[Closed] I do like a steel hardtail

Tis nice!

Cheers, Steve

Has your Fastforward arrived yet?

singlespeedstu - Member
Has your Fastforward arrived yet?

No. It's due week 17/18 - Monday is Week 17 day one. They had a snafu with the chainstays which were welded up incorrectly, so had to remanufacture - they're about two months behind schedule. That's Kickstarter, I guess - but to be fair, they've been good with updates.

Needless to say, I'm hugely impatient/excited at this point. They've been posting pics of production bikes on the site, they look ace, and that's not helping the impatience one bit. What's worse, there's a good chance I'll be away travelling with work when it does finally arrive.

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WANT.

Winter's +bike was better imo

Wow, I love a steel HT too. Rebuilding my Cove HJ at the moment, scouring the for sale section for bits but those 2 Fastforwards (hadn't heard of the brand before) look absolutely stunning.
I guess there'd be no one in this isle with one to check it out though.

rOcKeTdOg - Member
Winter's +bike was better imo

This one? Paint job is not for me. Looks a bit like a discovery channel custom motorbike monstrosity

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?

dgb1 - Member

I guess there'd be no one in this isle with one to check it out though.

There's 4 of them headed to the UK according to Kickstarter, dunno if any of the four are on here.

That winter thing isn't what I'm after at all.

The Last Fast forward looks very nice in that red

thepodge - Member
The Last Fast forward looks very nice in that red

I went for red initially and changed my mind. #buyersremorse

To me the Fastforward looks almost like it's been crashed and the kink in the top tube cut out & re-welded it's that slack.

The green one at the top has a godawful dropped / kinked chainstay.

The splatter paint one looks bestest

Pretty... It almost looks like a jump bike it's so slack.

Those Lasts do look good, will be interesting to hear your thoughts on it when it arrives. Personally I'm in the shorter fork camp, 120mm seems perfect on my Swarf, only getting into the last 20mm when I hit something really hard. I'd like to try BTRs Ranger in 29 as Tam designs those around 100mm. It's not comfy but I hate the diving headtube feeling you get on longer forked hardtails.

Had 150mm plenty of times on a 27.5 and 26 frames. But with 29 or 27.5+ frames I think 120mm is the sweet spot.

I'm used to longer forks, ran my Soul at 140 and loved it, so hopefully this will be all good too.

I'm more than happy with 140s on my 29er running about 30% sag.

Ha, I bought a t-shirt from that very suitcase on the Winter stand. Here's my muddy buddy:

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George.
You can get the Fastforward sent to me if your going to be away and I can test it for you. 🙂

honourablegeorge

Wow those bikes you've posted up are mega slack! the head angle is so slack it looks broken

Winter bike looks faintly Nghtstormish. I like 8)

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I like that Last bikes bike a lot

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To me the Fastforward looks almost like it's been crashed and the kink in the top tube cut out & re-welded it's that slack.

I think it's the tapered headtube, the angle of the front of it makes it look daft. Where on a more normal bike it follows the line of the rigid forks raked legs. With a 44mm headtube it wouldn't look quite so silly, skinny tubes on a bike that long don't help the illusion either.

But really who cares, I bet it rides like a missile!

The green one at the top has a godawful dropped / kinked chainstay.

+1, almost nothing about that bike that's special to me, and the chainstays ruin it.

That Fastforward must end up with a big amount of trail though, with that slack a headtube angle and with standard offset (48-51mm?) forks. It just looks like it's going to end up with 100mm + .Are they not a bit wandery and floppy in nadgery stuff and always wanting to climb the sides of ruts? Which is what my experience of too much trail results in.

pickle - Member
honourablegeorge

Wow those bikes you've posted up are mega slack! the head angle is so slack it looks broken

It's only 64 degrees....

Looks a bit too slack in the first picture but maybe it's just the way it was taken?

Only 64 degrees - that's still very slack for a 27.5 bike let alone a 29er

I love steel hardtails, but I'm always drawn to the dirt jump look that you only get on small or extra small MTB frames where the top tube and seat stays run almost parallel to each other.

The Ted James is nice, but the chainstays are gopping. I'm not so keen on the really long forked, super slack hardtails either.

The new Orange P7 looks about right to me. [img] [/img]

I'm tempted to try a longer fork (currently 120mm reba) and go 1x11 on my Soul, I just can't justify full sus at present, but could make the soul a bit more aggressive.

