Viewing 21 posts - 1 through 21 (of 21 total)
  • Anyone ride a Rock Lobster?? Thoughts?
  • yoshimi
    Full Member

    Just been looking on Merlins website – I’d always quite liked the idea of an 853 but just noticed they’re selling off the Tig Team SL for £180 – seems good value, but never ridden one – I’m riding a Stiffee for XC duties at the moment and although its very good, its not really best suited to XC

    RudeBoy
    Free Member

    It won’t please you to know, but I got mine (853) with a Reba fork for £400 back in the summer. Special deal. Fantastic VFM! 🙂

    Lovely little bike, actually. I’d say it’s just right for XC stuff. Lighter frame than most 853 bikes, and seems well made. Great frame for smaller/lighter bods, although heavier riders might find it a little soft at the back, and prefer an On-One or something.

    If the alloy one has the same geometry, then I’d reckon that’d be a nice bike, and a really good price.

    WorldClassAccident
    Free Member

    That picture was better the last time it was posted. Where has the pretty border gone?

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    lowey
    Full Member

    Mate of mine rode one for about 4 years up until recently. Great handling bike and excellent VFM.

    stuartlangwilson
    Free Member

    A tig team sl, as you have suggested, is much more traditional head down arse up 71/73 degree xc bike than a stiffee. Will be more efficient for distance, and not as confidence inspiring for descents. Top tube on the RL isn’t as long as some xc bikes iirc.

    I have both of these frames, RL is a commuter, stiffee gets used for xc.

    yoshimi
    Full Member

    I rememer seeing that deal and agonising over it but at the time I just couldn’t justify spending the cash 😥 THe only forks I have to go on it would be my PIkes…..which I think maybe a bit daft! THink I’ll call in later this afternoon and check them out – again can’t really afford it but, if I buy one of those for £180, I’m sure I could cover that by selling the Stiffee…………..decisions, decisions

    Has anyone ridden the Tig Team SL and the 853 version?? how do they compare?

    yoshimi
    Full Member

    I have both of these frames, RL is a commuter, stiffee gets used for xc.

    do you not find the stiffee a bit cramped on longer rides? I love it for playing about in the woods with mates but for the normal riding I do around rivington it just seems a bit too much.

    Lowey – have you seen that new trail up on the nab? Was up there at weekend and bumped into about 15 people building berms and switchbacks – was really impressed btu can’t help thinking they needed some stone up there as the clay surface will get wrecked with the weather we get.

    jfeb
    Free Member

    A mate of mine has the Tig Team SL. He isn’t really an XC-type guy though and finds it a bit too XC oriented. I suspect he would have happier with a Stiffee. But if you want something more XC than the Stiffee I suspect the Tig Team SL would be a good fit.

    Fagus
    Free Member

    Yoshimi,

    I went round the new trail on Healey Nab yesterday (Walking of course as it’s not finished).

    There’s a big thread on it here:-
    http://www.badforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=62

    (Sorry don’t know how the linky thing works on this new forum)

    It’s not very long, but has one or two interesting bits, especially a full speed drop off, about 3′ high over rocks in between two very sturdy looking trees.

    (Sorry for the hi-jack)

    nickname
    Free Member

    I used to have the 853, my brother has the team-tig – in fact it’s in my lounge right now. Quite a nice frame, very light.

    I preferred my 853 mind, although I can’t really comment too much on the team-tig as it’s far too small for me.

    I was stupid and sold the RL and jumped on the on-one bandwagon a few years ago. I preferred the RL…wish I never sold it.

    Oh well, just waiting for merlin to build up my malt 4 now…mmm 🙂

    theotherjonv
    Full Member

    Love my 853, and if geometry is the same I don’t see that much issue with it as a general trail bike rather than a full on XC bike. Some of the info seems a little at odds, some say head down arse up, others that it’s a bit short in the TT, not saying they are totally exclusive of each other but you know what I mean.

