• This topic has 73 replies, 57 voices, and was last updated 14 years ago by br.
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  • Hardcore hardtails
  • Fortunateson09
    Free Member

    I can't afford full sus but I want something I can mercilessly thrash in all conditions – mainly downhill but a bit of climbing ability would be good.
    I've had a go on an Evil Sovereign and that is pretty much my dream bike but I can't afford. What are my options in terms of frames? NS Surge? Orange Crush?

    Hairychested
    Free Member

    456SS, can't beat it for the price.

    clunker
    Full Member

    Orange P7/Cotic Soul?

    Steel rules.

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    mk1fan
    Free Member

    Cove Sanchez.

    nickc
    Full Member

    Chameleon

    bonesetter
    Free Member

    Banshee Paradox

    samuri
    Free Member

    Chameleon for hoppity, hard core fun.

    simply_oli_y
    Free Member

    ns surge is great.
    i've got one. nuff said.

    james
    Free Member

    "Cove Sanchez"
    What? I thought that was a dirt jump frame?

    If you're starting from scratch your best bet for decent value might be going for complete bike for eg like:
    Marin Rocky Ridge (top of the range):

    Kona Five-O (2 models):

    Genesis Abyss (or the steel Alptitude):

    NS bikes Core (1 or 2):

    goog
    Free Member

    chammy !

    JohnClimber
    Free Member

    Sold my Cotic BFe as it was too good for me 😳

    mjrobinson7
    Free Member

    I was in the same situation and got a Orange P7 Pro about a month ago – it is awsome DH and feels solid. I have it with the Fox Float fork which was an upgrade but well worth it – this frame can take a longer travel fork which some hardtails arent set up for geometry wise. I could have afforded an entry level full susser but opted for a top end hard tail. I have no regrets with this bike!!!

    davidtaylforth
    Free Member

    DMR Trailstars worth a look

    Bregante
    Full Member

    Orange Crush or Marin Rocky Ridge (I went for the second one and love it)

    rj
    Free Member

    BFe/Dialled Alpine/NS Surge/Stiffee/Chameleon/456/Bluepig/MMBop/Tran sition TransAM.

    Take your pick, like as not they'll all be fine.

    And the Sovereigns down to 500 odd quid now.

    rs
    Free Member

    oh bugger it… i'll post my alpine again… i love this bike 😀

    RRD
    Free Member

    Cove Stiffee, Santa Cruz Chameleon, Marin Rocky Ridge Genesis Core(?)

    kelvin
    Full Member

    The new BFe, obviously.

    wors
    Full Member

    BLue Pig

    cookeaa
    Full Member

    Hardcore Hardtail you say?

    Probably a bit beyond what you had in mind, however either a Trailstar or an Exalt would make a good bargain bin thrasher frame…

    naokfreek
    Free Member

    Gonna get me an NS Surge soon as my RM flow has a crack, she has done me proud though…

    rj; where are evil sovs £500 BTW?

    mboy
    Free Member

    simply_oli_y – Member

    ns surge is great.
    i've got one. nuff said.

    Any chance of a pic Oli?

    I'm seriously thinking of getting one of these frames myself right now, to save my full sus over the winter (Rear shock WILL need a service, and all the bearings will need replacing if it gets ridden through the winter grime). I'd be building it with Fox 36's and some reasonably hardcore kit, and the NS Surge looks ideal to me… Well, not as ideal as an Evil Sovereign, but the Surge is less than 1/3 the price!

    13thfloormonk
    Full Member

    Another Rocky Ridge fan here, I've since fitted bigger tyres, gone ghetto tubeless and dicked about with the handlebars/seatpost, and what i've ended up with is amazing fun on downhills, but climbs ridiculously well, perhaps better than my dedicated xc hardtail…

    stompy
    Full Member

    Dialled Prince Albert anyone???

    tails
    Free Member

    That DMR looks great are they rockshox judy dho up front?

    You can't go wrong with any of the above, I have a new style chameleon frame for sale in the classifieds.

    simply_oli_y
    Free Member

    yea, here you go.

    domains are borrowed, something slightly lighter would be nice.
    can wander a little, climbing with forks at full travel. so better with talas over van/float. but i'm sure you'll manage.

