Hi all,

im in no rush but i am on the lookout for a hardtail to accompany my Gary Fisher Roscoe. I want it for all day local style rides where its more mud than rock and i want to eat XC miles much quicker.

I will be buying used and so far ive added the genesis core or latitude, ragly piglet, rock lobster, voodoo wanga, possibly a boardman. My question is what else should i look out for?

I guess for budget, im looking for used so ill be looking at not more than 600.

I was going to say 2nd hand Rock Lobster – but I see you already have that on your list 🙂

One of the Kinesis Maxlight frames – possibly the XC130 or XC3 I think they’re called? See the website. Depending on how fast you want to eat the miles you could even look at the XcPro3 but that’s really a race frame and will be quicker than the others but not as comfortable all day.

Orange crush.

Managed w2 no probs on it and I use it as a comuter so an all rounder for me.

the best GT you can afford. The triple triangle is good and makes for a comfy ride but still sharp up the hills.

Genesis Core and Latitude are both nice frames that I imagine will last for years. I’ve got a latitude and certainly rate it as one of the nicest mountain bikes I’ve ridden.

The Boardmans obviously win when it comes to spec, but seem a bit racy with the geometry. My brother recently got one and it feels a bit odd to me, the bars and stem feel strange for a reason I couldn’t work out! A good donor bike, but the whole package was not to my tastes

Yeah, i do like a genesis. I think thats probably my primary search in ebay at the moment. When the cash is in the bank i will be scouting the web no end to get me a latitude. you say the best bike youve ridden, what type of riding a typical for you El_bandito..

Orange crush! maybe thats a little chunky for what im talking about. I had a Marin Rocky Ridge which is a good comparison and my god it was fun on local techy stuff but a back breaker for a long days ride.

@danjthomas – I said it was one of the nicest bikes I’ve ridden, not the best! But yes I like at it as a dependable allrounder. Works surprisingly well on rough descents and likes to go fast.

I ride mostly in the Peaks, but sometimes around Calderdale etc. The latitude is a monster on North York moors type terrain. There are better bikes for trail centers, jumping etc, but for proper beard-wearer rides it’s great

Someone sold a really high spec build latitude on here a month back. Gutted that i missed out on it. it will be mine for autumn…

Orange Evo2 is a great frame. Given the price of a whole bike will a lot of change to spent on brakes, drive train, wheels (the stock ones are hopeless) and skinny mud tyres. I have single speeded mine 34:16T or 36:18T works tensionerless of course other ratios would work with a tensioner. On that point it has the mounts for a BB mounted tensioner which is what I ran for several years. Maybe an P7 would more your style or perhaps an clockwork new or old.

For a mud bike though have you thought about old steel retro frames. My mud bike is an old (89) marin pallisades with new wheels and skinny 1.7″ tyres. It also is a single speed and is a brilliant XC mud bike. All in including paint I spent less than £300 on it including a Thomson post. After all in mud you need something simple.

You could do worse than a Dialled Price Albert for a good all-rounder. Very versatile frame.

The Genesis Altitude should be on your list too.

853 tubing – the faster you go the better it feels – lovely ride.

Shame I have to sell … !

XL Frame, Reba forks and finishing kit up for grabs if you’re ready/ right size.

wonny j – Member

the best GT you can afford. The triple triangle is good and makes for a comfy ride but still sharp up the hills.

people don’t really still believe that after all these years, surely? 😕

How about Orange P7 / P7 pro?
I won’t ride a full susser on the basis there for pussies so thats what i picked. 😉

There’s a singular Swift in the classifieds at the moment, depends on your definition of ‘local’ but I think it’s ace as a singlespeed for places like Swinley where there is not real distinction between climbing and descending, just varying gradients of ‘along’.

Forgot to mention i got my 2011 P7 for £500 so a bargain for the spec.

almost bought a p7 pro back in the days when a grand was a lot a it! im liking the suggestions. I think ill add the oranges to my list.

Im average in every way so XL is massive benslow. 17.5″ is my size.

i like the idea of a skinny steel frame.

Don’t forget on one, they make some nice frames imo

Have you thought about Cube? I might have a 2011 18″ ltd team for sale soon, let me know if it something you consider?

I won’t ride a full susser on the basis there for pussies so thats what i picked.

YUP …

😆

If you around Surrey I have a medium steel Wanga on 100mm Rebas you could have a go on to see what it was like.

rocketdog has some pictures of his Wanga up on another thread that should that it is a versatile frame – he had normal HT, drop barred roadie with 700cc wheels, and a 69er with Swift fork. Plus the sliding dropouts are Alfine friendly for the mud.

I rode a GT recently and was pleasantly surprised. 😀

Better choice for the OP than something like a prince albert which is more of trail bike than an xc machine?

IS a Carrera Fury a good doner bike. Theyve had awsome reviews, and have seen them for £280 used which is a steal. TurnerGuy, I would love to test run the wanga but im in Cardiff which is fark’n miles away.

Owning a FS only is fine as i do alot of welsh trail centres and basic DH on it. The longer all day rides are great on it too. I dont have a problem with speed etc. However, i really want to know if me getting a HT thats a few lbs less than the FS is gonna make the xc rides better and quicker.

I actually jumped on a Fury a month back when i swapped with a mate for 100 yards at Cwmcarn. It was too big for me but i felt like it wanted me to stand and ride and as there was a HT, every pedal stroke propelled me far more than with my Roscoe. Is this normally the case or was it just coz it was a different feel altogether that im not used to.

Had a fury a few years back when I started riding, thought it was great, had it a year until some pikey nicked it! for the price you pay for one I think you could do a lot worse

For very capable and versatile XC / trail bike a Prince Albert or Soul. If you are considering a Piglet then add a BFe.