    OK, it’s not a hardcore hooligan hardtail (insert whatever the current name is for LT HT’s) but still goes downhill OK for me.

    Only gribe was the paintjob which was a bit rubbish, but I had mine stripped and repowder coated for £45 and the finish now is superb.

    For £180 it’s a steal. Strong buy.

    stuartlangwilson
    Free Member

    Yoshimi, its a bit short and cramped for long rides but i just don’t get on with traditional xc proportions on descents. I’d rather drag the stiffee round the up and along bits.

    I paid £132 for my RL, new ;~)

    MountainMonkey
    Free Member

    I used to have the 853. I’d say the geometry was quite trail like but that’s just my opinion – I certainly found it went down better than up! I think the geomtry of the SL and 853 is the same – I’ve got a pdf of all the geometry Merlin sent me when building mine, I can forward it to you if you’re intersted? I really liked the 853, but the low BB really annoyed me! If you don’t mind a low BB, for that price I’d certainly be tempted to give SL a whirl – it’s a nice light frame and probably a lot more forgiving than the stiffee… not springy 853 mind!

    yoshimi
    Full Member

    MOuntainmonkey – that would be great if you dont mind -its dannyward76 at hotmail dot com

    Fagus – I had a walk down and thought it looked really interesting as well, just hope it can hold up with the weather – the only part I waasn’t keen on was that uphill bit just before that near vertical corner – looking forward to it settling in so can have a goof blast down it:)

    Fagus
    Free Member

    that near vertical corner

    That bit gave me the sh1ts just looking at it. Near vertical and 360 degrees; there’ll be a few come off on that.

    MountainMonkey
    Free Member

    No probs Yoshimi, just sent it now. For some reason I couldn’t send it from my yahoo account so I had to send it from my work one – you might have to look in your junk folder as my company is called ‘Independent Debt Research’ – sorry about that!

    MrNutt
    Free Member

    I think they’ve won a few awards….

    heh heh heh

    Junkyard
    Free Member

    yosh – where exactly is the new trail then – you can e-mail me in profile if you could let me know might go and have a peep at weekend. I also though the geometry was the same on them just built with different materials not certain but I am a RL B52 rider so what do I know.

    Fagus
    Free Member

    If you look at my link above, go to page 4 and there is a pdf of the trail. It’s not very long.

    Kojaklollipop
    Free Member

    I’ve recently got one of the Team Tig SL frames, I was hoping Merlin would do the same discount on an 853 frame as I’m a bit of a steel fan for hardtails, but I’m surprised how comfortable it rides and I’m sure the post man must have thought I was having a big box of air delivered it’s that light.

    I went for the 19″ version in the end as I’m on the max for the 17″ (after speaking to Merlin) it’s got the longest headtubes of all my bikes and spare forks I had would not fit due to being cut for smaller headtubes on other frames so I had to get some new forks (100mm) – headtube 130mm, my older 18″ Fire Mountain and M Heckler is 110mm, so I find the front end a bit higher. Top tube measures 22″ c-2-c, 1/4in shorter than the Kona, same as the Heckler, BB 12″ with 2in tyres on.

    Dunno what all this stuff about FR XC geometry is about to be honest, I can’t tell any difference, get it and change things like stem, seatpost, bars or forks to get it how you like it and ride it … Yeah ??

    yoshimi
    Full Member

    yosh – where exactly is the new trail then – you can e-mail me in profile if you could let me know might go and have a peep at weekend. I also though the geometry was the same on them just built with different materials not certain but I am a RL B52 rider so what do I know.
    what fagus said – if you know healy nab, just go to the stones at the top and cut into the trees at the opening – carry on for about 30yards and you’ll reach a clearing, look left and thats the start.

    Cheers for that monkey………….card now in hand………..anyone fancy a pixie blue stiffee frame:)

    Kojak – they were my thoughts – was hopng they’d give the same discount on the 853 but still reckon the SL would ride well – thanms for the review

Viewing 21 posts - 1 through 21 (of 21 total)

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