As a confirmed Chromag Fanboi these 2 give me funny feelings in my tummy...

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That Fastforward must end up with a big amount of trail though, with that slack a headtube angle and with standard offset (48-51mm?) forks. It just looks like it's going to end up with 100mm + .Are they not a bit wandery and floppy in nadgery stuff and always wanting to climb the sides of ruts? Which is what my experience of too much trail results in.

That's why it has a 74 degree seat angle.

It's only 64 degrees....

I assume you mean "only".

My ragley has a 66 degree head angle and is, as speculated above, a weapon downhill. It lives up to its name (ie it's a pig) uphill though.

Another Fast Forward owner to be, same suggested delivery date, week 17/18, but I'll believe it when I see it..

Can't wait to be honest, it should have been well thrashed by now !

You going 29 or plus, Mr Jones?

My 29er full suspension is running a 66 HA (soon to be 65.5 with offset bush) & my 29er hardtail is running a 67 HA (soon to be 65 once I've rebuilt it).

I'm yet to notice any of these "it wont climb" / "it wont corner" / "it'll flip flop" drawbacks everyone is sure I'll suffer from. What I do notice is a lot more front wheel confidence.

I assume you mean "only".

My ragley has a 66 degree head angle and is, as speculated above, a weapon downhill. It lives up to its name (ie it's a pig) uphill though.

My modified Bird Zero AM has a 64.3 deg head angle and is fantastic uphill - 75.4 deg seat angle is the reason why! I'm actually thinking of taking the fork out another 10mm to 140mm.

I really like steel hardtails too but now I'm riding an alloy one I'm struggling to notice any difference in ride feel!

chiefgrooveguru - My modified Bird Zero AM

I've seen this mentioned a few times, do you have any more info or a previous thread on it?

My modified Bird Zero AM has a 64.3 deg head angle and is fantastic uphill - 75.4 deg seat angle is the reason why! I'm actually thinking of taking the fork out another 10mm to 140mm.

Hmm. It could be my unfitness, or it could be the 72 degree seat angle or it could be the fact that I've switched to flats and all the issues (pedal strike, etc.) that go with getting used to them.

opusone - Member

Hmm. It could be my unfitness, or it could be the 72 degree seat angle or it could be the fact that I've switched to flats and all the issues (pedal strike, etc.) that go with getting used to them.

I'm more than happy going uphill on a 65 degree 160mm full sus with 73.5SA. You can't really take head angle in isolation, lots of things factor in.

I say "happy" going uphill, but I mean "I sweat and puke and grumble but make it"

I've seen this mentioned a few times, do you have any more info or a previous thread on it?

It's nothing too complicated - I'd just been busily designing a custom hardtail when the Zero AM was launched and realised that a -2 deg headset and shorter fork would make it near identical to what I wanted (but alloy, not steel). This was it when freshly built up with my parts:

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Since then the cranks have changed from 175mm SLX to 165mm XT and the pedals to Vaults, I've raised the bars by 5mm and the saddle height's gone up a fair bit. There's a Works Component -2 deg headset in there and the fork is a 130mm Pike. The tweaks add about 10mm to the reach, take 10mm off the BB height, steepen the seat tube by 1.4 deg and slacken the head tube by 1.1 deg.

Bird offer up to -1.5 deg anglesets when you buy direct from them (I already had the Works one) and the Zero TR is longer in reach and chainstay if you want an even longer bike (the XL being 495mm and 440mm respectively). Nicely built frame, great value (especially if you need a full build) and a good platform for doing interesting hardtail things! Great service too.

chiefgrooveguru - It's nothing too complicated

Thanks, interesting use of shorter forks and an angleset.

Someone say something nice about my bike before I have a real big sulk

There's something about those FastForwards that's very aesthetically unappealing. I love that paint splatter bike though. Was it Raleigh Activators that had something similar. Perhaps my old Emmelle Cheetah? Takes me back!

That looks lovely chief. Got a more sideways on photo? Purely out of interest.

Someone say something nice about my bike before I have a real big sulk

Stevet1 - Member

looks bloody ace, so much so I assumed you didn't need the compliment.

Same here thought it was real nice.

It's not mine but I think this Swarf looks about perfect from an 'oooh nice hardtail' perspective....

