I'm excited. I reckon its my first 'proper' bike. It's incredible.
Very heavy, even without gears but the ride is fantastic, very involved and you have to really muscle it around. I love it.

Eventually it will have some beefier brakes, a proper seatpost and probably some gears…
And that rear wheel isn't mine…

like it mate!!! If you want to beef up the brake without the expense you can just increase the size of the rotors? it might be a little cheaper?

Yeah, I reckon that's probably the way to go. Plus it will look super cool with a dinner plate front rotor.

why would you want huge discs on a singlespeed hartdail?

😕

That's a fearsome looking machine.

why would you want huge discs on a singlespeed hartdail?

'Cos it's an absolute shredding machine! You could demolish a house with it.

Also, bigger = better. That's science.

Nice. Enjoy it, looks like it'll last you a good while too.
I agree that more powerful brakes are a good thing on any bike. Usually a bigger rotor will give you more feel as well as more power. Just make sure there's not a max size rotor for the frame, just to be on the safe side. Forks should be fine though.

sexy frame, what is it?

and you have to really muscle it around. I love it.

is this a good thing?

sexy frame, what is it?

It's an old style Evil Sovereign – the 853 one. Got it in the classifieds here.

is this a good thing?

I think so – it's engaging like nothing else I've ridden. It's just an absolute riot.

they are a real hoot arent they? id got out of the habit of just 'playing' on my bike when i didnt have time for a ride. my sovereign has got me back in to squeezing in an hours razz down hemlock stone, my local bike playground. love it!

razz down hemlock stone

Used to ride down there after work (park at the leisure centre) was quite good fun, what's it like now not been for years!

nice. Welcome to the club!

I've had mine for 2 1/2 years now and it's just so so good. I have found myself paying money to lighten the bike up without weakening it and that's been worth the effort. Rides up pretty well out of the saddle and is currently my only geared mountainbike so gets used on all sorts of stuff.

It's that good actually that I shelved my planned next bike (an AM FS) for 2 years, I just couldn't think what use I'd make of it now I had the Sov.

as @rsebreakingly expensive as they are, a droppy seatpost is a boon, with the seat right down out of the way the bike really comes alive on technical s-track and descents.

is the fork a TALAS or fixed travel? if fixed, how much (looks like 140…?) I originally fitted a Uturn Pike to mine and found that the handling was much much quicker at the shorter end (in a GOOD way). 120 seemed to be a nice well behaved neutral handling (but really, who wants a well behaved Sovereign?) and 140 gave that extra slackness for descents but slowed the handling a bit much on regular trails.

I believe you (and I) have a piece of mountainbiking history there, a modern classic. And it's got a burning skull on the front. Enjoy!

Yeah, the fork is 140 Vanilla, so no travel adjust – I've only ever ridden a Sov' with 140mm
Still super sharp handling with a 50mm stem though. Love it.

Used to ride down there after work (park at the leisure centre) was quite good fun, what's it like now not been for years!

the front side of hemlock hasnt changed much really, a few new lines and the odd tweak of the jumps. the back side where the dirt jumps is quite different though, some local guys are putting a lot of work in. there isnt really a fully rideable set right now but you can see what its going to look like and theres some really well made stuff; great berms, really well shaped jumps and some seriously big stuff. a few cheeky little chutes from the top down to the dirt jump too which are good fun.

over on the leisure centre side of things its all been re-done, none of the singletrack is like it used to be, its been gravelled and stepped for the dog walkers.

I run my (new model) sovereign at 160 for the downs and 140 for regular stuff, feels great!

Always ride mine at 140.

I'm very annoyed that yours looks nicer than mine still, even though mine is the reason you got one! I see your bitchstick turned up.

Front tyres on backwards 😛

Looks cool as ken.

Luke – went for a quick razz today and I can't believe how much difference those bars/stem make. 25mm makes all the difference. Looks really good too, and sounds good due to newly functional Pro II.

why would you want huge discs on a singlespeed hartdail?

How is it any different to any other hardtail just because it's singlespeed? I go just as fast down hill on SS as friends with gears and full sus = same braking needed 😉

needs flatties tho

I rekon you're missing out if you don't try it at 100mm. The handling difference is amazing.

still, to each their own. bloody nice bike!

Aye they are far nicer with a 100mm fork

i did a bit of jumps and stuff on mine at 100 (well,115) and it felt alright, much more flickable. to be honest though if i wanted a lively flickable xc bike i wouldnt buy a sovereign, no need for something that heavy imo. i reckon give it a proper beasting with a big fork.

I rode mine with a 100 fork for a few months but considering the stuff it's used for (big naff off rocky business) 100 is too little, and the head angle too steep.