what steel hardtail frame?

Anonymous

ive not been using my oldest stumpjumper for a while now have decided i might make a transfer of all of my bits onto a newer frame. i have a stumpjumper and an enduro so dont need another fs bike so im toying with the idea of a steel hardtail.

now i know i dont really like hardtails but ive recently been hankering after one as there are some real nice ones about at the mo.

my "spare" stumpy is pretty decent spec(reba uturn poploc adjust, dt swis/alex wheels, x9 mech and shifters, xt brakes, racefacr evolv xc cranks, thomson post, fsa k force carbon bars) and i think the only things i will have to worry about changig is the seat post as i have the adapters for my front mech and a spare seat collar (im expecting whatever i get to require a 27.2 post)

so bearing in mind my fork is 115mm travel, im certain i want a steel bike but i want one which has a bit of flex, im not after a rock solid harsh ride (like my p7 was!!) what can you recommend?

im thinking about:
on one 456 summer season, running it with my fork should still make it fairly slack and that strikes me as a good thing.

kinesis decade versa cause it looks good and again, will suit all of my kit

budget is under 500 quid

The Northern Monkey

:shock:

The Northern Monkey

btw... £500 gets you a handjob
http://www.tredz.co.uk/.Cove-Handjob-XC ... e_9021.htm bloooooooody lovely, possibly some of the best steel frames come form cove.

clanton

I admit to being biased - but I'd go for the Cotic Soul.

bomberesque

would say Evil Sovereign, but you'll not get one for 500 I don't think as the distributors "have to make a profit" :roll:

456 is a sound choice and good value but 500 will get you some fairly exotic steel (like the cove as Benj says)

Other choices;
Singular. they have a 26" on the way I believe
Curtis (although again 500 might be light for one)
Dialled Prince Albert
Rock Lobster 853

I looked at all of these (except the Singular) 2 years ago and went with the Evil in the end. Top frame and I got a good price because I got it from Canada (pounds for dollars....)

supersonic

What sort of riding will you be doing Sheeps? Some of the frames mentioned are lightweight and flexy numbers, others belong more in the skatepark lol.

joshtp

Charge duster is a sound bet, should be perfect with that travel, is hugely cool and the frame can be picked up for £350. its a great Hardcore XC slayer!

Harveytile

Gotta put my 2p in for the Prince Albert :shock: .

I've ridden, thrashed, and crashed it (the last bit a lot :roll: ) but still she comes back for more.

I think it's designed to run a 130mm fork (I run a 125mm) so not too sure what it would be like with your 125mm... Still a cracking frame.

bomberesque

supersonic

I dread to ask ... which of the listed bikes above your post belong more in a skatepark?

supersonic

Lol, it was an exaggeration, but some are certainly built to take more than xc trails will throw at them. But given as Sheeps is a big lad a more sturdy construction may be of benefit.

I think he needs to try some full builds out as the frames do vary quite a bit in feel.

bomberesque

fair point, I'd groom my heckles back then

As for trying some full builds, it's one of the problems with a lot of the steel frame out atm though, isn't it? you can't get a try out on them because they're so often frame only, foreign or interweb orders. I had to order the Evil "off plan" so to speak and in fact did so because of its adjustable geometry (about 2" or so in the wheelbase) mahoosive mud clearanceand the plethora of adjustable forks about at the time. The burning skull on the head tube didnt hurt either :roll:

The Spiderman

Do you really need a 456,the standard Inbred can take up to 5" forks?

Worth mentioning but some of the lads in my local club who I rode with last week ride steel hardtails.One has a Dialled Bikes PA,2 others are on Inbreds.

Chatting to one of the lads,he metioned he tried the Cotic Soul,but reckoned it rode like an expensive Inbread and couldn`t really justifiy the extra.,and bought the Inbred.

On one are knocking out the 456 and Inbreds at £125 at the moment so,might be worth a try at that price,anyway.You could probably sell it on for not much less,if you don`t like it.

