[Closed] which is the best steel hardtail at mo??

as was said in another thread, whichever one you like the stickers on best.

in before the grammar police 🙂

Having had a Steel 456 Summer Season and now a Whyte 19 Steel, i would say my fave bike would be the Whyte it just feels very right, its very light on its feet if you know what i mean , has the adjustable rear dropouts to alter wheelbase/geometry and can run singlespeed if thats your bag too. I really do like it.

Any excuse here is mine....

[IMG] [/IMG]

That's a fairly open ended question, but...

Evil Sovereign is the most fun hardtails ever made. EVER.

One of the most versatile, too. Works for me.

Why is "steel" an upgrade from "Aluminium"?

Please expain on the back of a kebab, salad and sauce please 🙄

Cotic bfe....because thats what ive got.....in gritstone

Someone's going to say Cotic Soul. I have one and I like it, but I can't swear it's "best" as I haven't ridden all the others and don't know what you want to do with yours anyway.

P7.

thread closed

let me mail merge this for you:

"The best steel hardtail is <the one I own>, because it feels great and the geometry is the bestest

<username>"

Dave

thread closed

where does Brant work this week?

Anything designed by brant at previous firms will have issues with oval head tubes, mud clearance or be reworked (can't remember the name of 1990's steel frame like an inbred) in very cheap steal, all coming on just as he resigned.

Where it does get confusing is a situation where he returns to a previous firm, in which case all the issues go away and they are once again the best thing since sliced bread.

So one of those.

Depends what you're after, att he moment I'm loving my Swift, it's not hardcore, but equaly there's not much other than actual dirtjumps it's been hard work on and TBH I reckon it would do them except my seapost is too long and my wheels too precious!

let me mail merge this for you:

"The best steel hardtail is <the one I own>, because it feels great and the geometry is the bestest

<username>"

This is 90% of my STW activity.

I stand by it, of course.

Find yourself a late 90's Kona Cindercone or Explosif, have some disc tabs welded on it, paint it (badly) with Hammerite to deter theives and ride the arse off it...

[img] [/img]

Definitely not one of these.

Stanton Slackline looks a rather nice option.

Any of them.

If you're asking the question then you are clearly clueless and you wont be able to tell the difference.

What kind of riding do you do? Budget? Is it just a frame or complete bike you need?

I was in a similar situation and went from an alloy GT Zaskar to a Cotic Soul. My riding is a mix of local singletrack and trail centres nothing overly hardcore. I really noticed the flex in the back end which makes life so much more comfy. Spot on geometry too.

Other options i looked at were Genesis Latitude, On One 456 and Cove Handjob. The Genesis was a close second.

If you ride bigger stuff bfe or stanton look good choices.

Sure all the options listed are good but decide what you are using it for, test ride a few and make your choice.

bigbloke thats a tidy bike you have there

i put together an ns surge recently to see what all the fuss was about, and i havent ridden my ally frame since. that little bit of flex is noticeable and its now really uncomfortable to ride my other hardtail. do it you wont regret it, as for which one ? as above 'get the same as me, mine is lush' 😉

Don't think there is a 'best'*. Get one that fits and comes in a colour you like.

I've two steel hardtails - a 456SS and a DMR drone. They're very different from each other and although neither is the [i]best[/i], they do what hey are designed for pretty well.

Maybe think about what you actually want it for and come back with a 'reccommend me a xxxx for xxxx riding'?

* the best steel hardtail is a BMX btw 😀

Soul is a good place to start... It's not the best- there's no such thing- but it's quite a stereotypical steel frame, lots of spring in it, and a great allrounder. And well made, light for 140mm capability, flexible, well finished. Expensive though.

Course, I sold mine, and my BFe. So, I'm going to recommend the 456 Carbon. Well OK, I'll admit to the technicality that it's not a steel hardtail, but it thinks it is- reminds me a lot of my Soul (doesn't make me think of steel 456s at all though)

highclimber - Member

P7.

thread closed

Depends really on what year you're posting from. But we're receiving your posts in 2011, where it's become overweight and overpriced.

This hardtail is currently the best in the known world.
[img] [/img]

and heavier than most of the known world.

My 2002 Kona Lava Dome.

my solitude. which is now unobtainable. so there.

Depends really on what year you're posting from. But we're receiving your posts in 2011, where it's become overweight and overpriced.

weight worries are so last year. i'll give you the price thing but only because we're in a supposed recession.

[i]and heavier than most of the known world.[/i]

Doesn't look heavy. Looks gorgeous. Wassit weigh?

[edit] Crikey 6.4lbs! That's heavier than my Yeti 🙁

You ride a Handjob?

I'd put the Whyte on there. I've not ridden one but from what I've heard they are supposed to be really good.

