Just bought a new inbred frame and the day it arrives a kona unit frame comes up at a decent price and I’m having the mental strive trying to decide what to do. Comparing them are they much of the sameness? Both will be ran singlespeed, but I think only the inbred may go semi-fat with thinner rims…

Both well checkable? Both sturdy to take some 29er xc aggro riding? Thought the unit was significantly lighter but looks like there’s not enough to care about in it.

Thoughts? Advice? Medication?

Scandal

Probably* not much in it, I like the way O-O’s look better well used and covered in scratches, paint chips, and dings than they do new, a bike to be thrashed singlespeed all winter. Backed up by their pricing, frames for less than the cost of an XT crank.

The Kona might appreciate a bit of T-cut once in a blue moon.

*never ridden a unit

love my unit

The inbred is a bit of a tank if my old one is anything to go by (for sale soon), didn’t feel that chuckable.

+1 for Scandal, genesis high latitude frame?

My Unit is a heavy tank. It batters through stuff rather than skipping over it. Whether that’s right for you or not, only you will know. I love it because it looks good, requires little maintenance and makes my legs strong. I like it despite the way it rides 🙂

Parkwood?

Just in the process of building up a Cotic Solaris after having a V1 Scandal 29er for a few years. Friend has been riding my Scandal 29er and really likes it and I was going to convert it to 1×11 for her but the Parkwoods came up for £80 the other week. Thought I would grab one for her as it’s a bit more up to date and should be a bit more suited to the riding we do together. I do like the Scandal though, it’s an XC bike that will still cope with downward techy stuff, okay you feel a bit “should I do this” but then it just does it and you end up with a big grin on your face.

Had a slight issue with spotting a weld defect on the Parkwood when building it up but just got the replacement frame and apart from the small defect (hard to spot area under the seat stay/seat tube join and they happen and on one didn’t hang around in their decision to get it back) it looks like a very well put toegther frame and fun geometry.

I have been riding a 29er ss inbred for about 3 years. It is a fantastic bike. It’s a bit heavy and not much give in the back end, but the geometry is great. With a salsa steel fork up front the handling is a great mix of high speed stability and nimbleness through the turns.
My riding buddy has a Unit, a bit more forgiving at the rear end, possibly a bit lighter ( not really enough to notice) . Not quite as planted at high speed.
Would I swap my inbred for a unit? Never in a million years!!

I like my Unit. Always found Inbreds a little ‘dead’ feeling, but to be fair the Unit doesn’t feel overly sprightly either.

Still, the Unit fits and goes forward when I pedal – definitely a more XC-orientated geo tho.

Well I think that’s pretty definitive! There’s bugger all in it haha. By the sounds of it, that above is the same conversation I’ve been having with myself over the past 24 hours in my head (maybe I should see someone about that…)

If I want to skip over things I’ll go with the race bike I think, looking for something more ‘robust’ and by the sounds of it they’re both pretty similar. It’s a bright white inbred so will look a bit like a new set of trainers for a few weeks until I start inevitably crashing it! It’s going to be ran with a suspension fork too rather than rigid just because I’m looking for something with a little more comfort than the race bike (if a steel singlespeed can ever be called ‘comfortable!’)

Plus… I’ve got white rims so sticking those on a raw unit might look a bit on the odd side.

By the sounds of it, that above is the same conversation I’ve been having with myself over the past 24 hours in my head (maybe I should see someone about that…)

If the voices make you smile I’d leave them alone. 😉

I concur with Pimpmaster. I have a 2013 unit and love it. It handles brilliantly and takes anything that I throw at it. At the same time I built up an inbred 29er to ride to work on around a year ago. Found that compared to the unit the inbred didn’t have a very lively ride. Now sold the On one.

Stick with the Inbred ..

I have a Kona “big unit” It’s scandium version. Super light and burly at the sme time…

Bugger all in it. Keep the Inbred, it’s a great bike. Then get a Stooge.

Cheez I like your style! You’re hired!

Keep the inbred but get a Honzo Ti

I have a Kona “big unit” It’s scandium version. Super light and burly at the sme time…

That sounds genuinely interesting!

Keep the inbred but get a Honzo Ti

Oh man that’s a good looking bike…

I think in the future I’m likely to get rid of the inbred and the NS surge and get a steel/ti, short(ish) travel aggro 29er but haven’t found many that fit that bill… yet