I find the 1.8m lyrik soooooo much better in terms of small bump compliance 😆

Just get the new Chameleon. It’s the first Santa Cruz in a while that actually looks any good.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tKv48-aeBU[/video]

I can thoroughly recommend the C456 if weight is a primary factor.

The review from Bike Radar is stark raving bonkers. Mine feels nice and solid with 130mm forks but certainly could go bigger and slacker.

Thanks for the responses folks… plenty to think about her.

David… might try and take a chameleon for a blast, got a mate with one but I’ve never ridden it and haven’t seen him in six months, time for a catch up I reckon!

Saracen… sorry but I can’t get past the era when they were a halfrauds special, I’m aware they are turning back into a serious bike company but that era is still lingering like a bad smell for me.

As for the c456… are they well made? I’m slightly worried about sudden catastrophic failure when dealing with carbon frames, are they strong enough to spend a bit of time in the air with the occasional bodged landing?

David… might try and take a chameleon for a blast, got a mate with one but I’ve never ridden it and haven’t seen him in six months, time for a catch up i reckon!

Does he have the revamped model? The old ones were ok, good with short travel forks for jumps/4x and what not. Bit short/high/steep for long travel trail riding I reckon.

The new ones look totally different.

Chromag are worth checking out aswell, pretty expensive but if you’ve got the cash….

I think his was bought in 2011 so not a new one.

Newer Chams are longer and slacker than the previous model. Nice looking bike.

have you ridden a spitfire before you ordered? It won’t dissapoint, I’ve been a serial bike changer for a while until I got mine, it’s going no-where but my garage wall when it eventually cracks or snaps…. which in my experience all aluminium frames do eventually. Absolutely in a league of it’s own.

The long story:

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/what-slack-low-tough-140-160mm-full-sus-frame-forks-for-140mm-hardtail-rider

I was in the midst of arranging a testride when I tried a mate’s new Whyte G150 and was really impressed with it. Looked up the geometry charts for both and the Spitfire was within a few mm and fraction of a degree, plus it would have a better fork, better shock, be stiffer and have more cunning rear suspension. Gut feeling said “buy!” so I did. Expecting it in a few weeks.

I’m hoping the Spitfire is sufficiently heavily built and I’m sufficiently smooth that it lasts a bloody long time! My last proper crash almost killed/paralysed me so I’m just going with the flow and keeping the risks low…

Every time I see one of these I wonder if I should get it to replace my 456 SS due to the ability to take a good dropper post and a drop in weight…

Chilled – the carbon frames of the C456 is absolutely bombproof. The paint chips very easily though, o I would get the super raw one if you can.

Mmmbop’s are a scary light frame and very capable with a 130/140mm fork. I never found mine harsh with 2.2″ conti tyres, although the Blue Pig I have now rides better… and is therefore worth the pound weight penalty (IMHO etc).

I’ve had full suss for the last 14 years as a main bike but remember the good ol days when I rattled around on a ’99 Zaskar LE. That was a hard and very direct ride.

Having bought a C456 frame and built it up with 140mm revs I would say it is nothing like as harsh as the older Zaskar and is a very nice to ride bike.

Before that I had the original Ragley Piglet frame and that was great downhill but rather dead feeling on anything other, and I also has one of the first Marley frames as a replacement from Hotlines when I sent the second Piglet frame back because of paint issues.

Never built the Marley up as I didn’t have the right kit at the time, but I’d say it looked very substantially built and a world away from the previous Piglet.

Am still tempted by a Soul or something similar to give steel another chance, but ultimately I’m very happy with the C456 as a hardcore (ish) HT at a good weight.

I’m 17 stone and rattle down things quite hard. It hasn’t complained once yet, so I don’t think the OP has much to worry about strength wise.