Charge Duster Yay or Nay?

Hi guys

Would like the singletrack world massive's thoughts an the Charge Duster as I have a friend who is thinking of getting one second hand frame only. Would be built up with a triple ring and some 100mm Marzocchis on then upgrade to disc brakes and wheels later on. I ride an 18 inch 456 for general trail riding odd bit around Hebden and he would be doing just the same, so what do you think a good choice?

(oh and not in to bright colours so black, grey or white)

Cheers

it's a lovely bike, a little bit old-school, in all the right ways.

see this:

you couldn't ask for a nicer combo.

imho etc.

I have a Duster 8. Love it. Super springy 😆

ahwiles that looks awesome, where is it?

i had an 08 Duster Mid, regretted selling after only 2 months.

Yay. Great bikes for the money.

Same here. Fast single track and its brilliant. Good climber too and not to heavy.

Love it 🙂

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh keep them a secret 😉

lol absolutely 😉

Charge bit shorter in top tube than on-one I think? Got myself a Genesis io instead of duster ss for this reason, {genesis similar tt length to on-one] so check sizing.

Yeah, love mine, always looking for a lighter equivalent but it rides so well I don't see the point.

The top tube is slightly short I think, I've got a layback seatpost and a longish stem (110mm, not the steering horror story people would have you believe) Brilliant bike on fast singletrack, and set up right it really pumps and skims through the trails.

The paintwork is pretty tough as well, and there's some big old tyre clearance at the back.

Decent quality 'no-nonsense' bikes. More than enough for most people most of the time. Geometry slightly more old-skool than some. Pretty.

Decent quality 'no-nonsense' bikes. More than enough for most people most of the time

Exactly the reason I went for the Duster 8. Less faff all round (once you've got the hang of getting the back wheel out and twiddling the EBB 😆 )

Run mine at 100mm. Tough trail frame. Found the painted decals on the downtube to be fragile. Are they supposed to be lacquered over?
Yep. Top tube shorter but its a good short giving you more of a sit up and beg position. A bit lighter than other steel frames if you get the posh tubed version. Having said that, probably still be selling mine just for the sake it.

Not sure about that HTTP, I've rubbed through the top tube decals nearest the headtube, but thats three years of mud and baggy shorts, so I'll forgive that. The downtube decals would probably look fine if I ever cleaned them up…

The frame could be sit up and beh, but I'm running it quite low at the front which makes for some excitable cornering, but makes the most of the Rebas. Didn't think it was the lightest steel frame out there, but mine is one of the older ones.

I helicopter taped the decal on the down tube (around the bb) then removed it – along with the decal 🙁
A bit of white gaffer tape now covers missing bit and keeps the frame pretty 🙂

Odd.

I'm 99% sure the decals on mine are lacquered over.

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slack chain in that photo 🙂

Currently stripped down but awaiting a fresh build. Lovely bike and cant wait to get it built back up

Great bikes, he won't regret it, had mine a couple of years now and I've no intention of changing.

Definitely 'Yay'. I've a Ti geared and a steel SS. Both awesome.

Another yay here for the duster (mine's steel – i bought it 2nd hand too). Had mine just over a year and its been the best all round mtb i've owned. Pretty tough, climbs well and likes singletrack.

Thanks for the replies gents seems like a good choice for him then and me as I will be the one building it up. Any one know of a Duster going cheap any were?

Very happy with my duster, very very fast single track bike, out of my collection it is by far the quickest bike A to B. Once you get used to it it's okay in the air too. (I don't do anything massive all sub 4-5 foot).

There really isn't that much difference between a gensis io and a duster imo. I have a 17.5 io with a 100mm stem and a med duster with a 90mm stem both ride pretty similar.

It's quite amusing as my riding buddies ask which bike I'm coming on and try to actively discourage use of the duster 🙂

One downside I do suffer from chainsuck more on it than on other frames and my emails to charge on the matter have been ignored, I have tried 3 drivetrains which were okay on other frames

Whats the seatclamp size on the Duster ??????????????
seatpost is 27.2mm right ?

29.8mm or 30.0mm

Yep seatpost 27.2mm, although I put on a salsa QR clamp and it has to be done up tight to stop seatpost slipping. Not quite as springy on the rear end as I was expecting, but I'm never selling the frame on this. Paintwork is not the toughest, but it will get powder coated when it gets really scruffy.

Oh seatclamp is 29.8mm but 30mm will do, see above comments.

Yeah, i did get some hefty chainsuck on mine, although this is a downside to having such snappy short chainstays and big tyre clearance.

The only solution i reckon is steel (shimano) chainrings, and looking after the drivetrain. I only suffered problems when I started messing about with tarty aluminium granny and middle rings.

One other thing it is a disc only frame right? That will bum up the build cost, he he he more parts to look for

As above. The clearance between the chain stay and rings is close but that is what you get given the amount of mud clearance and the ability to use a big tire. There is certainly nothing the frame can do to cause chain suck. The chain line just needs to be set properly and chain and rings kept in good condition. Its not been a problem on my bike. I use a 27.2 thomson seat post and a 29.8 spank seatclamp which is not quick release(no reason other than i like it) which doesnt get changed. You don't see many frames for sale 2nd hand but they generally go for 100 to 150 quid. I got mine for 50 on fleabay cos they seller was really vague about what they was selling to the point where they described it as a large bmx frame made from alloy, so i just took a punt on it 😀

Yup. Disk only. Well mine is. Dunno if earlier ones are specced for v brakes as well.

yah – great steeds….

Loving the Duster 8 amongst other reasons for its quietness. Zero chainsuck, slap or no rear mech clanking around. Love it.

Can any of you Duster owners confirm the largest tyre size you can fit on the back please?

Quietness – yup. I notice that. Run's so quiet. No vibrations or clatter that you get with a stiffer frame on a trail.

The only sound is the sound of me coughing up a lung 😆

haha 😀

Why would you want to put massive tyres on it? Never got that.

I've had 2.25 NN/RRalph but just felt overkill, currently using 2.1 RRon/FF. During winter 1.8 Medusa on the front 2.2 Mud X.

Last night I did some tinkering and swapped the chainrings from standard triple on XT to 26/36 steel rings as a final attempt to banish chainsuck.

One good side to the chainsuck is that you end up not changing down to the granny so stay in higher gears up the climbs than normal.

If I had space I'd be seriously considering the alfine version to!

@ Ziggy: Your photo's the wrong way up, mate:

😉

(My SS Duster in Brian Rourke livery).

DT78 – I am toying with the idea of a 650b build based on a readily available s/h 26" frame and wondered if the Charge would be able to take a Pacenti Neomoto 2.1.. Looks as if chainstay length may be more of an issue that width between stays.