Spesh Big Hit

[Tim.s]

I've been looking for a cheap Big Hit for a while and i've been offered a 2003 with junior T's for £250 just needs about £60 spent to get it rolling.

Am i about to get a barguin or am i about to get taken up the wrongun?

Anything i need to know about Big Hit's from that year? Anyone got one?

[DRB]

If you really want a DH bike and only have £300 then its probably ok but its not known as a Big st just because it rhymes!

[Tim.s]

I've heard that but are they really that bad? Im very much a beginner in the downhill scene so i need something which can handle bigger drops and forgive sloppy landings. I have a nice freeride hardtail at the moment but i want to build up to bigger jumps and drops without breaking it, it would be very much a gravity machine (i don't really do uphill!)

I could afford something new but i don't want to be 'all the gear and no idea' and i need something i can throw around without concern of damaging it.

Any advise would be greatly appreciated especially from anyone who has owned one of these, the one i've been offered is a 2003 model.

[Rico]

Never ridden one but for the money you can't go wrong. Just check the frame is uncracked, shocks work well and that its not fubarred.

[-C-]

Its by no means the best bike in the world, but for that kind of price, its never going to be. It will give you a feel for if its something you want to take further, if so then you can worry about spending a fortune on a big decent bike

Bear in mind a 'proper' DH bike will feel vastly different to a circa 2003 Big Hit, IIRC they run a 26" 24" combo & are pretty high & steep.

[Tim.s]

I'm beginning to think i might be better off keeping my £250 and saving a bit more for a second hand Stinky or similar.

[jhk]

They're good bikes. I currently have an 04 BigHit fitted with a Romic shock and Shivers I bought off a mate as a cheap way of getting back into DH after an 18mths break.

I'm not sure why people have such venom towards them. As complete bikes they were well specced for the money, and as frame only they were superior to a lot of frames asking twice the purchase price back in 2002-04.

Much better than a Kona Stinky of same age for example.

Compared to my previous bike which was a Tomac 204 Magnum which had set of TF'd 02 Boxxers up front it's a vast difference.

BigHit is very nimble for messing about in local woods and quarry tracks and with the Shiver/Romic combo, it will literally mow down anything in it's path!

Tomac only ever felt in it's element whilst out in Alps, which is part of reason I sold it back in 2006.
BigHit starts to feel a bit twitchy when absolutely flat out on big open natural stuff, but i've got a set of BETD 26" seatstays i'm waiting to fit which I hope might tame that.

As mentioned, just make sure the frame and shock is in reasonable condition and you should be laughing!

[Tim.s]

Thanks for some good advice.

I think i will save up a little more, i like the look of the bighit so i think i'll save a bit more and get a newer better specced one. I've seen some good ones go on flea bay for £600-700 so ill aim for that. Sounds like a cheaper one could turn into a money pit.

[mat205125]

Bags a test ride when you do

[Tim.s]

mat205125 said:

Bags a test ride when you do

[Tim.s]

I'm due a whopin bonus this month see, and its already burning a hole

Not sure whether to spunk it on a whole bike or get some more bling for the Spesh, could do with getting them crank bearings changed and a full face helmet.

[mat205125]

Bearings are cheap, and there are some good deals on lids too. Let us know when you wanna lid shop, as I might join you ... The Head haggled a good deal on a pair for him and his mate from Noah's Ark the other week.

[Tim.s]

Probably just go down Evans tomorrow, gotta go down and get my wheel anyway, which im hoping is ready because i've destroyed the hub on the one they lent me

[okgo]

For the record I dont rate a a stinky as hardcore and able as a big hit. So dont think they are as bad as you think.

My mate had a stinky and then he got a bighit after the stinky snapped on a stair set. The bighit is still rolling strong 2 years later. They really are not that bad at all

[mk1fan]

There are plenty of Patriots on e-Bay at the moment for not a lot of money. Or would that not be hardcore enough?

[dave_s13]

Tim.s said:

..........want to build up to bigger jumps and drops without breaking it, it would be very much a gravity machine (i don't really do uphill!)

.........

Daft question but....how to you get to the top of the descent if don't puff and pant it up there??

[choc]

I ride/race/crash an 06 bighit with Boxxers and hope m4 thrown in for good measure, and i cant fault it. The newer bighits are ligher then the Demo, and believe it or not, stronger then the Demo (info from my friendly spesh dealer, the back of the demo has a strange habit of folding up occasionally, a mate of mine has broken two!). The problem with the older bighits were the silly wheel sizes, 24 inch rear made it really quite hard to ride anywhere at speed, but that said, they do handle quite nicely with the center of gravity further over the rear wheel, but the 26 on the back of the newer model makes for a far better ride.

choc