I'd like to get myself a hard tail for commuting and all round trail riding. My full suspension bike feels a bit heavy at times for all day rides and I'd like to do more hardtail riding as I find it great fun.
I'm wondering what would be good geometry to have? I'd like something that can cope with techy descents but would still be comfy on roads and tracks. I'd be putting 120mm Recons on it along with a load of other old stuff off my big bike.
I have no idea how much I would need to spend but the cheaper the better and it can be second hand too. What can you recommend?
Thanks!
Any one any ideas?
Cheap you say? Inbred or 456.
or Scandal..
Carrera Fury
Evil Sovereign, or Chromag Samurai?
Thanks. That gives me a few to look at. Forgot to say that it's just a frame I'm after.
Identiti AKA
Cotic BFe
slainte 😀 rob
Cotic Soul if the budget allows.
68 degree head angle give or take. He said definitively without being in any way certain.
My Whyte 905 has that with 120mm rebas. Sounds like what you are after.
All the other bikes in that UK trail hardtail category seem to be about the same - but you can get much slacker eg the OnOne Summer Seasons look way more aggro than some of my mates FS bikes.
I am still quite new to MTB and haven't quite got my head round geometry vs suspension in terms of how much aggro a bike can take. Starting to think going down steep stuff must be more to do with head angle than anything else?
Thanks. I don't want anything really slack, just slack enough to do the job. I'm 6'3" with 33" legs and quite like the feel of a shortish bike with an upright riding position rather than something long I have to stretch out over.
Would these factors effect the choice of any of the above bikes or would stem length and saddle positioning sort it?
My current hardtail is a Schwinn Mesa GS which I really like but it's a bit small at 19" and could do with being a bit slacker up front. Does anyone know where I can get info on it's geometry?
What year is it Giant?
P.S. I personally would second a 905,I'm running mine with 130mm Revs,and it feels lovely.
Ian
Try and get something with similar geo to yr FS, then you should settle into it pretty quickly.
IME riding both FS and HT regularly lifts your riding, you end up riding both better
thejesmonddingo - Member
What year is it Giant?
I think It's a '07 or maybe '08.
brooess - Member
Try and get something with similar geo to yr FS, then you should settle into it pretty quickly.
IME riding both FS and HT regularly lifts your riding, you end up riding both better
My FS has a head angle of 67.5 apparently. Would that work well on a hardtail then? I'm thinking I would probably need a fairly upright seat tube as I have long legs?
Ta.
There's a lot of hardtails that run at that sort of angle,incloding my 905 at 68.
What's you full suss bike?
Be worth looking at a 456,head angle 67.5 with 120mm fork,a bargain at £169.99,and they do a 20" frame here http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/FROO456/on-one-456-steel-hardtail-frame
It's a Trance X '09. Thanks for all the info everyone. I'm not looking for a super bike as I can't afford it but it would obviously need the right geometry and alloy would be fine. I'd be happy with something second hand I could throw some old bits on and have some fun with. I had so much fun on my hard tail today and could easily build a better bike for not much.
I'm thinking of an On One for a bargain hardtail, from what I can gather on here you cant go wrong.
66/72 slack proper duel geom
I reckon you should try and find a used 19" Cotic Soul. Although they're regarded as being long, it isn't if you're tall. With a 120mm fork it's got a good balance between all day ridability and confidence on the downs. I'm a similar hight to you, and if I was buying from scratch again it is what I would go for. Costly new mind.
Thanks bol. A friend of mine has one and he's about the same height as me so I'll see if I can have a go on it.