Recommend a big slack descent-oriented 5 inch trail frame?

Northwind

<edit- just bought one but thanks!>

Just vaguely looking around atm, I don't actually like full suss much but there's no denying it's good for some stuff, so looking for a strong, slack, trailbike with a bit more of an eye to crashing down stuff than dancing to the top... Though it's still got to climb! Probably have to buy used, so I'm looking to broaden my options a little.

So far I've mainly been looking at...

Orange 5s and ST4s- expensive even used, for the recent ones, which probably prices them out
Santa Cruz Hecklers- probably the best choice but I've not seen the right one yet
Specialized Pitch Pro- not that common used, and though I could get a new one, this year's colours are rotten so that's out the window

So, stuff in the same vein. No doubt Trek and Giant both have contenders but I can't follow their ranges, I know Marin will have some sort of lunatic mini-downhill bike but again, their ranges have changed a lot in the last couple of years, I'd consider an older bike but I'm not sure what I'm looking at there... Oh, and Metas but I'm a bit wary of the last couple of years' ones

Realistically wanting to spend sub £500 on a frame or sub £1000 on a full bike though that's flexible, for the right bike. So, what should I be considering?

JamesBrckmn

sc nomad? otherwise a pitch

supersonic

Mongoose Teocali?

NatoED

Yeti make some nice frames . or a Tomac sniper?

Northwind

Nomad possibly more than I'm really after, I'm thinking more 5 inch (I've got a nice set of revs in the shed). Lovely bikes though. The Tomac seems like just the thing, I'll keep an eye open...

Super, the Teocali comes up pretty steep doesn't it? 71/69? I've a feeling it'd fall in where my Idrive did, great trailbike but I've already got the Soul for that sort of thing. Or am I wrong?

The Big Cheese

Consider the 08 GT Sanction. It's marketed as an AM bike, which in essence it is but there is a lot more to it than meets the eye.

It weighs 34lb, which isn't light, but not DH heavy.

Rockshox Lyric upfront which is more than capable of taking the hits (and don't let the 2-step reliability issues put you off, mine are fine)

But, when you fancy a decent XC/AM trail kinda ride, set it to the 115mm setting and it climbs really well, you don't have to lean over the bars, and you don't get cramp in the forearms because of arm pump.

If you then fancy a bit of DH lite or something more aggressive/gnarly, raise the shock and srop the saddle and thats where the fun begins, this bike is awesome (and not just saying it as I have one), but it truly is.

THe only thing I dont get on with is the stem, at 90mm it's just too long, 50mm is what you are looking for on a bike like this.

It's got a killer spec as well: Full XT, Saint, THomson, etc etc

Slightly over your budget from Pauls, but worth every penny at £1500 (normally £2500) give or take, or you can go for the 2 or 3 versions, the same frame but the components are not as high end......

deserter32

blur 4x would be your best bet probably

supersonic

Northwind wrote:

Nomad possibly more than I'm really after, I'm thinking more 5 inch (I've got a nice set of revs in the shed). Lovely bikes though. The Tomac seems like just the thing, I'll keep an eye open...

Super, the Teocali comes up pretty steep doesn't it? 71/69? I've a feeling it'd fall in where my Idrive did, great trailbike but I've already got the Soul for that sort of thing. Or am I wrong?

Steepish, only 0.5 more so than the older Orange 5 (68.5 with 140 fork) that you mention, and about the same as the OnOne 456. In fact the Orange 5 geo is very similar to that of the Idrive 5.

The ST4 and Pitch are definitely slacker though.

I still think 69 is slack lol.

bregante

You can pick the Teocali up real cheap these days.

http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/products.p ... 1b0s1p1504

My first Full Suss was a Teocali and they are great for the money. They pedal really well and that rear suspension design is reaIly capable. I had Revelations on mine and I have to say at no time did I find the head angle too steep. I went from that to an Enduro, now an Enduro SL and TBH the goose was great. worth considering IMHO.

JamesBrckmn

Santa cruz blur LT if the nomad's too big?

