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As someone who has owned a Banshee/Mythic Rune, I can confirm that they are one Brand to stay away from, at least until they start using bearings instead of bushings.
They are lovely bikes to ride, but a nightmare to maintain. In fact, I still have my Rune frame sitting in my garage sans shock. It still rides fine, but there is play in the pivots that I can't get rid of.
Definitely demo a Five.
I too am wondering what happened to the Ragley Ten-Four et al. ? They looked interesting.
transition bottlerocket is my choice 🙂
See, the Knolly looks lovely. But I doubt its going to be in my budget. Light though for what it looks like... a pound lighter than the Cotic Rocket?
£1699
.......and not available for a while.
Knollys are certainly not cheap. IIRC the Chilcotin (160mm ish) was about £2k frame only?
" issue with the shock .. should get it back this week"
lol. Hopefully will be better for you than for me, I did get sorted in the end, its much better now, but seems quite easy to bottom even with little sag/in max floodgate setting, though I never feel it bottom out?
Early June
I'm in the market for something very much the same. However, with the addition of light(ish), to your list. I've been pondering over 4X type frames for low, slack and shorter travel ie Intense Tazer VP, but stuff like that is difficult to demo.
I can borrow SC TRc's but they are way out of my price league, so pointless even demoing.
I'm considering a Transition Bandit and it seems to tick the boxes, 125mm travel, 68 degree HA, low BB, reasonably light, looks nice. For me, it has to build light or it won't get used, I can't be arsed lugging a heavy bike around. I've slavered over stuff like the Endorphin, Covert, Blood and I just know that they wouldn't get ridden because of their weight. I think the Bandit frame incl shock is 6.8lbs, so it's possible to reasonably cheaply get a 28lb bike and 25lb is achievable.
Looks like that knolly is 6.6lb frame with shock and axle.
That thing will ride as well as anything on the market, and better than that vast majority IMHO.
There is a Mondraker Foxy R frame for sale in the classifieds seller is called Scant. Lovely looking frame £700
Another vote for a Blood - flinkin' fantastic little bike (heck, I've had mine almost 3 weeks now - it must be good 😆 ) and if huws' is too small (they are quite long though and that neon green looks the nuts), then [url= http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/product/122142.html ]All Terrain Cycles still have 17"ers in stock[/url] 8)
Looks like that knolly is 6.6lb frame with shock and axle.
Is it really? I looked at it 12months ago or more and got the impression the frame was more 7+lbs, so thinking it would build a bike of 30-32lb(ish).
my bottlerocket is 33-34lb depending on seatpost 🙂
crossmax sx plus tubless tyres = rotational love 🙂
I've been doing some research and apparently my Blur 4X is around 6.6lbs too so its carrying a pound less than a Rocket etc? Really?
Maybe a large Blur 4X is what I need...
My Mega's a small but your welcome to have a spin.
Hi
A few more to add to the mix:
MSC Zion White R or Hunter RR (if your looking for something quite exclusive)
Ibis MOJO HD 160
Liteville 601
As already mentioned the Transition Bandit and Covert are awesome bikes.
We can help you get a demo ride on a Transition, Ibis (possibly) or MSC if you're interested.
Cost is always an issue. There is always the option to try and find a sound second hand bike.
However, if you're looking for a new one, then naturally we think leasing represents a good way to do it.
Enjoy the search. There is a lot of bikes out there to choose from.
Bottlerocket! Probably the most fun i'v ever had on a bike, despite not being set up for me and I think to small, so so much fun. This was an old style built from girders and nuclear bunkers one though. Not ridden the new style.
That knolly looks the bomb, loving the colour.
I've been doing some research and apparently my Blur 4X is around 6.6lbs too so its carrying a pound less than a Rocket etc? Really?Maybe a large Blur 4X is what I need...
Why not go lighter unless you do drops etc. Plus why not go with the VPP2 update.....ie a later Santa Cruz! The large 4X is neither here nor there compared to a medium- its actually less than 1/2inch in reality on the TT.
Is it really? I looked at it 12months ago or more and got the impression the frame was more 7+lbs, so thinking it would build a bike of 30-32lb(ish).
http://forums.mtbr.com/knolly/all-new-endorphin-trail-bike-780433.html
I see they've steepened up the ST as well. May have found my new bike (if there will be demos available).
So is an alloy Blur TR in the offing or is that just wishful thinking?
Newer Giant Reign! Really get on well with mine. Cheap and pretty bombproof. With nothing special (with reverb and big tyres) mines under 29lbs. Low bb, 66.5 ha. Really fun bike to ride.
Ibis mOJO is my weapon of choice.
Crikey we've got this far without mentioning a Yeti ASR 5?
For a harder-core fun version of that, the Transition Bandit is hard to beat IMO. The Bandit was second on my list after testing 8 bikes and if it wasn't for the fact that I wanted it at 120mm / lighter for racing I'd have bought the Bandit.
