I’m embarrassed to admit I haven’t owned a hardtail in 12 years and there is a perfect hardtail shaped space in my shed that needs to be filled.

I’m clueless when it comes to hardtails so could do with some opinions. I have about a 2k budget and want something that will take a beating. A hardtail version of a FS mini downhill/trail bike I guess. Not really looking for a pootle around, in the saddle all day sort of bike. I’m open minded on wheel size but I am lanky 6’3″ tall.

Any thoughts?

Kona explosif

i cant get enough of mine

BTR Ranger, Stanton Slackline / Switchback, Production Privee Shan

Have a Shan myself, awesome bike.

Cotic bfe or Santa Cruz chameleon

Cotic Bfe (obsolete wheel size tho..)

Dialled Alpine filled that space for me, Stanton Slackline’s are great frames also. Either could be built up to a great spec for £2K

I’m 6’3″ and the biggest Dialled fit’s OK (running a 420mm Reverb), a mate is similar height and has a large Slackline.

Both are at the more agro end of the “Hardcore Hardtail” spectrum but I’m sure you could get even more DH focused with something like a BTR Fabrications if that’s what you want.

you wont go wrong with this mate, and keep the change!!

http://www.specializedconceptstore.co.uk/crave-pro/27489/14crave

If u had that money, I’d buy a dialled alpine and some pikes then figure the rest out in the morning.

You can get a reasonable specced 2souls quarterhorse for 2k, more than capable of what you want

Link

I love the Transition Trans Am If I had the spare cash.

This one:

http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/CBOOTI456X9/on-one-ti-456-evo-sram-x9-mountain-bike

A hardtail version of a FS mini downhill/trail bike I guess

you wont go wrong with this mate, and keep the change!!

http://www.specializedconceptstore.co.uk/crave-pro/27489/14crave

29er with a 71.5 degree HA?? lolz.

not sure the TTe on the largest slackline or alpine is enough, so large BFe ftw.

OP, where are you based?

Tonight I discovered 2Souls for the first time.

Want * infinity / bike poverty = sadness.

Dialled alpine mine is (being) built up pretty much as you describe for Under 2k

Nearly finished… Only been 8 months…

big fan of my BFe but at your height I’d be looking at maybe, dare I say it, the larger wheel options.

Blimey, so many choices. On the 29er option, is it worth investing in one, given that the industry has all but admitted it’s putting them to bed? Or is the situation a little different on the HT front?

Candodavid – Oxfordshire.

You get down Somerset way and sling a leg over a quarterhorse, best LT hardtail 29er IMO, the model singletrack weapon, that just gets better on the more techy, tight and down stuff

I really like the 2souls, have you had a look at the new NS eccentric though?

Cotic bfe or Santa Cruz chameleon

I have a Soul and a Chameleon. Love them both. Both very different. Stick something insane like 36’s on a Chameleon and you can do anything. 🙂 Soul’s a lot more comfortable for long rides but same geo as BFe. Cy is of similar height to you, I believe… Chameleons run small. You’d want XL i think, maybe L at a push.

Tonight I discovered 2Souls for the first time.

Want * infinity / bike poverty = sadness.

Pretty bikes. Not sure I needed to see that…

There’s a lot of choice in hardtails. Geometry, tyre clearance, fork rating and material are the obvious biggies before you get to looks, weight, bling etc…

The BFe is probably a better choice than a Soul for mini DH bombing. Chameleon would be good this too. Both do Enduro like champs. Both will do 160mm if you want. Chameleon is brutal with its tail… in a good way.

As to the 29’er… as I understand it, the UK is ‘odd’ in that we didn’t go nuts for them. 27.5 might be a better big wheel option for big downs, but I’m assured there are 29’ers that go down techy fast stuff very well – just not all of them.

I’ve had both a soul and a bfe. I now have a soul again, awesome frame.

All the usual suspects have already been named (Bfe, Slackline, Alpine etc). Maybe consider a Whyte 901 or 905 as an off the peg option. Great riding, fun, hooligan HT’s.

Have a look at the Whyte 909 or 905. I love my 909- the Cotic BFe I had has got nothing on it. The 909 has got pretty much the same geometry as my G150 Works enduro bike, which can only be a good thing. 66.5 degree HA, super low BB, long top tube and adjustable chainstays from 415-435mm, while also fitting in 27.5″ wheels. They even come with a proper width bar (750mm) from the factory. Have a gander.

