[Closed] Where have all the steel hard tails gone?

Where have they gone?
Stolen from my garage twice.
I now have a fat carbon framed HT. Would still rather have a Rock Lobster.

I can't speak for the other manufacturers, but OO are still touting the same stuff as before. They pay more attention to the 29ers and fatbikes these days, but they still sell the 456 / Inbred, etc.

Sanderson Breaths are very good. I had one for a while a few years ago. I've had several steel Konas and a 456. The Breath was like a slightly heavier and more modern version of an Explosif I once had.

I've just managed to snap up an unused 2012 Charge Duster frame on eBay for £165, which I'll be building up soon 😀

unfortunately charge are only doing 29" bikes now (although still steel frames).i e-mailed them about why they no longer had the duster bikes on their site (luckily i have a duster).

Theres one here

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/my-new-bike-iz-sarcin-deeply-deeply-uncool-content

They are all going too fast for you to get pics:
[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8433/7823956144_e931ae2c9c_b.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8433/7823956144_e931ae2c9c_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/matt_outandabout/7823956144/ ]Comrie Croft pump jump track[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/matt_outandabout/ ]matt_outandabout[/url], on Flickr

[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8220/8345816715_474853b88c_b.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8220/8345816715_474853b88c_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/matt_outandabout/8345816715/ ]Carron Valley[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/matt_outandabout/ ]matt_outandabout[/url], on Flickr

[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8450/8027376259_c5c678f651_b.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8450/8027376259_c5c678f651_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/matt_outandabout/8027376259/ ]Avoiding homework....[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/matt_outandabout/ ]matt_outandabout[/url], on Flickr
*shock* there are even *two* in this pic 😉
[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8009/7592911488_bbe5c58098_b.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8009/7592911488_bbe5c58098_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/matt_outandabout/7592911488/ ]Callender Estates ride[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/matt_outandabout/ ]matt_outandabout[/url], on Flickr

Mine resting in 2009

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There's 2 in my shed for a start off...
Thinking of sticking my summer season frame in the classifieds if you're looking secondhand?

Sanderson Soloist here. Proper steel ride. Loving it TBH. The Breath is the the geared version without the EBB. A LOT nicer than the OO SS I had before. It just felt dead and lifeless. And it wasn't the rest of the build at fault. I swapped all of the components on to a Ragley Blue Pig and it was a different beast. The standard 456 is miles ahead of the SS.

The standard 456 is miles ahead of the SS.

A different bike designed for a different purpose.

If I remember correctly, the SS is made of plain-gauge tubing, and has a 2-degree slacker head angle. It's designed to give you slack angles without needing to run such a long fork, which changes the geometry radically under compression. A different take on the Downhill Hardtail idea.

But I will allow you to not like it 😉 I ride a standard 456, myself.

well ive just built up a 456 ss, finished it last night. wanted a ss so i can run my 130mm forks i had kicking about and still have a nice slack head angle! not riden it yet tho 😉
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Ragley have a whole load of new frames round the corner, their FB page has plenty of pics. New Blue Pig, Piglet and a 29er Big Wig.

The piglet frame gets my vote. [url= http://wideopenmag.co.uk/news/17564/core-bike-show-2013-ragley-piglet-mk2 ]Link[/url]

The Breath was like a slightly heavier and more modern version of an Explosif I once had.

I can vouch for this statement. I've ridden my explosif and soloist on the same trails and will [b]CATEGORICALLY[/b] state that Sandersons are very Kona-esque.

It's a shame they're heavier, and it's a shame my explosif only has a 1" headtube and no disc tabs. Otherwise I'd be keeping it.

the Sanderson is a great frame.... had mine for yonks now. has been "down-graded" to city/hack bike of late, but was/is always a good ride. a very steel-feel (i know this sounds cliche, but there are other steel frames that feel dead in comparison. my DB Alpine has a very dud feel to it until you really rag the tits off it; the Sanderson feels lively at lower speeds).

I just finished my budget inbred build. First steel frame I've had since the 90s

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456SS here.

It just felt dead and lifeless

Mine does too, until i ride it.

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Loving my wee ss at the minute

[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8090/8441386003_b5f28272a4.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8090/8441386003_b5f28272a4.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/49017178@N04/8441386003/ ]Mugdock1[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/49017178@N04/ ]Doubledunter[/url], on Flickr

But would love this

[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8225/8465198615_e02f69cfbf.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8225/8465198615_e02f69cfbf.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/49017178@N04/8465198615/ ]Soul1[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/49017178@N04/ ]Doubledunter[/url], on Flickr

Williej - Have you got a better pic of that lovey Sanderson?

Maguras, Rockshox? Right up my street, is that! 🙂

5 steel frames, 1 rigid too, can't beat em.
All locked up

They're pikes on the Sanderson.

I only know that because of the number on the bridge

It had been along time since I last owned a steel bike, but I'm really loving my Dekerf.......

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we've just finished this one :

[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8472/8435363217_a97ee3873e_z.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8472/8435363217_a97ee3873e_z.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/shandcycles/8435363217/ ]Shand 29er[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/shandcycles/ ]shandcycles[/url], on Flickr

and we'll have our new production hardtail ready in a couple of weeks to be officially launched at the Bristol [url= http://www.bespokedbristol.co.uk/ ]Bespoked[/url] show in April.

Might consider getting a sanderson.

I'm currently on A 2009 voodoo Bantu bought on c2w, slight bug bear as I'm over 6ft so bought the 20" frame, considering its a large frame I'm bolt upright on it yet all the weight is on my hands... its like riding a bloody gate!

Anyone think buying some higher rise bars could help as an interim measure?

