Soft tail Hard tail?

Splottboy
Splottboy Posts: 3,694
edited February 2010 in MTB buying advice
Got me good eye on a Mythic/Banshee Viento, which allegedly has a Shock Block rear end,
Oh er missus! This is a revamped version of their Scirocco, which is similar.

Takes up to 140 travel forks, sub 4.5lb frame, matt black, white, silver or red/white.

"Appears" to be the ultimate aggressive XC/Trail centre frame.

My reason for the Soft tail is, many minor/major - old/new injuries, which may be lessened
by this type of frame. Got me a 5in traveller too, for longer days out.
Would probably fit Ti, Carbon or Thudbuster seatpost too.

Anyone got any experiences, thoughts or ideas on this?

Comments

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,666
    the back end of that bike looks very stiff, what exactly do you mean by softail, a softail normally has a shock or elastomer fitted to the rear triangle but no pivots giving a little flex.
  • Splottboy
    Splottboy Posts: 3,694
    I know, Mr Teeth, but there are bowed seatstays, and the rear section "apparently" is configured - I love that word - to give a bit. ( Advertising rubbish?)
    This is why I want/need Good Guy's like you to give some advice.

    Anythings gotta be less rigid than the Bigfoot, though it's a great overall XC/Trail ride, brilliant for flatter rides like Newborough Forest, which it gobbles up.
    Psoas tendinitis means rough drop offs, ledges and the like not very good.

    Thudbuster helps when sitting, but not the "Silver Bullet" I need.

    15 all, your serve...
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    That still isn't really s softail - many manufactures have shaped stays and make similar claims.

    Big tyres will deflect more than a hardtail ever will, except maybe some of the newer carbon offerings
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,666
    i can definately see the advantage in something like a thudbuster, im not sure the design of the mythic would offer a tangible ammount of dampening.

    lots of folk rave over the spring and dampened effect of a nice stel frame and there are plenty which can be ftted with 140mm forks, maybe a soul would fit the bill?
  • The Northern Monkey
    The Northern Monkey Posts: 19,136
    Soft tail example..

    http://www.mongoose.com/usa/eng/mtn/Pro ... NUG-Nugget

    100mm rear suspension 140mm front.
    Santa Cruz Butcher
  • Splottboy
    Splottboy Posts: 3,694
    Can't get the idea of the "C" word into my 'ed. If Trek, Spec, et al are gonna give me a freebee if the "C" stuff gets damaged, then I'd go for one asap! Otherwise, not likely...

    So, it looks like the advertising is dominating, versus the real world!
    It may be worth going for it, then e-baying it if it's rubbish. Expensive experiment tho.

    Anything else worth thinking of ???
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,666
    bigbenj_08 wrote:
    Soft tail example..

    http://www.mongoose.com/usa/eng/mtn/Pro ... NUG-Nugget

    100mm rear suspension 140mm front.

    i cant open that link for some reason but id imagine thats not a soft tail, this is a soft tail:

    softail.jpg

    no pivots
  • The Northern Monkey
    The Northern Monkey Posts: 19,136
    nah thats just ghey ;)

    a soft tail woul be an excuse for me to get FS bike without having a fs bike :D
    Santa Cruz Butcher
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,666
    Splottboy wrote:
    Can't get the idea of the "C" word into my 'ed. If Trek, Spec, et al are gonna give me a freebee if the "C" stuff gets damaged, then I'd go for one asap! Otherwise, not likely...

    So, it looks like the advertising is dominating, versus the real world!
    It may be worth going for it, then e-baying it if it's rubbish. Expensive experiment tho.

    Anything else worth thinking of ???

    well, it is certainly a bold claim by the manufacturer so maybe buying one and seeing if it does offer significant compliance is the way forwards, if it doesnt then maybe you would have grounds fo returning it.
    apart from a steel frame i cant think of anything else apart from a full sus bike which would offer wht you are looking for.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,666
    bigbenj_08 wrote:
    nah thats just ghey ;)

    a soft tail woul be an excuse for me to get FS bike without having a fs bike :D

    thats a good point but the bike you linked to is a fs bike, not a soft tail.
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    I'd get any frame that can take a really big rear tyre, then run it at a lower pressure.
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

    Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
  • The Northern Monkey
    The Northern Monkey Posts: 19,136
    sheepsteeth wrote:
    bigbenj_08 wrote:
    nah thats just ghey ;)

    a soft tail woul be an excuse for me to get FS bike without having a fs bike :D

    thats a good point but the bike you linked to is a fs bike, not a soft tail.


    shhh... its a soft tail!
    Santa Cruz Butcher
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,666
    if you weld all of the pivots up and still manage to get about an inch of travel, its a soft tail, other wise, no matter how much travel it has, as long as it has even one pivot, it is a fs bike.

    back OT, i agree with sonic about getting a frame into which you can fit a big wide tall tyre. the only problem is that bigger tyres have problems all of their own such as instability when run soft enough to benefit from the larger carcass when cornering and braking and increased drag and rolling resistance.
  • Splottboy
    Splottboy Posts: 3,694
    OK, I can see it's gonna be a Steel or Ti jobby. But I'm still tempted...
    ( Maybe I'm being blinded, hoodwinked or stooopid.) No need to ansa this!
    Lots of 853's about so spolit for choice with hardcore hardtails, but don't wanna be like everyone else on the trail.

    If it's Alu tho, and the Viento's not on, then the Azonic AZ 7 is next choice.
    About 2.7lbs, long travel ok, and stealth black. Lot cheaper too.
    OK, what fork?

    15 - 30, new balls please...
  • bobpzero
    bobpzero Posts: 1,431
    7ScalpelTeamReplica_rep.jpg
    was it this one that had the flexy carbon fibre chain stays? i think thats a soft tail
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,666
    edited February 2010
    strictly speaking although it doesnt have a main pivot as such, there is a linkage under the shock so as far as i can tell, its still a full susser.

    edit: i take it back, i think you are right, it is a soft tail.
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Some do use the term softail for FS bikes.
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

    Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
  • Danlube
    Danlube Posts: 454
    I always used to think there are two types of bikes, Hardtail and Softtail...think about it
    Kona Tanuki Deluxe
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,666
    Danlube wrote:
    I always used to think there are two types of bikes, Hardtail and Softtail...think about it

    this is true if you dont know what a soft tail is.
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    A soft tail can have pivots - the term is usually used to refer to very short bikes that look more like hardtails than full sussers, but some use it to mean pivotless or even full blown full sussers.
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

    Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,666
    i understand it to mean pivotless, im pretty certain it is the accepted explanation.
  • bobpzero
    bobpzero Posts: 1,431
    did cannondale make a ht with a springy carbon fibre chainstay? i think it was back when cadel evans was doing xc
  • llamafarmer
    llamafarmer Posts: 1,848
    bobpzero wrote:
    did cannondale make a ht with a springy carbon fibre chainstay? i think it was back when cadel evans was doing xc

    The new Flash is along those lines I think, supposedly a very flexible (vertically) rear end. I want one.
    Giant Anthem X
    Cube Ltd Race

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