Firmly in the acceptance stage after my Explosif got stolen on Saturday. I'm trying to find something to replace it with, and failing! So, does anyone still make a steel 650b or even 27.5+ trail-focussed hardtail, and if so, have stock here in Europe, or even the US/Canada?
Nothing against UK builders or suppliers per se, but this year I've waited four months for clothing from there, and I'm currently at the six week mark waiting on a CD...
Nobody? Or is the glitch back?
I thought about replying but couldn’t really come up with a decent option outside of uk companies. The best I could come up with is Nordest - but their Ti hardtail (in stock - I think the 660b steel one is pre-order) is 140-160mm fork travel. At 140mm I’d consider that a trail hardtail but at 160mm that’s more ‘hardcore’.
Either way it’s probably quite a long way from an older Explosif!
If you can wait then you could go down the Marino custom steel frame approach which is what I did for mine. However that’s not going to get you a frame particularly quickly. Although it would get you something unique. 100% it would be heavier than an Explosif frame though - as will pretty much any steel frame you buy now.
there isn’t stock of steel hard tails where i live in canada. well, i saw a chromag surface in vedder mountain bike co. but that is ultra $.
edit, i think it was a surface
edit edit, it was a customer build
Damn. Anyone making aluminium 650b hardtails that feel zingy enough that tbey could be mistaken for steel?
I’m not actually sure the majority of steel hardtails are zingy like older ones were. CEN testing made them have to overbuild them a bit more. I like how my Marino rides - I’d say it dulls vibrations vs my last 650b alloy Vitus Sentier Sonia more comfy - but it’s not zingy. That’s with 140mm Pikes / quite light wheels (Erase Components hubs / XM421 rims / alloy squorx nipples / DT competition spokes)/ carbon bars / carbon cranks / gx Eagle / Exo casing tyres. If that build were on a decent alloy frame I think it would fly.
Sonder Transmitter? (Alu) - they have a euro site so I assume ship direct?
Not a touch on an explosif but looks a good fun bike.
I would have said look at Stooge but even the Mk5's have sold out already.
+1 on newer steel not being as good as the older and less robust frames.
Add in much wider tyres, and it really fades away.
Imo the only noticeable difference is when you lose a chunky dropper and go 27.2 rigid.
Check Hardtail Party on Youtube. He will comment on bikes and their springyness. For alu frames he says that the Ragley bikes feel good in this regard.
In terms of actual euro brands they seem very light on 27.5 bikes - most are 29er. Radon have the ZR team but it looks quite budget. YT and Canyon only have 27.5” wheels on the small sized frames - the rear are 29er. Cube and Felt both seem to lack anything either.
If Sonder have stock in the EU already then the Transmitter is pretty good - my mate went from a 2004 Kona Caldera to a Transmitter - it took some adjustment particularly to the slack head angle but he loves it now. Just threw on a 140mm revelation he had and a mosh mash of parts. I reckon if you run 2.6” - 2.8” tyres they’ll give more flex / comfort than the difference between steel and alloy.
Sonder Dial probably also worth a look for a more xc experience than the Transmitter. If you can bring yourself to go 29er then the Sonder Signal Steel could be worth a look.
I'm not against 29ers or aluminium, but I've already got a Scandal I built a couple of years back and while it IS great and much more 'playful' than I ever could have imagined, it's not nimble in quite the same way. I was even considering a Big Dog and preparing to wait a few months for delivery, but it's not really what I want.
Will watch the Hardtail Party stuff. Thanks all!
Not 650b but lovely steel bike, Singular Swift. I’ve got a Rooster which is a bit more rowdy but still a wonderful old school steel ride but with modern geometry.
I’m not actually sure the majority of steel hardtails are zingy like older ones were
This. I bought a cromo (Longitude) partly because it was (at least in skinny-tubed style) replacement for/familiar to my old faves (Lavadome, M-Trax, Cindercones), but it’s not ‘zingy’ at all. Neither was the ‘09 P7 before it.
I’d settle for ‘comfy’ and tune the ride with big-volume tyres. Seems to be the way of today.
Alu, you say? What size?
Why not look for a Genesis Tarn it Tarn ti?
I’m not actually sure the majority of steel hardtails are zingy like older ones were. CEN testing made them have to overbuild them a bit more.
agreed, came on here to say this.
i loved my old kona's, an explosif and a kilauea. went looking for similar pre-CEN, zingy bikes last year and narrowed it down to 1 really, the mk1 Cotic Soul. i think from mk2 upwards is post-CEN. i put a wtd ad on here and pinkbike and finally found one. i love it, light as a feather and zingy as a zingy thing. dont settle for second best 😉
Aye, mk1 soul was the last good steel hardtail I owned. Replaced it with a bfe, then another soul. Both meh.
Pipedream have some stock of their moxie frames if that’s any good. The shorter and longer one, no inbetweens.
I have a Genesis High Latitude LT frame I was considering selling. I’ve barely used it, it’s Reynolds 653 steel, 650b with a tapered head tube, takes 120mm forks. It’s a great riding bike and could sell it with the forks and other bits if you needed them.
I got a Ribble HT 725 earlier this year. Steel with 27.5 wheels. Looking at the website availability seems to be December or January for most sizes.
That's a lovely looking bike. As is the Sonder Transmitter. I'm trying to get excited but I just want my Explosif back.
Thanks for all the suggestions, some I hadn't considered or even heard of. I think it's gonna be a case of when I know, I know. Y'know?
If I hadn’t gone custom I was thinking either the Ribble HT725 or the Pipedream Moxie in pink. I didn’t suggest them above as they are UK bikes so missed the scope of EU sourcing.
If you really want zingy steel and have money and time on your side (given the Scandel so you’re not bikeless) then I’d have a look at Curtis. I’m pretty sure they could make you something zingy and pretty. Love their bikes either in the deep candy blue or the raw with clearcoat.
Curtis AM7 could fit the bill:
https://www.curtisbikes.co.uk/frames/am-enduro/curtis-am7/
That is gorgeous with a capital F. Waaaaay out of my budget though. I'm finding it hard to justify more than 2k for a complete bike, especially when I built the Scandal from lots of leftovers for about 400... I know that's different, though.
Ritchey P29/27.5?
I was going to reply to your other post offering a Kona Muni Mula chassis as a replacement. It's not steel, but same era as the Explosif.
Absolutely loved that bike ( though objectively its not in the same universe as my Orbea Occam so it sits in the garage looking dismantled and sad)
Anyone want it? (Large)
How about Stanton? They do 48hr frames. Sherpas and Slacklines last time I looked.