Torres

GT Force? 6 inches, but bargin-tastic at 900 quid; swap the zocchis out for your revs and you'll have one hell of a machine.

dunnnooo

Cove hustler. Five inches travel, all the reviews seem to say they're very good on the way down, very well made (barring the painwork) and they haven't changed much in years so you should be able to pick one up within budget.

ilovedirt

check out this month's MBUK, there's the kona cadabra, marin attack trail, a commencal meta 55 i think and something else... i can't remember what it was

Northwind

I've rather unexpectedly bought a hemlock Which should fit the bill, I just didn't expect to get it for £540. But that does mark me as officially a total, total Cotic fanboy I guess.

blister pus

Nice bit of footwork there, NW. How old / what state the Hemlock?

Look forward to the build.

Northwind

This one:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... fresh=true

I think it's last year's model so I'm not sure which swingarm it'll have, so that'll be interesting to find out I feel a wee bit ill, I bid on it not expecting to win so I'm a bit taken aback.

Anyone want to buy an Idrive 5? Really really quickly? Ideally for £500

supersonic

Doesn't seem that much slacker than the Idrive!

Northwind

With 130mm, the Idrive's a claimed 69.5 while the Cotic's 68.5 with no headset stack... But built to carry a longer fork, and I'll probably use a taller headset.

In the longer term I'm thinking a longer fork might beckon, and it has a 1.5 headtube so there's space there for adjustment. So, in the first build it won't be so very unlike the Idrive, only a degree or 2 slacker, but it's got loads more options.

It's also a pound and a half lighter

I think the last thing in its favour is that it should be pretty easy to sell on should we not get on, I've seen hammered ones sell for a lot more.

supersonic

Aye, it is pretty light for what you get!

The hacked a fair bit of weight out with the GT Force though, if I had the cash I would get on lol

Tom Barton

Orange blood? 5", very burly - will handle just about any fork you fancy putting on it, small slack frame - usually with a coil shock - very much downhill orientated.

Could fit the bill nicely. Plus cheaper than a turner if not the cheapest choice in the field.

bregante

Orange blood? 5", very burly - will handle just about any fork you fancy putting on it, small slack frame - usually with a coil shock - very much downhill orientated.

Could fit the bill nicely. Plus cheaper than a turner if not the cheapest choice in the field.

Errrm...... or he could just stick with the hemlock he's bought.

Looks like a great buy IMO 8)

Northwind

The Blood would probably have suited me very well, other'n the price, they seem to be in demand. I'm feeling quite good about the Cotic, though part of me's saying "Put it on STW classifieds, and make a profit"

The Spiderman

Will be interested to hear from how you get on with this,following the I-drive.......
Bet you`ll be back on the Soul within a month!

lawman

if the cotic has a 1.5 ht, then you could use a k9 headset which gives +/- 2 degree adjustment, so it could be either 70.5 or 66.5 if you use one

Northwind

The Spiderman wrote:

Will be interested to hear from how you get on with this,following the I-drive.......
Bet you`ll be back on the Soul within a month!

I'll never be off the Soul I was happy with the Idrive but it was just too much like the Soul, no point in having 2 bikes to do the exact same job. I should have thought more about what I wanted from it before I got it really. We'll see... For most of my riding the Soul's spot on for me but sometimes you just want a wee bit more skills compensation

Northwind

It has arrived. Idrive has left. I still feel a bit ill about spending all that money mind but it's wearing off now that I have a big lump of metal to show for it. It unexpectedly came with a seatclamp and rather nice looking Bonty seatpost too. So, now I just need a reducer headset and I can get masturb... building!

There's a wrong part of my brain going Lyriks... Get some Lyriks... FFS, I'm a big nance, what would I want with a set of those? Shut up brain. You can have some 150mm Revelations if you're good.

Anonymous

i too am a big nance but that doesnt stop my lyriks being awesome.

dont forget the big rocker plates for the frame too though.

i very nearly bought a hemlock a while ago, not least cause the man from cotic was so helpful and accomodating. im very much looking forward to seeing this built up, i could still be tempted to swap my enduro frame for a hemlock which is a bit of a funny thing as i really like the enduro.

Northwind

Mmm. Well, for now it's getting my 140mm Revs, but crucially they're the wrong colour, which is a bit of a grievous issue The first build may be a little bit on the ugly side. I don't see me getting the big rockers in a hurry, maybe later though.