[Closed] best steel frame hardtail

Cotic soul

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my two penneth worth anyway.

[i]on-one, cotic, orange p7 or cove handjob[/i]

Buy one, any one; I doubt you'll be disappointed with any of them tbh.

all depends on budget, you gets what you pays for!!

tbh ive had a couple of inbreds and a good few expensive bikes and i think the latest 456 really blows away the gets what you pay for myth 😉 its fantastic for very little money
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rock lobster ?

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light and nimble, 115mm rebas on mine.

Kev

PA one of the best if you want a tough do anything, go anyhere HT.

😆 So far nobody has posted the same suggestion twice. As I say: buy one, any one. I've got a PA and an Inbred and I'd be happy with either.

i've had a PA, sold it after one ride, just didn't get on with it.

just try a few and see what you like

DB Alpine
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There's Brant's whizzy new frames to consider as well, tho' I'm not sure when the steel one, (blue pig?), will be available. I've had a Handjob, (careful there), which was a lot of fun, although it was an early 100mm one, and I've got two Inbreds, an 853 SS, which I just love to bits, and a 567, which is a real hooligan bike with 160mm Nixons on the front, and a lot of fun as well. An Inbred 456 with a new pair of 150mm RS Revs on would be a real hoot.

Still using Pikes on that Alpine RS or did you get some bigger forks?

oh and is the riding still as nice as it looks in Canada, you lucky sod?

Yeah, still riding it exactly as in the pic, don't think there will be any chnages for a while... and yep still enjoying the riding here, duh! 😀

On-One 456 Summer Edition
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another vote for the on one , had a PA but i always felt beat up after a ride the on one is much more forgiving imho

First press review of the Blue Pig coming out in What Mountainbike in a couple of weeks.

A Charge Duster

I'm currently selling one.

Here's it built up:

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regular inbred or cotic soul would probably be adequate. Steel is an alloy. I have a 456 and would probably go standard inbred next time round.

I've had 4 inbreds (1 ss, 2 geared, 1 456), cotic soul, pastey howler, prince albert and a rock lobster (but that doesn't really count cos i seem to remember it a 1" stem) and a couple of others in the early 90s.

If I had to choose now? For, "a new bike to throw around cannock chase"? PA or 456.

Another +1 for inbreds. I relly enjoy riding mine. Gonna "upgrade" it one day for somehting that'll take longer forks. Probably a 456 or one of them blue pig things.

If I were to upgrade my 456 SE I'd go for... a smaller 456 SE or... Revell of some sort (just for the heck of it). If money was no object I'd buy a Rocky Mountain though (you can't beat a loooovely paint-job).

Surely only 853 steel should be classed as pure steel, everything else is a poor imitation, imo

Lanesra - Member

Surely only 853 steel should be classed as pure steel, everything else is a poor imitation, imo

i disagree, plus how many complete 853 bikes are there

DB alpine there perfect for cannock, i ride mine loads there

Cove Handjob for me - have an Inbred too which is very good.

Cove Handjob..

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Great fun.. 😛

Lanesra - Member

Surely only 853 steel should be classed as pure steel, everything else is a poor imitation, imo

Ummmm... what exactly is pure steel?

To the OP... any of those bikes would be fantasitc, I've got an Inbred and I love it.

So have we found it then? The best steel hardtail I mean

I say look at these two for Cannock:

Sanderson Life
http://www.independent100.com/life_853.html
Pastey Howler

Both 853.

Sadly both overshadowed but very good?

456 definitely- Summer season would be too slack though for Cannock?!!

I believe the new P7 is going to be 853.

Just try a few out, I'm a big p7 fan, its very versatile, not the lightet but it feels quick and its forgiving enough for all day rides to be comfortable.

Juan... yep, I have, but it's mine and you can't have it... 😆

P7? Oo yes another! There is the Chromag's but who would pay 1k for a steel frame?

