What frame for a complete do it all bike?

DodgeT

Following on from my C456 owners thread, just to open it up a little..

Currently have a spesh enduro and a spesh P2.

I love the enduro for its do it all capabilities and comfort.
I love the P2 as its just so more lively getting off the ground, i'm guessing mainly due to being a hardtail.

My typical riding is places like Gisburn, the peaks, Lee quarry. Want to get into some downhill, so places like cwm carn etc. I like the more technical riding, rocks, drops, jumps as opposed to XC style long distance riding. Longest rides I do are typically 20 ish miles.

Thinking of building up an on one C456 which would hopefully be middle ground between the two.

Had a steel 456 before and don't think i'd go there again.

Main question is, are there any other frames I should be looking at to give me the best of both worlds (ie the enduro & P2) ??

bluechair84

So you're after a sort of hard-core hard-tail? Longer forks, snappy rear end? Could you fit longer forks to the P2? On-One used to do a 456 called the Summer Season which had a slacker head angle which sounds sort of up your street though I don't know what ever happened to that. It was a limited run when it was first released but turned out to be pretty popular...

DodgeT

I guess yeah. I could, the forks are pikes and I could extend them to 140 (currently spaced down to 110ish) but if i'm being honest, the bike is too small for me. It's ok for just messing / jumping etc, but not for actually riding trails.

They still do a summer season for £199, but for £100 more, the carbon is just so tempting.. But hmm, didn't realise the summer is 2 degs slacker than the carbon and has ISCG mounts.

Either way i'd only need frame and headset, everything else is ready to swap over

styxd

A Cotic BFe for sure. Reasonably light, reasonably cheap, ideal geometry. The shorter chainstays help it still feel nice and nimble for pump track riding and dirt jumps etc. and the geometry isnt too slack (unlike the summer season). Wind the forks out and it'll handle downhill aswell.

1mancity2

Summer season, Blue pig, cotic bfe, Saracen Zen (I had this, wish I never sold it!), cove stiffee (more FR) pace 325.5, evil sovereign to name but a few.

The Rookie

Hardcore HT's in this months MBUK......buy it or go to the local Library (the one with W.H.Smiths over the door!).

Whyte and Saracen Zen scored very well.

Simon

Mark909

Evil Sorvereign is 50% off at crc at the moment. I couldnt resist

1mancity2

Mark909 wrote:

Evil Sorvereign is 50% off at crc at the moment. I couldnt resist

Really! im having a look!!

supersonic

I'd still say the carbon 456 - overl 3lbs lighter than the summer season!

prawny

supersonic wrote:

I'd still say the carbon 456 - overl 3lbs lighter than the summer season!

And they're banging out frame kits with slacksets if you want the same HA as the summer season. (ish)

DodgeT

Hmm, even more to think about.. I assume you can buy the slacksets as a seperate item, as otherwise £400 extra for forks & slackset/headset aint the way i'd go.

prawny

DodgeT wrote:

Hmm, even more to think about.. I assume you can buy the slacksets as a seperate item, as otherwise £400 extra for forks & slackset/headset aint the way i'd go.

BOSH!

delcol

santa cruz chameleon.. or a cove stiffie fr would be my weapon of choice..

Northwind

I've got a Works Components headangle reducing headset in my C456 and it works very well... Does what it says on the tin really. Bearing life isn't great but it takes Cane Creek S3 bearings which cost about £12 for a pair anyway so no stress (takes Hope ones as well but they're no better IMO)