left out. So we are considering a new ride I just want to ask if anyone has any sugestions on DH rigs she dosnt want to modify a freeride bike and her main compitition ride Ironhourse Sundays so they are out also. I was thinking of a Giant Glory as people say they feel small to ride.
Please pass on your opinions I will apresiate it
Cheers Nige

Oh yer forgot to say shes 5'2" medium build in case it maters.

[roxy12]

If your looking at a glory id say youd definatly be after a small,
There definatly an easy way to get a solid race ready rig.
One thing people sem to complain about though is the fact that they do carry a bit of weight, however the weight is fairly low adn after testing them myself found it to feel no worse then my 2kg lighter race rig, but I did feel the differnence in acceleration.

Are you only intrested in the glory?
Might be worth haveign a look at the norco dh race range, they have a lower stand over height which tends to help peopl on the shorter side. There a fair bit lighter and feel damn awesome (the new ones dont buy the old ones~!)

Does she favour certain brands/parts or is she simply after somethign that handles better then the ac ?(haveing had one as my first dh bike i saw the differnence between bikes immediatly)

[Nige]

Thanks for the reply roxy12 I have heared they are a bit porky but was ashored some small changes can rectify that.(tyres, rear axle etc) Im more conserned with the fit then anything. Kathleen dosn't pay much attention to the actual workings of the bike she is more about the racing. I put new forks on one of my bikes 2 years ago different colour brand etc and to this day she hasn't noticed.
Anyhow getting of topic a bit she just wants a proper DH bike that can cut it with the rest but dosn't want a Sunday. So I will check out the norco's as you have sugested and yer I know about the old ones.
Cheers Nige

[roxy12]

well theres a girl down here whos a very similar height, who rides a glory and copes, but again its always best to try them out if you can, see which she feels more comfortable standing over.

you are right about those parts of the giant though, the axel isa peice of beef itself, i was quite shocked to see the weight it carried.

Let us know how tou go and if she finds one better then another.:)

[udi]

It's a shame she doesn't want a sunday, as they have dropped a fair amount of weight for 07, and the small (16") size would fit perfect. They are much lighter than the glory, and coupled with maybe an air boxxer and dhx air, you'd have a pretty killer little bike.

Like roxy said, acceleration is where a light bike is going to be handy, and I think it would make a noticeable difference for girls as well as smaller/lighter guys. You can throw light parts at a heavy frame all you want, but it's going to be costly and you'd be better off attacking it from the get go with a lighter frame.

[Nige]

Yer I hear what your saying. I went to our LBS last night checked out the Glory and some norco's and they are all bloody heavey. Talken to the guys there resulted in a leaning towards the Socom but the dollars are huge.
I think we may wait untill the end of the year, If she can get good results then maybe just maybe we will get it.

[toodles]

have a look at the specialized sx trails too... light frame and strong enough for quite a bit of abuse.

Otherwise, another vote here for the sundays...

[roxy12]

she wouldn't just go for another sunday painted a differenent colour would she?

convince her that itl be even playing ground among competitors then!

[sikpuppyonglory]

Don't mean to crash the girls forum here, but from a perspective of someone who actually rides a giant glory, i can say that even though it might be a tad heavy this bike actually accelerates very quickly from near standstill. I have had a couple of DH bikes in my time & the only one that felt quicker than this was the GT LTS DH back in its day.

As long as the bike is setup to how the rider wants it to feel should all be that matters.

Honestly though Nige, whichever bike she wants just get it setup correctly for her, otherwise she may still not keep up with her mates.

Happy bike hunting. :)

[MMelissa]

If I was looking for a really light-weight ride I'd convert a Haro Extreme X7 and upgrade the front forks. It'd be a small, light frame, corner well and can handle quite a beating.

[MMelissa]

I personally ride a Giant DH Comp. Good bike cept for a manufacturing problem with the swinger shock and a bottom bracket issue which was fairly easily fixed. Probably a heavier bike for someone who is only 5'2. I am 5'7 and medium build and I find it a pretty good ride and an affordable bike to buy... but she ain't real light!

[Techno Destructo]

I personally ride a Giant DH Comp. Good bike cept for a manufacturing problem with the swinger shock and a bottom bracket issue which was fairly easily fixed. Probably a heavier bike for someone who is only 5'2. I am 5'7 and medium build and I find it a pretty good ride and an affordable bike to buy... but she ain't real light!

Yeah, that seems to be a common issue with Giants... you get good bikes at good prices... but they have to have a weakness somewhere, and it usually seems to be the weight of the bike.

But the bikes are solid, don't get me wrong... My wife rides one and loves it!

[roxy12]

Yeah, that seems to be a common issue with Giants... you get good bikes at good prices... but they have to have a weakness somewhere, and it usually seems to be the weight of the bike.

But the bikes are solid, don't get me wrong... My wife rides one and loves it!

your wife dosnt ride a blue one by any chance?

[Techno Destructo]

Nope. Silver one (actually, it's not a DH Giant, but an AM Giant, but the weight thing still is the case....:o)

[roxy12]

Nope. Silver one (actually, it's not a DH Giant, but an AM Giant, but the weight thing still is the case....:o)

damn ah well.
Cant say ive looked into weights on the non dh stuff, but as long as shes happy it dosnt matter!:)

[Techno Destructo]

damn ah well.
Cant say ive looked into weights on the non dh stuff, but as long as shes happy it dosnt matter!:)

Well, I bought it as a frame only and was very choosy with what parts went on it... With many careful choices, I've managed to shave it down to something very respectable.... Now she won't let me ride it!:(

I think Giant is a good brand... it's just that their frames aren't the lightest ones out there...

But yeah... Nige (and Roxy), if we get the moolah together to drop on a DH bike for Penny (because she was a whisker away from entering her first DH race - and she loves the shuttle action...), it would probably be a Giant Glory. Definitely Giant for the value stakes...