|   Bike with High Bottom bracket clearance | cityjack
Sep 23, 2003 11:50 AM | | Hey all,
I am in the market for a full suspension, 2004 XC/DH bike with a descent amount of bottom bracket clearance. I like the Blur, and it is in my price range. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. |
| Ellsworth Id | TruckeeLocal
Sep 23, 2003 4:15 PM | | Has both a high bottom bracket and top-tube. Even after the sag the BB is probably an inch higher than most. Is the Blur an XC/DH bike ? I'd call it way more XC than DH. The Id is a little closer towards the DH side, but not much, but has more travel and wider wheel clearance (and higher BB). And bigger $$$s.
But your post begs the question - why do you need a high bottom bracket. The easiest way to get a lot of clearance is to get a smaller big chainring or swop it out for a bash ring on a bike that you've chosen for other reasons. Like fit and comfort and affordability. |
| Ellsworth Id | cityjack
Sep 24, 2003 5:20 AM | | I use to race motocross. I want to be able to now and then take some descent drops or jumps and not have the bike bottom out on the ground. I've read that the Blur sometimes will hit rocks and roots on the pedals. Just want more clearance. You said the ID is more suited for DH than the Blur. I live very close to a National Forest here in SW Virginia. Mostly climbs and dives. The bike will see mostly hard trails with whatever drop offs and jumps I can find. I just want the bike to hold together like a down hill bike should and be able thrash the trails all day as well. i guess I want the best of both worlds or close to it. Thanks for your help. |
| re: Bike with High Bottom bracket clearance | bear42
Sep 23, 2003 6:00 PM | | Titus Quasi-Moto does pretty well.
On a spec.enduro I liked having a big-ring-replacing-bashguard, but since converting to the quasi I have been enjoying having the big ring back and no rock-hits yet.
Not a cheap frameset tho' |
| Look at... | The Squeaky Wheel
Sep 24, 2003 3:12 AM | | Ventana El Chamuco. 6" travel and high bottom bracket. Built for abuse but very serviceable as an aggressive x-country bike.
Squeak |
| Look at... | cityjack
Sep 24, 2003 5:22 AM | | Thank you very much. |
| Check out Intense | Adman
Sep 24, 2003 4:46 AM | | The Tracer's a great performing XC/trail bike with a higher BB height than most(13.5-13.75"). If you're looking for more travel, the Uzzi SLX has more clearance (13.5-15")
Have you ridden many bikes with extra BB height? Some find it difficult to get used to, but others (including me) take to it. I run longer cranks (180mm) & bigger pedals this way with fewer clearance issues.
I'm not entirely biased towards Intense & am sure there are some other great choices;I just know these 2 frames pretty well.
-Adam |
| Check out Intense | cityjack
Sep 24, 2003 5:27 AM | | I have NEVER ridden a full suspension MTB. I have raced MX for 20 something years, so I'm not a total newbie. The High bottom bracket idea came from just wanting more clearance between me and the roots and rocks. Also, I am 40 years old, weigh 185 but still like to jump the occasional double or a drop off every now and then. The bike will see mostly aggressive trails with some jumps and drops thrown in on the weekend. I guess I want the best of both worlds. Lite enuff for XC maybe even race. But, I want to thrash the bike on other days and want the bike to hold up. Any other help you can give would be great. My wife has given me the OK to build whatever I want after the first of the year. That means 04' stuff :) |
| Sounds like a 4-5" travel FS bike would fit the bill | Adman
Sep 24, 2003 5:56 AM | | Fortunately for you, there are a lot of excellent quality bikes to choose from in this category. If you're coming from a hardtail, anything much over 5" would be overkill for the uses you described.
The popular bike of this message board these days is the Turner 5-Sport. I've not ridden one, but I built my girlfriend's XCE, and I appreciate the frame quality & durability of the Turners.
