rock lobster / on one

neil2do

hi
i was thinking of getting a full suser, but i dont realy have enough cash (so i read)
to get the benafits from a full suser. my riding mainly will be road, track/mud, roots all in one ride and now and then i will be going to dalby forest.

so its guna be a hardtail i think,but am not to keen on alloy as i am looking for that steel feel (comfy) but light. so who here uses a steel or comfy(ish) hard tail.
who uses a rock lobster or on one456 as they seem to be my choices at the moment.
would like to hear opinions please as i think i am stuck between the two.
unless some one can recomend any other.
thanks neil

BeardedDave

I had a 456 and it was a great bike for the money. Bit of an odd choice between the Rock Lobster and the 456 though - the 456 will take a fair bit longer fork than the Rock Lobster and the Rock Lobster is a little bit more of a traditional XC bike than the 456.

Bikerbaboon

Im all for the on one.. i wonder why.
I went for a 456 with a light longtravel fork. My bike does like to feel a bit wondery going up the steep hills and i think ths because i was cheap and did not go for the adjustible travel but its nothing i cant live with.
On the downs the bike feels planted and fast. The 456 frame is a great all rounder frame. you can build it up burly and handle DH and freeride or you can build it light for general trail duties, its going to be a bit portly for a XC whippet but if thats waht you are after on one do make other frames.

Captain Turok

I've got the alloy RockLobster, so can't comment on the steel frames.
But Merlin are known to build up a great bike and even better wheels, if you don't need the extra fork travel?

supersonic

The RL and OnOne 456 are quite different machines. The latter is designed for upto a 6 inch fork, and is reinforced and a bit more weighty because of it.

The standard inbred is a closer match. The RL 853 uses Reynolds 853 steel.

hucking_fell

People also seem to like Orange P7s and Cove Handjobs. Worth a search? I've ridden neither.

BorisSpencer

I've got an 853 Lobster, it's an XC bike, and suits my ridingstyle which is very much wheels on the ground.
Mine was spec'ed with a Reba SL and full 2008 XT, all I've changed are the contact points, fantastic value.

neil2do

jeez theres so much to choose from, wont be doing any jumps or serious down hilling
so the rl,s looking good for me. looks nice too..
just been looking at full sussers there seems to be some nice ones at a simular price, so now i am getting confused :? .but i cant help thinking how often i will need a full suss.
giant anthem or the specialized pro are looking good but whats the difference.
the last full susser i had was a fairly cheapish one and seemed to be a right pain to pedle
it put me right off full sussers and i am a bit worried i might have the same problem.
were as hard tails are just good to pedle but a bit harsh some times.

turpinr

no contest get a hardtail

Northwind

On One Scandal would bear a look here, it's pitched as an XC racer but it's built to work with up to 130mm of travel, which IMO is what it's better at- it becomes a light and maybe slightly puny trail bike instead, and it eats it up. I'd be wary of doing really big hits with mine but then that doesn't sound like it's what you're after. Combined with last year's Revelation 426 (or similiar) it works really well, at 100mm it's a lovely climber, at 130mm it's much more capable in rough stuff (but a wee bit vague and light at the front on climbs).

I love mine... It does everything I want, just now. No doubt there are loads of other bikes that could say the same but it strikes a lovely balance between all-day XC and trail centre thumper. I'm light, though, not sure how well it'd deal with the larger gentleman. Certainly not a perfect bike, it doesn't quite hit either the XC or the rough and tumble purpose perfectly but then, neither do I It does make for a good "real world" bike, I think, neither hampered or limited by its weight, strength or travel in most riding.

neil2do

thanks northwind and all .
some very helpfull info. i am a novice with upto date mtb,s and to be honest dont want a load of bling just a bike i can ride for a fairly long time without feeling to much pain.
ive just discoverd the genesis altitude 20 now that does look nice.
with this resesion or depresion i wonder what bike dealers are going to do to get the custom. so far i cant see much i suppose you have to ask and try not to hurt there feelings.
i realy want to buy a british made bike if thats possible and try to keep my purchase local.
or local- ish.

neil2do

wooo well ive done it
i had enough cash in my bank to buy a realy good mountain bike, i knew deep down if i didnt do it soon my cash would slowly fritter away on useless shiny items and crap.
so i whent out saterday looking at bikes see what was what and to be honest never realy saw anything that caught my eye for around a grand. i then ventured upto pickering, hmm early sunday morning to look at the genesis alitude 10 and 20 at big bear bikes. nice shop cool guy and he had both in.
the altitude 10 looks real sexy in red hmm, slim and slender i was suprised just how sexy the bike looks. so i had a test ride on her, wow what a machine instant grin had to have. so i orderd the altitude 20 in a 16 inch frame shame there not red but i cant wait.
thanks for all your advice and lots of thanks to bike radar for all the info on your site .