Aything really for the Chase, most steel frames are good these days and the seatpost and saddle will affect comfort as much as a frame. 456, PA, Souls, Handjob P17s are relatively common for a good reason. DB Alpines are the best though, but not really available at the moment and require expert pilots 🙄

Genesis? They are supposed to be really good? Plus the new CERN frames- stronger? Aye but heavier? When a steel frame is getting close to 6lb I'd rather buy a full suss frame. The hardtail starts to lose some of its appeal to me (part of the apeal of a hardtail is lighter weight no?).

http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/series/alpitude

http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/series/core

Alloy is not out. I doubt you'd tell the difference.

I used to have a 456 till it got pinched and am a Cannock regular, it was perfect. Been looking at one of these though as considering another steel frame to replace my alu hardtail.

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Swappable dropouts so can be run geared or ss without a tensioner.. ummmm 🙂

Anyone ridden one?

Its a Kinesis Virsa by the way 🙂

[url= http://www.kinesisdecade.co.uk/product.php?id=2 ]Kinesis Decade Bikes[/url]

(part of the apeal of a hardtail is lighter weight no?).

No.

Direct feel? Tick
Instant power transfer? Tick
Simplicity? Tick
Weight advantage? Tick

Is it a hardtail? Tick.

Nothing else to it.

Pastey Howler

Both 853.

Sadly both overshadowed but very good?

In all honesty, I found the 'Howler' a bit, um, neutral. There was nothing inherently bad about it and I enjoyed the rides I had on it but it never quite made me think, yes! This rocks my world! But then again I am one of the very small number who could never get a decent 'fit' on a Soul so it might just have been me.

HeathenWoods- I find that with some cars! The Soul. Wasnt for me but for competent/decent riders its supposed to be spot-on/brilliant.

I'm currently running a 456 and its a great fit. There's nothing I'd change about the geometry. But, after riding my friends 853 skinny tubed curtis, I'm looking for something with a little more/spring, give in it at the back end.

Since I'm running a 140 fork, I'm thinking the new Soul when it arrives, a blue pig when it arrives or...?

Surly Instigator - no photos of mine but have a look here:
http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=surly+instigator
Great frame, takes a big fork and rides well. I've done a few enduro events on mine 10/12 hours and would highly recommend. Check eBay, usually some on there.

http://www.singularcycles.com/bikes.htm

Second pic- that blue is nice!

Has a winner been decided yet?

I was on a ride with someone on one of those Kinesises (Kineses?) the other week. Lovely looking frame, especially when teamed up with white SIDs with the green flash.

Well its not your grammar for sure dialledmike 😉

*ahem* it's *ahem*

Have had an Inbred, DMR Switchback, DB Prince Albert, Charge Duster and DB Alpine.

Inbred was nice and comfortable coming from a Chameleon. But too long.
Switchback was a great ride. But snapped.
DB PA - see Inbred comments.
Charge Duster just didn't feel right but I had been riding a full suss by then so just didn't bother trying to get used to it.
Now I ride the DB Alpine all the time. Its ace, just wishing it was a little lighter. A Ti version would be my bike for life (you listening Mike...?).

I had begun to believe there was nothing out there to beat my Charge Duster, but i've recently been riding a long forked alu hardtail which makes a lot more sense on the bigger hills.

The Charge is still a riot on twisty rooty stuff and short XC blasts.

I recently found love. Its not attractive to look at (Ive always gone for aesthetics first havent I?), however its far far better than the Chumba its replaced 😀

My PA has been down Nan Bield, Helvellyn, around welsh trail centres, twisted through surrey hills singletrack and jumped over doubles. I love it.

You're all wrong. My entirely impartial view is that the best steel hardtail is clearly the Rocky Mountain Blizzard

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Here's mine, but that had no bearing on my declaring it the best steel hardtail. Nope. None at all

Nice idea Jimmy (a Ti Alpine) but Ti's not really on my agenda anymore. Nice to have Ti frames in the line up if I ever have any spare cash to spend but they drain cash flow if they don't sell quickly and sit in the warehouse for months.

hora - Member
I recently found love. Its not attractive to look at (Ive always gone for aesthetics first havent I?), however its far far better than the Chumba its replaced

You have sold the chumba already?!? haven't you only had that a few weeks.

Mike - I'll buy the prototype... 🙂

setavento can build you a sort of Titanium Alpine

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Another vote for the Handjob here - had the older 100mm fork version and now have the new 130mm fork variety.