[img][URL= http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t214/steveomain/Bike%20Pics/Swarf%20Splatter_zpsvssyt84w.jp g" target="_blank">http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t214/steveomain/Bike%20Pics/Swarf%20Splatter_zpsvssyt84w.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL][/img]

I love that paint splatter bike though. Was it Raleigh Activators that had something similar.

That was steel framed too, Tange unless I'm much mistaken. Was a great ride until I bent it.

Flattery will get you everywhere

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My '91 Trek 850 had a splatter paint finish, black and white over red.

In response to honourablegeorge, I'm one of them in the uk waiting for a fastforward. Week 17-28 too for a large black

someone needs to sort out the cables and brake hoses out on those fast forwards.

I'm one of them in the uk waiting for a fastforward. Week 17-28 too for a large black

Likewise!

Love my dialled alpine ..150 mm travel u turn forks and bombproof !! Enjoy riding it more than my full sus [img]

View this post on Instagram

I like the green one.

The green one at the top has a godawful dropped / kinked chainstay.

Pretty... It almost looks like a jump bike it's so slack.

The cable tie on that TJ needs trimming, or turning through 180° 😀

jakebeach - Member
In response to honourablegeorge, I'm one of them in the uk waiting for a fastforward. Week 17-28 too for a large black

Nice. I went for raw, for "looks liek the other two in the shed" reasons.

I get the feeling I'll be obsessively checking my phone for emails come Monday. We might need to form some kind of support group.

singlespeedstu - Member

If you don't like it i'll take it off your hands.
Oh and be sure to post some pics up when you get it.

I think there might still a few left from the first production run, Stu. Theyre not all accounted for with Kickstarter orders.

This is more my cup of tea at the moment....
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I think there might still a few left from the first production run, Stu. Theyre not all accounted for with Kickstarter orders.

honourablegeorge,

I also went for the black FF in large, I'll be initially building up as a 29er, but do fancy having a play with 650b+, maybe even just on the rear...

you going 140 or 150 forks ?

I love steel hard tails! Those above are all very nice and I've just done a ride across Cannock Chase on my rigid Road Rat, marathon tyres, Mary bars, carbon seat post, that's it. Massive confidence everywhere and an endless grin. My other faves are Solaris29 100mm, RM Blizzard26 130mm, Cotic Soul26 140mm. #singlespeedstu : BH Sunday under Netherton?

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On my second, from soul26 to this. It's really a very fun bike, maybe a slightly portly frame uphill but mega smile inducing down.

#singlespeedstu : BH Sunday under Netherton?

Andy R - Member

That Fastforward must end up with a big amount of trail though, with that slack a headtube angle and with standard offset (48-51mm?) forks. It just looks like it's going to end up with 100mm + .Are they not a bit wandery and floppy in nadgery stuff and always wanting to climb the sides of ruts? Which is what my experience of too much trail results in.

It's nothing outrageous tbh- once sagged it's steeper than my 29er full suss and it doesn't have any of those issues. Handling's a result of a whole lot of factors, you can't make projections so easily

My soul this afternoon:

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arbonjones - Member

you going 140 or 150 forks ?

140.... think I'm good with that

Starting to think my Bfe with a 68.3 degree head angle is not slack enough..

That's partly why I swapped from a 26 soul to the trans am (& partly why I didn't save up more for th soul 275)

That's why I changed from my old 26er Soul to a Ragley tbh. But it wasn't "too steep", it was a lovely handling bike, it just wasn't what I wanted.

If it wasn't for the funky rear end I'd have been pretty tempted by the last tbh, my Herb was awesome.

Loved the Last FF when I first saw the pre-production pics and nearly pulled the trigger on a kickstarter purchase. Firstly, I'd be majorly hacked off about the delay and secondly, the more I see it, the less I like it - it looks odd tbh!

I still don't think much out there beats the Shan on my HT wishlist tbh, maybe a Stanton comes close....

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Just in there process of building up a Solaris, which is replacing my Kona Unit and 456.
I've got a bit of a thing for steel I think.

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I'm not so sure about the FF's in those pics. Really liked the first pics I saw by those ones look a bit odd.

I'm another who likes a steel hardtail and am a big fan of the two Stantons I've had.

Good news for Fast Forward folks.....Frames arrived and are about to be shipped

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Can't wait for mine! Although I've only got the wheels and brakes.

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