[Closed] Morzine - AM Bike

Firstly, putting boxers on your Zesty definately isn't the answer!

Most trails in Morzine/Les Gets are rideable on a 140 bike. If you aren't a regular DH rider, it won't be the the bike that stops you on the really steep stuff.

I'm not a DHer, and ride a 160 Heckler in the Alps.

What do you want to do at Morzine? if it's just ride down most of the DH trails without dying, then your current bike will be fine. if you want to slam through massive rooty sections, huck to flat from 40 feet in the air, and backflip the berms, you might be better off with something stronger.

So, far, i have been the critical limiting factor on anything i've tried with my zesty.......... 😉

The trails are perfectly rideable on your bike as is. Depending on skillz you might struggle to keep up some sections but that isn't a big issue if you are going up and down all day. If you are happy on the FW black then you will be fine

I have been to Morzine twice on a Cannondale Prophet 140mm trail bike. For the odd trail that we rode a bigger bike would have been nice, but in general a trail bike is more than adaquate. You will get a good buzz from nailing past folk on full DH rigs on your wee bike!

First time I rode Le Pleney it was on a Scott F-Zero 100mm xc bike (11 years ago).

You'll be fine.

As others have said it depends what trails you want to ride, sure there are (a few) people riding hardtails out there, but most are there on DH rigs.

I took my 160mm FS and while it was fine, arm pump was the order of the day and i'm considering a pair of 180mm forks for next year.

If you're riding with mates on DH bikes IMHO a 140mm bike will be frustrating as you'll be wanting to ride different trails all the time.

I use my hard tail in the Alps, it's good fun!

Watch out for the lift operators trying to throw your 'unexpectedly light' bike right off the chair lift bike rails however......

Me and a mate said if we ever went back it be on AM bikes as these seem more suitable for the sneaky off piste trails and exploring.

Pop a 160mm fork on there and some big rotors and you'll be fine.

The first year I went I was on 140mm Fox 32's. They were fine on the jumps and the drops, but it was the braking bumps which had me screaming in agony.

the zesty will be absolutely fine!

Big rotors ,a dropper post and decent tyres . There's loads of great riding out there not just the downhill- bikepark runs .

Went to Les Arcs last year on a 150mm hardtail. Only bike I had at the time. If I went back I'd want suspension, but not a DH bike. We rode loads of natural stuff (perfect for a trail bike as there's a few ups as well as downs), and all the manmade trails including the blacks, and it was great fun. Ride what you got. Bigger forks might be useful though. 🙂

If you're riding with mates on DH bikes IMHO a 140mm bike will be frustrating as you'll be wanting to ride different trails all the time.

I went out on my Five with mates on DH rigs. This is exactly what I found.

The big issue with Morzine will be do you want to do the big fast breaking bumped DH runs or the other stuff. I've always gone on AM bikes there but Fox 32's are not AM forks!

It's all OK if your doing the riding you want to do or your mates are for that matter.

Really appreciate all the responses - I'm certainly sensing that the Zesty (& hopefully rider) should at least survive the trails but my overall speed/enjoyment may not be on par.

To be honest, I had a similar issue at Fort William - the bike got down the Black WC route but obviously not at the same speed my mates were going on their DH bikes.

...and the arm pump by the 5th descent! Still had a cracking day!

Guess I'll have to keep my eye on the for sale forum for a cheap set of 160mm forks. 😉

Look for a set of Marzocchi 55s 2010 onwards - mine were £150

Big rotors ,a dropper post and decent tyres . There's loads of great riding out there not just the downhill- bikepark runs .

Got the dropper, will need rotors and tyres. Only issue is like what others are saying - my mates are looking at the DH "Gorilla" trails and I'm looking to ride with them.

If I'm last, I'm last - just want to make sure I have a good time in the process and my bike isn't going to crumble.

In that case have a plan B! Look at a guide to get you onto some of the other trails and explore a bit. If they (and you) are aiming for the DH stuff all week forget the dropper it won't get much use...

Not saying you will have a bad time just be prepared that you might need to take the lead at some point if you want to have a decent trip too.

Pimpmaster Jazz - Member

If you're riding with mates on DH bikes IMHO a 140mm bike will be frustrating as you'll be wanting to ride different trails all the time.

I went out on my Five with mates on DH rigs. This is exactly what I found.

What he said!!

daver27 - Member

the zesty will be absolutely fine!

