Off topic D/H bike with air shock

[Simon]

Orange's 06 top line D/H (as riden by Steve Peat)
comes with swinger (coil),BUT IT CAN also come with a Fox DHX5 air shock which incidentally is the one used by Steve and this is the top line model.
AIR SHOCK on a D/H bike what ever next
Oh and it won.
Simon.
http://www.bikemagic.com/news/article/mps/UAN/4432/v/1/sp/

[sammydog]

I know a few guys over here (australia) using the fox DHX5 air shox. It sure looks sweet and by all acounts rides even better. I haven't heard of any reliability issues yet either, but they have only been riding them for a few months.

If I had the cash I know I would be replacing my DHX coil shock on the DH bike with one of the air ones.

It looks like air forks are about to take off with the air boxxers as well.

Who said Downhillers weren't weight weenies?

[Sprucey]

Steve Peat and Orange bikes have been working for years to make his DH bikes as light as possible.

A light bike is easier to accerate in pedally sections and they recognised this sections as good ares to gain seconds around the course.

Peat also uses a Mini 2 pot brake on the rear rather than the 4pot - again to save weight.

Sprucey

[rapiddescent]

I really hope this is the sign that big travel bikes will get lighter.  I#'ve always hated the 35 lbs monster DH bikes - totally unrideable in race conditions.  I rode an 856 with the ltk on the pedalhounds dh series back in the 90's.  

I got a few reasonable placings even though I was crap!

callum
rds

[shovelon]

Very, very, very nice!

Stable platform valving on a high pivot, semi active rear suspension. Just another validation of the design.

8.5 inches of travel is nice. That air boxxer must have 8 inches or so of travel. Wow!

Terry