VT owners? spv 3way or 4way or wishfullythinking coil?

[Tanja]

Hi,

I'm new here, tried the search, didn't deliver. Looking for giant VT owners.
Thinking of getting one, but am a bit curious about the shock.
VT1 comes with a 4way and VT2 with a 3way, both air. Does it do all you wanted to do? Would you rather have gone with a shock with coil? (haven had the chance)

I have a freerider with 5" and fox rc shock, it's sweet, but have experienced the joy's of spv lately in the form of bikes with a 4way coil and one with a 5th element and that really woke me up.
But will a 5-5.7" freerider with an spv airshock be tough enough...?

I live in Holland, and rode the megavalanche this year, plan to do it again next year...
only way faster. :D Hopefully with assistence of a sweet VT.

cheers,
T.

[Craz]

Not many VT riders on heer I don't think?
I've never even heard of them... then again I don't pay much attention to Giant...







Have you thought about buying a .243? :lol:

[Tanja]

Originally posted by Lunatik
Not many VT riders on heer I don't think?
I've never even heard of them... then again I don't pay much attention to Giant...
no prob.
besides Giant, any thoughts of the manitou rear shock?


Originally posted by Lunatik
Have you thought about buying a .243? :lol:
nothing like steel, right?
I got an original sunn cromo rigid bike, like it a lot. the .243 looks awsome anyway. Why?
It's nothing like a VT, is that an attempt to point me on the usual 'bike-likes' of the nsmb bikers?

:)

[REM]

The 2003 VT's came with 4-ways. The '04s all come with 3-ways to save weight. The 4-way is definately a nicer shock, and allows you tune the stable platform feel a little more.

The VT is completely built around that shock, so I don't think that a coil shock would work very well. The air shock is very plush, and there aren't really many drawbacks to it. As well, The bike is more of an all mountain bike rather than a freeride bike. The geometry tends a little towards XC, and the rear end is nowhere stiff enough laterally to be able to really pound the bike or do bigger drops. That said, it all depends on what your definition of freeride is.

[Craz]

Originally posted by Tanja
no prob.
besides Giant, any thoughts of the manitou rear shock?



nothing like steel, right?
I got an original sunn cromo rigid bike, like it a lot. the .243 looks awsome anyway. Why?
It's nothing like a VT, is that an attempt to point me on the usual 'bike-likes' of the nsmb bikers?

:)
The .243 comment is supposed to be a joke. If you hang around here for a while you might pick it up. If you still can't get it throw me a PM.

I hear the swingers are supposed to be killer shocks (I ride a HT so I have no actual experinece)
I wouldn't ride an air shock for free riding though. Coil all the way for any serious freeriding applications.

[Tanja]

Originally posted by REM
The 2003 VT's came with 4-ways. The '04s all come with 3-ways to save weight. The 4-way is definately a nicer shock, and allows you tune the stable platform feel a little more.

The VT is completely built around that shock, so I don't think that a coil shock would work very well. The air shock is very plush, and there aren't really many drawbacks to it. As well, The bike is more of an all mountain bike rather than a freeride bike. The geometry tends a little towards XC, and the rear end is nowhere stiff enough laterally to be able to really pound the bike or do bigger drops. That said, it all depends on what your definition of freeride is.

thank you for your reply

Freeride IS a very sketchy defenition. To fit my freeride needs it must be able to survive the freeride enduro's we have here in europe (like the megavalanche or bikehell etc) has no massive drops (unless you're looking for them) a bit of climbing, but loads of switchbackdecending and rocks! The real downhill bits and drops, that's where full on Dh riggs are for, right.

About what you said in terms of geometry does sound right, as in europe the stock-build minute one is 120mm Probebly can be stretched to the 130mm manitou usually provides the minute with, but does say something about the geo, also the stem is horriblely long. Small rotors in the front etc.

Luckily I've been given the chance to test a VT on long term basis, so that's good to have the chance to find out about the behaviour of the bike myself.
But the shock is something new to me and I'm trying to find out as much as possible about it.

[UFO]

i wanted a vt2 for next year, but it was too expensive even w/ my discount. so i ordered a fluid 3 instead.

[REM]

Originally posted by Tanja
To fit my freeride needs it must be able to survive the freeride enduro's we have here in europe (like the megavalanche or bikehell etc) has no massive drops (unless you're looking for them) a bit of climbing, but loads of switchbackdecending and rocks!

It sounds like the VT will be the perfect bike for you. This bike has far exceeded my expectations of what I thought I would be able to ride on it.

[Tanja]

Originally posted by REM
It sounds like the VT will be the perfect bike for you. This bike has far exceeded my expectations of what I thought I would be able to ride on it.

I truely hope so, it's standing in my livingroom as we speak... and I hope the storm is gone tomorrow, coz I needs to do some biking ofcourse...