Been hankering after a steel HT for general messing around in the woods and longer rides where 160mm isn’t necessary.

Found a 2013 Kona Explosif on PB for sale, however the seller has gone silent. Also found some really nice looking Production Privee Shans for sale but £2k for a second hand hardtail, regardless of condition, I think not.

So can anyone suggest any other really good fun steel HTs which are floating around at the moment?

Preferably more XC/fun oriented than hooning/DH, would quite like 650b wheels on it but not essential. Being a cheapskate it needs to be second hand, the missus will go ballistic if I buy a new bike.

There was a p7 frame on classifieds yesterday for £85.

Ignore – sold

Are 29ers under consideration? I’m really enjoying my Ragley Big Wig with 140mm Fox 34’s. It’s at least as good as my old Blue Pig and was built for under £800.

Somebody’s got to say the obvious: Cotic Soul. Should be able get a nicely speced one for about a grand.

Other than that, Pipedream, Pace, 456, etc. You’re going to have to look at each to get an idea of their differences tbh.

If you’re on a budget 456 is the way to go, plug in some u turn revs and a gravity dropper, add silly wide bars and go have fun!

You’ll find it tricky getting a 2nd hand 650b steel frame, cause ive been looking 🙂

There’s usually a on-one 456 on ebay. But if your after something more xc then why steel?

Soul +1

My 456 evo ii is great.

I’ve got 130mm coil recons (ancient but still going strong) a dropper and wide bars (basically as outlined above).

It is not the lightest and needs ragging quite hard to get the best out of it, but from what I can tell that might fit your bill.

In value for money terms you can’t really go wrong.

Love my BFe 🙂 got to get that in first !

From Cotic you have Soul in 27.5 and 26 – Solaris is the 29 version
BFe in 26

From Dialled you have the Prince Albert or Alpine (too much for you)

I looked at Ragiey Piglet a few years ago. Ut there where questions then about quality

More choices from Orange and On One

For me I’d say get something from Cotic, ask them what they suggest and/or go on a demo day (Cy posts here, he and Paul are very helpful)

As an aside you might consider a Transition TransAm but its aly I think, another brand. I like very much (my FS is a Covert)

My 456 evo ii is great

As is mine, I love it. I imagine the 45650b would be equally as good. Plus it wouldn’t break the bank so your good lady wouldn’t mind it being bought new.

Hand job for me every time….if you don’t mind

Sanderson Blitz on evilBay. Designed for 140mm forks.

If it rides like my Soloist then it will be massive fun.

456 all the way.
Still fun after 5 years!

Charge Cooker. Love mine. Brilliant frames throughout the range and ideal for upgrading later.

Soul, or that NS Bikes Eccentric on CRC

Genesis Altitude/Latitude/High Latitude (if you can find any)

Inbred 29er, or am I being too cheap?

You have described a Soul, basically. Lots of imitators though to give you choice, and some of them are nearly as good 😉

I have an Inbred. I’m poor.

Buy an Alpine.

mike is selling the last prince alberts in 26 for a very good price right now…

There’s still some new Charge Dusters doing the rounds at around the £140 mark. I don’t know how much a prestige Duster’s supposed to cost tbh but that’s a brilliant price for what you actually get. And much more characterfully “steel” than pretty much anything else you’ll find at the price- heavier steel frames tend to be lumps, forget about “springy”

I got a new 2012 Prestige tubed Duster for £135 last year. Not had all that much time on it yet but it is certainly a very nice ride. Much more refined than a MK1 456 and similar to my old OX Platinum Explosif. The only thing I don’t like about it is the lack of room for anything bigger than a 2.1″ tyre.

Hi, I’m selling my Genesis Latitude 2012 if you’re interested…

Wow thanks for all the responses, it’s going to take a while to trawl through that little lot.

I haven’t had a steel hard tail for about 15 years and really miss the liveliness of the ride compared to the bone shaking spine squishing rigidity of an ally HT. Having gone from a stiff as **** rigid single speed for commuting to a steel hybrid it’s soo much nicer. Real shame that chap’s not responding, the ’13 Explosif looks like a really nice package.

I just don’t think I will get on with a 29er. I’ve test ridden an HT and a susser briefly and it just didn’t gel. Maybe I was being pre-judgemental but you have to go with gut feelings sometimes and it just wasn’t right.

Kinesis Decade Virsa, you can run it geared or singlespeed with the interchangable drop outs. I have had one for 12months, brilliant bike.

Just in case: Latitude’s not a 29er!!

Orange P7’s are truly wonderful things to ride. I bloody love mine! 😀

I’m about to sell my Dialled Alpine as a full bike – 18″ frame

email in profile if you’re interested