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So I'm considering a long travel hardtail but this will be new ground for me & I would welcome opinions. The legendary Sub Zero is no longer available new, & getting an 18" frame is like rocking horse poo. So Cotic BFe, SC Chameleon....or something with less up front like a Crush, P7 or PA???? Choices & opinions please.
TIA
kona five-0. it is a great bike all round! i have had one for 2 years! no changes too it. i love it.
Dialled Alpine all the way
Get one made out of steel!
Far more forgiving than any of the Aluminium "burly" hardtails. I had a Planet X Armadillo and thought it was quite good until I decided to get a PA. Now that [i]IS[/i] fun
456
Cove Stiffee ... the best!
Recommend the Stiffee again. Simply amazing!!!
ns bikes
Relatively expensive, but of all the bikes I've ridden (and there have been a LOT), full suspension or hardtail, XC or DH, this is the most versatile and without doubt the most fun bike I've ever owned. I'm genuinely excited to ride it every time i go out. It's an Evil Sovereign, but the Dialled Alpine is similar (and slacker, which may well be better for you).
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for sale, by the way....... 😉
LOL @ ton - are you joking ? You're not are you ?!
rolfharris - you missed a trick there - you should have just posted the photo with the caption "can you tell what it is yet ?"... 😆
for sale, by the way....... [:wink:]
ton in 'buys new bike, sells it 5 days later' shocker 😉
I've just ordered an Alpine for the same type of riding.
Genesis Alpitude is a great bike
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ooh I like that richieboy...
*wanders off thinking about if the trance is really all the bike he will ever need*
i might keep the stiffee now.........
for the 1st time in my life i am in fashion.............. 8)
456 Summer is good with 130mm forks. Also cheap so you have no hang ups about trashing it.
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thumbie, how tall are you? Are you sure you really need an 18" subzero. I've got a 16" SZ and I'm 6'1", it is a short bike but it is ok for all but long all dayers.
The standover height on an 18" subzero is limited to say the least
What ever happened to mrnutt ? he would have been all over this thread.Maybe he got a life,unlike the rest of us.... 😉
Another Stiffee vote here.
😉
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Lovely, versatile, direct. Hardtails with long forks is the future 🙂
I do like that Alptitude, obviously not as much as my dialled alpine of course, but its very nice all the same 🙂
Stiffees are legend - the only alu HT I would recommend!
other than that cotic Soul
ns bikes surge. Absolutely mint. Cheap too.
For (very reluctant) sale:
I have recently built this (had a handfull of rides!) - frame bought of this very forum and built using parts from my Yeti. We have just had a very unexpected acceptance of an offer we made on a house so this is up for very reluctant sale, COLLECTION Only from Leeds - Full-Bike ONLY - all in Great condition and just serviced!
Spec:
Frame: Evil Soverign (Amazing Argos paint-job in B/R Green with superb Evil decals - cost prev owner £200+ for paintjob looks a peach!)
853 steel - VGC - Its a size: 'Long'
Forks: 2005 Marzocchi Drop-Off Comp (130mm travel / Air)
Headset: Cane creek TANK - (As New)
Brakes: Shimano XT 4-pot (160mm / 180mm)Disc brakes
Wheelset: HOPE Bulb Silver Hub's / Mavic XM Silver Rims / Silver spokes (Tyres : WTB)
Drive-Train: Truvative Cranks ISIS / 36T Ring / DMR Chain-guide / SHIMANO XTR R/mech / 9-speed Chain / Deore 9-speed cassette / XT cable-set / LX Shifter (although is running 1 x 9 , there is cable-stops in place for a front mech & front gears) / EASTON CULLY Flat's included
Finishing-Kit: Syncros AM Stem (60mm) / Raceface Diaboulous bars / Lock-on Grips / Control tech post / SDG Camo TI saddle / Hope QR's
£750 COLLECTED (Leeds)
What about the Orange crush? Looks similar-ish.
http://www.orangebikes.co.uk/2009bikes/bike.php?model_id=89
dmr exalt. if i could find the pic of mine i`d post it - its fun and (was when i bought mine) cheap.
lets not forget the chromag samurai
what about Marin Rocky Ridge or Voodoo Bakka - funnily enough Im selling one of each...
Another vote for Cove Stiffee here. My mates prefer me to ride my full susser as I "ride like a man possessed on the Stiffee".
I do find that the Stiffee encourages you to ride fast. I always seem to be pedalling on the descents on the Stiffee rather than just using gravity. Great fun to ride and solid/stable too.
This is on my 'WHY DO I NOT HAVE ONE OF THESE???!!!!!!' list:
http://www.transitionbikes.com/TransAM.cfm
Only one bike I'd consider...
http://www.orangebikes.co.uk/reviews/pdf/WMB59_toughest_bikes_Feat_P7.pdf
This is how a proper 'Hardcore' hardtail should look:
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They are so versatile. I've put 120mm forks on mine and lighter wheels and taken it xc racing and its been pritty fast but then as abov I used it for a while as a cliff hucking freeride SS hardtail and it was brilliant at that. Put a decent build on it with 140mm forks and wide handlebars and can't go wrong. This is how it looked most of its life:
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I've just got a Marin Rocky Ridge after considering all of the ones above. It's a) amazing b) a bargain.
That transition looks spot on.
Would you have a Hardcore HT over a 140/150mm full suss, for say peaks, trail centres & pratting about on 4x and mini DH courses?
I would have thought running anything above 140mm, would be better suited for steep DH stuff. 4X etc seem to be better with shorter travel. trail centres certainly don't need owt over 140mm IMO
no hardtail [/i]needs[i] over 140mm really )
isn't 6.2lbs pretty heavy for that Transition?
what's "need" got to do with anything?
The new Sovereign should be released soon ish???? Lighter, lower and a bit more slack, although I never had any real complaints about the old one being steep??? 68 ha I think...
As far as travel goes it ends up where I left the travel adjust dial last... so anywhere between 100 - 150 mm, all good!
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all these pics of hardcaore hardtails in peoples garden, haha.
quite hard to take a photo when you are riding