I'm looking at building up a DH bike, the current parts list looks something like this:

Frame: Ellsworth Dare
Fork: Manitou Dorado SPV or Avalanche DHF-Ti-8
Rear Shock: Fox Vanilla DH or Avalanche MTN-3 (Ti spring on either)
H/Set: Chris King
Hubs: Hadley
Brakes: Avid Juicy 7 (8" F, 6" Al rear) (Ti Bolts)
Rims: Mavic D521 or D321
Spokes: Sapim CX-Ray or DT Aerolite with Alloy nipples
Tyres: Michelin Hot S 2.5"F, 2.1"R, with Stans/Eclipse
Cranks: RaceFace Turbine LP with Truvativ GigaPipe BB or Shimano Saint
Chain Device: Blackspire
Seatpost: Schmolke or Easton EC90
Saddle: Selle Italia Flight Ti or SLR
Bars: Schmolke or Easton DH Carbon
Stem: Intergrated into fork (Ti Bolts)
Grips: Oury Lock-Ons
Shifter:XTR Rapid Fire or SRAM Impulse
Rear Deraillier: Dura-Ace or Sram X.0
Pedals: Time Control Z, with Ti Spring kit
Cassette: Dura-Ace 12-27
Chain: Shimano CN-7701 or SRAM Hollow-Pin of Wipperman Ti

All comments welcome.

Well,

It sure has a nice spec, as far as I know from DH.

But I dont think you can call this a real WW project don't you?

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I think it´s possible to be a weight weenie downhill rider. I´am not a downhill rider, but it must be a good thing to have a light bike in downhill racing. Steve Peat rides a quite light downhill bike with lots of the same parts as many of the WW´s in this forum uses on their XC hardtails. And if you, Cyco, choose to build your downhill rig with parts like CX-ray spokes, Schmolke seatpost and bar, then I think you´re a WW. Welcome.

Esben

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First of all: why a light DH bike?
OK, better control, probably, but 1 kg don't makes any difference for the control.
I also should change the handlebar: take some real stiff, safe bar
and the saddle, I had to change my SLR after one year - about 15000km on my road bike

As DH courses get more technical a lighter bike is easier to accellerate, brake and jump. As Esben points out a lot of the pros are riding lighter bikes and as a long term weight weenie as I build a DH bike it only seems natural that I gram count on this project as well.

My SLR is generally on my TT bike so I was looking for an FR opion, as I took the one off my XC bike as I had trouble gripping it at XC seat hight, so was likly to use the Flight.

As to the bars they are some of the highest fatigue life bars on the market, what would you reccomend?

I shouldn't take the schmolke. For downhill racing you need are realy stiff bar. Buy some safe freeride bar

I would also change the saddle, the seatpost and the bar. Don't save weight on these parts of a downhill bike. I saw much stiffer parts that broke on DH-Bikes. Take a look at Steve Peat's bike: no weight-saving here.

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I'm not sure that I'm understanding this right. Are you using Steve Peat's bike as an example of a bike that isn't very light? Maybe I just don't understand the wording, but just in case I'll re-iterate that Peaty rides a very light bike, it's actually one of the lightest pro bikes out there, around 34lbs I believe. Cedric Gracia's bike is extremely light for a DH bike as well, I think it's about 36lbs.

Yes, I use Peat's bike as an example for a very lightweight DH-bike, and he doesn't use that light carbon parts (seatpost, saddle, bar). What I mean: you can save a lot of weight and built a light DH-bike, but don't save weight at the above mentioned parts, take a look at Peat's bike and you'll understand what I mean: these parts aren't designed for serious dh-biking.

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The Flight saddle has been used by many DHers for many years so I there should be no problem with that.

Schmolke carbon DH bars are designed for DH and have several more plys than their XC bars (like Easton) so why would these not hold up to DH use. Even MBA magizine recomended carbon bars / post on their DH project bike (not that they would have heard of Schmolke!).

DH posts dont have much load, unless you stuff up, and then a twin bolt post will not let the saddle slip like what can happen to a single bolt post. When ordering if Stephan Schmolke is in formed it is for DH use he can either beef it up or advise against its use, there would only be 150-180mm exposed.

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Success is how far you you bounce back up after being knocked down

why would u ride with Tyres: Michelin Hot S 2.5"F, 2.1"R, with Stans/Eclipse ?

Is it stable?Well, Im not DH rider but i tried my setup tires 2.1''F with 1.95''R and its really unstable.


4 the handle bar. Easton scandium riser bar would be a good choice since
scandium is tougher than aluminium 6061 but lighter than it.

http://www.eastonbike.com/COMPONENTS/bar.rise.sc.html

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Crashman like crashing, feel the rythem and ride.

Why would a larger fromt tyre on a MtB cause instability? Lots of DHers do it, and I often run this tyre set-up on my bike.

p.s. the Stans/Eclipse is the tubless rimstrip/goo.

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Success is how far you you bounce back up after being knocked down

Its good for climbing but i crash alot using 2.1F and 1.95R when i ride dowhill corner with it especially a alot of mud. I think i rather use with 1.5 both. More crashing. HeHe.

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Crashman like crashing, feel the rythem and ride.