burly short travel FS

phz

having had my lower back battered and forward progress slowed by the ultra strong but totally unforgiving back end of my mr hyde recently on rocky XC / AM rides im thinking i might need to finally succumb to FS

but im a stubborn git - im not one for the big name companies - i want something vaguely AM but tough enough to take my heft and not overly subtle riding style - i dont want to wallow in loads of travel - i want something compact and just about light enough to play at 4X too

so far my short shortlist is -

black market killswitch
transition double

- but i reckon im getting a bit blinkered so anyone got any other suggestions ? - i guess my basic desired spec is something like -

buildable into a 30-35lb bike without skimping too much on component strength
ideally 100-120mm travel
not too many linkages and fuss in the FS system
not stupidly expensive or 'boutique'

as an up to now avowed HT rider my knowledge here is a little limited so all suggestions welcome

slainte rob

Anonymous

Try and get last year's Marin Wolfridge cheap? It's a bloody corker! (140mm travel, built like a tank)

phz

yeehaamcgee wrote:

Try and get last year's Marin Wolfridge cheap? It's a bloody corker! (140mm travel, built like a tank)

if thats the 'new' bike in your sig then it does look burly and cool in an industrial kind of way

slainte rob

Anonymous

yep. She's a beauty
the 160mm forks on the front turn it into a proper little DH-slaying machine.

GHill

There's a rumour that Orange will do a Blood XC for next year. Might be a while to wait though (October ish).

stubs

Santa Cruz Blur 4X nearly bought one when my Commencal cracked
http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/bikes/mountain/product/blur-4x-9132

ilovedirt

I would imagine the double and the killswitch only come in small sizes, as they're built for slopestyle and not for all day rides, i wouldn't want to ride one cross country.... Have a look at the orange blood or santa cruz blur 4X (you'll have to buy used)

thel33ter

Marin Mount Vision/Quad XC? They are 120mm travel and Marin frames are pretty much bombproof from the experiance I've had with mine.

http://www.southdownsbikes.com/products ... 7246&rs=gb

Or the Wolf Ridge like Yee's, superb looking bikes in the flesh, especially in white.

http://www.airevalleycycles.com/product ... 4491&rs=gb

Anonymous

Ooh, blur 4x, now THAT is a great suggestion.

paul.skibum

Blur 4x or Spesh supercross would work and were options I looked at but they are second hand options and will have been ridden hard already!

In a similar line and cheap as chips there is this - http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=46640
Definitely look at a slopestyle/4X oriented ride

phz

paul.skibum wrote:

Blur 4x or Spesh supercross would work and were options I looked at but they are second hand options and will have been ridden hard already!
In a similar line and cheap as chips there is this - http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=46640
Definitely look at a slopestyle/4X oriented ride

yeah - saw that but it looked a bit TOO burly - although CRC also have the lighter fury on offer - http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=46634

not sure about single pivot non-linkage bikes though ? - although it seems to work for orange well enough i guess and mountain cycle do have (or did have) a decent rep

slainte :? rob

Andy

Yeti 4x?

paul.skibum

That Mountain Cycle Battery is listed on their website as a slopestyle/4X bike built to be tough - it is listed as 9.9 opounds in weight with RS Monarch (not Rocco as sold on CRC) seat collar and QR dropouts. Linky - http://www.mountaincycle.com/battery/frame-spec

I reckon that could be a wicked bike for that money with the right terrain but I dont know about for XC. As for the suspension design - not that dissimilar to the old heckler design - with the right shock that wouldnt bob too much.

Anonymous

paul.skibum wrote:

As for the suspension design - not that dissimilar to the old heckler design - with the right shock that wouldnt bob too much.

A few mm here and there can completely transform those types of designs though.

The Northern Monkey

yeehaamcgee wrote:

paul.skibum wrote:

As for the suspension design - not that dissimilar to the old heckler design - with the right shock that wouldnt bob too much.

A few mm here and there can completely transform those types of designs though.

yup.. I learnt that the other day too. I'm secretly taking notes from all these fs threads that pop up lol!

All about compromising!