I'd put the Sanderson at the top of the list though.

probably not one of these 😀
[url= http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6114/6336832923_1e4448922b_z.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6114/6336832923_1e4448922b_z.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/7317806@N06/6336832923/ ]Pugsley's been painted.[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/7317806@N06/ ]yodagoat[/url], on Flickr

Kayak,

Is that Transition a Trans Am? I'm thinking of one myself. Looks great, good work.

Chromag Sakura.............if you can afford.

Enigma Ego ST
[img] [/img]

Pace RC104
[img] [/img]

Salsa Ala Carte! Modern take on a classic frame available with a matching green fork.

GB

So a carbon456 then

kayak23 - Member
This hardtail is currently the best in the known world.
[img] [/img]

Correct.

Salsa Ala Carte! Modern take on a classic frame available with a matching green fork.

Shame it's been discontinued. I'll never part with my mid 90's Ala Carte.
Also still loving my DMR Switchback.

I keep looking at the Curtis website and thinking that one of those would be really quite nice...

If there's a better one than mine then I don't want to know about it!

pipedream scion lovely bike only had it a few months but brilliant

Whatever modern frame is closest to a 2001 DMR Trailstar.

slainte 😀 rob

Have to agree with cookea "Find yourself a late 90's Kona Cindercone or Explosif, have some disc tabs welded on it, paint it (badly) with Hammerite to deter theives and ride the arse off it..." exchange hammerite for rattle can and you've got my '97 Explosif. 🙂

Didn't they all snap?

charge dusters are great bikes.not biased in the slightest (my one below) 😉 [IMG] [/IMG]

I have read not much of this because, as many have said, "insert my frame here" is the best. I will drop some facts of my own.

had a Ragles Piglet. It was awesome. climbed like a goat, felt comfortable enough on the downs.. snapped. Replaced it with the Blue Pig with a warranty.

The pig, I decided, was the greatest bike ever. After getting used to it..(deciding to keep it at a 130 max) it climbed just as well. It hit the downs like no tomorrow. The first hardtail I had swung my leg over that just made me want to 'do work'. really solid going down everything. The back end bounces perfectly with the right practise.
Only qualms i have had with the pig: It has a super long rear triangle and top tube. which is great for stability, but makes it a pain to find that sweetspot that makes lifting easy. Downs were great, as I said, but balance is key here. It took me a while to find that perfect sweet spot. After I did that, berms were hit at bar drag angles, full sussers were being caught on the downs, and jumping was becoming a bit easier. It is a XC bike for people who like to neglect the trail the most of the time.

Recently, I have retired the pig for a Stanton Slackline. Similar price to the Blue Pig. better steel. Replacable drop out. Super awesome dudes running the show.
Reason I swapped the frame: The test ride. the RT is shorter by 2cm. Makes you feel like a manualing mastermind. A lot more playful than the pig. Which makes me feel a lot more comfortable 'losing the back end' and then regaining it. The shorter RT and TT, I think, makes balancing an easier affair than a neglected house with in madison county. Corners like a dream. It really made me feel like going 90mph. Have just built up the Stanton, so haven't hossed it like I have the pig.. so you will have to wait for a full review.

Hope that helps.

I've ridden a few of the above mentioned but my fav so far is a Chromag Samurai, it just fitted me perfectly with a 140 or 160 fork on it and was so balanced and filtered just enough trail harshness out but let you feel all you needed, I miss it... 🙂

Check out Dialled. I had a Prince Albert and it was awesome. The newer 725 is a little lighter too 😀

The Alpine may be worth a look if you're riding's gnarly enough.

Genesis make good frames too, quite a few are available in 853 as well.

If you want the 'best' why not go custom?
Someone like Brian Rourke will build you whatever geometry you want & paint it whatever colour you like. Job done.

For a small outlay the std Inbred takes some beating, but STW badge snobs wont be happy.

Someone like Brian Rourke

We bumped into someone on one of these. Unbelievable how light it was (obviously not a long travel frame but steel still).

As Kona have been mentioned a few times (plus I ride a steel kona too) this might interest you
http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/kona-explosif-frame-item165925.html

Reason I swapped the frame: The test ride. the RT is shorter by 2cm. Makes you feel like a manualing mastermind. A lot more playful than the pig. Which makes me feel a lot more comfortable 'losing the back end' and then regaining it.

The shorter RT and TT, I think, makes balancing an easier affair than a neglected house with in madison county. Corners like a dream. It really made me feel like going 90mph. Have just built up the Stanton, so haven't hossed it like I have the pig.. so you will have to wait for a full review.

This is exactly what i thought of the slackline. Amazing bike. corners amazingly well and feels very comfortable in the air.. I want it so bad but haven't got funds at the moment (debating whether to sell my Voodoo djab to fund 🙁

or Orange R8 even [url= http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/orange-r8-anyone-got-one ];)[/url]

trickydisco - (debating whether to sell my Voodoo djab to fund

Normal Man - Member

or Orange R8 even

That's the one that's built exactly like an old-model Soul, except weaker, more expensive and heavier?

