The Demise Of Long Bikes

[rathergoodpie]

Has anyone else noticed the growing number of riders (including me) that seem to be selling up their long and low frames recently? For example, Ive seen god knows how many bt 6's for sale on this forum in the last few weeks. (or perhaps they are going longer?)

I myself have personally got sick of riding a bike which, quite frankly, is only realy heaps of fun on techy natural. I came to the conclusion that i needed a frame that i could throw about a bit, and generally just ride around and still have fun on. whereas my old frame (bt 4) felt like i was lying on my stomach when it was on two wheels and bunnyhops looked pathetic & consumed far too much energy.

this isn't a street vs natural thread. Its more aimed towards mega stable on the back wheel vs flicky bunnyhoppy bikes. (not vs at all though really just intrested in peoples views)

Whats other peoples opinions on this? Is there gonna be a mass of people that have gone full circle as i have starting with street, becoming bored and wanting longer and lower, but after a few years uci stylee missing the old days?

of course there will be people out there with differing opinions and itd be interesting to see what you all think.

Rob

Edited January 26, 2006 by rathergoodpie

[Tom Booth]

I know exactly what you mean, Ive been so tempted recently to ditch the 1080 t-rex and go with something leeson-esquie.....But I've started to improve again, and found new little lines on already seen objects, So Im loving the bike, Its all about whats near you to ride. I recently have been trying something preety 'streety' on my long low bike, Just trying 2 get that down but its so hard Lol

Cheers

Tom

[SamHolmes]

Im getting bored of the whole sidehop - gap - drop gap thing

Might have a go at 24"

[adamtrials]

What frame are you getting rob?

I love my tiny wheelbase monty it feels like a mod

Edited January 26, 2006 by adamtrials

[Luke Drewery]

I went from a street loving maniac on a planet x zebdi (old MK2 one!) to a slightly longer koxx levelboss 1065, then to a UCI lover on a t-rex, and now a Czar Ivan long. I love the Czar, i have only had it for about a month but i can do sidehops, gaps to front and back wheel etc just as well as you would expect on this kind of frame but I can still manual, spin and bunnyhop it. Trick is to run a back brake with SOME modulation.

Edited January 26, 2006 by scunnytrials

[Walleee]

I love my tiny wheelbase monty mod

Another vote for a short monty here! Having said that, i've never ridden a long bike.

[PaRtZ]

Im riding a long bike, but i DO prefer the feel of a shorty . the only reason I changed is for higher pigeons

[Luke Williams!]

only feel like your lying on your stomach cause your probably small am riding an 1100 an i feel comfortable on it

i am 6ft 2 after all maybe abit taller so when i got to a shorter framed bike an have a test ride i hate it maybe you prefer the shorter frames because your small i dunno but i wouldnt be so sure on the every one leaving it some will stick to long low silver but alot will go 24" due to them riding street alot more than natural

especially those who ride BMX also

[Olly C]

I went from a Long Python down to a Long Team to get a more fun to ride bike that didn't end up in me acheing so much at the end of rides, So far its been a good desicion I went with a Long Team mainly so it wasn't too much of a change so I can still do most of the big moves but also have the flicky fun thing going on when I ride alone, which is alot.

If I went to short and it hindered my ability to go big, I might regret it, Im also 6ft 1 so having to smaller bike may make it feel cramped or ache my back. Im happy with my setup now though, its nice and comfy and fun to ride.

Olly.

[Burton]

I went from a long Python, to a long Gu, and the cockpit on the Gu is longer. I prefare long bikes, but not uber long bikes. I'd rather have a 1060 Pitbul to the 1100 Pitbul/adamant/czar thingys, just because they dont gap nice.

The majority of people are moving to 24'' and shorter bikes, simply because they are loosing it. They havent got the 'will power' to put the extra effort it to up themselves. Well thats what has happened in Hull, and to most people, because you're not exactly gonna see Hermance on a Leeson, or something streety, 'cos 'he got bored ov long silver bikes'. (Even though his is bright yellow.)

[Alex.loves.boys]

small mods rock my world i hated it at first but now it's awsome

onza t-lite/monty nicest mod ever!

[N.Wood]

I'm still happy with my (now pretty old skool) 1080 Koxx Levelboss.

I may have to build up the old Giant to fit in with the crowd though, i'd hate to be different!

[rathergoodpie]

only feel like your lying on your stomach cause your probably small am riding an 1100 an i feel comfortable on it

lol

have you seen my avatar? im 6'1.

[Bionic Balls]

in the middle of the long rush...i bought a middlish woodstock (1045) and loved that..

but now i've gone long low AND silver on a BT 5 1080, and i'm loving it...

my streety past lives on...

adam

[Tomm]

The majority of people are moving to 24'' and shorter bikes, simply because they are loosing it. They havent got the 'will power' to put the extra effort it to up themselves.

