I think it’s time for a new frame, needs to be very, very, sturdy going to be a heckler or a five unless anyone has any well priced alternatives to suggest.?

well priced?

There is only one, and it’s not the Five.

Heckler.

What do you mean by very, very sturdy?

prophet……..they go cheeeep for what they do, a bit of flex in the rear but not a bad thing (in my opinion)love mine cant think of a sensible reason to swap it for anything else

I weigh around 105kg and tend to be quite hard on stuff strength is important but I’m not a freerider just XC with the odd drop and jump.

I can not remember at the mo but there is a sturdy version of those two, it by some like Mondraker (don’t think its them though). Prefer my Heckler to my last Five, hard to say why….

Just remembered Morewood!! The Shova £1200 with an RP23 @
http://www.rushcycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m12b196s184p2883&rs=gb

or see Kustom Bikes sell them – sure Don would sort you out appropriately

Morewood Shova? No idea what they cost though.

Prophet fits all your needs. Cheap and strong with good geometry.
And I work for a company that stocks Orange and Santa Cruz.
The dale beats them on cost/performance ratio.

Dead set on a SP ?
Ventana’s El Ciclon is somewhat overbuilt.
Love mine. Has taken some right abuse & I’m around your weight.

If you want a bona fide classic frame you’ll pick up a gemini for £150-200 on ebay. Whole bike for 5-600ish if you can be ersed selling off the bits. They’re a few years old now, but a stone classic bike. Different street to a five – Heckler is a good comparison (obv great but prefer the gemini by an arse hair mesel) but Santa Cruz seem to hold their value much more than CDale, so more expensive.

There’s a mint Ventana X5 on the classifieds! Looks like new, with spare shock, rockers, & a King Headset.

“stone classic” ❓

Thanks for the suggestions but it has to be a single pivot as I like they way they ride and not replacing bearings!

Hadn’t considered a cannondale but that suits my budget nicely, cheaper the better.

At 105kg I’d be considering a bullit too. £300 is on ebay normally.

This one weighs 32 lbs:

I have a medium frame I am thinking of selling email in profile.

Heckler, considering its 899- thats a bargain plus they’ve upped the travel.

Gemini’s are vastly underrated, and unbelievably cheap, I wouldn’t even consider selling mine as there criminally cheap. Gemini are quite substantial though, so if you want lighter, look at the prophet. Recent ones on eBay are starting to go very cheap

yeah that is a good, hecklers are ace.

I’ve snapped one of the old 98 Hecklers and in the last year I snapped my Isis main triangle and now the swingarm sheared across the chainstay weld(This is not unusual I’m told) so I’m now on my last two bits of Ellsworth a Joker front / Isis rear. I’m figuring after 10 years use it’s an idea to buy a new frame. Not in a hurry as I have a working (if slightly worrying) bike.

I figure that pound for pound the Orange has to be the best bet it certainly looks pretty sturdy, will take a look at a Gemini / Prophet think I’d rather have a new frame on refection though at least I know where it’s been..