Didn't they all snap?

I snapped my old steel 90's Kona (chainstay, by the dropout), and i'm a 65kg jeycore xc rider 😐

That's the one that's built exactly like an old-model Soul, except weaker, more expensive and heavier?

Click the smiley and you'll see why I said it.

Ah, I didn't notice the link 😳 Still too heavy really for such a limited frame, but that's about the right price, good spot.

They do ride really nicely though, really classic Orange "Jump on and go" feel- shame they didn't do a better job of the construction. Just refusing to tell anyone what weight a frame is, is no substitute for making it light 😆

OK Heres my two pence worth...

whyte 19 steel is lovley, xc/trail waepon, cross country races, all dayers in the dales, kick full suss arse on red trail centers, really got me loving bikes again after i impulse bought a cheap marin east peak (uuuurgh!)
owned the whyte for 3 years, new frame every year... manufacturing fault, now resolved unfortunatley so ill have to look after this one 😉

Demoed a stanton slackline. Really REALLY nice. nice guy too that dan stanton. now id buy one if i could, however i just completed my ns surge build this evening, poor mans slackline lol. cant comment on it yet.

anyway depends what your into but i think you can find fairly light 140mm steel hardtails with fairly slack head angle, steep seat angle and shortish chainstays (bearing in mind i think just 20mm is the difference between very short and v long stays!) that you can pedal all day and then ride DH on....

so you have plenty of choice.

cotics are supposed to be the general standard/ starting point... and ive seen them ripping the gravity enduro scene better than lots of full sussers. wouldnt really want to do gravity on my whyte...

Holy thread resurrection batman!

I'm sure if the OP has spent the last 10 months dithering over his steel hardtail choice, DK will have just fixed that for him 😯

I never did get a kebab 🙁

Surely the [url= http://www.demonframeworks.com/ ]Demon Frameworks[/url] is by far the prettist and bestest? Also made by one of the nicest people ever.

[img] http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRtvF6GXEpHuv_ZNwuqe1t2KrWk3qHAvDdVylrxdPWTfoFfmKsyfJlgQA [/img]

[img] http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR73eP6vjzlLF45l3gnG1zdeFYxG15KuXzGyNERWjTFrwgbeuhbeYs7Zw [/img]

[img] http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSCt6vMOKHeuV8M-c0VYsFjdWSRpM1s1cokQOSEwIb-3SRt7hZx6ruK9kY [/img]

[url= http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=150679&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=195 ]BETTER PICS HERE[/url]

In april bought a Commencal Ramones cro-mo from merlincycles.co.uk for half price,(900GBP) use for guiding at www.bikingandalucia.com
Can´t fault it 150mm Rochshox revelation, strong kit (bit heavy, 13.4kg), you would not want to race on it!But handles well and dependable.

Charge Blender. Better than a Trailstar, and I don't say that lightly! Miles better than the BFe I had for a bit as well. In comparison the BFe was uninspiring and dull to ride. The Blender is just so much fun, something about the geometry just makes you want to rag it harder. Rides best with a short fork though (125mm seems about right) so probably not the one to go for if you want to mince around with too much travel 😛

I loved my charge Blender but swapped out for a prince Albert which is so much better all round.
It does everything the Blender did but with the fork left at 140mm and with a sensible seat angle for pedaling.

Same as my answer 10 months ago.

Chromag Sakura.......if you can afford one! It really is

For all round HT, the best in the world is indeed a [url= http://www.sobre-bikes.com/cadre-spam.html ]sobre spam[/url]

I'm now fairly certain that it is my particular Cotic Soul. 😛

My Niner SIR.9
Because Charliethebikemonger said so.

Nope my Whyte 19 steel (on second frame mind 2012 this time 🙄 ) its a proper jack of all trades. So there!!!

i can certainly recommend the Demon, the one pictured above is mine! it rides lovely, just incase people thought it wouldn't get ridden, here's a little xc vid i did for fun.

regarding the best steel hardtail though, there are so many out there and they can be aimed at so many different styles of riding, only you know what riding you do, i could have bought something for a longer fork or heavier duty but it wouldn't have suited my riding style and i think that is the key, admitting what type of rider you are, i'm old school xc, not happy jumping etc so i built the bike with that in mind from the frame up to the component choices. if you know you lean a particular way then find a brand that makes something that plays to your strengths as a rider. if you are a bit of an animal there's no point looking for the lightweight option! on the other hand if you're a superlight xc boy doing long rides don't go looking at an abuse based frame, it's common sense really but fashion and the mags try and convince you otherwise!

also if you do go down the custom route, regardless of the builder, look to your past frames and take from them the things you like whether it's geometry, tubing, cable stops, drop out choice, future proofing etc, all very important.

Have a look at the Swarf cycles site.