Don't ignore the El Guapo; they're really nice in the flesh. I had a SuperMoto and it was an absolute hoot to ride. Titus seem to know how to make fun bikes. Seriously good value at the price OO are selling them.
+1 for Orange Blood
Can be had for cheapness at the moment
5" travel
Can be built up reasonably light
Slack and low angles
Jumps like a scalded cat
Rails turns like a....thing that corners well
Can run 140mm - 160mm forks
IT'S FUN!
in neon green FTW
Funny thing with bloods, both riders I know who got one have now gone back to 5s. Does that say something?
interesting - i picked a Blood because i didn't want a 5...
I haven't read the whole thread, but I rode a Transition Bandit demo last weekend and thought it was a really nice & fun ride.
I bought a blood despite having a couple of weeks on a demo bike from Orange and not really getting on with it - I later found the shock was totally borked, and the forks wern't up to much either.
I bought this after a further test ride on a mate of a mate's and was blown away. It felt like everything I'd been looking for in my 2011 5, but failed to get (hence me selling it).
I'm now fully converted and even thinking of selling the Nicolai helius, as the Blood's such a good all-rounder. The RP23 is even working, which is a 1st for me, and the travel feels so well controlled and bottomless - non of the feet boucing off pedals I got with the original demo. here is my (not so) mini review from a year or so ago:
http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/orange-blood-mini-review
sorry to hijack the thread, but @mildred, how did you sort the rear suspension on your Blood? Mine never feels quite right, not wrong, but you know, not *right*.
cheers
Kryton57 - MemberCrikey we've got this far without mentioning a Yeti ASR 5?
For a harder-core fun version of that, the Transition Bandit is hard to beat IMO. The Bandit was second on my list after testing 8 bikes and if it wasn't for the fact that I wanted it at 120mm / lighter for racing I'd have bought the Bandit
Bandit 1 or 2? Bandit 1 is 25.7lb. 140mm forks/130mm rear but still climbs very well and hammers back down again. Win races and still have fun on the knarly stuff.
sorry to hijack the thread, but @mildred, how did you sort the rear suspension on your Blood? Mine never feels quite right, not wrong, but you know, not *right*.
cheers
I know exactly what you mean - this is one of the major issues I had with my original test bike, and prevented me buying one for almost a year. Basically mine has been perfect out of the box. I've only ever had failures with the Fox RP23 but this one is just excellent. It is so active without being a chore; you know, in that it's just getting on with it without any dramas kind of way. Most RP23's I've had in the past have been utter shite and I seriously thought people were insane to rate it.
Anyway, post up the tune info' from your shock & I'll compare it to mine. Also, I've found 'cavitation' to be a common fault on these shocks; the most obvious symptom is a squelchy sound when pushing down on the bike - you don't notice the noise whilst riding so do it at home. Also, it makes the damping very inconsistent; I.e. It never feels the same every time you ride. The test bike's damping was truly shocking (if you pardon the pun). And in frozen ground, especially churned by horses so very bumpy, it simply couldn't cope and was bouncing me right off the pedals.
Drop me an email if you like.
i have a brand new 2012 heckler frame in gloss blue totally unused id let it go for around 900 retail is 1099£ maybe of interest to you maybe not just thought id plug it, i notice that someone above mentioned the ariel , i cannot rate them highly enough a fantastic frame but a touch on the heavy side in comparison to some of the others mentioned
My 2010 Five frame ,18" ,apple green,maxle rear will be coming up for sale soon,.....mail me if interested
Chumba vf2 with a works components headset to slacken it slightly?
The new Mount Vision gets good write ups, slack and low apparently.
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I have just picked up a mythic rampant off pinkbike for 400 quid..
should be a fine ride to replace my Kobe.
I went to freeborn and they said of all the Banshee/mythic frames this one had no problems with the bushings. They have basically stopped selling the Rune etc.
Thinking at the moment I might keep hold of the Blur unless a 16" Five became available at the right price.
FWIW - Stif are doing Butchers at Nickels for £999 at the moment which i must say, is tempting but for some reason they just don't float my boat.
paulatmtbleasing - Member
Kryton57 - Member
Crikey we've got this far without mentioning a Yeti ASR 5?For a harder-core fun version of that, the Transition Bandit is hard to beat IMO. The Bandit was second on my list after testing 8 bikes and if it wasn't for the fact that I wanted it at 120mm / lighter for racing I'd have bought the Bandit
Bandit 1 or 2? Bandit 1 is 25.7lb. 140mm forks/130mm rear but still climbs very well and hammers back down again. Win races and still have fun on the knarly stuff.
The front end of the bandit is too high for XC racing at 140, and it's a short TT. Its not the right shape. Thats not to say it can't be done. The ASR is a much better geometry for that purpose, especially at 120mm.
Rook for the win 8)
[url] http://www.bikerumor.com/2012/04/17/spy-shot-fogels-prototype-nukeproof-slopestyle-bike/#more-42575 [/url]
Yup, looks good. No front mech compatibilty though (if that's an issue)?
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