So I’ve been after a new frame for a while, looking at blue pig or Sov.

In terms of background I’ve biked all over Europe in my early 20’s, gave up for many years and got a HT on cycle to work, not looked back since.

I commute to work on the same bike but am based in Calderdale and am pleased to say my route is neither flat nor road based.

I wouldn’t day I’m that technical, I had a skills day a year ago or so and learnt lots but still have further to go.

That said, it suddenly dawned on me should I consider a full suss (I have Never ridden one…..)

Am I old before my time by insisting on a HT before I have ridden a full suss for years and become an old man 😉

How would a suss fit with commuting, as per mainly off road ?

Thanks !!

I’d say stick to a hardtail if you are using it for commuting.

HT. end of thread.

Full suss is often more tempting to thieves, as one downside. If you’re doing a lot of miles in all conditions you might want to consider maintenance too. But for an off-road commute I wouldn’t rule it out myself.

It is a bouncy commute 😉

Full suss is often more tempting to thieves, as one downside. If you’re doing a lot of miles in all conditions you might want to consider maintenance too. But for an off-road commute I wouldn’t rule it out myself.

So parking for the bike in in side and secure…assuming the motorbike’s close the door

Maintenance is interesting, I like to do my own (tight Yorkshire man).

I spend much of my working life traveling, London etc, I get very upset when the day of the week I can commute my bike plays up, with 3 young children my ride opportunities are so precious…

There are plenty of good full sus bikes out there, and you should ride one to see what you are missing for definite.

But if you’re only allowed one bike, to cover everything, and it has to work all the time. Well, there’s only one real answer, and the frame won’t have any pivots in it! Hardtail everytime for 100% reliability…

A light, short travel full sus or stick with a HT. No point in lugging 140mm of travel to work and back. If you want to make the ride more comfortable try a suspension seatpost? Thudbuster?

Hmmm, so I need to try a full suss, presumably a light short travel style one ?

Is there a slack long travel front suss bike with a minimally bouncy rear ?

I’ve always fancied an orange 5 but the reality of life is 90% of my biking is on the commute…I need the bike I buy to be the 90% er

Re reliability, I may with a little purchasing have enough spares to make 2 bikes, my panacea when I’ve been in London 4 days, have one day to bike and have a mechanical….

Slack, long travel front and short travel rear? Cotic Hemlock or my biased fave, Blur 4X with Fox 36s. Awesome!

fozzyuk – Member

Hmmm, so I need to try a full suss, presumably a light short travel style one ?

Is there a slack long travel front suss bike with a minimally bouncy rear ?

DaveyBoyWonder’s spot on, if you can find a Hemlock (they’re discontinued 🙁 ) then that’d do exactly what you describe. 120mm rocker on the back, big forks on the front, 1.5 headtube so you can add a slackener headset… I am still very much in love with mine, best bike i’ve ever ridden by a fair distance.

Still wouldn’t commute on it though. And it does have a buttload of little bearings in it, they last well but they don’t last forever. If Orange had got the ST4 right I guess that’d be another call, but they didn’t, and they’ve made it even less right now.

I was looking at the st4 the other day, whats considered the issue ?

I think the main issue with the ST4 is the weight, it used to be around the same weight as the five, its a bit better now (since changing design in 2009) but could never be called svelte.
Also IIRC they had a bit of a rep for cracking? 1st edition that is, though that may have been exaggerated on here.

If you want new have you seen the Pivot Mach 4 frames longterm review on the home page? [They also demo’ed a 4x version which looked well sweet link, but nothing been mentioned about production since it will be available in November.)

SantaCruz Superlight may also be an option, not exactly slack but you can shove 120mm fork on the front there great fun, 100mm is their perfect fork (IMHO), but more fun dh with 120’s. They can be had new or cheap 2nd hand. I run mine with u-turn fork for the best of both worlds.

fozzyuk – Member

I was looking at the st4 the other day, whats considered the issue ?

Mainly it couldn’t decide what to be… It’s barely better at XC than a Five, it doesn’t pedal well enough to overlook the short travel, the early ones were pretty flexy too though I gather they fixed that… all in all it felt like a big bike that didn’t work very well, rather than a little bike that can punch above its weight.

This year they’ve taken steps to dehardcore it to put clear water between it and the Five, but not done anything to make it a better XC bike as far as I can tell. Which is odd.

Zesty ?

If a Yeti ASR-5 is within budget, this may be a viable option? 5″ rear travel with 120 – 140 up front. Rear suspension uses slight flex in the seatstays, so loses pivots in this spot (less to maintain). Mine’s built up with the maximium fork up front and is ace (and pleasantly slack). I do a fair few road miles too, as I can and do ride to all my trails. With a lockout up front this the Yeti has been very good at this.

So far, the maintenance requirement has been zero, but then I’ve only had this since March, so too early to tell, really (although it does get a fair degree of hammer).

They are expensive, although they are very nicely made.

The new Ragley’s might also be right up your street when they finally get released? They’re designed around the shorter rear / longer front travel (and they are nice and slack). Twin link suspension,though, which IME tends to mean slightly more maintenance.

Personally, if it’s just / mainly for commuting, I think I’d be sticking with a hardtail.

Find a link to the Singletrack article on the Ragleys here.

100/140 might be what you’re after? Not out until September, though.