would I be dissapointed?
I need a new frame, having found a fatal issue with my quite old merida HT...
I also own a charge duster ss - i ride that most!
What I want is a comfy HT, that will take my 120mm reba's and will be a good, cheap, new frame.... They are £249 (-10%) right now!
I want to ride it in my local (flat) area and have very occasional days out some where hilly!
ps. the thing here here is cheap!!
Tell me if you have one please!
ta
Ciderinsport
bought my friend, not brought.
NZCol - Member
bought my friend, not brought.
Thanks 
mine cider input is showing!
Check the top tube length first, it's shorter than some.
*my
I've got one, love it.
Never used it with 120's, but perfect with 100's.
Very light for a steel xc frame, very comfy and handles really, really well. Secure, stable and just feels 'right'.
They can feel a bit short if you prefer a more streched out position - bit different to an Inbred for example.
A Soul feels somewhere inbetween to me, all of them handle really well, it's just a question of how long you like your top tube, imvho.
My partner has the Easton alloy version, the Tig Team SL.
In all honesty I'd probably get one of those if I had the choice again - lighter and takes a bigger rear tyre.
Having said that, I really fancy a Dialled Prince Albert - great value and arguably much more versatile.
what rusty said. I've had one as my winter/hardtail for 5 yrs and despite many upgrades it hasn't been replaced. For zippy singletrack and tight forest stuff it's great. Mine has 100 Reba's on it and it can get a bit out of it's (my) depth on proper rocky stuff, but I've got a 5 for that 
I think it might be less fun with 120mm forks though..
two things from here thanks!
1) the easton alloy - my broken merida is alloy, and its really harsh..this model is cheaper, but I think steel suits me better!!
2) I am looking at upping the frame size from the above, so will check - ta! ( been 18" looking at 19")
oh, and also... I am not that light at 15 stone
They are quite short and 120mm is pushing it but just okay. 130mm definitely too long.
Std Inbred rides brilliantly at 120mm. Honestly. There was someone selling an 853 version earlier.
I had an alloy Rock Lobster. Took it to CyB back in about 2003, & my hands are still tingling.
Inbred or if you can stretch to it a Soul.
Had an 853 rl as my first proper mtb, sold it 2 years later and regretted it constantly, so much so I bought another a year ago, swapped the frame to a p7 due to getting a bit lairy frequently on the RL which is I expect outside its design brief.
I have a 19" I'm 115 kg on a good day, never noticed it feeling overwhelmed. feels right with 100mm or better still carbon rigids, it has a ride quality i cant explain but just feels great as you pedal along in the sun. I will never sell this frame and I've already started building it up again.
based on your OP
I want to ride it in my local (flat) area and have very occasional days out some where hilly!IMO the Rock Lobster is spot on. As I said in my earlier post, and others have also commented, it's not a big rock type bike, but as a short travel HT it's very comfy, durable and fun. Mine is a 17 with an 80mm stem and it feels similar in reach to my 18 inch 5 (also with 80mm stem)
I have an RL 853 with 120mm Rebas. Great bike & great fun. Mine is deffo a keeper, get yourself one, you will love it! 
It also likes doing this..
Get a Merlin Malt 4, same geo but even better IMO - I had one and 'upgraded' to a Yeti 575 - regretful!
I had the ali version (super light frame btw) I loved it (in fact I'm going to build it back up when funds allow)
I had 100mm sids and they felt just right. 100mm stem with bar ends and it was superb at climbing and fast singletrack. for a xc hardtail it ticks all the boxes imo. If I was to buy again though I'd be tempted by the steel version.
was around 23lb too.
I've been over High Street on it (although I was a little undergunned)
I have the Tig SL and it's good XC geometry (altho a little short in the TT as already said), light and comfortable. The 853 will be all that I expect. I had talas forks on mine and rode it a few times at 120mm, but prefered 100mm tbh. It's kind of been superseded by my carbon 456 now, but I still have it as my summer canal commuter with carbon rigids and when I fancy something different.
something I found useful was having a headset with a split crown race, that way I can reasonably quickly change between sus and rigid forks. Riding it with carbon rigids is good fun if you're just going for a blast on the bridleways.
I've got a merlin too but the Malt 2 (need to sell it actually). Just found it a bit too short for me in the top tube, even with the 90mm stem. Maybe part of that was he frame was a touch too small (went for the smaller of two sizes I was in between) and some wider bars would have been cheaper than a new frame!
Was the bike/frame that got me back into riding though. Spot on geometry for giving confidence but still very responsive.
Ps found 115mm with a nice bit of sag perfect for rutty singletrack and some fast downward pointing bumpy stuff.
Have a look at a Kinesis Decade Versa - love mine and it's great at 120mm.
Here's mine on the West Country C2C:
If you got one you would be able to do this:
Silliness aside the only person I know to have owned one thought it was a terrible handling bike - mainly down to the short TT and it having a 100mm fork.
Lol, I remember that!
I don't think you'd be disappointed. Great frame, decent price.
I bought an RL853 frame off here.
Although the actual frame weight is not massively lighter than the Inbred it replaced, it feels like it is when you ride it.
It's much more 'alive'. Seems to have a great balance between comfort/compliance and an 'urgent', purposeful energy. It just seems to glide along smiling! The Inbred, to me felt a bit dead and character-less (I know a lot of people rate them) but having ridden both, with exactly the same wheels/running gear, I'd choose the RL 853 anyday.
...Having said that, I would have a look at a Scandal for similar money.
Despite being billed as a 'racey' speed machine, I find it also has a great 'light' ride feel. It's weirdly comfortable and 'springy' (in a good way).
MIP if you want to try either of these.
Happy hunting.
Hi
I have one-a large and am 6ft and about 14stone
I bought the frame cheap and had it built with left over kit and loved it.
Came into some cash and bought a Hummer and sold the RL to a mate but instantly regretted it.
Mate stopped biking so I took the oppertunity to buy it back very cheap.
Have since had it powder coated and put some decent kit on it and love it. Probably a keeper.
Have run it with 100mm forks and found thema bit short on travel then Revelations at 130 but they are too long and have "settled" on Maverick SC32 at 125mm (although I think they are a short fork for their travel) and I think it rides beautifully.
Cheers
Steve
How about a BFe (£300) or maybe a secondhand Soul?
oh crap, I can get one for £153 in my size........someone stop me!
Thanks for all the replys!
Does some one have a 19" RL (2010) they could tell me the exact top tube length please?
This is the bit that worries me...
oh! found the info!!
it's only 1/4" shorter than my broken one!
Could live with that.....
Right, just need some cash!
£170 is a very silly price for a quality 853 frame.
Wonder if they've succumbed to fashion and increased reach and travel for the next batch?
TBH, the only thing I'd like to see is more tyre clearance on the back for the steel version and perhaps a quarter of an inch on the TT.
A 2.35 old style Maxxis just fits, but it's a squeeze.
I very nearly bought one myself...
I was in the market for a steel hardtail do it all type frame, but at 120mm travel but the Pikes I had earmarked for the build would have been wasted on the Rock Lobster.
In the end I bought an Orange Pure 7 frame from Bikescene and am chuffed to bloody bits with it. It's not light, partly thanks to the Pike Air forks and the Deore/SLX build but its a fantastic ride. Well worth considering if you want something that'll handle a bit more travel.
I had an 853 Lobster for seven years. Fantastic bike, great handling. I never had an issue with the TT length on a 19", in fact I changed to a 70mm stem and found the combination worked really well. Go on, you know you want to...
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