Anonymous

The Spiderman wrote:

On one are knocking out the 456 and Inbreds at £125 at the moment so,might be worth a try at that price,anyway.You could probably sell it on for not much less,if you don`t like it.

got it in one,

at that price im tempted to give it a go and see how i get on, if i dont like it, i wont be much out of pocket. i like the idea of a relatively slack HA as opposed to the typical 100mm fork travel bikes with fairly steep HA. and even with a short fork on there, it should still be fairly slack, i think the regular inbred would end up being too steep and twitchy for my slow lumbery style.

sonic, it will be for general trail type use, as you say, im a big old unit so probs not really looking for a feather weight, im choosing stel as i think it will be tough and forgiving whereas im under the impression alu is tough and too stif!! my p7 was a lovely shape and fit with the front end slackness going on but the bike was harsh as fook, even with my bulk on it.

im swaying towars the 456 summer season as it might do the trick, if i end up enjoying it then it will be worth the gamble, but if idont, im only out by the price of the frame and a new seatpost.

blister pus

If you were in no rush Brant's got some Ragley short travel hardtails due out xmas time. Details are scant though, like they are just short travel orientated for normal people doing normal xc riding. Don't know what they're going to be made out of or owt like that.

Silly season is a no-brainer for now tho.

RealMan

NS surge? Although check what length fork the frame is rated for first, not sure if 115mm would be too short. Beautiful frame. And I'm sure a guy I know was descending in the Alps with his at 95mm just for a challenge..

The Northern Monkey

RealMan wrote:

NS surge? Although check what length fork the frame is rated for first, not sure if 115mm would be too short. Beautiful frame. And I'm sure a guy I know was descending in the Alps with his at 95mm just for a challenge..

It takes 120-160 yeah... buts its a bit of a dog at anything under 140 I find... TBH, I don't take it off 160mm!

RealMan

Still, that downtube..

supersonic

Sheeps you may find the summer season even harsher - heavier plain gauge tubing.

Anonymous

aah right i getcha.

anyone know owt about the decade?

hoathy

How about a Pipedream Sirrus? I haven't ever seen or ridden one, but I have a weird attraction to it, I have been quite wanting one for a while. I am worringlt close to getting one when i next have the cash!
FInd here: http://pipedreamcycles.com/sirius_page_menu.html
Alternatively, at the bike shed in Exeter; they have a lovely Marin Pine Mountain frame...

The Northern Monkey

Cooovvveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

blister pus

heh. that Pipedream Sirius looks worth a further investigate.

supersonic

Ah, the Sirius. I remember liking that a lot when it was released.

joshtp

HELO!,Helo! anyone hear me? any thoughts on the Duster?

Anonymous

that pipe dream is really good looking, you can get a merlin tig sl thingy for 200 quid too, are they any good?

supersonic

The RL 853 is becoming a bit of a classic. Quite short top tubes, and very light - you might find it too flexy in the big sizes.

The Northern Monkey

Sheeps.... whatever you do, test ride a built up bike before you buy the frame, just like I was going to do with a FS..

Don't want you buying one and then 3 weeks later having a "hardtails are shite" rant

Anonymous

There is only one frame is worth getting and it's the best steel frame / price is the Genesis Altitude 30, it comes with Reynolds 853 tubing, beautiful frame and £350, Charge and On-One is too heavy.

supersonic

Do you know the weights? The Cotic and RL are lighter than the Genesis...

John Moore

BFe from herehttp://www.cotic.co.uk/product/BFe
Says Weight - 5.3 lbs for the 17.5"

Mine weights around 28lbs built up, a great bike but too good for my crap skills

Steve_b77

You really want on of these ->



Thats with the forks set at 115mm

Nice springy ride all round superstar in my mind.

My mate had a blast on it the other day and then started trawling fleabay for 2nd hand frames