Is there any reason not to own a 174” track
Found a great deal on a new one.
Pros and cons. Thank you.
I went from a 163" in 2017 to a 174" in 2018. IMO, its a 50/50 trade off.
Its a lot more significant jump going from a 163" to a 174" than it is a 155" to a 163" .... This is mainly because of the suspension geometry on the Axys 174" .... The 174" doesn't go skis-up near as easily as the other sleds, so this can be a good and bad thing. Its good on big, long, steep hill climbs, but it can be bad when you're trying to bounce through a creek bed or up an embankment .... With that said, the 174" at least IMO is surprisingly nimble for as long as it is when carving and making tight turns in the trees. When you have to turn and go uphill, getting it to whip is more difficult than the shorter sleds as mentioned above .... BUT .... You gain flotation and traction you don't get with the shorter sleds. There were a number of times I was riding through tree wells last season when I was absolutely positive I'd get stuck and the 174 just tractored through it .... Over all, what you give up in maneuverability with the 174 you gain back in traction .... The 174 ABSOLUTELY requires more effort to ride, so IMO if you are a smaller person (Say less than 220-lbs or so) its probably not the sled for you unless all you're doing with it is big climbs.
If I was predominatley riding trees I'd probably have stuck with the 163", but it seems I'm doing more riding on big hills and not as much tight tree work as I used to, and I'm like 290-lbs geared up ready to ride, so for me it made sense to go with the 174" .... Its not for everybody, but for me, the way I've been riding the last few years, it made the most sense.
Pretty simple, getting unstuck is way harder. Its like a semi in length and good luck whipping it around like a 155. 100% comes down to what you want to do riding and if you are unsure get a 163
I agree but after ordering a 174 this season I hope I will get stuck less too?
It isn't any harder to get my 174" unstuck than any other sled I've ever owned. With that said, yes, you will get the 174" stuck less than other sleds. You will still get it stuck though