I’m looking at getting a new frame as a treat in the next couple of months and was after some ideas on what to look at!!

Im currently riding an inbred and run 130mm revs so would like to transfer most of the kit over onto the new frame.

budget is roughly 400 quid (plus what i get for the bred)

Needs to be a 19 inch frame and able to carry an 18 stone fatty without flexing allover the place like my inbred.

cheers

steve

A bit more than your budget, but get a Hummer and never look back 8)

I rather like my Pace 305 XCAM and think it fits your bill. Especailly as i think I’ve seen some on the cheap recently. Love the frame, not overly chuffed with the back up though.

Chameleon

is there anything a bit “different ” to have a look at??

cotic soul.

Ragley? Not out yet though

Chromag Samurai ? I’d be impressed if you got that puppy to flex.

never owned one, but always wanted a cotic soul

a pace 305 would be ideal;

go purchase a Handjob from your local provider

im liking the pace but have heard that the back end is very unforgiving!

It’s my understanding that the difference between the 303 and the 305 is a more compliant back end. I take my 305 on all day peak rides without too much of a beating.

That Pace looks short. What’s the TT length?

Soul is awesome but i wouldnt recommend 130mm full time, if its wind down all good 🙂

I reckon that my Race 303 was marginally more forgiving than my inbred…

Soul… Though yeah, u-turn would help, the bike works fine with 130mm but it works better still with the adjustment for really steep stuff.

I run my soul with 130mm all the time. I guess it wanders a bit on the climbs but just lean forward more. I do ahve U-turn but can never be bothered to use it. I might try it out

I run my soul wound down to 110 mostly/all of the time.

Perhaps a Bfe might be more appropriate as a) it will take from 100 to 160mm and b) should be stiffer than than the Soul (bearing in mind the 18 big ones…)?

My medium 305 has an ETT of 23″ if that helps.

At 18stone, i wouldn’t recommend steel if you want a stiff-feeling frame, esp not a light one. A bfe or DMR may do he trick and will be plenty durable though.

Chameleon always has to be an option, Pace is diff geometry but worth a look, or a Kinesis alu frame. Depends on how xc or AM biased you want it.

Why wouldn’t steel be stiff? My 456 was stiff as hell – It’s a complete misconception that steel is flexy – it only is if designed to be so. Put relatively big tubes in there and it can easily be stiffer than alumninium.

For £400 a Mythic Scirocco would suit your requirements. You can run between 4″ and 7″ forks, they are light, strong and have lots of neat details. The back end is very stiff but I don’t think you’re going to get many frames that are strong and compliant – just run a bigger tyre instead.

Mr Agreeable beat me to it.