I’m fancying a new hardtail along the lines of a Mondraker Vantage, Whyte 905 but a bit lighter. Perhaps Carbon or Ti? Anyone ideas? Ideally sub 13kg. Cheers
Anyone ...
Don't Stanton do all their hardtails in Ti as well as steel?
I would imagine it would be pretty lush if the steel version is anything to go by.
Kona honzo cr trail?
Stanton or Kona Honza i reckon .
Edit: doh, beat me to it!
I sat on the Sonder Transmitter Carbon last week, very nice. Slack and long.
Titus Fireline from Planet X?
I've got one, it's very nice and I'm down to around 11kg with not particularly racy parts
Kingdom Vendetta ❓
While a Ti frame is nice they are not really any lighter than Alu, i.e. Ti Slackline 1.9, Santa Cruz Chameleon 2. Needs to be carbon if you want light weight
Yes Vendetta is on the list..
Slight hijack.
I like the look of both the Slackline and Switchback from Stanton’s that have been mentioned above. I’m not in the position to buy one at the moment - but I am interested in people’s opinion.
I have a ‘big bike’ that I love riding (2016 Transition Patrol Carbon) and a Cotic Soda. The reason I have two bikes is more for variety than anything else, the componentry is very similar on both and I use them very similarly for 90% of the riding I do. Longer rides (40km+) generally on the Soda and real mountains/uplifts on the Patrol are the only differences.
I am looking to replace the Soda with a more modern bike - something a little longer that can handle bigger forks, but I love it’s agility and ‘spring’ and want to retain that so...
What bike would be better, considering I like to use both bikes for most things? Presupposing a Stanton - would people recommend a Slackline or Switchback?
Cheers.
Jay
Olsen frame
in bb format rather than pinion?
What bike would be better, considering I like to use both bikes for most things? Presupposing a Stanton – would people recommend a Slackline or Switchback?
I keep looking at Stantons, i actually bought a frame but then got buyers remorse before shipping and cancelled it... Part of me wishes i hadn't 🙂
The problem i have is that both my bikes are fantastic for what i want and i wonder which would end up having to go if i bought the Stanton, along with whether there would be any real value in that as both bikes are GREAT as they are.
But the Stanton frames are just exceptionally nice.
Gnarcissist Ti from Sick, slack and long, Pinion too.
What bike would be better, considering I like to use both bikes for most things? Presupposing a Stanton – would people recommend a Slackline or Switchback?
I've had a few Switchbacks including a Mk II Ti which was my most recent and they're very very good. The extra length of the MK II was appreciated after my Mk I's but for me it lost some of the all important feel which is down to the thicker tubing for the internal routing and the chainstay yoke. It was a hoot to ride though but I found it hard work at times; climbing being one and those days when you just weren't on it. I found it at its best mucking about sessioning jumps and DH runs.
Dan leant me a Slackline 853 for a few weeks and I loved it. It made more sense as a trail bike because it climbed better yet was still fun to hit jumps etc on. The 853 frameset was probably more forgiving than tha of my Ti too. If it were me, I'd be going for a Slackline.
Genesis Tarntanium?
Nordest Bardino?
Jamj1974, Go with the Slackline, more compliant but can do anything from all day rides to throwing it down or off anything.
Love mine 🙂
How slack?
Sick Gnarcissist Luxe Ti


Thanks guys. That is actually a great help!
Transition do a splendid one.
As one other said:
Nordest Bandino Ti is a beautiful looking bike
One thing to note is Ti and carbon bikes ride completely differently. The aggressive Carbon HT I rode wasn't very forgiving to use long term. It was also very harsh on rough terrain I would personally only go carbon for a xc race bike.
On a side note: Even though I own an aggressive Ti hardtail I still think Steel is a better option. Save your money on the frame and invest it in carbon wheels, carbon bars, group set etc.. Low down central weight (the frame) isn't necessarily a bad thing. Rotational and high up weight is 🙂
Saying that if you can afford 3k/4k HT go for Ti and the Carbon accessories 😉
If you know what you want, then there's always the Chinese direct Ti option. I found the process straightforward and ended up with a Ti frame for not much more than the cost of the nice steel options.
That said, those Stantons do look really lovely. I just wanted something I couldn't get off the shelf.
Shortly afterwards, the Sick Gnarcissist appeared and is very close to what I had made myself.
Can you actually buy them though, or is it just T shirts and stuff they are doing these days? They didn't publish actual geo figures last time Iooked, which would have put me right off, even though the pics looked the part.
Can you actually buy them though, or is it just T shirts and stuff they are doing these days?
Yes: http://sickbicycleco.bigcartel.com/category/frames
I also think selling t-shirts and stuff was/is a good way to financing prototyping of frames/bike.
Kingdom also do lovely looking Ti frames!
Interesting comments about the lack of comfort/compliance of a carbon frame vs steel/Ti for this type of frame.
Almost putting carbon into the same category as aluminium
If you would like to try a titanium bike (or 2) out, I run the UK side of things for Kingdom Bikes. I do most of my demoing at the Forest of Dean.
We've got 2 distinct geometry choices - 1 is a very nicely balanced 'up-and-down' frame, while the other is more gravity-orientated. Check out reallygoodbikes.co.uk for more information. cheers. Adam
Are you at the next Steel is Real Demo ?
How slack is slack?
Travers Russ ti.
Lovely frame!
Custom geometry if you want to!
Thanks,
Max

