Looking for a nice aluminium or ti hardtail frame for racing marathons and general trail riding.
The Saracen Kili Flyer Ti looks lovely (@£2999), has anyone got one and what do you think?
What would be the alternatives at that price or a bit less?
Bike Forum
Saracen Kili Flyer Ti?
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Posted 3 months ago #
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Any of the following frames:
Cotic Soda (if you can still buy in your size?)
Charge Ti Duster
Enigma Ti EgoGot the Soda myself and love it
Or if you don't mind a pound extra weight then:
Soul
Curtis
Enigma Ego STAnd build to budget...
Posted 3 months ago # -
http://www.ukbikesdepot.com/m15b5s2p5239/SARACEN_Kili_Flyer_Ti_Mens_Titanium_Mountain_Bike_2011/RS_GB/14425
£2,300 here.
Better value at that price than £3k.
Genesis Latitude Ti might be worth a look too.
Posted 3 months ago # -
Only order an Enigma if you can be arsed waiting until the end of time - either for a reply to emails or for your bike.
Wish I'd taken my money elsewhere - bunch of ******* ****weasels.
Posted 3 months ago # -
I've already got a soul, nice build with Fox Rl120s and decent bits.
Just looking to have something a bit racier for going relatively fast on 12 hr solos. Don't want full sus tho.
Posted 3 months ago # -
I wouldnt bother with that, looks shite for £3000.
If you want to go fast, surely carbon or alu is the noly way (plus its cheaper)
You could go balls out on a custom build on something like an on one whippet frame
Posted 3 months ago # -
Hoping that I'll be able to get a good deal, something like less than £2k.
But what decent Xc/enduro machines are out there for about £2k? Not too fussed about all this new school german muck on crc.
Posted 3 months ago # -
Burls frame and swap ya bits over
Posted 3 months ago # -
I want to:
1. Keep the soul as a trail bike.
2. Buy a new hardtail new for racing 12 hr marathons and team events. Not that bothered what it is as long as the spec is decent, i.e. Xt, fox rls, light wheels or equivalent.
Posted 3 months ago # -
Sold a Kili Flyer Ti to one of our club members last year. he loves it. The frame is gorgeous, get one you'll love it.
Posted 3 months ago # -
Strange enigma have been good for me so far
Posted 3 months ago # -
vertical climber - Member
Strange enigma have been good for me so far+ 1
Jim at Enigma is a really helpful bloke.
Posted 3 months ago # -
There's helpful and there's "we've got your non-refundable deposit" helpful. I've discovered the 2 aren't the same.
If I could get my money back I would.
(In fairness I've not been dealing with Jim.)
Posted 3 months ago # -
IvanDobski - Member
There's helpful and there's "we've got your non-refundable deposit" helpful. I've discovered the 2 aren't the same.If I could get my money back I would.
Was the deposit on an off the peg frame or a custom built frame?
Posted 3 months ago # -
Custom, basic drawings done but no cad, fea etc yet.
Posted 3 months ago # -
IvanDobski - Member
Custom, basic drawings done but no cad, fea etc.Do they ask for much deposit upfront?
Posted 3 months ago # -
£500 on a £1600 all-mountain ti frame.
Posted 3 months ago # -
Just looking to have something a bit racier for
going relatively fast on 12 hr solos. Don't want
full sus tho.I'll apologise in advance for giving sensible advice. save that £2k+ and stick with your current bike. Then spend 500-1k of it on a proper training camp and coaching. if you must, spend a bit of the remainder lightening anything particularly heavy or even just get an on one whippet frame for £400ish
That'll actually make you faster.
or sod it and spend money instead of effort
Posted 3 months ago # -
IvanDobski - Member
£500 on a £1600 all-mountain ti frame.If a designer had put some time and effort in on my new frame, I would expect to lose some of my deposit; but I wouldn't like to comment on how much I'd expect to pay.
I wonder if they get folks making an intial order just to get their correct sizing worked out and then cancelling?