I'm a fan of a higher BB-longer cranks (180mm), bigger pedals (Shimano 545), and lots of logs, rocks, obstacles make a higher BB desireable for me. A friend of mine on an Enduro gets 'hung up' on some logs or rocks that I clear..in part due to a higher BB on an otherwise similarly performing bike (Enduro/Tracer). You could always run a rock ring as another post suggested, opening your options up even further. Good luck & have fun w/ your bike build!
-Adam |
| Welcome Moto Brother.. | Redriderpro
Sep 24, 2003 6:31 AM | | I too raced Moto (various types) for 15 years... actually gonna do an Enduro Next Month here in Florida.
(Borrowed a DR400 for my 2ed ride in last 12 years).
Anyway... I have an Ellsworh ID, from your posts I think the ID will be the ticket for you, it fits what I do 100%, which is pretty much what you described.
Buy it, Ride it, Love it. |
| Welcome Moto Brother.. | cityjack
Sep 24, 2003 7:36 PM | | Hey,
So this "ID", can it handle a descent drop from time to time? Of course with the proper landing technique. How does it climb? I am in good shape btu goin up climbs at the age of 40 does have its limitations. The last thing I want is whatever power I got left in my legs to go into back end bob. I appreciate your help. Hows the paint job and artwork? |
| Welcome Moto Brother.. | Redriderpro
Sep 25, 2003 6:24 AM | | To me, my Id climbs better than my 2000 model Truth even though the way it's setup it weighs 30.5 lb. I weigh 240 lb and I'm 45, so considering that yeah, it climbs very well all you gotta do is turn the cranks. "Bob don't live on the Id", just sit down and pedal, if you stand yeah it will move some but who stands to climb on a bike like this.( I have the Romic coil shock with 500 lb spring, could probably use a 600 though)
Drops? I don't go out of my way looking for drops, jumps, yeah it's good! Just go as fast as possible and make like Lorocco doing Lorroco's leap.
Welds and the finish(annoidised) make it look like it should be in an art gallery.
Try one and a Truth and maybe a Turner 5 Spot, one of those should do it. ( longer is better of course, travel that is)
Ps... if it breaks and all things can break, rest easy that you have a lifetime warranty. That don't mean that it will be a troblefree warraty issue ( I broke the Truth three times, each time all went well)but it's there. ( some people have had a hard time getting them to do the right thing)
I'd get that Funky Gold if I were building one today, there would have been a month wait when I built mine so I got the Red.
Mine is frame #42 or #45 I think... has the old style seatatays (D shaped) but going on two years old, no breakage. |
| ID | fattirewilly
Sep 25, 2003 12:49 PM | | FYI, Mountain Bike Action did a detailed review of the ID in the Nov. 2002 issue (I think). Check the reviews on here on MTBR and look at MBA's site. |
| Sounds like a 4-5" travel FS bike would fit the bill | cityjack
Sep 24, 2003 7:32 PM | | So Ada,
Are you saying the 5-Spot has a High BB per say, descent travel for the occasional 4-5 ft drop and very good craftsmanship? I saw a Jekyl 500 the other day, 2003. The frame work to me was awesome. I could not believe it was aluminum. But it was low slung to the ground. Nice looking bike anyway. So I will check out this Turner frame you speak of. You see, my wife doesn't have a problem with the cash, as long as i don't kill her all at one time. :) I figure I get in with a very nice frame and shock first. She won't even notice me hitting her for the components as the days go bye. :) Thanks my friend. We use to race MX for years. She is use to it. Have a good night. |
| BB Heights (which is what you asked about in the first place) | TruckeeLocal
Sep 25, 2003 8:08 AM | | Trek Fuel 12.3"
Santa Cruz Blur 12.6"
Turner 5-Spot 13.25"
Ellsworth Id 14"
All from the manufacturers' web sites.