Some people have realised that chasing an extra inch on your sidehops is a bit futile and a bit boring. But that's just, like, my opinion, man. I find that shit dull and street riding more interesting. I can totally understand long and low bikes on natural, but this whole "UCI Street" (lol) thing is just boring. It's all about hitting nice lines. Besides, these drop gaps are getting a bit old now anyway, time for a different TF fashion

And I've always said length of bike has nothing to do with how tall you are - I'm 6', maybe 6'1" and I ride a 1020 bike. I'm sure there are taller people with shorter bikes too. It's just about what you want to ride.

And I don't think everyone will go short - Bikes are still getting longer (The long Czar is 1125 isn't it?) and there will always be a group of people who want to ride bigger and bigger. But the middle core of riders who are on 1065's and just ride a mix of street and natural might well decide that they could trade an inch or two on the sidehops, and have more fun. Having said that, since I've ridden 24" I've improved on my sidehops and gaps. But I never was particularly good on 26"

[chrishayton]

well the bt you mentioned is high bb and most people dont like it. for trials riding a long frame is so much better. for street yeh the short leesons and stuff and fun if you enjoy all the streety stuff and thats fine, but theres and awful lot of people who have fun riding 'uci street' however gay you short bike people try to make it. personally i hate short stocks. if you want to do spins and stuff buy a bmx as its far more practical for that.

Long bikes are awesome for trials( dont see many top comp riders on 1030 wheelbases do you )

i personally prefer Uci style street riding( gaps taps hooks techy static moves and front wheel gaps) to making my self dizzy and landing harsh)

each to their own though but i certainly dont think theres a demise of long bikes. wait till late 2006 when all the new deng bikes with low bbs come back.

Edited January 27, 2006 by chrishayton

[Tomm]

each to their own though but i certainly dont think theres a demise of long bikes.

I agree, long bikes are here to stay.

I probably didn't explain myself very well. By UCI Street I mean people who spend all their days practicing sidehops and drop gaps so they can be just like Craig. I suppose there's nothing wrong with that (whatever floats boats) but to me it's just a tiny part of riding and so limiting yourself to doing that all day seems a bit silly. Annnnyway I think I suit a shorter bike better. I can gap just as far as on my old (longer) bike. It's weird. Big gaps seem easier on longer bikes, but I don't seem to go any further. Maybe I'm doing it wrong Don't say buy a BMX though. I can't ride BMXs, they just seem wrong. You can't do what I do (Trials ) on a BMX anyway.

[joker]

lol i love it when people say there koxx is old skool!!!!!!!!!!!

my bike has a 1005 wheelbase and I enjoy riding it more than any long bike. Simply because I can do more street/trick riding rather than practising ups and sidehops. I dont do pure trials and I like going down the skatepark.

[mat hudson]

i have a 1010 curtis T1 i would be interested in getting something longer and with more bb rise after having a little go on daves hifi

[Davetrials]

I love 24" its the most fun ever shame i dont own one, but i also love my taps and my more UCI side of things

24" for the win though.

[Joe Papasnap Maher]

What do all you people mean by street tricks??

czar is 1100 and in no way do i feel restricted as to what i can do..

Is a street trick jumping the spine?? if so i can do that on an 1100 bike....does that make me better than everyone else?? i can 360 it over a jump box...wooo im soo coool for not having a short bike

[Ali C]

I got a bit fed up of my long control.

It just didnt seem to fit me, doing stuff was a task rather than fun. I even found it too much to handle for comps....there was too much bike to move around.

I now have a medium Ashton, but it also has a steeper head angle...now this is bad for a couple of things, but overall it makes the bike pretty fun and flicky.

When riding street I find doing the same old move pretty boring (sidehop this..tap that etc).... I like to make it fun and involve manuals, wall rides, pivots etc basicly when riding street I treat my bike like a bmx. I mostly like to ride rocks though and my shorter streetier bike seems to suit me better for that too.

Long bikes are still great and will be popular....but I recken people should run them with a shorter stem and risers...it would open out much more stuff and be a lot more fun.

[Brian Bleech]

long bikes are here to stay and so are 24"

A lot of people bought long bikes and are now looking for something new (but alot of people love long bikes and have loadsa fun riding them) and people will buy 24" bikes and realise it not for them too.

i love short bikes and you can still go big on them *cough* trialsking *cough* like the big grey playhouse block in leeds, holyrod and burns tapped that on there zebber with 50mm stems and riser bars shocking eh - damon sidehopped my 24" 4/5" above bar height ...

EDIT: oh last night leeds ride there was five 24" , more long 26" and a bunch of mods ... no one care and people just got on with it and everyone loved watching people do cool stuff (loadsa different styles) on bikes

Edited January 27, 2006 by leedstrials

[Davetrials]

I think alis ashton is f**king perfect, it was fun to ride and at the same time i could see my self riding comps on it, ashton have got them selfs sum good geo there.

[wayneone]

Well at the moment im on a t-rex which is quite long, i like it to be honest but when it comes to change i think will go 24", perhaps a Zoot or a leeson.