EDIT- Check out some of the recent magazine reviews of the 901, 905 and 909. All 4.5-5 stars and/or test winners.

Trailsy 29er HT: Singular Buzzard (ridden – good value), Canfield Yelli Screamy (own & enjoy, expensive to buy new), & many people like that 2Souls, haven’t ridden one myself. Titus Fireline 29er Evo has many fans too.

Look for short chain stays and slackish head angle. Trek Stache, Kona Honzo.

And as per ^^ the Whytes look good to me too.

Just had a mail out from On One, Ti 456’s reduced at the mo! Awesome with a set of new Pikes

I love my Soul but it definitely isn’t a hardtail version of a mini DH bike. This however is:

http://www.stantonbikes.com/content/switchback-50-deposit-secure-your-frame

😯 That Stanton!

Big chunk of money off this frame
https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&sqi=2&ved=0CC0QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.on-one.co.uk%2Fi%2Fq%2FFROOTI456EVO%2Fon-one-ti-456-evo-frame&ei=ndoJU9noNeup0AWpjIDwBQ&usg=AFQjCNF9WdcLzznIYqTrobr4P5zIL-HatQ&sig2=2oM97L-LXaAikFSfEWEVCA

I think the Stanton is winning to be honest. It’s pretty much exactly what i’m looking for. The 909 looks surprisingly good too but that Stanton ticks all the boxes.

Do it

I’m 6’2″ and don’t feel cramped on my 18″ Slackline. The Switchback is even slacker so might be better suited to your DH brief.

Based on your description of what you want the bike for, the Stanton switchback probably looks the best option mentioned above. Love the Stanton’s, got a Sherpa ordered and if I could justify a switchback I think I’d get one just for the paint job! As it is, I have a sovereign for looning around on (for now)…

Have you looked at the btr fabrications frames? Expensive but designed for exactly what you describe.

Blimey, so many choices. On the 29er option, is it worth investing in one, given that the industry has all but admitted it’s putting them to bed?

Since when? (Assuming you mean 29er are dead to the industry ala 26er’s?)
Industry chasing it own arse with 27.1 but that don’t mean it’s killed 29er’s. Not suggesting 27.1 aint worth looking at, just don’t tell me they’re ‘so much better’ than 26er’s.

Industry chasing it own arse with 27.1 but that don’t mean it’s killed 29er’s. Not suggesting 27.1 aint worth looking at, just don’t tell me they’re ‘so much better’ than 26er’s.

If you’re going to call 650B “27.1” then you should call 26 “26.1” and 29 “28.6”. There’s only 2.5″ between 26 and 29 however you look at it.

On One 456, the only bike I’m considering going back to, it was just so ballanced and ‘right’, only managed to ruin it with some mental marzocchi forks! Not the lightest, but comparable to frames at 2x the money. The only thing better is a second hand one, and as they seem to be the frame everyones had at least once there’s loads of those too.

OP – I flung a leg over Candodavid’s 2souls a while back and ended up buying one soon after. They are flippin ace. Way more bike and capable than I’ll ever need but really confident and fun.

If you’re going to call 650B “27.1” then you should call 26 “26.1” and 29 “28.6”. There’s only 2.5″ between 26 and 29 however you look at it.

I like you, that’s my kind of pedantry! 😆

Seriously though… 29er’s ain’t dead, far from it. In fact 26″ ain’t dead, whilst there’s still a call for it (and there pretty much always will be) then somebody is going to make the frames/forks/rims.

Anyway… Had a quick razz up and down the road on Stanton’s pre-production Switchback the other day… BIG thumbs up! It’s unapologetically a HT bike for chasing down DH bikes on technical terrain. It’s still got a really short chainstay though even with the 650b wheels, and manuals/wheelies better than most 26″ bikes.

Also had a quick spin on the pre production Sherpa 29er, and obviously it’s a much more XC focussed frame, but the geometry is still spot on for a thrashing and is pretty short for a 29er.

If you really want a hardcore thrashable 29er that handles well though, look at something like the Canfield Yelli Screamy. Chainstays as short as most 26″ bikes, and built to take a right thrashing.

Cotic solaris – you won’t be disappointed