Now the reality is that if you're on a well used bike trail then the trail is built for the lower/lowest common denominator 'cause folks don't like catching their big chainring on logs and rocks and it doesn't take long for someone (like me) to get off my bike and move the problem rock(s) and/or logs so the trail is more biker friendly. On the other hand if you're more creative about your trail selection, perhaps taking horse or hiking trails, then the extra clearance might make a difference occasionally. More often though you'll probably tick-off the regular users of those trails. Having said that yesterday I ended up in a rut on a jeep trail and the extra clearance on my Id was usefull 'cause I could still pedal along in the rut. Just about. |
| Wow, do you really do that? | DaveG
Sep 25, 2003 9:59 AM | | "and it doesn't take long for someone (like me) to get off my bike and move the problem rock(s) and/or logs "
You do this? I must admit it's one of my pet peeves when people dumb down a trail. Almost all logs/rocks can be gotten over w/o bashing your big-ring w/ the proper technique. I've ridden up 1 1/2 foot or so rock ledges w/o touching anything except my tires. Of course if I don't time it right I bash my front rings, but that's part of the fun isn't it? I hope you're not riding on my trails!
Dave |
| I live in a tourist area | TruckeeLocal
Sep 25, 2003 11:38 AM | | If I'm on a well used trail, yes I'll clean it up. But if I'm on a 'locals' trail then it remains both a secret and unmaintained within reason. But the visitors up here have certain expectations and I think its something I can do to enhance their experience. By the way in the spring there tends to be lots of branches and fallen trees that do need relocating. I'd hope that you'd be responsible enough to invest some of your time to recovering the trails rather than climb over and continue your ride. My experience is that very few folks do help recover trails. |
| I live in a tourist area | DaveG
Sep 25, 2003 1:07 PM | | I certainly clear off branches and waist high logs etc. and do trail maintance but I certainly don't clear off obsticles which I think are fair game. I guess it depends on the perception of the "level" of the trail and the average user. If the trail is known as an easy trail and is heavily frequented by novices I guess it's reasonable to sanitize to a certain extent. I get really incensed when my local technical trail has this stuff done to it.
Dave |
| I won't trash a good technical trail | TruckeeLocal
Sep 25, 2003 2:02 PM | | Honest. Except, perhaps, by overusing the brakes. I don't know where you are but the trail I 'sanitize' (and pickup garbage on) is the Sawtooth Trail that was opened by the Forest Service last year. 15+ miles of non-technical single-track. Thanks Smokey ! |
| I third the Id | Crash_FLMB
Sep 24, 2003 9:07 AM | | I have one and it's amazing. A friend has the Blur and we swapped on the trail for a few minutes last night. If I was looking for a XC specific bike and also wanted to race it, I'd go with the Blur. But for what you described, the Id sounds like a better choice.
You won't be disappointed with either bike.
Hope all this helps. |
| I third the Id | cityjack
Sep 24, 2003 7:38 PM | | Thanks all you guys. This is a pretty good place the MTBreview. I will send pics, have NO worry. Gonna print the reviews on the "ID" and go home and read them. Good nite all.
Sid |
| yes, 14.75 inch BB height is most XC bike clearance | derby
Sep 25, 2003 3:58 PM | | The Ellsworth web site says 14 inch BB height, but is wrong on the BB height when set up with the recommended Romic shock, Fox Vanilla-RLC fork, and 2.1 tires. (I've measured two Id BB heights at 14.75 inches.)
Most owners love this bike.
- ray |
| Check out Intense | Hecubus
Sep 25, 2003 3:27 PM | | If tall BB's is what you want the Tracer is an incredible trailbike with 13.5" of clearance. If you want even more than that check out the UZZI-SLX. The BB height can be adjusted from 13.5" to an insane 15.25 (and even more with a longer travel fork). Be aware the once you go over 12.5 to 13" height the bike becomes somewhat difficult to mount. 13.5" is the highest I would consider practical if you intend to run your saddle at the proper height for proper leg extension. I wouldn't recomend any higher unless you plan on running the saddle lower and intend to use the bike mostly for downhill and minimal climbing. Also remember that a higher BB means a higher center of gravity. The bike will be a bit sloppier when turning and some people will not like that. |
| |
