I am in the market for a new hardtail, and thinking I should go 650b. I am currently riding a 2006 cove stiffee with 140 revs, size 15.5 with a 60mm stem.

I love the cove, but it’s getting on a bit and I can pass it on to my youngest boy. I am a girl, so the short top tube on the cove is great for me. I also ride a 2012 mega with 170 lyriks in a small and that’s also perfect in size. I am 165cm tall and about a 31″ inside leg.

Anything you guys would recommend? Would prefer to buy the frame now (bday coming up) and get the bits over the winter.

Currently have a short list of 1: the bird zero in the yellow and pink! Great name, great colour and the top rube is not too long and it comes in a 15″.

What else is out there that may suit?

Simone

I’ve similar plans and have a Saracen Zen on my list, and the inevitable onone.

Kona explosif can go up to 150mm. I think it’s got a lovely feel and is a little less harsh than the alu frames above.

Little less harsh, but a little more heavy of course.

45650b is out of stock at the moment I think but its a great frame for the price.

Looking about I guess cotic soul, bird are of cause the new kids on the block but look good and if I had the cash I’d look at BTR custom ranger in 650b flavour.
I’ve ridden with burf from BTR on his 26inch one and all I can say is he was there and then he wasn’t and that was up hill too :-).
Looking at your question and seeing that your happy with your present bike sizing sizing, BTR are defor worth a look regards custom geometry and toptube/seat tube reach etc
But of cause bare in mind I’m old and still on small wheels so can not comment on how these ride :-(.

Will check out the kona and Saracen, not too sure on the on one, as in my experience the top tubes are too long.

Thanks!

Anyone has the bird?

Also cotic too long if their 26″ frames are anything to go by, unless the do a xs (but I may have a lot of seatpost showing).

Simone

How about a Whyte 905. Winstanley Bikes have some on offer at the moment. Not as much travel (120mm) but a nice bike.

+1 on the Bird. Don’t have one myself, but I know a few that do and they rave about it. Plus I know Ben and he of course raves about it 😀 (ps the full sus is looking nice also 😉 ).

If On One did a Carbon 45650b I’d also say that, but they said they’ll never do one 🙁

Meta HT1?

Will have a look at the meta, I think perhaps I should try to get a test ride on the bird. Will email them. Worked out that I’ve had the cove about 6 year and bought the frame used! It’s done well….

Simone

I’m also in the market for a new hardtail. I’m currently looking at either the Kona Explosif 650b 2014 for £1k, which seems like a bargain, or the Cube Reaction GTC SL 29er 2014, which I can get for around £1.2k – also looks like a pretty good bargain. My first choice bike was the Cube Reaction GTC SL 27.5 2014, but they’re pretty scarce at this stage and the best deal I can find is circa £1.4k from MHW-Bike, which is a little beyond what I can comfortably spend.

The Cube 29er and Kona seem like two pretty different bikes. I’m pretty new to MTBing and mainly looking to have some fun on local trails like Cannock Chase at the weekend. Any input would be appreciated.

The Kona sounds like it could be the bike for me but I’m 5’10” and it seems the 19″ large Explosif may be too big. Shame because £600 off is a good saving.

Tested the bird on Saturday at swinley forest and love it! I was just going to get the frame and build it up, but the full builds are such good value I will probably go for one of those instead.

Just picking the spec at the minute and I will have to sell one of our 26″ hardtails.

My boys both want one too (they aren’t getting one) and my husband is temped to test ride one next time we go eventhough his stanton is not very old.

Great bikes, lovely ride, very playful when pushed. The small is short, and a perfect fit for me.

Thanks to Ben for all his help so far.

Simone

Absolutely loving my 45650b

Have you taken a look at the 2015 Mondraker Vantage?

http://www.silverfish-uk.com/ProductDetail/0/16451/Vantage-RR-27-5-Bike-2015

Available as a frame only for £395 RRP.

At a glance it will appear long in the top tube but bear in mind its Forward Geometry so is designed to be run with a very short stem hence bringing the reach back to where you’d normally expect it.

Anyone has the bird?

Yes, I do. I wouldn’t bother if I were you. It lulls you into a false sense of ability, and let’s you ride down stuff much faster than you did before, and then at the bottom where it gets easy you stop paying concentrating and fall off and break bits of you and get banned from cycling for several weeks by the doctor. 100% the bikes fault.

How about a Whyte 905. Winstanley Bikes have some on offer at the moment. Not as much travel (120mm) but a nice bike.

Or the 909? (130mm) Although doesn’t do a 15″ frame model, the small looks like a 16″.

I wouldn’t go sticking a 150mm fork on the Explosif as said above. I was looking at getting one and had a conversation with the local Kona dealer. I asked what was the maximum length of fork I could put on it and was told 120mm as Kona say that’s what it was designed around. Anything else can void your warranty and put undue stress upon the frame which could result in an accident.

Hey Simone, I have a lovely little Whyte 604 650B frame and forks on ebay at the mo’. Test-ridden only as I have to concede that 650B is not for me (despite having done exactly the same thing earlier this year – I’ll never learn 😆 ).

Thanks mamadirt, but I am getting the bird. Love the ride and love the colour! ….and it’s called a bird which appeals to my sense of humor (I currently ride a 15.5″ purple stiffee 😀 ).

I tried one of the birds, really wasnt convinced. I was ready to buy one aswell, the demo convinced me not to.

It felt harsh whilst not being stiff and efficient. It didnt feel lively and nimble, really wasnt what i was after, which was a fast efficient hardtail that accepted being used like a big BMX, ie a modern, updated charge blender.

Just thought I’d pop this in as well. This is probably my favourite biking vid and features probably the best looking hardtail out there. Reviews of the bike are mixed, with some not liking the fork choice.

[video]http://vimeo.com/84220434[/video]

moniex – Member

Thanks mamadirt, but I am getting the bird. Love the ride and love the colour! ….and it’s called a bird which appeals to my sense of humor (I currently ride a 15.5″ purple stiffee ).

Enjoy! They do look very nice 😛

Whyte 901 here 650b with reverb fitted, superb hardtail, light enough but up to anything you wanna ride it at. Went with the whyte after buying the 629 29er a while back and was equally impressed, the geometry just works well imo.
Both have made a 2012 Stumpy fsr redundant for anything but the most rocky terrain.

deanfbm – I did not find the bird harsh at all (but then I do ride a cove stiffee at the moment). I rode it back to back with my current cove (my oldest son brought the cove to swinley, so we could swap).

The cove is like a puppy that wants to play…..all the time! The bird was happy to play when I wanted to. It liked to jump and seemed to flatter my (lack of) skill.

My son is going to have the cove, but then he is also like a puppy that always wants to play when he rides his bike.