Right my hardtail is killing my back, its a medium and just too small.

Im thinking about trying to get a cheap S/H full sus and swap everything off the hardtail (36 talas, XT/XTR easton etc so a reasonable build)

I want something that I can climb and do some miles on (but unlikely i’ll be doing 100km epics) but will still be burly enough to go and hit my local DH trails on (Ribbesford for those that know if, and our jumps at Kinver DH)

I enjoy descent more than climbing.

Was thinking a heckler with RP23 as I know these will ride ok for DH while still climbing ok.

Just wondering what other cheapish options there are out there – Yeti 575? or are they a little too XC orientated?

Giant trance or reign if you want something a bit stonger

Titus El Guapo from On One?

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. You could do a lot worse than a Pronghorn LT. At least test one.

Would like to try and find something around the £400-500 mark really.

How snap happy are the 575 carbon rear stays? Survive a mild tagging on the back of a gap jump?

EDIT – It wont be a Pronghorn – what a stupid place for the shock? What happened to keeping the weight low to reduce the CoG? Especially for those like me who are knock need and ride knees in.

Hehe. Typical response to the Pronghorn, although you did forget to mention the horrors of getting your gooch caught.
Oh well. Your loss.

Not debating it might work ok but from my point of view and the fact that I do ride heavily knees in its prob not for me. That and I can injure myself just looking at a bike suggest that anything that could poss a testicle trap while crash (which also happens a lot) is probably a bad idea!

P.S. Im assuming I want a large – im 6’2″ ish, about 150lbs and easily 34″ inside leg.

IIRC they were some cheap NOS yeti’s on the net somewhere?

P.S.S – Anyone know the sizing on a 2009 Yeti 4x Long? just wondering if that would be more suitable to the jumping part of my XC training…

Evolution Imports, last time I checked they only had 7’s left.

I can wholly recommend Marin’s Wolf Ridge here, it’s a bike begging for a set of 36s up front and is an absolute hoot.

Lap Zesty?

Maybe take a look at something like an Intense Tracer 2 or if the bias is a little more XC than AM then perhaps an Intense Spider 2. Budget wise the Marin suggested (above) may be a good call too.

Hmm I definitely want something I can jump and isnt too heavy to climb easily.

To be honest im looking second hand really around the 400-600 mark max.

I do have a bit of a craving for a Yeti 4x, 3.25″ travel. Geometry similar to that of a heckler both 69deg Head angle – but thats with a 100mm fork on the 4x and a 515mm A2C on the Heckler (suspect that thats 130mm fork?) Thinking the 100/130/160 talas would go on nice, and slacken the head angle and raise the BB for DH. While still being reasonable tight for single track / climbing. Only down side is only being able to run 1×9 gearing.

Should buy a real XC bike really…

trance-X
cheap as chips, no known issues and should be plenty available.

At your budget I’d be looking at a recent Enduro, Remedy or Cube Fritzz. Maybe a Spicy if price right. Possibly a Reign too. Pitch even?

I have owned a 575 and it wasn’t really a DH-biased bike, as you specify you would like.

I own a Fritzz myself and it’s marvellous for XC/AM. There are lots of light-ish, versatile 6in bikes about now though.

If you’re looking S/H, then I can recommend a cannondale prophet (best get an MX if you can as it’s designed for the longer forks)

oh make sure your talas steerer is long enough for the new frame

Hehe no worries – I left it pretty long on the hardtail with 20mm of spacers either side of the stem for just this reason.

If the Yeti 4x had a straight seat tube I think that would be winning right now!

P.S. Im assuming I want a large – im 6’2″ ish, about 150lbs and easily 34″ inside leg.

If this is for the Heckler then I’d be thinking of trying a X-Large for size too with a 34″ inside leg, depends how you like things to feel and how much post you like to show off.

2nd the Prophet frame – MX’s go for silly money, just go std or SL if you want real cheap [replace the shock & you get a std Prophet].
36’s might be a little long for the front end, but that doesn’t stop lots of ppl running em.

Boo hoo hoo.

Arg Im so confused!

My heart says – ‘Yeti 4X it’ll be fun!’

My head says ‘buy a proper xc bike you idiot!’

My wallets says ‘why is it when I want one there isn’t one on the classifieds when there were about 4.5 million bargain hecklers a few weeks ago’

My Bank account says ‘don’t buy anything you idiot!’

My ‘credit card say ’15month interest free on balance transfers – you know you want to!’

I’ve just done what z1ppy suggested: I got a bargain Prophet SL, stuck a RP23 on it and now have a super fun, slack 140mm bike. The frame was cheap, the paint is a bit rough so I’m thinking of rawing it, but it’s a great bike.

The Yeti will be pretty much gash on everything, my Mrs had one for razzing about on & it was useless for XC.

If you can find a large Blur 4X (good luck) you might be onto a winner, otherwise a Pitch/Zesty/Remedy/TranceX/etc etc.

You know Im quite surprised that 23 posts in no-one has suggested an Orange 5 or similar?

I’ve had conflicting reports about the Yeti now and seriously unsure what to do!

I got a SH Heckler recently and love it (Mk4). Rides V well uphill and a blast on the downs. I’m heavy and it copes and I feel confident it wont break. One thing I’d say is it needs a platform as it bobs like a bugger otherwise. I’m about to have the RP shock tuned so it holds up better on compressions and is more progressive, as it tends to fold up but that’s under me, I expect a lighter person wouldn’t have a problem.

Orange 5 😆

There you go, did it for you.

Well you said you wanted cheap 🙂

If you want cheap then it has to be worth seeking out a Marin Wolf Ridge?

My missus and I have one each, mine’s built with 160mm forks and is an absolute blast to ride.

This frame is for sale –

Trail Centre Razzer by Rick T., on Flickr

It’s a Kona Howler from 2007. Fantastic fun bike that was meant to be their 4X bike at the time. Comes with a 200mm air shock, but I fitted a 190mm coil shock for some time and it lowered it and slackened it nicely for loads of fun. Just a bit more versatile than a Yeti 4X with a 23 inch TT and 15.5 inch seat tube, although still limited to a single chainring on the front. Anyway, prolly only want £250 for it if you’re interested.