I reckon a bikefit for example must be between £100 to £150.
Posted 3 months ago # -
Taking about Enigma, didn't they used to build the Saracen steel Kili's a couple of years back?
Posted 3 months ago # -
Oh yeah I see why it's none refundable, especially as I was about to pull the trigger on getting xacd to build it first but bottled it for a British option for peace of mind.
My gripe is that the excitement of getting the ti frame I've wanted for years is taking a nosedive on the back of glacier-like responses, an inability to provide a straight answer to a straight question and no idea of timescale other than "it'll be ready when it's ready".
Posted 3 months ago # -
That looks like a nice bike with a good spec for £2,300
Posted 3 months ago # -
Hi clubber appreciate some sensible advice but I'm 4 weeks into a 12 week training programme with specific race goals. Did a fair bit of base before Xmas as well. If I want to do ok I'll need both man and machine working in perfect harmony.
Hijacking my own thread I just want a hardtaul rocket that is comfy enough for doing 12 hr solos. Cost about 2k.....
Posted 3 months ago # -
Merlin were knocking out their ti frame on the cheap werent they?
Posted 3 months ago # -
I know it's no excuse, but I was chatting to Jim a few days ago and they did seem to be really busy.
I asked what the turnaround was on their frames and he reckoned around 8 weeks.
They're only a small outfit and I'm not too sure how many builders they have. I was under the impression they just had Mark building frames, but I might have that completely wrong.
Posted 3 months ago # -
a proper training camp will still make a much bigger difference....
And a whippet would do just as well as your 2k to frame. better probably...
Posted 3 months ago # -
wonny j - Member
Hi clubber appreciate some sensible advice but I'm 4 weeks into a 12 week training programme with specific race goals. Did a fair bit of base before Xmas as well. If I want to do ok I'll need both man and machine working in perfect harmony.Hijacking my own thread I just want a hardtaul rocket that is comfy enough for doing 12 hr solos. Cost about 2k.....
How about a discounted 2011 Cannondale Flash or Giant carbon hardtail.
Flash - http://paulscycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b0s2p3701
XTC - http://paulscycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b0s2p2294
There must be a few cheap deals on 2011 models now.
Posted 3 months ago # -
OP - sorry to highjack your thread but I at least made a suggestion!
I don't mind a waiting list, it's par for the course for a custom frame. I do mind when they consistently miss their own self-imposed deadlines, take days/weeks to acknowledge updates and when they do they miss a lot of the points you raise.
Custom ti is built in the UK, not sure how many framebuilders they've got though. Having said that there have been some responses to some questions I've asked which have made me wonder if they are built in the UK or whether part of the delay is due to them contacting some factory overseas to check something is or isn't possible.
Posted 3 months ago # -
I would look at buying a frame and building up a bike yourself. There are so many deals on groupsets and forks now, I wonder if an off the peg bike is any better value.
You also get the benefit of having a bike spec'd just for yourself and I think it's fun working out the spec and colours
Posted 3 months ago # -
Custom, basic drawings done but no cad, fea etc yet.
FEA and CAD done for a one off custom frame? You've got to be joking? Surely they just get tubes that they know/think will work, and weld them together? Isnt that why you go with an experience frame builder?
Posted 3 months ago # -
Well, they specifically say that both are included. They could be bullshitting of course.
Posted 3 months ago # -
Fair do's!
I always imagined that custom frame builders didnt bother with any of that sort of stuff. Perhaps they shouldnt either, if its taking them this long to make your frame.
Posted 3 months ago # -
was at enigma 2 weeks ago, they are doin me a 140mm ergo steel special. mark top bloke but really flat out yet still spent well over an hour with me talking through stuff. has quoted 8-10 weeks build. I knoe from prev discussions 2 years ago with them that to do a long travel ti frame is much more difficult then steel so could be why. personnally never rush a crafstman, the end result will be what you want even if a little late.
Posted 3 months ago #
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