Curtis make some nice bikes, and I’m sure if I asked them they’d build me one with a bigger seat tube. I don’t have that kind of money though.

that chart is fine for the old sov (size only regular and long), the new one..(sizes s,m,l,xl) has for 140mm forktravel, 68HA and 71SA..
which is close to the bfe with 68,6 and 71,6..
but they ride completely different..

I rather like my sanderson…

That Curtis Racelite *has* a bigger seat tube.

And I love my Sanderson too, but it is 27.2, and it would not be as good at 130mm I reckon…

matt – does it. Looks lovely. Spec on the website linked says 27.2

accu If you’ve ridden both perhaps you give me a comparison?

That chart is almost certainly unsagged geometry, which is about 1.5 degrees steeper with a fork that length. Are those new Sovereign angles quoted with a sagged fork? Having had my Soul next to a Sovereign with similar length fork, I suspect not.

The head angle is not the overriding aspect of the Sov although it’s not slack. It’s the front centre shortness, the back end shortness and the relatively high BB and the slackish seat angle. It pretty much defies the “new Calderdale ” [sic] geometry idea. You find yourself in an aggressive position over the fork.

The Curtis looks mint. I’d love him to braze one for me based on the Sov geom.

I got an ’08 BFe and i utterly love it. Definitely a safe bet.

If i was going to change it though, this would be my choice:

Production Privee – Shan. Meets all your requirements and, well, look at it.

It strikes me that the Sovereign is a bit like a BMX on stilts! Not that that’s a bad thing, as my BMX is great fun despite feeling like it wants to throw me onto the floor most days… 😉

Chiefgg obviously thought that one through, unlike me 😳

That Shan does look amazing. Probably too slack for me, doesn’t stop me wanting one though!

Anyone know when the Shan will be available again?

Lol that’s how it felt when I started on it! But you can do stuff to tame it but it’s essentially “hyperactive child ” character is still there under the surface. It’s never boring.

I have my Blue Pig Mk2 for sale. Ticks all your boxes but its not new 😕

http://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/1215319/

Sorry fissycat, if I were going to go for the ragley it’d be an X. Rather spend a little more and not carry around the extra weight, plus I like the swopout dropouts. 16″ is too small for me anyway.

Curtis, he is in the throws of changing to dropper compatible seattubes, according to the converstion I had with Gary 3 weeks ago, he’s also looking at doing a LT 29er

fortunateson09 How did you manage to crack an Evil Sovereign?! Think I may have to just go with the BFe and get the warranty since I seem to be good at breaking bikes. 😕

Exclude your preference for Uk designed
It has to be this

http://www.transitionbikes.com/2013/Bikes_TransAM26.cfm

^^^^

Why?

Genuinely don’t know what I did to the Sov to crack it – it’s quite old though (I’m the 3rd owner) and it’s had some good use.
I’m only 10st ish but I ride like a bit of a wardrobe and I’ve clattered my way down the Ft Bill endurance DH, Megavalanche, several weeks of Alps abuse, plenty of massive crashes/ coming up short on doubles etc. as well as constant general use as my only bike. I suppose the years just took their toll.
To be fair, I’ve never heard of another cracked Sov, and I know a lot of folk with similar bikes – Surges, Alpines etc that have been through several frames in the same time…

The seat tube gusset is essential purely for aesthetic reasons. Gussets = radness

I won’t post them on here because I’m fed up with being vilified about it.

I bet he’s talking about chainstays in the long setting and stems longer than 60mm, the heathen. 😉

Yup 😳

The Trans-Am’s geometry looks short and steep up front but with a low BB (although it doesn’t look as low in the pics as according to the numbers). Nice looking but quite heavy, especially considering the price…

This is in the classified, not mine, but it looks tidy
stw bluepigx

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/wtd-long-travel-hardtail-standard-headtube-medium-17-18

Heihei has a Sov for sale….

What size are you…

As I have mentioned quite a few times on here I used to have an Evil Sov and now have a Cotic BFe. Both have been built almost identically and both are absolutely fantastic bikes. The BFe is a better all-round bike while still being playful and being able to jump. The Sov is a better thrasher seat of your pants type bike.

I have ridden The Peak on the BFe and it was brilliant, as you would expect because that’s where it was conceived. It has also served well at Perry Barr BMX Track where all I did was wind the forks down to 95mm and got on wit things.

I bounced the Sov around Dalby and I was bloody sore afterwards. All that bike wants to do is launch off everything which is great fun on shorter rides but really tires you out on longer rides.

Overall I would say the BFe is the better bike as it still has the fun factor of the Sov but it is just as good at simply going for a ride. If your not in the mood for being pinged off every bump and root then the Sov will become tiresome but the BFe will let you get on with it and come alive when you feel like it.

Here are some gratuitous pics.

DSC_0025 by i_ache, on Flickr

DSC_0006 by i_ache, on Flickr

P1010082 by i_ache, on Flickr

Cotic BFe by i_ache, on Flickr

Must get some better pics of the BFe.

Anybody heard any news about Evil recently? Seems crazy for them to stop making such a popular frame

Yes Evil is now making a Carbon DH bike:

*eyecandy*

Evil will also make a carbon all mountain, probably a 29er and some other 130 mm travel bike I believe.
They stopped the production of the Sovereign apparently because they did not sell enough of it O_o (I guess this was only true before CRC sold them 50% off)!

Interesting looking stuff here…http://www.facebook.com/SwarfCycles
I’ve seen this designer’s home-made full-sus bike in action – it’s totally mint.

Just put my Evil Sovereign MK2 up for sale, not new i’m afraid but a brilliant bike
http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/fs-evil-sovereign-nukeproof-headset-m-270-posted

Just put my Evil Sovereign MK2 up for sale

It looks like it’s your lucky day Swingbing! 🙂