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Bike for the Prescott Area??

4K views 60 replies 22 participants last post by  ArmedMonk 
#1 ·
When I left the Phoenix area, I sold my ReignX, as I doubted I needed it up in Prescott (plus was tight on funds @ the move time). It turns out my Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu obsession is getting out of control and I want a nice bike to ride on local trails around here, mainly for getting in great shape for tourney's, and fun. Would something like a Reign be good, or would something like a TranceX be better? I haven't had alot of experience on trails around here, thus I'm asking. Could anyone make any other good bike recommendations for the trails around here? The most gnar my friends in Phoenix even get into is National, so....

Also, I don't know if this matters, I'm slightly under 6' (more torso) and I'm around 210lbs with no gear. I know this is pushing it for the smaller 4" trail bikes, I feel more comfy on something 5"+ of travel...

Thanks in advance for the help!

-Rob

P.S. - I want to stay under $2500-$2700 for the bike, I know this really limits new bikes, but I should be able to get something NICE that's used, for this price, was looking for opinions on what models to look for, thanks!
 
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#3 ·
Trance X would be fine, also maybe a longer travel 29er like a sultan or niner WFO would work pretty well. You don't need a lot of travel for our mostly "intermediate" trails. New trails are being built, and these are mostly intermediate as well. We do have the "dells" section of very technical riding, but that's very slow-speed stuff with little flow, so you're not going to be enjoying a nice long downhill, and a heavy bike there takes a pretty big toll. If I was going to buy a new bike for just here, it would be something like a trance X, maybe 5-spot, maybe enduro, but that's about the limit on the travel for the riding here. Otherwise, you can absolutely use a bike like the reign in Flagstaff and South Mountain, but if you're primarily riding around here it may not be worth it. I ride pretty damn agressively, on some pretty big rigs, but fat tires and something like the trance X would be pretty optimal IMO. A trek scratch would probably work pretty well, is not too overbuilt, etc. I'd just be carefull of the ~6ish travel bikes, some will be pigs and not as much fun around here.
 
#4 ·
The only bikes allowed in Prescott are rigid 29" Single Speed bikes.

They will help your Kung Fu for sure.

In all reality, seriously, if you want to get into shape and have fun with minimal investment (500-1000 new) , it is an extremely viable option. They don't limit your trail choice much, they do force you to go slower downhill a bit.
 
#5 ·
Yes to Jayem, new trails built are sadly "more of the same" read borning and similar to a paved bike path in their technical difficulty. Get a ridgid bike, SS, or XC rig, some spandex and you will fit right in!!!!!! PMBA got us all stoked that our day was coming and we would be getting some variety in our trails up here(read vert, DH, FR and skills park), but unfortunately more of the same.........................And that is why P-town is sadly not a big draw for riders that want big stuff to ride and will never be a "destination", only an escape from the Heat of the valley for Phoenicians. Seriously, you don't need much bike up here.
 
#7 ·
tls36 said:
Yes to Jayem, new trails built are sadly "more of the same" read borning and similar to a paved bike path in their technical difficulty. Get a ridgid bike, SS, or XC rig, some spandex and you will fit right in!!!!!! PMBA got us all stoked that our day was coming and we would be getting some variety in our trails up here(read vert, DH, FR and skills park), fortunately our day is coming.........................And that is why P-town will be a big draw for riders that want big stuff to ride and will be a "destination", and escape from the Heat of the valley for Phoenicians. Seriously, you don't need much bike up here.
I fixed it for you. Your welcome.

I have it on good authority that next on the block is a TECHNICAL trail for the Prescott area.

And just to serve up a piece of poo pie. Instead of throwing it, why don't all of "the talkers" actually come and take part and help out with trail maintenance days and the likes. This stuff can't be built over night, but everyone wants to "whine and cry" about it.
And PMBA is the driving force behind this new tech trail, it's being mapped out now and should pretty bad ass after it done. The more people that get involved the faster/quicker these things can come to fruition.
 
