How low is too low

Anyone want a mint WorldCup for $4k?

Kidding (sort of). I love the feel and stability of this bike. I feel like I could ride down the side of a building in total control it's just the damn BB. Thinking of getting a smaller chain ring with a smaller profile bash guard. I never peddle anyway and when I do it's in the granny gear mostly.

My bike is Sub 14" bb so I use 165mm cranks. I run a 36T ring with a bash and guide for that.

It takes a while to get used too, but once it does you learn where and how you can pedal up obstacles and stunts.

When I first rode the shore with a 31" bar, i swore it was the worst idea ever. It just took a few rides and now I cant go back. Although, a 31" bar actually fits me, alot of people should still be on 28".

Also: bashguards are for bashing. It's OK sometimes.

Or: sell it and buy a 7 and 7 that is half way from what you had. Even a 'modern' 6 and 6 is light years ahead of the old enduros.

I have a new Enduro and it took about 10 rides to stop hammering my bash guard into rocks and snagging my pedals on everything. You'll get used to it.

I never got used to it and started to loathe my DH bike, which I eventually sold. I could see how the bike would be awesome for some people, but it wasn't for me.

I did the same thing. Super low BB was fun in the bike park but I hated it for anything else. Ultimately sold it.

Also: bashguards are for bashing. It's OK sometimes.

Or: sell it and buy a 7 and 7 that is half way from what you had. Even a 'modern' 6 and 6 is light years ahead of the old enduros.

Totally. The new generation of SX Trail/Enduro/Delirium/Scratch is so so good and will do 90% of what your Flatline can do but will be way more playful to ride. I didn't appreciate this quality until I rode a bike without it.

FWIW, i ride:
TR450 = 13.5 inch BB and 38T ring
Nomad = 14 inch BB and 36T ring
SX 4x = 12 inch BB and 38T ring

if you want a DH bike, accept that a low BB is faster and ride accordingly. many DH bikes run less sag (25-30% vs. 40%) and are moving to slightly less travel since a lower BB carries more speed. if you are running too much sag, try some different setups before you abandon a low BB. thin pedals help too.

too much sag + lots of travel + low bb is a disaster for riding chunky DH (in deep for example)

i wouldn't be surprised if DH bikes get faster with less travel (7 inches) + compact drivetrains (29T front rings) and increased suspension quality… depends on the course though…

You'll get used to it. You'll have to adapt the part of your brain responsible for line choice. Once you're there it's business as usual, only faster.

You'll get used to it. You'll have to adapt the part of your brain responsible for line choice. Once you're there it's business as usual, only faster.

The trick is, it seems like on most Cypress lines is if I try and go a little faster I'm landing right in the spot where I need to be turning and I end up in the rhubarb.

I'll definitely crank the low speed compression on my shock. Seemed to help on the fork. To limit the sag do I just add air or what?

you might need a different spring. a decent shop will help you measure, or suspensionwerx. you might be able to add preload.

typically with a coil spring you can add a maximum of 2 full turns of preload. basically back the threaded collar off until the spring starts moving around freely, tighten until it just stops moving, that's zero. you can safely go two turns in from there.

James was going to bump me up to a 400 from my 350 Ti-Spring but decided that the 350 should be good. Guess I'll have to try out a 400.

check pm Bentley

Hey Paul, Dave here - the dude who sold you the bike. Sorry to hear you're having trouble getting used to the Flatline. I can tell you I felt the same the first few times I rode it on the shore. But once I got a few Whistler days in, there was no turning back. Once you get used to riding that bad boy with speed your riding will improve dramatically. I highly recommend you get a few high speed Whistler days before giving up on the low bb experiment. And worse comes to worse, you should be able to sell it for what you paid. Good luck with it.

When I started riding lower BB bikes a couple of years back I initially did a fair bit of pedal and bashguard bashing but you soon get used to it.

The current trend for low BBs seems to be going hand in hand with a trend for flowier trails which IMHO is a more fun and satisfying way to ride.

Note that quite a few of the AM bikes are also getting quite low BBs now. 13.5" is not unusual so the more flowy, faster style of riding is becoming the norm across the board. And I for one am very happy about that :)

To be fair, the slower techy trails, probably like the ones you're currently not enjoying, are a bit awkward on a DH bike. As others have said, increasing the LSC will help, especially in the fork to stop it diving (making the BB even lower).