Hi All

I’m after some advice regarding the purchase of a 6″ travel frame. i’ve just started riding down hill tracks Hammsterly, Innerleithen etc, but i don’t want to purchase a full downhill bike as i still like to up and some all day XC type stuff.

I’ve looked at the Santa Cruz Heckler which seems to be fairly good value for money, would it be suitable i’m about 16st all “kitted up” is it burly enough? Or would the Santa Cruz Butcher be a better option it weighs slightly more so does that make it more robust, is it worth the extra money? Ideally i’d like to fit a coil shock

Any otherframe suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

I’m “upgrading” from a Turner 5 Spot

Cheers
Nick

An Orange Alpine 160 would seem ideally suited.

For the money, why not look at a Spesh Enduro Evo and split off the other new parts?

The new SCs look the dog’s danglies, but I haven’t been able to try one out yet, so really not totally sure I can give an opinion!

I love my Hemlock… Only got it because it was cheap if I’m honest but it worked out a charm. Took it to fort william, did the DH course one day and a stretch on the west highland way the next

PS you’re not the Valleyboy off SV650.org are you by any chance?

You couldn’t go wrong with an Alpine 160 with coil shock, or an Enduro. Definitely top of the “all mountain” food chain.

You couldn’t go wrong with an Alpine 160 with coil shock, or an Enduro. Definitely top of the “all mountain” food chain.

Yes you could. The Alpine 160 is ok at best in my view, its nice and bouncy, noisy and looks pants. The enduro is a much nicer bike and rides better over everything.

Chumba EVO, not available until Jan. £1450 with a £50 upgrade option for an Elka Stage 5

Chumba EVO G2 by srbwilson, on Flickr

Giant Reign X, perfect “mini DH” bike that you can still pedal all day as the Giant Maestro suspension system is so efficient.

My Reign X pedals better than a lot of 4″ travel bikes, despite the fact it’s got 3″ more travel…

The main limiting factor with it for XC use is the overall weight, but then it will be with pretty much most 6″ travel plus bikes short of a Carbon Fibre Lapierre/Scott/Trek to be honest. Got my Reign X down to 32lb without running any silly light kit on it though, still had fox 36’s, wide bars, beefy rims, big brakes etc…

Oh, and Pauls Cycles has got some of the 2009 model at a silly price quite frankly… The frame alone was more than that when released! Well worth buying and upgrading over time, you won’t regret it…

Also, wouldn’t bother with the “normal” Reign myself… Yes, it may be lighter and only have 20mm less travel, but it’s quite a bit steeper and taller, which limits it to use as a long travel XC bike IMO. Last thing you want when you’re hammering down a DH track is a bike that’s too steep and that you feel like you’re perched on top of, not in…

Alpine is good… But a bit too downwards oriented, there’s an awful lot of bikes that go up and along better but still go down almost as well. I liked it but it felt, well, oldfashioned. Compared to a Spicy, or my own bike, it made too many sacrifices.

Remedy? Or a Scratch depending on how much you want to pedal.

Remedy was a bit of a dog when I last rode one.

Agree on the Reign, though. Superb suspension design.

Send me a mail, i may have some that could interest you.

jesperwelling2@gmail.com

A vote here for the Heckler… Great fun, and being 16stone won’t be an issue on it…

Remedy was a bit of a dog when I last rode one.

When did you last ride one?

Heckler will do the trick. Depends if you want technology or bomproof single pivot.

I had a 2010 8 on demo from the nice people at Trek. Was even set up for me by their in house spanner monkeys. I wasn’t that impressed. I was, however, very impressed with the blingorama Madone they sent my way for a bit. Di2 and everyfink. Lovely

A curve ball on the Mini-DH thought – What about an Orange Blood. Shorter travel, but rides very well indeed.

I can whole heartedly reccomend the SC Butcher !

Its an absolute joy to ride and the link activated shock is so plush with an AIR shock ! 😯

Ooops double posted so ill edit this to add !

I came from Coil and couldnt justify an Air can for my aggresive atyle of riding and tryed researching an alternative to the RP23 !

The guys at MOJO insisted i wait until i had pedalled it and rode it on my favourite trail,

All i can say is that its blows the Heckler way out and i,ve had 3 oh and Bullits and still a Nomad, IMO the Butcher works the same “IF NOT BETTER” than the nomad !

I paired it up with some new tapered FOX forks being as it got a tapered steerer i thought it would be rude not to !

Try get a demo on one and see what you think !

fair enough – just wondered if you’d rode one before they reduced the travel. Madone is lush. Some of the P1 builds are mental.

thanks for all the recommendations, i thinks its still of the Heckler of Butcher its just whether i can wait to save the difference in price.

Depends on how much of an animal you want;

Hi Si

i like the look of the Chumba, what sort of price could you do a frame, 160mm forks Talas or Lyrics and a coil rear shock?

Cheers
Nick

My all day up and down bruiser. Finally happy. For now 😉

Jeb

Tried sending you an e-mail but its bounced back twice?

Cheers
Nick

Hi Si

i like the look of the Chumba, what sort of price could you do a frame, 160mm forks Talas or Lyrics and a coil rear shock?

I can supply OE Float 36 RLC without kashima with the EVO frame for £525, TALAS for a little more. I can supply Lyrics but not at such good prices.

We are also offering the excellent Elka stage 5 rear coil shock as a £50 (rrp £400) upgrade when purchased with the frame, now that is a bargain!

I need to learn how to type!

jesperwelling@gmail.com

Whats the weight of that Chumba Evo frame?

Around 6.5-7lb with rp23

I have an Alpine 160 with CCDB and find it a perfect do all for trails up here (Scotland). It climbs without a problem and survived Fort William’s downhill (more than can be said for me!!) and is great for all reds and blacks. Great fun on downhills at Inners and Golspie too.