#8 · (Edited)
tls36 said:
Yes to Jayem, new trails built are sadly "more of the same" read borning and similar to a paved bike path in their technical difficulty. Get a ridgid bike, SS, or XC rig, some spandex and you will fit right in!!!!!! PMBA got us all stoked that our day was coming and we would be getting some variety in our trails up here(read vert, DH, FR and skills park), but unfortunately more of the same.........................And that is why P-town is sadly not a big draw for riders that want big stuff to ride and will never be a "destination", only an escape from the Heat of the valley for Phoenicians. Seriously, you don't need much bike up here.
We have oodles of technical riding. The only thing we lack is long downhill runs with jumps IMO.

Oh yes, you can ride your rigid SS in the tech stuff too.

 
#10 ·
Enel said:
We have oodles of technical riding. The only thing we lack is long downhill runs with jumps IMO.
Yeah, but sadly no flow to that IMO. It's not even like riding in Sedona, and although I like doing the dells every once and a while, it's not my favorite kind of riding or even close. It's kind of "just because I can doesn't mean I have/want to" types of things. We also lack long downhills with drops, or long downhills with bermed/banked turns, or long downhills with other technical stuff, and so on.
 
#11 ·
pedal-man said:
I fixed it for you. Your welcome.

I have it on good authority that next on the block is a TECHNICAL trail for the Prescott area.

And just to serve up a piece of poo pie. Instead of throwing it, why don't all of "the talkers" actually come and take part and help out with trail maintenance days and the likes. This stuff can't be built over night, but everyone wants to "whine and cry" about it.
And PMBA is the driving force behind this new tech trail, it's being mapped out now and should pretty bad ass after it done. The more people that get involved the faster/quicker these things can come to fruition.
Now that is an awesome reply to a POC post! TLS36 love ya bro but you do a great deal of whining on MTBR about P-town and it's lack of gravity rides. IMHO, Spruce, Smith, 305 have some of the best downhill's around. And like Pedal-man said it takes time to get thru the redtape and actually get trails built. I don't make to all the trail maintenance sessions, but I get out when I can...haven't seen you out there yet??
 
#13 ·
gmookher said:
so, I just moved recently from the PNW, and am wondering where, in Prescott, are the jumps. Skinnys. Teeter totters. Berms. biker specific trail features ya know? or do I just not know where to ride my bigger bikes?
flagstaff
 
#14 ·
going29AZ said:
Now that is an awesome reply to a POC post! TLS36 love ya bro but you do a great deal of whining on MTBR about P-town and it's lack of gravity rides. IMHO, Spruce, Smith, 305 have some of the best downhill's around. And like Pedal-man said it takes time to get thru the redtape and actually get trails built. I don't make to all the trail maintenance sessions, but I get out when I can...haven't seen you out there yet??
You forgot the bottom half of West Spruce -- great trail IMO.
 
#15 ·
pedal-man said:
I fixed it for you. Your welcome.

I have it on good authority that next on the block is a TECHNICAL trail for the Prescott area.

And just to serve up a piece of poo pie. Instead of throwing it, why don't all of "the talkers" actually come and take part and help out with trail maintenance days and the likes. This stuff can't be built over night, but everyone wants to "whine and cry" about it.
And PMBA is the driving force behind this new tech trail, it's being mapped out now and should pretty bad ass after it done. The more people that get involved the faster/quicker these things can come to fruition.
Hmmm, I help when I can. So not everyone wants to "whine & cry" you should refrase that. Its pretty funny about the more people that get involved quote. I tried to volunteer to be on the Trail crew, but got ignored :confused: . Was asked by a bunch of peeps to come sign up during the open forum at P college to be on the crew, and I dd. BUT. I'm not crying, just saying. I help out a bunch when I can.
 
#16 ·
I have a 08 Trance X. Completely adequate for Preskitt when I lived there, and now in Flagstaff. May not be full tilt kilt downhill bomber or weight nazi approved XC but works pretty damn good for everything. 140-150mm fork is about all I still want to change on it. But i love the thing, and it was cheap.

