I'd be grateful for any suggestions or recommendations as I'm looking to rationalise my bike collection into one, do-it-all hardtail; something with loads of versatility, a decent fork range and preferable singlespeed option. So far I'm looking at the Chameleon (is it just in black and white this year?), the Whyte 19 alloy and (at a push the Nicolai Argon.
Any other suggestions or would you go for one of those three?
Any help much appreciated
Orange P7.
Don't get a Chameleon unless you only do short rides, it's a play bike, a very good one, but a play bike nonetheless. Don't see the point of an Argon at all - yes, it's built like a tank but if i wanted a tank, i'd get... a tank! Chameleon/Stiffee are far more preferable and far less ugly for that kind of frame (imho, of course).
But do it all? I'd go for a P7. Some would choose a Soul (never liked mine but horses for courses etc), others, yes, a 19. Anti-chic option: 456.
Carbon 456 - swap outs let you switch between geared or SS.
ooh yeah, P7 and 456 – interesting. Must admit though that the idea of a carbon long-travel hardtail doesn't sit easily with me (though I can't say why)
Don't get a Chameleon unless you only do short rides, it's a play bike, a very good one, but a play bike nonetheless.
Sorry, but that's complete bollocks.
There's mine. This year I will be racing XC and DH (HT category obviously) on it. I use it for playing on DH trails, XC training, normal XC rides, epic alpine XC rides with 3+ hours of climbing, DHing in the Alps, everything. I think the longest ride I've done on it would be about 60 or so miles, and probably spent 7 or 8 hours riding it at a time too.
It's so ridiculously good.
Fair enough, it's your back after all.
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Don't apologize, nothing like a healthy difference of opinion. Bit disappointed by the lack of colours on this year's Chameleons. Quite fancied an orange one!
Fair enough, it's your back after all.
Never had any problems at all. Its my most comfortable bike actually.
I have a Whyte 19 Trail Steel that I bought for this purpose... very much a jack of all trades master of none type of bike.
Compromises all over the place but still a great place to spend a few hours.
What is your budget? Always the Ti 456.
I quite like the look of that Kinesis frame in the forsale section. Steel, 2.1kg and swap outs. Don't see many around though.
The guy is after a "do it all bike", not an xc bike. I wouldnt fancy DH or dirt jumps on an xc trail bike like a Whyte or a P7 or a Carbon On One.
Get a BFe, or Chameleon or an Evil. something strong with short chainstays.
I'm a self-confessed Nicolai fanboy but I'd never buy an Argon of any varierty, but not least the Argon FR (I know you don't specify the FR, but that's the one I test rode).
They are just too damn uncomfortable beyond about 90 minutes riding. They are bullet stiff but while they fire you forward like a high velocity round, they also impact your body like one.
It's a free country and everyone is free to choose whatever bike they want, but I wouldn't go with an aluminium hard tail because they do tend to be harsh. As a younger man I rode one, but I am no longer in my 20s!
If you've got that kind of budget then personally I'd be looking at either titanium (something like the Ragley Ti, which coincidentally I just bought or One one Ti456, both of which can be used with forks from 100mm to 150mm) or a custom steel hardtail (which I investigated also).
If you're going custom steel, then either Curtis or 18Bike in the Peak District, can sort you out.
The Curtis could be built to your needs for about £850 and would be around the 5lbs mark in terms of weight (Reynolds 853 used for the front and 725 for the rear IIRC), but it would tailored, not bespoke so you could control general geometry, but not the finer detail.
18Bikes can build you a completely bespoke bike; everything from the geometry, tubes, style of the stays, cable routing, everything. But it would cost at least £1000 and maybe as much as £1300 if you started adding things like tapered head tubes, custom drop outs (which I think can allow you to run SS and belt drive) etc.
Guess I'll have whatever I can get for a s/h Kona Kula scandium 29er, Sirius pipedream 853 and new Commencal Super 4, so ti is a possibility. Come to think of it upgrading to a Ti Pipedream may be an option…
P7s are heavy.
But they are strong.
