Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 153 total)
  • So what were the ultimate 26ers then?
  • chakaping
    Free Member

    Now the wheel size has (pretty much) been consigned to the dustbin of history, can we agree what the best frames were?

    Not the “classic” bikes, but the ultimate evolution of each strand (XC/trail/AM/FR/DH) in terms of geometry and design.

    I had a Mondraker Summum for a while and it was a frighteningly quick bike with brilliant handling – but maybe just a touch short in the cockpit by current standards.

    CaptainFlashheart
    Free Member

    can we agree

    Are you new here?

    Agree? This is STW, lest we forget.

    DickBarton
    Full Member

    Pace RC200
    Orange P7
    Possibly Orange Five

    3 for starters…

    orangeboy
    Free Member

    Either 2003 enduro sx or the 2013 sworks Carbon enduro

    vondally
    Free Member

    santa cruz heckler
    santa cruz superlight
    santa cruz bullit

    all ground breaking

    Intense Tracer/Uzzi
    Turner Burner
    Turner XCE
    Turner RFX

    Pace RC 2000

    Litespeed Kitsuma

    chakaping
    Free Member

    Ahem…

    Not the “classic” bikes, but the ultimate evolution of each strand

    P-Jay
    Free Member

    Evil Uprising is my vote for best / last of the 26″ AM bikes…but I still think 26″ is coming back.

    grahamt1980
    Full Member

    Transition bandit for me.

    househusband
    Free Member

    Ibis Mojo; a lovely design that is getting on for ten years old, has aged gracefully and still looks great.

    br
    Free Member

    On One 456Ti, Lynskey version

    YoKaiser
    Free Member

    Cotic Soul, I bought a frame with the intention of building the last great 26″ hardtail. In the end it was built from the parts box as I couldn’t find it in me to shell out to put the bike together as I wanted it. Not sure it fits any of the above categories specifically but its worth a mention.

    binners
    Full Member

    Sanat Cruz Chameleon. Carried on evolving so it remained the most fun frame you could possibly buy

    mikewsmith
    Free Member

    From back in 04 The S-Works Enduro think was voted MBR’s best bike of their first 10 years.

    The Blut LTc

    both bikes I’ve owned, both bikes that have been significantly better than the others I tried along side them

    NormalMan
    Full Member

    Cotic Soul IMHO.

    onlysteel
    Free Member

    I’ll upset many Soul owners by suggesting DeKerf Team SL or adding another vote for late Orange P7’s for the steel hardtail strand.

    Vortexracing
    Full Member

    Soul here as well

    I also have a Turner 5 spot ( DW Link) which I think is well up there.

    These are so good, I really can’t see any point in changing them, except for the inability to buy 26″ Rims and tyres or 1&1/8″ steerer forks. 😯

    Ming the Merciless
    Free Member

    Rocky Mountain Element MSL.

    ssboggy
    Full Member

    Kona Explosif (1997)

    onandon
    Free Member

    For me, it the cannondale scalpel 2012 has to be in there. Just a fantastic frame.
    The Merida 96 was also bloody good.
    Hardtail litespeed obed was good

    Kuco
    Full Member

    For me the original 1989 Kona Cindercone and also agree with the 04 The S-Works Enduro, loved mine.

    psycorp
    Free Member

    Don’t agree with the original statement. I’ve bought 3 26″ wheeled bikes in the last 18 months. Far from being anywhere near dead as far as I’m concerned, despite what the bike industry, by and large, is trying to shove down our throats.

    fudge9202
    Free Member

    My Bandit which I regret selling but can really complain with my new Stanton Sherpa which is ace!

    MSP
    Full Member

    Downhill SC vp10
    All mountain 2013 spesh enduro
    trail hardtail soul or chameleon
    xc full suss treck top fuel

    binners
    Full Member

    I’ll upset many Soul owners by suggesting DeKerf Team SL or adding another vote for late Orange P7’s for the steel hardtail strand.

    I got one of the very last P7’s (2012). I can’t see me wanting to move on from it any time soon. I bloody love the thing!

    deviant
    Free Member

    The venerable 456 in its many guises, favourite for me was the Evo model but I gather the Summer Season was legendary too.

    26 is still great to ride, been out today setting up the new forks for my Ragley Piglet, they’re Rockshox Revs with the ‘so Enduro right now’ black stanchions….ignore the ‘industry’ sounding the death knell for 26 inch wheels, if there is a demand for the product and therefore money to be made then someone will continue to sell stuff in 26 inch flavour.

    bigbloke
    Free Member

    Whyte 19 hardtail ally or steel just very good at several things proper general all round bike.

    nickc
    Full Member

    Kona Explosif (1997)

    A rather ordinary bike. IMO

    Chameleon for HT has got to be up there, constantly updated, constantly revised, good for long XC, to jumpy, to DH duties.

    bigjim
    Full Member

    ASR5 for ultimate 5″ trailmountainenduroxcjustrideyourbloodybike category

    Light, slack, long, climbs lovely, hooligan on the way down

    BadlyWiredDog
    Full Member

    I’d say the Ragley Ti, but then I’d just be jumping on the ‘my bike is best’ bandwagon already overloaded with previous posters. So I’ll say the Maverick ML7…

    fathomer
    Full Member

    In the same vein as the Bandit & ASR5, I’ll vote for the Santa Cruz Blur TRc for a British trail bike.

    Oh and a Soul if we’re talking hardtail.

    stugus
    Free Member

    Santa cruz heckler has got to be top 10, best all rounder 🙂

    On one inbred gets a nod from me too, even just for value.

    shortbread_fanylion
    Free Member

    Cannondale Prophet

    thestabiliser
    Free Member

    DH- V10
    Trail ASR5
    XC Top fuel/yeti ARC

    GavinB
    Full Member

    ML7? Are you mad? Next up someone will suggest a Whyte PRS-T1!

    For me, it’s something like (XC, FS, DH): Cotic Soul (far, far better than a 456), an Orange 5 and Ironhorse Sunday. All pretty much the epitome of classic design, in their time, and all look quite dated now.

    Tracey
    Full Member

    Will be staying with 26″ for the foreseeable future, after trying the new kids on the block Im not convinced that threre is anything out there worth the money that can tempt me away from my dustbin bound 2014 S Works Enduro.

    mike399
    Free Member

    Anthem X as the ‘go to’ Xc full susser for the masses…

    nickc
    Full Member

    ASR5 for ultimate 5″ trailmountainenduroxcjustrideyourbloodybike category

    Is my bike, I didn’t nominate it. 😀

    [Does dance]

    bigjim
    Full Member

    Is my bike, I didn’t nominate it.

    I’m just trying to raise some hype so I can drop in a link to my frame for sale 😈

    hora
    Free Member

    Found the Cotic Soul a bag of awkward angles (IMO)

    The Santa Cruz Chameleon a **** bmx for the trails

    zippykona
    Full Member

    Marin Mount Vision. The first bouncy bike that worked.

Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 153 total)

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