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* not actually arrived yet, but when it does it'll be one of these
Two of my riding mates have Pipedream Moxie's and they look so much fun. I've ridden many, many hardtails over the last 20 years, Rigid, Singlespeed, short forked, long forked, etc. My two favourites were my DMR Switchback and my (current) Solaris Max.
But I've never has a super slack, 160mm hardtail. It makes no sense on paper, it's going to be heavy, I'll need to strip my lovely Solaris to build it and we don't really have the steep terrainf or it here (nor do I have the skills to ride the super steep stuff).
Still bought it anyway. It'll get a recently serviced 160mm Lyrik with the posh damper, Ibis 938 wheels, 2.5/2.6 tyres, 1x11 XT, long dropper, wide bars and short stem.
More pics when it turns up.
My main riding buddy has a Bardino 150mm and I ride a SolarisMAX 140mm. We pretty much ride the same speed. Main difference i noticed is the extra reach on the Cotoc.
Love the colour scheme on the Nordest, such a great looking bike.
There are so many fantastic 120-140mm hardtails available. I run my SolarisMax at 140mm and it's a whole lot of fun. I also have the Med which is probably the 'wrong' size for me at 5ft11 but I prefer the smaller Cotics (also had a M FlareMax v1).I did a geo analysis between the Bardino and the Solaris and there's not much esp reach/stack so I know it'll fit.
I wanted something different to everything I'd ridden before - did consider TI but it's too much money and I've always liked steel HTs even if most of the benefits have probably been overstated!
I'm not expecting to be any faster but I hope it's going to feel different/need a different riding style to previous HTs. 64 deg head angle might not be super slack nowadays but slacker than anything I've ridden.
Nice bike.
Mrsstu loves hers.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/stu-b/24399235147/in/dateposted/
To be fair my mates is a M/L versus my L. I actually test rode it before he bought it and found it too short and I'm 6ft... Long torso.
It is a nice looking bike there @singlespeedstu 🙂
@reeksy - interesting. I've ordered the ML based on a chat with the guys at Nordest. They said either was fine, but recommended the ML. I've done some pretty big days out on my Solaris Max so happy with the sizing.
One other reason for the Nordest is it'll take the chubbies I run on the Max. I prefer it on the chubbies so it'll be fun to try 29/27.5+ on the Bardino. I might even go Mullet!
Oh and the 'II' is 10mm longer than the original.
Ordered Thursday. Had the 'order complete' email last night so assume it's shipping. If so hope it with me sometime next week.
Because of my skim reading mind I read 938 wide bars 😱
Enjoy the new bike 😎
If so hope it with me sometime next week.
Mrsstu's took around a week to arrive.
They even gave her a discount on her second one after the first frame got damaged when a car hit her...
@howsyourdad1 - not sure yet. If I do, I'll let you know. Tempted to keep it although not quite sure why!
@singlespeedstu - Possibility then of getting it built before next weekend... 🙂 Good of them to give a discount, bummer of a reason why!
Turned up yesterday. Paint and welds look top notch. Didn't bother with an invisiframe kit for it, so a roll and a half 3M eBay tape was applied instead. Not by me as I hate the bloody stuff. My wife doesn't like it much either but she's a very competent applicator 🙂
Off to a mates to build it later. All being well, proper ride tomorrow.
Looks like you have quite a collection of FS bikes.nice frame.
That's nice... Real nice.
Looks like you have quite a collection of FS bikes
There's one missing. My Ripley is out of shot. But the Spesh Enduro is my mates who 'left it with me for a week' back in 2015 😉
I've just given the tape a quick run over with the hot air gun. Looks pretty good. £16 and I've lots left. Cannot justify a £80 kit for a £500 frame.
Build pics
My mate's garage. Surprising as it may seem, this is considered 'tidy'
Back wheel in. Boost with non boost cranks. Not an ideal chainline.
Two year old Lyrik's "upgraded" with new decals.
First chainring fitted to old XTR cranks. Ended up putting a non oval one on as this one wasn't as new as I remembered!
Just seatpost, sealant and a few other jobs to finish
Quick test ride. Horrible noises from transmission. Back in the stand to switch chainrings. Which involved an angle grinder as XTR cranks have some weird standards.
Done 🙂
Big all-day ride tomorrow. I think it'll take me longer to get used to riding a HT than this particular bike. Been six months since I last rode a HT. It feels sorted tho. Not too slack, not to heavy, not to long. We'll see on some proper trails.
Spec is
Nordest Bardino II (ML)
Rockshox Lyriks 160mm (2018)
Ibis 938 wheels, 2.6 MM front, 2.35 NN rear both with RIMPACT inserts
XTR cranks and mech (2017), Superstar chainring.
XT 11 speed cassette and shifter.
KS Lev 170mm post and one-up actuator (2017)
Ragly saddle, Spank bars and stem all from 2017.
Weight. 31.5lbs.
I thought it'd be heavier as it's not a light frame and the tyres are heavy, esp the front. All the old kit has cycled through a few bikes but will certainly see me through the winter.
Nice.
Is that 650b flavour? Or 29er?
I've convinced myself its both/nether!
Lovely that 👌
Garage needs more crap in it.
Lawns a disgrace.
😉
Is that 650b flavour? Or 29er?
650b+ or 29. My Solaris Max spent 99% of its time on the 650 chubbies. Starting on 29s on this ones.
Lawns a disgrace
It's better than it was. Last year the local council ran out of money to mow it. You could lose a good size dog it there 🙂
Those boulders would play a havoc with the lawnmower blade.
A seriously nice looking bike that.
Thier steel 'do it all' gravelish bike is on my wish list.
Yeah I saw that. Looks to tick many boxes
So the bike was great. Really interesting compared to the Solaris Max. Rode some pretty steep and rocky trails. Faster you go the better it its. Definitely needs more body english in the corners.
Probably should have warned you about that 🙂 Riding a hardtail for the first time in six months showed up a skills gap. All steri-stripped now and added to my long catalogue of 'bear trap' scars!
You plum...
Fair 🙂
It's just a flesh wound 🙃🙃