Rode the alps on a pitch.

If you're going for a ride in the mountains, AM biek is perfect.

If you're hammering the lifts and brake bump ridden tracks everyone rides a DH bike would be nice.

I've just got a DH bike, for ages i was a one bike kind of person, doing uplifts, big gaps, and xc rides on a 6" bike, it however got to the point where it was either getting to beasty for everyday riding or too light and flimsy for hammering DH tracks and big gaps.

But then there's a whole other debate regarding technical ability and getting the most out of a big travel bike. I'd say if you haven't got stuff like manuals, hops, jumps, good turning, line reading etc on your zesty, the DH bike will be somewhat wasted.

YTou only really need the bigger bike if oyu're ridng harder, depends how hard you're going to ride.

It has has been a revelation having the right tool for the job now, a lighter, shorter trvel trail bike and an actual DH bike (plus the 29er hardtail/BMX/jump bike).

I'd imagine it'll all be ridable just not at the same speed like most DH trails

In that case have a plan B! Look at a guide to get you onto some of the other trails and explore a bit. If they (and you) are aiming for the DH stuff all week forget the dropper it won't get much use...

Not saying you will have a bad time just be prepared that you might need to take the lead at some point if you want to have a decent trip too.

+1 🙂

There are big trails, but they're more fun on big bikes. There's also a massive amount of insanely good 'all mountain' riding which your Zesty will be an ideal tool for.

I'd imagine it'll all be ridable just not at the same speed like most DH trails

Pretty much. IMHO there's bits and pieces that I'd say a DH bike will see you down, whereas an AM bike will see you struggling, but on the whole it'll cope. I still think you'd enjoy it more on a DH bike, or go singletrack hunting on the Zesty.

my mates are looking at the DH "Gorilla" trails and I'm looking to ride with them.

This^ and the fact you've got a Zety suggests to me that this isn't your normal sort of riding. I'd wager you'd have more fun riding the sort of stuff that you're used to than you would out of your depth at full pelt trying to keep up with your mates.

there are bikes and there are bikes 🙂

If I was heading back there I'd still take an AM bike but I wouldn't bother with much of the DH, I might hire a big bike for a couple of days though.

my mates are looking at the DH "Gorilla" trails and I'm looking to ride with them.

This^ and the fact you've got a Zety suggests to me that this isn't your normal sort of riding. I'd wager you'd have more fun riding the sort of stuff that you're used to than you would out of your depth at full pelt trying to keep up with your mates.

This may be the case, though Gorilla was the term they used? My normal everyday riding is the likes of Golspie, Balblair and Laggan in the Scottish Highlands (where I live), though I've ridden the DH at Fort William also. All of these trails I can ride very confidently on my current bike.

Money is obviously a factor or I would just go out and buy a DH rig and be done with it. Therefore thoughts are upgrade what I can to get the bike more DH orientated and if it's still too much for the bike - maybe I'll just have to go exploring on the odd days. 😉

You will be fine around there on your bike, more than enough. I've seen people run it on a 2004 Trek Bruiser!
I suspect you may want to miss out the road gap etc but the trails will be fine. I had less when i last went and i'm planning on taking a similar bike to yours when i go next year.

http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/psa-marzocchi-55-rc3-evo-ti-for-458-at-crc

I haven't been for a while, but rode all the red downhills on 80mm full sus Giant NRS. It was more the XC geometry that put me off the blacks rather than lack of suspension. I think an AM bike would be perfect as there are pedally uphills out there, that would be far for pleasant on a bike you can actually ride uphill. Also worth remembering that a lot of the downhills end in the same place so some can ride the Red and others the Black and meet at the bottom.

Also worth remembering that a lot of the downhills end in the same place so some can ride the Red and others the Black and meet at the bottom.

Very good point, thanks.

Look for a set of Marzocchi 55s 2010 onwards - mine were £150

Thanks for the suggestion and link. The new set on CRC is a bit out of my current price range but I'll be keeping eye out on forums for any bargains.

My 2p's worth..

