First Impression by David “Mini-Mal” Sanderson.
The world famous Moe has been tasked with the envious duty of performing in-depth reviews on the KHS DH200 downhill and Lucky 7 freeride bikes. Due to the technical difficulties associated with attempting to ride two bikes at once, I did Moe a favor and spent some time aboard whichever bike he wasn’t on, spending most of the time aboard the Lucky 7.
The Lucky 7 is a value in the freeride bike marketplace, spec’d with a full complement of capable durable components from Truvativ, WTB, Sram, Hayes and FSA and highlighted with a Fox Van R rear coil shock providing 7.3” of travel along with a Marzocchi 66RCV fork giving 180mm up front. I’m also impressed to see Hussefelt cranks, stem and bars by Truvativ on here. Full part specs are provided at the end of this article.
Marzocchi 66RCV
Truvativ Hussefelt cranks
Our testing grounds were the Southridge DH course located in Fontana CA. The course features a couple small rock gardens, several banked and flat turns along with a couple of long pedaling sections. It is by no means a future World Cup stop but Donny Jackson and the crew at Southridge Racing Co have done well with what the terrain has provided them. A small note also, several members of the KHS Downhill team reach for the Lucky 7 at this particular venue.
Practice at Southridge.
The Lucky 7 is by no means a bike I would chose for an all day climbing epic, but with its dual ring drivetrain and horst link suspension and long seat tube adjustment range, you just might find yourself skipping the shuttle line (when its long anyways). You can’t stand up and hammer the pedals efficiently, but if you stay seated and spin you’ll make acceptable progress up hill.
Pointed downhill the Lucky 7 hits its stride, the plush travel absorbing bumps, rocks and ruts smoothly while the slack head angle keeps things stable and is definitely confidence inspiring at speed and allowed me to push harder and faster downhill than I ever could on a trail bike.
Downhill Winter Series
Frame New Design AL6061, 4-bar Horst bearing linkage, 7.3″ travel
Rear Shock FOX Van R, rebound adjust
Fork Marzocchi 66RCV, 180mm, rebound & compression adjust
Headset FSA Pig, 1-1/8″ Threadless
Rims WTB Speed Disc XL, Double wall
Front Hub: Formula Disc, Sealed Bearings, 20mm through axle
Rear Hub: Cassette 12mm x 150mm
Tires WTB Prowler MX 26×2.5, Kevlar bead, 60TPI
Spokes 14G black, 32°
Front Derailleur Shimano SLX
Rear Derailleur Sram X-7
Shifters SRAM X-7 Trigger
Chain KMC Z9000 w/Missing Link
Crankset Truvativ Hussefelt w/guard, 36/24t, 175mm
Bottom Bracket Truvativ Howitzer outboard bearing splined
Cassette SRAM PG950, 11-34 9-Speeds
Pedals Alloy platform w/crmo axles & replaceable pins
Seatpost Truvativ XR
Saddle WTB Pure V Comp
Handlebar Truvativ Hussefelt, 31.8
Stem Truvativ Hussefelt, 50mm
Grips WTB WeirWolf dual density
Brake Levers Hayes Stroker Trail
Brakes Hayes Stroker Trail, 8″ rotors
Color Gloss White
Frame Size S, M, L
Very Nice! The Lucky 7 is a great bike for sure!
Wow, nice looking bike, great pictures. I’m a newbie to this site, so I don’t know what your skill set is as a reviewer. Are you a pro-racer, weekend warrior, or somewhere in between? Is this going to be a long term test? Is there a word quota here? How does the Lucky 7 really ride? Why do members of the KHS team “….reach for the Lucky 7 at this particular venue.”? It’s probably heavy; but does it feel that way? What size bike are you “reviewing”? Is it stable in the air? BB height looks nice and low, what is it? Does it track well at speed? Suspension: under power, braking and nuances. This is a pleasantly written article, but a few more details would be nice. Remember, you are broadcasting to the world not just SoCal. This is a nicely done site, look forward to reading more bike stuff. Keep up the good work!
Hey Todd, thanks for stopping by. The “first impression” of the Lucky 7 is just that, a first impression. David is spending more saddle time on the Lucky 7 and he will be submitting a full review that will answer most of your questions. However, I can answer why is it that the KHS Factory team chose this bike over the DH200: Southridge is not too gnarly, the bike is lighter and due to its gearing it is easier to pedal on the infamous “wall”.
I myself am to this site also . I recently was at Mammoth Mt ca and rented a Luckey 7. Most impressive on the bumps and turns, definitely for downhill. Over all its a great intermediate downhill at a affordable price. My question is where can I find a respectable KSH dealer to purchase a Luckey 7 in Orange County/LA area. Thanks Tim
Tim, try this:
http://khsbicycles.com/us_dealers.htm
and search by zipcode, city or statewide search. There’s a pair of KHS dealers in Irvine (Bike Religion and Sand Canyon Cyclery). I am unfamiliar with other cities in OC.
[...] for that story). Be sure to check out the upcoming Lucky 7 review and review the 1st impression here. It’s funny, we’re so used to reviews coming from expert and pro riders. It’s [...]