It does me fine and the 09 models were great value for money... mavic rims, race face finishing kit, juicy 3s, epicon fork, x5 drive train and truative cranks.... and it cost £579 less tax saving thru c2w so can't really complain.... makes me laugh how halfords/voodoo are Joe Murray this, Joe Murray that yet he said in the ST mag interview a couple of months ago that he barely has anything to do with them nowadays.

I have a Sanderson Life and love it - but keep bending the mech hanger and dropout open on passing sticks. Done it twice now, sob.
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Side-on shot for PP:

[url= http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2647/3869897097_20f4337fd2_z.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2647/3869897097_20f4337fd2_z.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/27050641@N08/3869897097/ ]Image049[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/27050641@N08/ ]will jenkins[/url], on Flickr

Truth be told I wish it had been a 17" with the same length top tube, just because it had a lot of seatpost showing most of the time!

Mine's gone nowwhere, it's just been in bits during a rebuild, but now - [url= http://z6.invisionfree.com/Sussex_Muddyarse/index.php?showtopic=3489 ]It's back![/url]

Oooh, rapidly becoming a proper Sanderson thread... *approves*

Truth be told I wish it had been a 17" with the same length top tube, just because it had a lot of seatpost showing most of the time!

Yeah, they are loooong bikes. I had a Breath. Lovely though, and yours is a corker 🙂

This is my Breath from about 6 years ago now

[url= http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2726/4271555702_2e576ce36c_o.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2726/4271555702_2e576ce36c_o.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/peter_atkin/4271555702/ ]Sanderson 19[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/peter_atkin/ ]PeterPoddy[/url], on Flickr

[url= http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4063/4271556848_c13e0de0af_o.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4063/4271556848_c13e0de0af_o.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/peter_atkin/4271556848/ ]Sanderson 17[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/peter_atkin/ ]PeterPoddy[/url], on Flickr

And this is how it ended up 🙁

[url= http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4043/4270734183_e9f96df9a2_o.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4043/4270734183_e9f96df9a2_o.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/peter_atkin/4270734183/ ]Crash_018[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/peter_atkin/ ]PeterPoddy[/url], on Flickr

oh dear, how did that happen ?

Jesus, that must of been a heavy hit Peter!

Not wanting to upset anyone because I can see you like your Sandersons but you can't say they're a newer version of an explosif. When the explosif was in its heyday it was a top class production steel frame retailing at £450-500 frame only and I'm talking the mid nineties here. It used a lot of the top steel tube sets of the day and was one of the first to feature things like ribbed and shaped ovalised tubing which in turn lead to all the monocoque frame designs after it. I'm not sure what you would compare it to now, in this country at the very least compare the Explosif to a Soul but the Explosif had worldwide fame. it certainly would not be compared to a relatively cheap frame like the Sanderson. They might have achieved a similar ride as the Explosif but the Explosif had those ride characteristics 20 years ago. The Explosif is an Iconic steel hardtail. The Sanderson is not. That's not to say its not a good bike of course and I do like them myself but someone earlier compared it to an Explosif with a 1" headtube which must be at least 22 years old!

Setting apart the iconic or not, there is minimal difference between a Soul and Breath et al in dimensions and tubing - it is just certain brands that STW seems to go do-lally over.

Ok poor comparison but is the Explosif iconic? Yes. Is the Sanderson? No.

I had a 2003 Explosif, the grey one made from True Temper OX Platinum, with an inch and an eighth headtube. I said the Breath was like a heavier, more modern version. Yes, the Breath was cheaper (hence heavier) but it was also 6 years younger. The ride was very similar in general terms. Not the same, similar 🙂

And Matt you've maybe just hit it on the nose. The Sanderson is like other bikes whereas the Explosif was something different and better. Fancy tubing before its time, straight bladed rigid forks that we see so much of now and of course that sloping top tube.

Surely a more modern version of an explosif would bring something to the table that other bikes didn't have. I know the new Explosifs don't and they're a bit of a disappointment really compared to what they once were. Not trying to sound argumentative here really but fear I am so I'm going to bed now, night night.

Oh, I agree on that - the iconic bit.
But ride quality wise...

When I said more modern I meant in its ability to take longer forks, bigger tyres and so on. I didn't mean it was someone's evolution of the Explosif.

Built this up at the weekend:

[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8091/8457622655_c386169a21.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8091/8457622655_c386169a21.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/kryton1957/8457622655/ ]Kinesis1[/url]

It my second steel frame the first being a Genesis Altitude. First ride on this will be tomorrow morning, can't wait!

Edit: Now with Trailraker/Bonty MudX combo and inner tube stylee chain stay.

I get the feeling steel is out of fashion again, orange didn't make a P7 this year, and if you look in the classifieds quite a few P7's for sale (including mine) and no one's that interested.

I loved my hardtail, steel for me is the best bike ive had, but room at home etc.. means it has to go.

Setting apart the iconic or not, there is minimal difference between a Soul and Breath et al in dimensions and tubing - it is just certain brands that STW seems to go do-lally over.

Well the Soul has an 853 front triangle, not just chro-moly, and thus weighs 0.4lbs less. The Life is closer being 853 up front but still heavier. And the current Soul just seems to have all the little details better thought out - tapered fork compatible, dropper post compatible, no chainstay bridge for more mud clearance, neat dropouts with replaceable mech hanger, oval top tube (stiffer laterally, more compliant vertically), etc. It may ride incredibly similarly but those details count and it's one reason that the Soul is, in a rather small way, somewhat iconic - there is substance behind the brand value.

One's not an icon, it's not got fancy tubes, it's heavier but its just as good to ride.

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Would the Voodoo Bizango be more like a modern Explosif, considering where it's from...