I went two years ago on a old Norco A-line DH bike I bought for the trip and had an absolute blast doing the main runs around Morzine, Les Gets etc. The 200mm travel is nice and I often think its the way forward out there but the thing that annoyed me out there was I spent half the day pushing a heavy unpedalable bike in sorching heat and rolling down cheeky paths that would be brilliant on another bike. This year I can only have one bike so i'll be doing everything I did before on my 160mm Mojo. I'm seriously looking forward to finding some singletrack this year without having to end up in some valley without a lift and having to push my way out. I'm sure for the speed I ride and the small gaps and drops I do i'll be fine. As for the braking bumps they're much better off the 'racing line' so just try to pick your line better

Your Zesty was built for this environment - you'll be fine. Your mates with their big DH bikes will be the ones that lose out. The area is literally covered in trails, all of which are perfect for a zesty, with only a percentage any fun on a full on DH bike.

If your mates are unlikely to be enticed from the DH tracks, the alternative is to buy a 2nd hand DH bike and think of it like a set of skis... Something to keep hanging in the garage, to be rolled out once or twice a year when it's required; minimal outlay for loads of laughs. There's loads of DH bargains knocking around, many of which are not much over a different set of forks.

Nothing much new to add, other than last time I went I only had 120mm suspension either end and I was only slightly killed. I would get some beefier forks for the Zesty though. X fusion slants probably cost as much new as Fox 34's 2nd hand and I much prefer the Slants.

I'd suggest you forget messing about with forks when the bottom line is you'd still be on an xc bike. The trails are big, rough, lots of rocky compressions that will send you all over the place on the zesty.

Buy a cheap dh bike for the trip and sell it when you get home. 600 quid will buy you a decent one. Sell for 500 later and you've hired a bike for 100 quid.

Honestly, I went on a 150mm remedy and would never do that again.

Honestly, I went on a 150mm remedy and would never do that again.

Seriously? You felt under-biked on a Remedy?

Your going to get pummelled to sh*t, especially if your going late in the season and if your mates want to session the dull main lines, all the best stuff in PDS is off the beaten track and i genuinely think a bike that can pedal is the best way to get the most out of the area.
Chuck some 160mm forks on and enjoy.

Seriously? You felt under-biked on a Remedy?

If you're following mates on DH rigs down the main runs, then yes - I can totally see that. While I took my Five out there I also borrowed a Day Sunday for a few days - the Sunday was the right tool for riding the main trails on.

Your going to get pummelled to sh*t, especially if your going late in the season and if your mates want to session the dull main lines, all the best stuff in PDS is off the beaten track and i genuinely think a bike that can pedal is the best way to get the most out of the area.
Chuck some 160mm forks on and enjoy.

Totally agree. There's soooooo much good riding in the area outside Plenney and Super Morzine that your Zesty would rock on. However, if you're going out with mates on DH bikes to ride the downhills, personally I'd get a downhill bike for the holiday.

IMO the best riding in Morzine/Les Gets is away from the heavily rutted DH trails and requires a bit of pedalling. However if your mates have DH rigs I suspect they will focus only on the marked trails and truthfully you will have an "average" time trying to keep up with them. You can rent a DH bike for €60 a day.

Okay, think the fork upgrade to 160mm is going to be a given. Sensing that alone is probably not enough but it's been something I've been considering for while now, regardless of this trip.

Following that, once I'm out there I'm going to have to consider the scenario that I'm potentially not enjoying myself or remotely keeping up on the routes my mates are riding.

Your going to get pummelled to sh*t,

In which case I'll have a couple of options: -

- Renting a DH Bike for a couple of days of the trip
- Looking at some alternative routes more suited to my bike, of which there sounds like there are plenty.

Could be a combination of both of these actually so I get the best of both (DH and XC). Some really good feedback on here though, thanks. 🙂

Take your bike, fit some new 160mm travel RS Pikes which will make you never want to put the Fox rubbish back on ever again, and then hire a DH bike for a day to blast DH trails with your mates before going off exploring and having a much nicer time... 🙂

Take your bike, fit some new 160mm travel RS Pikes which will make you never want to put the Fox rubbish back on ever again, and then hire a DH bike for a day to blast DH trails with your mates before going off exploring and having a much nicer time...

Starting to become my thoughts exactly. 😀

Confirming dates this week, looks set to be first week in August. Cannot wait - going to make the most of it no matter what!

OP - if you are thinking about changing you forks on your zesty anyway that should do the trick (id go pike). Last time I was in morzine one of the mbuk long term zestys was there at the chalet, they had fitted the new (then fox 34) and offset bushes which had transformed the bike in its ability out there. The guy riding it was well happy and rding everything.