    JohnnyB
    Free Member

    Chromag Stylus – £585 on CRC
    Truly a real hardcore hardtail!

    Northwind
    Full Member

    Not a Soul, they're great but they're not that hardcore. Though a bit more hardcore now that they're warrantied for 140mm, I'd still want something a wee bit slacker. 456SS or Mmmbop is what I'd be looking at, personally, but there's all sorts.

    mboy
    Free Member

    Oli, that's the Large rather than the Medium I assume? How tall are you? I'm 5ft10 or therabouts. Thinking the Medium (15.5") would be right for me, with a 410mm Thomson post (inline)…

    Forks would be 36 Floats, but I've got used to riding my full sus bike (Giant Reign X) with these up front uphill, I just run an inline post and I'm quite adept at bending my arms a lot and leaning forward whilst climbing! Are those Domains you're running the 115-160mm travel version? And how do you find it as a general use "XC" bike (for lack of a better term), not just for throwing off things? I've got an XC hardtail for taking out on more specific XC rides, but if I'm out messing about for a few hours, inevitably you're going to have to do some up and along as well as just down…

    Chromag Stylus – £585 on CRC
    Truly a real hardcore hardtail!

    With a hardcore price too!

    Very nice, but at that price I'd still have the Evil Sovereign every time. In fact, I'd have a Cotic BFe at 200 odd quid less than that Chromag to be honest!

    jcromton
    Free Member

    I can't recommend a Surge enough, why it was me who introduced Oli to one (probably). I spent a summer in the Alps doing XXXC so there was lots of brutal climbing and awesome descending and it was a dream. Run mine with coil u turn pikes. Climbing is mint.

    Sam, just buy one. (Assuming it's you).

    cookeaa
    Full Member

    That DMR looks great are they rockshox judy dho up front?

    Taking the piss?
    If not they're older model 7" Boxxers with a bad rattle can paint job….

    tails
    Free Member

    Taking the piss?
    If not they're older model 7" Boxxers with a bad rattle can paint job….

    sorry i honestly thought they were, still years ago I'd have walked over hot goals for a set of judy dho

    simply_oli_y
    Free Member

    yea thats the large. i'm just over 6'1. and like my bikes long.
    medium would suit you fine.
    yea wind down forks, and good for general riding,. done 70km days on it without too much worry.

    jcrompton did indeed introduce me to it. banging good fun it is. our mate has a sovereign (bastid) and while its lovely, its 3 times the price (on the new tange tube set). and not that much better.

    philfive
    Free Member

    Orange crush or Sub Zero

    scott_mcavennie2
    Free Member

    Dialled Prince Albert – good on everything from xc trails to downhill courses:

    cupid-stunt
    Free Member

    Orange Crush 😀

    VanHalen
    Full Member

    dmr exalt if you want to save pennies.

    dialled alpine if not.

    i`ve heard good things about ns bikes too.

    Thanks stompy, rj, rs, Scott and Van for the Prince Albert and Alpine recommendations.

    Prince Alberts are in short supply at present (only large/19" sizes left then no more until next year) but the new Mk2 Alpines arrive this week 🙂

    Mister-P
    Free Member

    Something a bit different – Commencal Ramones

    cookeaa
    Full Member

    Actually while I’ve posted up my Exalt I wouldn’t advise you to get one unless you’re after what is essentially a DH bike without a rear shock… I find it more fun than any full bouncer I have ever owned,

    Do you really want to run a silly long fork? (6” +) or are you after something which like you said can do a bit of climbing and has a sensible tougher 4-5” fork?

    The Exalt is a bit too slack for anything more than DH use (mine is used purely as a DH bike, road cassette, silly forks, etc), plus it’s I think it over a pound heavier than the Trailstar frame…

    Trailstar with a Pike is a pretty tough, pretty cheap “Hardcore HT” but seeing as this is STW you’ll probably buy a 456 which would do the job about as well… best tool for the job is probably a Dialled Alpine…

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