How to choose a bike for downhill

Innovative technologies are gradually transforming two-wheeled vehicles into perfect vehicles. This is confirmed by a bicycle for downhill. It allows you to ride in your own fun and at the same time perform dizzying tricks on the descents from the mountain peaks.

To get full satisfaction from extreme sports, you need to understand how to choose a bike for downhill. Let's try to understand this issue.

In brief about downhill

Downhill is a cycling sports discipline, the main essence of which is the speedy overcoming of hard-to-reach areas of mountain and rugged terrain. Often, the tracks are full of zakoryazhennymi areas, slippery soil, scattered logs, contain slopes with a slope of about 45 degrees.

For the development of discipline at the beginning of the century, authoritative manufacturers took up the development of special prototype bicycles that feature a high fork with improved cushioning capabilities and a modified rear suspension.

Frame

The extent to which a downhill bike during a ride is reliable, convenient and effective will largely depend on the fabrication material of the frame. Consider the most common solutions.

1. Aluminum - for the manufacture of bicycles of this category several alloys of material are used. In the frames of the popular sixth series, magnesium is used as an additional component, which increases the strength and weight of the structure. In the latter at the current time - the seventh series, zinc is applied, which reduces the total cost of the bicycle.
2. Steel - in the production of modern models, the material is practically not used, because, despite the margin of safety, it has a high weight. But if you choose a bicycle for the downhill of the old model range, such frames can still be found.
3. Carbon is an expensive material. However, overpayment here is rather arbitrary, since such a solution allows not to worry about the stability of the frame to mechanical damage. And the weight of the structure will be significantly lower compared to the same aluminum.
4. Chromol - in the past, the assembly of a bicycle for downhill took place precisely on the basis of such material, the main advantage of which is the absence of the effect of metal fatigue in friction and bending. In other words - even with the appearance of cracks in the joints of individual parts, they can easily be removed by welding without reducing the initial strength of the structure.

Suspension

Bike for downhill is a means of transportation, which is characterized by the development of speed of about 60 km / h and the performance of jumps from steep hills. To ensure that the bike can withstand such loads, special suspension systems are provided in the design.

One of the most common is the four-link suspension, which allows the wheel to move only upwards, not moving in the direction of the saddle. With regard to popular single-lever systems, the latter provide an ideal passage of uneven areas. In this case, the effect of rocking a bicycle when pedaling is much reduced.

Fork

The second after the frame of the mandatory component of the downhill bicycle is a two-crown damper fork. Such solutions are used in the assembly of motorcycles and allow to increase the rigidity on twisting.

Wheels

Under a bicycle for даунхилла the strong, weighty wheels are picked up. Indicators of resistance to loads depend here on the correct choice of spokes, as well as on correct assembly.

Specific recommendations for choosing wheels are difficult to give. Much depends on the style of riding, the nature of the area, which will be carried out movement. In most cases, it is enough to give preference to the wheels of reputable manufacturers.

Brakes

The best bikes for downhill contain expensive, high-quality brake systems. It is extremely important that they create a significant effort. Choose between the four-piston and two-piston models. It is recommended to give preference to a more perfect and reliable first option.

Switches of transfers

In urban and mountain bike models, both the rear and the front switch are actively used. In a rigid discipline, the downhill relies mainly on the rear, since on rapid descents there is no need to change values in a wide range.

Among the available systems, which are highly reliable, it is worth noting the switches Sram X7 and Sram X9. The choice of such options is due to stable operation and affordable cost.

Finally

Before buying a bicycle for downhill, it is worth considering the specific nature of the discipline. If you want, you can use the bike in everyday life. However, this is not very convenient and even somewhat difficult. So, to develop a noticeable speed, you will have to pedal for a long time in a standing position. If you need to overcome long, steep climbs, such a bike will make you go on foot. Therefore, when it is planned to engage in extreme driving several times a month, buying an expensive vehicle looks irrational.