Am looking around at options for my next frame, and was looking on the Cove site just there.
It just struck me that you don’t come across much in the way of Cove any more, or am I wrong? – they used to be a pretty cool brand. The range of frames they have no seems to be much smaller too.
What happened, reliability? not with the times any more?

They are not a massive brand over here, but that said – I have got 2, and a couple of mates have both got a cove each.
Definately still alive, and the shop in North Van is awesome

Just brought out new version of Hustler in 650B , available now according to Silverfish and same with Hummer .

New huster looks sweeeeeeeeet. 😀
Plenty of older ones round our way but maybe that is because of the proximity of the distributor. Between us my friends and family have had four (hustler, hj, stiffee and hooker) over the years, all good fun bikes.

Small brand, not making carbon, no big riders so not really popular maybe? I love them, I have 4 at the moment (Handjob, Hustler, Stiffee and Sanchez) and have previously owned 2 G Spots, 2 previous Hustlers a Foreplay and another Sanchez.
Was just chatting about this in the lbs today, I’d love to get hold of a 2005 Peeler with original 888s….and an original Hooker.

I was in there n van shop last week, lots of new bikes.

There’s not been much new from Cove recently and with a big shift toward 29er and 650b, they appear to be a little behind the curve.

The new Cove Hustler looks pretty average to me.
Like a generic taiwanese off-the-shelf design, but with price tag similar to Transition/Banshee/etc.
It might ride ok, but as I’m not really a fan of most horst-link designs, I’m not holding my breath.

mccett, the wife has an original hooker. In pink! (iirc it’s one of only 2 pink ones that ever made it over here) It is a rather different ride to much else: 100mm on the back, 140 on the front, concentric bb pivot but shows that massive rear travel was not essential for a capable play/slopestyle/mini-dh bike.

She vacillates between loving it and thinking she is not rad enough for it and wanting to sell it. I reckon she could be persuaded to part with it…

Where did all the paint go more like?!

mccett, the wife has an original hooker. In pink! (iirc it’s one of only 2 pink ones that ever made it over here) It is a rather different ride to much else: 100mm on the back, 140 on the front, concentric bb pivot but shows that massive rear travel was not essential for a capable play/slopestyle/mini-dh bike.
She vacillates between loving it and thinking she is not rad enough for it and wanting to sell it. I reckon she could be persuaded to part with it…

I think I had it in my shed for a while. Built by Tom at the outpost for his missus? Pink everything?

We in the UK think we are centre of universe. We are a tiny micro market IMO

@Jam bo, yes, thats my bike! I do love it, but I’ve not had much chance to ride it, partly time, partly fear on anything other than hsd at Gawton and I’ve become a bit of a roadie really…
I’ll keep the pretty flower brakes, but maybe time to let the frame go to a better home…

Merlin have an empty link on there site for Cove frames 🙂

I managed to puck up a new 2012 Cove Stiffee and it’s brilliant fun to ride….I used to love my 456 on one but this does everything just that bit better and makes me want to ride fast, jump off and over every lip and drop and manual through every whole in the trail. It’s a keeper for sure!

I think that the range of smutty names doesn’t help them much now that mountain biking is mainly the preserve of the middle aged, rather than adolescents. I know my mrs wasn’t very keen on the idea of a handjob (heh heh).

I have nothing but admiration for company’s that don’t throw loads of bikes at the market just for the sake of it

julianwilson – sent you an email re Hooker.

Been looking at the 2010ish Hustler for a while now, really want one.

Anyone want to give me one for dirt cheap? 😀

Yer man up there /\ trailmoggy has one up for sale on ebay, he has a link in classifieds.

2010 same as 2005 same as the rest up until the recent 650b redesign.

Great bike, I had sold my second and went to a Pitch, then a Cube Fritzz then a Nukeproof mega…. Got a mint used Hustler again while I still had the Nukeproof, took my Hustler on holiday, came back and sold the Nukeproof. Only downside might be lack of dropper post capability due to the 30.0 seapost but other than that I cant fault them. I also like the fact that all my bikes have the same headset/wheel axle standard. I may well be old fashioned.

Only cos I want a hand job

Ooooooh, need pics of the pink Hooker, please. Here’s my more modern version . . .

Has an STD to keep it company too 😉 😆

Handjob was a great frame – only changed mine because of dropper compatibility.

Yeah I’ve had 3 handjobs and they’re awesome, and yes dropper post is a problem as is with my hustler

There is a bike shop in the peaks that will ream a frame to make it dropper compatible, £20 should do it I would have thought.

Yep 18 bikes will do it, they quoted me £45 I think.

My Hustler frame is actually for sale on everyone’s favourite tat bazaar – 2012, Large and Green. I’ll put it on the classified at some point – not sure it’ll be dirt cheap though!

Is it more that they were just punching above their weight and making a lot of noise with childish names that people thought they were bigger than they were?

They were always only a small company. Basically a shop in Whistler (or somewhere close) that started doing frames.. Think Vanderham or Gullivetch rides for them still. Fallen from favour as they don’t make a super slack DH frame or have Enduro written over everything.