Also on my first time in morzine I used a fox 32 forked hire bike on day 1, the arm pump and lack of stiffness forced me to take the bike back and upgraded to a spicy with fox 36's and didn't look back for the rest of the trip.

So get rid of of fox 32 its fine in the uk for trail centres but out of its depth in the alps on the more gravity type tracks. Like the guys with a remedy above, I suspect nothing wrong with the bike, its was the fork.

ant0463 - Member
Okay, think the fork upgrade to 160mm is going to be a given. Sensing that alone is probably not enough but it's been something I've been considering for while now, regardless of this trip.

Following that, once I'm out there I'm going to have to consider the scenario that I'm potentially not enjoying myself or remotely keeping up on the routes my mates are riding.

Your going to get pummelled to sh*t,
In which case I'll have a couple of options: -

- Renting a DH Bike for a couple of days of the trip
- Looking at some alternative routes more suited to my bike, of which there sounds like there are plenty.

Could be a combination of both of these actually so I get the best of both (DH and XC). Some really good feedback on here though, thanks.

Get a set of Pikes. They'll be a brilliant addition to your bike, whether at home or abroad. Take the bike with you, ride the hell out of it. You can ride pretty much everything out there with that setup - yes, you might go a bit faster or bigger with a DH bike under you, but you can have loads of fun, and do more varied riding on the Zesty with the new forks. Can always rent a DH bike for a day or two if you really want to.

personally i'd never go back on a pure DH bike, modern trail and AM bikes are so capable, a DH bike is just not required and you can actually access more fun riding on trail and AM bikes, rather than bashing out battered DH runs all week.
someone mentioned it earlier, its no fun pushing a dh bike up a mountain when you miss the last lift!!

In simple terms, IMO it's like taking a Boardman Hybrid road racing... Yes the Zesty will be fine... yes the Zesty will cope.... but.... and it's a big but..

It won't give you the confidence and speed a more appropriate bike will. Instead of it being you that's the factor holding tthings back, it will be a combination of you and the bike.

When we went i took a 170mm Bionicon, i was quickest to the bottom of all the sections going down.

My mates were on a zesty and a stumpy... they're both superior riders to me... but the bike meant i got down quicker/better/easier.

Why go all that way and end up getting frustrated because you're on the ragged edge all the time and your mates are strolling down ahead of you with ease.

I have no doubt Steve Peat could get to the bottom quicker on a Halfords HT than i can on the 180mm Scott i've hired for this year... but i'm not Steve Peat, i will be quicker, have more pleasure and feel safer on the 180mm Scott ... simple as that.

Pikes and a Powerball 😉

The 'bigger forks on my bike' really is a half measure. Bottom line. It's the Alps, Morzine, it's amazing, get a proper DH bike one way or another. Guys slating the DH trails as 'rutted' or similar probably aren't riding them properly and making the most out of them. They are superb. It sounds like a downhill holiday. Take a downhill bike.

Never been to morzine, but we did go to les arcs and tignes last year for a week. I took my 160mm ibis mojo hd.

5 days out of the six i was on my mojo, on the sixth day we hired downhill bikes,and to be honest i reckon i wouldve been faster on the mojo on the majority of the trails than the dh bike. I guess the trails just didnt warrant a full dh bike,but everyone else was on dh bikes still.

Not sure if this is relevent and how similar tignes and les arcs are to morzine,but thought id throw my experience in.

And there's me thinking of taking my 100/120mm 29er out there 😀

You could always buy a used 160/180mm bike with the appropriate brakes, forks chain device etc. already fitted then sell it when you get home..

Unless you think you'll need/use the burlier equipment in the UK in the future.

Buy an old set of 36 van rc2 use em for the holiday and sell when you get home you'll probably only lose the cost of postage...

Been to Morzine/Les Gets/Chatel the last two years on a 5 with 140mm 32's, never held me back!! See plenty of 'XC' bikes being sent down the DH runs so I wouldn't worry, just know the limits of you and your bike and have fun!! One of our party had a 120mm FS Ghost and never failed to ride anything the guys on 180mm mini-DH bikes tried.

I'd get something like this and punt on again afterwards:

[url= http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/7922580/ ]http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/7922580/[/url]
[url= http://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/1435493/ ]http://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/1435493/[/url]

I would bite the bullet and get a second hand DH bike before the season starts, there are bound to be bargains around. Your mates will most likely want to ride all the flat out main lines for the majority of the trip, which will be pretty hard going on your Zesty.

