bugger, I've played with another mans toy and now fancy adding a play bike to the bike collection. I rather fancy one of these, so please comment away:

or

one of these.

santacruz chameleons are bit too burly n cramped for me, but any other ideas are welcome

Your not referring to me are you. Sorry for planting the bug.

curse you swede, before you know it I'll not be mincing and I'll be all gnarr 😕

They look really ugly and overbuilt. If I was having a purely play bike with no big climbs I reckon I'd go for a Charge Blender. Look absolutely awesome and apparently are a load of fun to ride.

Alternatively there's DMR, I'm always saying how much I love my Trailstar which does a bit of everything. It's excellent for jumping and I've done longer XC rides in the Long Mynd on it as well 🙂 dmr frames are usually really cheap 2nd hand.

You may have had a little mince on today but I bet your back doesn't ache like mine does now. Good ride mate 😉

trying to stay away from steel if possible as It'll be burly enough without being made of gas pipe 😀

I've already got bikes for long days out, boingy and big wheeled ss, just need something for play time.

bugger, I've used the word NEED, my credit card is going to take a hammering

This is what you want.

oops just read the above.

@ Swede, I think I've just about got endo turns sorted now as it was the only way to get that thing round some of those corners, it's amazing what pooing yourself does for creative riding 😀

How about

Don't forget that steel is real and takes the sting out of hard landings (apparently)! Not that heavy either really (imo) and thats with pikes.

I like sinisters as well

Those Intense hardtails look fantastic 😛 . . . if they ever make production for mere mortals (there's been an awful lot of speculation over on the mtbr Intense forum) I'll certainly have one at the top of my wishlist.

What about one of these . . .

No full build pics yet – finished it this week and despite the fact that it doesn't have the 'I' word on the downtube I think I'm gonna like it. Watch . . . this . . . space 😉

mamadirt that looks ace. Anyone ridden one of the old fisher GED's I seem to remember that they were pretty hardcore and I've just seen one cheap as chips

on-one 456?

Steel is not real, its just heavier and possibly longer lasting, i'd have an aluminium 456 if it existed!

Just got back from swinley,

456 + dry dusty trails = so much fun is should be illegal

already done the on-one thing to death

ragley might be an option

Voodoo Wanga – Available from Halfords or second hand if you can.

done the voodoo thing to death as well (had 3 of the buggers, still got one) the only really yobbo ones where the shango and bakka.

keep the suggestions coming though 😀

I can very much suggest a charge blender. please?
Just about to sell mine.
It really is lovely.
Fits what you want, doesn't fit what I want 🙁

done the voodoo thing to death as well (had 3 of the buggers, still got one) the only really yobbo ones where the shango and bakka.

How about one of these then.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BANKRUPT-26-WHEEL-TRIALS-BIKE-FRAME-BLUE-WHITE-NEW-/380219829672?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_sportsleisure_cycling_bikeparts_SR&hash=item5886de2da8

😀

Bite the bullet man. Get a cham!

Re your original ideas on frames, couple of my mates have Rumbles & love them. Running at 5" or 6" they'll take anything our trails have round here, can climb the fireroads ok & rip the descents. Great fun on the wallrides & jumps too.

the rumble does look ace and CRC have a deal on them, do your mates run the long or short versions

Second hand orange MsIsle or small subzero. Cannondale chase. Rocky mountain flow.

Both long I think, the 2 guys are both around 6', so the bikes ok for longer rides too if needed. I'll check tomorrow.

BTW on the Trailstar, I run one & really like it for playing on, but find it's hard work over distance or climbing, largely due to my weedy legs.

What about a Cove Stiffee? i bought one cheap off the classifieds to build up for a bit of fun, and now hardly ride my full sus, fit big tyres and you don't feel like your riding a hardtail a lot of the time, great fun, ridden it for XC, downhill and had a ball on it recently at Chicksands 4X course.

2nd a Cannondale Chase. Tough old buggers they are. 1.5 headtube too.

What about a dialed alpine?

Second the trailstar. Had mine for five years now. Spent the first couple throwing it off things at Chicksands, done a bit of XC on it, but now used to ride with my kids. It's ace fun for mucking about on, shortest chainstays in the free world (only bike I can properly bunnyhop), tough but not too heavy, brilliant geom for singletrack and just a whole lot of fun to ride.

I think mine was £200. Outstanding value!

ringo- I love the alpines but they don't come up second hand very often. I like the evil's as well (I'd even break my steel aversion for one of those)

Mate recently sold an evil, 853 cheap as well which is a shame you goin ssuk taz?

tazz, when you need some forks for whatever you buy……you know where to come….. 😉

ringo – Yep I'll be at SSUK (less pissed this time :D)

Ton- have you got some big boingly bits (and forks) ?

oh yes mate………….. 😆