No problems with the frame, but I'd definitely advise a fork/wheel with a through axle on the front if you're a heavyweight (I'm 16st). Steel frames tend to flex a bit anyway, and it can all get a bit noodly feeling if you're riding the fork on a long travel steel hardtail. I stuck a 9mm through axle onto my Revelation, which made enough of a difference for my preferences.

Not ridden one of the long travel On Ones, but I have an older Inbred that now gets used for commuting most days and is a nice ride.

As of tomorrow i'll be a Blizzard owner and therefore the best steel hardtail is the RM Blizzard!! 😉

if CEN means the end of light compliant steel hardtails I'm not sure if I'd buy another steel ht, weight and feel are factors for me.

DMR Trailstar. I like 'em but I don't find many other folk do. Cheap, fun and takes a fair kicking...

Can't recommend the 456 highly enough, mines had over 3 years hard (ie clumsy!) riding and still rides as well as it did 1st day hard to beat at the price they are - I have had to bend the hanger back into shape a few times though 😀
Had a go on a mates alpine round cwmcarn and that was nice too, and would love a BFe when/if the 456 dies. Steel hardtails are great, had a 2-3 year flirtation with full suss bikes but I've ridden various steel hardtails since 1990 and I love 'em. Buy one you won't regret it.

I thought Setavento went the way of Woolworths?

I ride a Sanderson bike, but don't let that put you off. It's a fantastic bike. It is quick off the mark a good climber and has improved my poor descending skills a fair bit too. I have been on it for a 7 hr ride and a 30 min blast and loved both.

Obviously there's no one best frame, everyone wants different things from their bikes, we're all different shapes and sizes and styles and we do different things with them, and even when we're doing the same thing we do it different, and even if we do the same thing the same way we don't want the same things from the bikes we do it on.

So I'll recommend a Soul, because I'm a fanboy. But there's loads of good steel frames, I just found the Soul was a perfect match for me, there's probably others which i'd feel teh same about and obvious there's others that feel the same about 20 other frames.

Otherwise, it's hard to argue with a 456, they're versatile and inexpensive.

cynic-al CEN hasn't really ended the lightweight steel hardtail...it aint dead yet

A good On-One Steel frame for sale on here,
see
FS :- On-One 456 Steel 16" frame MTB for sale
great bikes!

doesn't the CEN testing just require the front end to be beefed up, therefore you can have a big floppy rear if you like.

richc, yep. I kept on taking the Chameleon out in rather than the Chumba even though it took alot out of me. Kinda said to me that I couldnt get quite right on the Chumba (felt too far over the front). Bought the Orange5 and I havent taken the Chameleon out once since.

Blizzards are lovely but your handicapped by the low travel you can run on them? Those Fox's are 140's?

brant - Member
Is it a hardtail? Tick.

Nothing else to it.

Well, it's good to know you put a lot into your designs... 😉

if CEN means the end of light compliant steel hardtails I'm not sure if I'd buy another steel ht, weight and feel are factors for me

Agree and you dont have to be a competent/skilled-up rider to feel a noticeable weight difference either?! Especially true if you can be really physical with a bike to benefit from a stiff/stronger frame? Alot of question-marks there so don't shoot me 😉

The best frame is the one that fits you and the
way you like to ride the best.

All on this thread are the best for somebody.

glad to hear it cp!

stonemonkey - Member

Lanesra - Member

Surely only 853 steel should be classed as pure steel, everything else is a poor imitation, imo

i disagree, plus how many complete 853 bikes are there

Just got a Genesis Altitude 20, 853 frame, complete bike £1100.

It is the best bike I've ever owned, but I have a sneaking suspicion that's because it's only a week old...... It may be a different story when it needs a bath.

Best steel HT?

Salsa Ala Carte.

well thats certainly given me something to think about. i do like the cotic frames but the on-one is such a good price..shame they dont have any in stock again!ill have to ponder on this and see if i can try a few out here and there.
cheers

They always sell out for a good reason? Worth the wait IMO 🙂

ok so not strictly steel, well not steel at all but it does have the absorption you're after.
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ok so not strictly steel, well not steel at all but it does have the absorption you're after.

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