If you ride a couple of days then decide to hire a bike, it will cost a packet and you will be riding an unknown quantity, probably with suspension that doesn't match your requirements and anything you break, you pay for. Get your own bike, sort the suspension for you, then sell it when you get home and you haven't ragged your pride and joy either.

I agree with everyone who says get a cheap DH bike. First time I went out was on my Heckler. I survived but came home thinking I would have fun on a bigger longer travel bike, 2nd time I went out was on a Santa Cruz Bullit, rode more or less the same stuff. My pal was on a 224 hand he had a great time, Isurvived but came home thinking for the DH trails out there a DH bike is what you need!

Also it would be heart breaking to spend big money making your Trail - AM bike a bit more DHy only to have it ruined int he alps. Spend the 600ish you would pay for Pikes on a decent 2nd or 3rd hand DH bike and leave your good AM bike as it is! I sold my Bullit and now have a 224 too. Its the right tool for the job!

So just back from morzine riding my carbon 100/120mm Xc 29er.

Everything was totally rideable and I think I was more limited by the geometry than travel; the few blacks I tried were 'interesting' to say the least although rideable with my weight right off the back.

Saying that I'm currently looking at frames with slacker geometry and more travel for next year; I was looking at a couple of the smaller gap jumps and just felt under biked to attempt them (plus lacked a full face/armour).

Was really impressed with the grip of the big smorgasbord and chunky monkey tyres I bought for the trip. The smorgasbord especially provided awesome grip down steep off piste blacks.

Now back to ogling the Codine....

Came back from Morzine a few weeks ago myself and found a few things out. I took my 160mm Ibis and my brother rode a Trek Slash, for the first 7 days we had non stop rain and the trains were the muddiest i've ever ridden. The AM bikes were good here as being a bit lighter they were easier to pick cleaner lines on and muscle around in the gloop. There wasn't much in it when it came to jumping and because of the weather we rarely left Morzine and Lets Gets so the trails we rode didn't involve huge drops or jumps. On the first day the trails dried out the braking bumps started to form and the bikes got a hammering. We blew a set of Pikes, 8 spokes and made 3 wheels unrideable in one day on bikes with expensive kit. The bikes rode really well but at times they felt outgunned despite over taking loads of DH bikes and I was disapointed to get home with a big bill to repair my 'good' bike. If I had enough money to swap the parts out to more burly stuff for out there i'd take a 160mm bike again but for next time I'll be building a tough DH bike that stands up the the terrain more and I don't worry about as much.

Taken the Alpine 160 out for the last 3 years and found myself having no less fun than my old DH bike. I always find it funny seeing people out there on an old DH bike they picked up cheap 2nd hand with old Geometry and suspension and when you talk to them or overhear them in the lift lines it turns out they've left their £7k 160 "Enduro" bike which has much better suspension and angles at home. Modern AM/Enduro bikes are so capable nowadays that unless you're blasting out and out race runs it's not really necessary (just ask Graves and Mullaly).

Tom kp

So just back from morzine riding my carbon 100/120mm Xc 29er.

Everything was totally rideable

Unless your a pro, I'm pretty sure you didn't ride everything then! 🙂
Some of the trails (mainly te off piste runs, which are some of the best riding I found there- and one or two of the official runs) are a struggle not to go over the bars on a downhill bike.

It's all rideable on a enduro bike, but if you're there for a while then a downhill bike is worth it, you'll feel a lot less beat up after a few days and enjoy it more! Probably riding lines you wouldnt have chosen otherwise as well.

Just back from a week in Chatel, we were nearly all on enduro style bikes 2 x Spesh Enduro, Commencal Meta AM, Spesh SX and one lad on a Morewood 4X bike..

Rode most of the stuff out there, it's all rideable on these kind of bikes. We also rode up the Col De Coux and came down the ridge into Champerey, there's no way you'd want to do that on a DH bike. As with most riding it's a compromise, you can't have a bike that excels at everything but the enduro type bikes come close.

interestingly the Morewood was wrecked by the end of the week... but the lad on it was probably the one going the biggest out of all of us.. including chasing locals on their DH bikes...

Unless your a pro, I'm pretty sure you didn't ride everything then!

Everything I tried then 🙂

Blues and reds for 90% of the time