Something ti with a lightweight 150mm fork or so and a couple of wheel-sets - one light and burly for trails and gnarl with fat tyres, one light and light with fast tyres for racing and big all-day epics. Wagley or Ti 456 mebbe? Tougg enough to take a ragging, light enough to go fast.
Something ti with a lightweight 150mm fork
Yes, a dead expensive Ti frame with a light fork is a superb idea for thrashing down a downhill course and taking over dirt jumps.
I currently ride a 456 and get on with it a mate has even used his doing DH when his DH bike is broken. If I was going to get one HT bike to do it all i'll go for the Ragley Ti.
The guy is after a "do it all bike", not an xc bike. I wouldnt fancy DH or dirt jumps on an xc trail bike like a Whyte or a P7 or a Carbon On One.
Wait, so do it all includes DH and dirt jumps, but not XC?
I always thought of do it ALL as doing it ALL. XC race to DH race. Otherwise its not doing it ALL, is it?
A Dialled Alpine would be a pretty versatile choice. Super strong and will take a 150mm fork - works very well with 95-140 Pikes though. A good bit cheaper than a sov too! A chain tensioner would sort the SS option, which isn't really much of a disadvantage. If you want versatility I wouldn't limit yourself to sliding dropouts/EBBs etc.
Yes, a dead expensive Ti frame with a light fork is a superb idea for thrashing down a downhill course and taking over dirt jumps.
I'll butt out, I was thinking a Revelation or a Sektor or something. I hadn't realised the OP was going to be thrashing the bike on downhill courses. I'll just shut up now, sorry.
Need to know what your idea of "do it all" is really, as some folks are saying some of these choices aren't too clever for the hardest of use but then most people who say they want a do-it-all bike don't actually do-it-all. My do-it-all Mmmbop has never been in a halfpipe or used for trials or a 100km race 
"ir_bandito - MemberP7s are heavy.
But they are strong."
Not so convinced of that, they had to change the design so much to get it to pass the CEN tests and it's still only rated for 140mm forks, makes it less strong in some quantifiable ways than a 456 or a BFe or similiar.
I don't think DH or jumps are my bag really so that probably simplifies things: something I could thrash on local trails, epic rides and the occasional xc race or enduro. Needs to cope with proper mountains too. 100-140 fork range would cover my needs
I don't have any back issues with my Chameleon either.
It has 140 up front and can handle more than I dare.
+1 for the Chameleon, I have 2008 pre EBB built up with 140mm Pikes & I love it, I ride everything from regular Dark Peak stuff 3-4 hrs and have even done 5hrs + in the Howgills, just try one for size first as the medium is quite small (great for throwing round a trail centre though).
cotic soul with 120mm forks.
Not quite available yet, should be about early May - but this is a do it all frame:
stanton bikes slackline
davidtaylforth - do you smoke crack ALL the time or just when you feel the need to post angrily and narrow-mindedly on forums about peoples bike recommendations..?
just a question like...
Dialled Prince Albert. Just does stuff, rides nice and is plenty durable without being bonkers heavy (or even just heavy, heavy).
They've been used for 4X in small sizes and umpteen people wander around on them all day. Lighter and a bit more roomy than an Alpine, if that's important to you.
TBH you just sound like you want a "bike". Using it for "everything" (as relates to what you might want to do) is probably more a mental attitude thing than a bike's inherent versatility as a result of its design. IMO 
Handful: "No back probs with my Chameleon."
<sets up chiropractor business and waits>
davidtaylforth - do you smoke crack ALL the time or just when you feel the need to post angrily and narrow-mindedly on forums about peoples bike recommendations..?
It is a bike forum. I always got the impression that being angry and narrow minded was what you were meant to do. I aint smoked any crack tho.
I'm liking lumberjack's suggestion... Never heard of them before either! Looks proper nice though.
If more XC biased riding is to be done though, would personally edge in the direction of either a Cotic Soul (if you're building a custom bike), or a Genesis Altitude (if you want something off the peg). Either are great do it all bikes with the emphasis slightly more on the XC and trail riding side of things.
davidtaylforth - fair comment
liking that Stanton Slackline - lots
Orange Crush.... ?
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