And I think the Lakeshore/Willow trails flow pretty damn well. Both sides are 99% cleanable, with practice. Its not fast by any means but I still have a blast riding it, although I ride trials so that probably explains a lot...
 
#18 ·
-Chainslap- said:
And I think the Lakeshore/Willow trails flow pretty damn well. Both sides are 99% cleanable, with practice. Its not fast by any means but I still have a blast riding it, although I ride trials so that probably explains a lot...
If that's the case though, I'd say that EVERY and ALL trails flow pretty damn well, because you won't really be able to find any that are slower and involve more super-power moves to clean stuff. It's kind of like saying that there's year round riding in Alaska. Well, you can ride year round, but then EVERY place has year-round riding. On the other hand, at least for my definition, the dells is not "flowy" riding. With good flowy riding you don't have to pedal much, still have to manage through technical obstacles, but you keep your speed up and use it to get around/over stuff. Tons of fun and the speed keeps you cool and makes it fun. That is not what the dells are like by a longshot.
 
#19 ·
Jayem said:
If that's the case though, I'd say that EVERY and ALL trails flow pretty damn well, because you won't really be able to find any that are slower and involve more super-power moves to clean stuff. It's kind of like saying that there's year round riding in Alaska. Well, you can ride year round, but then EVERY place has year-round riding. On the other hand, at least for my definition, the dells is not "flowy" riding. With good flowy riding you don't have to pedal much, still have to manage through technical obstacles, but you keep your speed up and use it to get around/over stuff. Tons of fun and the speed keeps you cool and makes it fun. That is not what the dells are like by a longshot.
Wuss;)
 
#20 ·
Enel said:
I was out there today and thinking a trials bike would be just the ticket. Too bad the discipline is near dead in the USA
Ive been wanting to ride out there for ages...Tried talking to the city few years ago about the possibility of a world/national round but they didn't really grasp the idea and were disinterested when I said the word "motorized". However, Ive been bugging Chris as well and might have a bettter shot now that the city could use some revenue...We shall see.

Does suck to see trials as such a small sport in the US, but there are positives and negatives with that...we do see a lot more interest from the enduro/singletrack crowd now with all the top guys coming from trials.
 
#21 ·
-Chainslap- said:
Ive been wanting to ride out there for ages...Tried talking to the city few years ago about the possibility of a world/national round but they didn't really grasp the idea and were disinterested when I said the word "motorized". However, Ive been bugging Chris as well and might have a bettter shot now that the city could use some revenue...We shall see.

Does suck to see trials as such a small sport in the US, but there are positives and negatives with that...we do see a lot more interest from the enduro/singletrack crowd now with all the top guys coming from trials.
I was talking bicycle trials, but a trials moto on those trails would be a hoot and would hardly hurt the place.
 
#24 ·
This is to the naysayers. You have to understand that the government wheels turn very slow. We now have a voice that is STARTING to be heard by the PNF and the City of Prescott. Remember, this thing (PMBA) is only 5 months old. We are working toward a technical trial with the PNF. This can't happen overnight, and it can't happen without the help of lots of volunteers. The more people who show up for the trail work days, the louder our voice gets, and the more the FS hears us. The PNF doesn't have a trail building crew on standby waiting to build a trail for those of us who make a request. The work has to come from the community, and the community has built the latest trails (396,327,317). It is a lot easier to hear the concerns of the folks who show up and get their hands dirty, than the ones who chirp in from the sidelines. The random and anonymous comments will be given their due respect and attention.

To those that would like to help, please check the PMBA website (Prescottmtb.org) or our facebook page for upcoming trail work days and committee meetings. We could use help on trails and boring administrative type things. For those that put their names on lists and have not been contacted, thank you for volunteering, and we will try to contact you soon. Again, check the web for our coming events. There are only 8-10 people pushing this bus up the hill, and Prescott has some BIG hills. Have some patience, and come help out when you can.

Sorry for the lengthy post, and the hijacking. Any bike with air in the tires is a good bike to ride in Prescott.

Thanks for listening,
Shu
 
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