Help, what to replace Kona Cinder Cone?

Jimbo369

About 12 years ago I bought a Kona Cinder Cone (1995, it was thew perfect bike at the time, it helped me build my fitness, built my bike handling skills, and through the course of many upgrades saw me through many years of MTB'ing. Question is, know thar I'm starting again, is there a bike quivalent to the 1996 bcindercone with which I could start out?

I'm after a steel frame most importantly (the main thing I miss about my old Cinder Cone), mid range group set, and basic fork.

Any suggestions?

I've gone full circle in my MTB adventures, through XC to DH, to BMX tacks, street etc, back to XC. At 17 I did 200 miles a week on my Cinder Cone, what Bike should I use to do the same now?

Andy B

Quite a few Steel frames available, what sort of riding will you be doing & what's your budget?

Andy B

Oops, just re read your post, you want an xc bike.

OnOne 456 Inbred from £699 (when it's back in stock) you can run a 4"-6" fork on it, they get great reviews: http://www.on-one-shop.co.uk/acatalog/4 ... Bikes.html

Cotic Soul, can take 100-130mm forks: http://www.cotic.co.uk/product/soul

Rock Lobster: http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/?fn=produ ... egoryId=38

Jimbo369

I'll be doing mostly cross country rtiding, occasionaly more spirited riding, but I'd expect frames are a little more performance oriented these days. Budgets about £300, I don't want aluminium, Ideally I'd like a Butted Steel XC Frame, is this realistic on that type of budget?

Cheeers,

Jim

Andy B

The On one Slot drop out inbred is a little more Xc than the 456 version, frame here: http://www.on-one-shop.co.uk/acatalog/O ... ed_27.html £140

Cotic Soul frame £420

Neither mention about butted tubing, not sure why!

You should be able to find a butted steel frame for your budget, but it's late & my brain is fried! Someone with more knowledge than I will be able to help you more than I can at this hour!

Chaka Ping

The industry has changed since you bought your Kona and steel is now a high-end or niche frame material (although you can probably still buy crappy hi-ten bikes for £100!)

I don't think you'll get anything decent with a steel frame for £300 unless you go secondhand (possibly the best idea if your budget is fixed).

I've had a very quick look online for steel-based bargains and this is the best I can come up with...

http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/?acti ... 6&brandID=

In fact, if it's in stock you should bite their arm off - as £500 is a fantastic price for a very good frame with respectable mid-range kit and a classic XC geometry.

Otherwise, the On One Inbred (geared) and Rock Lobster Tig 853 mentioned above would both be good choices for general XC.

supersonic

Is the budget for the frame or whole bike?