Dartmoor or alternative?

I’ve been looking for a relatively inexpensive replacement frame for my ageing Kinesis xc120 and have been drawn to the Dartmoor hornet/primal as the price seems to good to be true. Its used as a general xc/trail bike and has served me well but all components bar the frame and forks are relatively new and I think its time for a change.

Has anyone got any experience of dartmoor bikes or can suggest me an alternative for around the £200 mark?

i’ve ridden with a guy who has the + version, it was surprisingly light and looked well put together, for that price you can’t really go wrong. Graham at slam69 is a top guy too

I have a 2012 dartmoor phantom 4x bike that is still going strong after a fair deal of abuse. As mentioned, Graham is a top bloke.

Got mine at Slam69 too.
Good price, unbelievable actually considering.

Well built, welds look neat and strong, tubing reassuringly hefty for an Alu bike.
Modern geometry, longer reach than my Ragley Piglet and slacker HA too, lower BB also making it nice and stable smashing down stuff.

Just shows how much profit (rip off?) some of the other bike companies must be making if Dartmoor can bring the Hornet to market for less than £200!

Before any snobs chip in with comments about it being an Asian catalogue frame resold over here….i couldn’t care less, they’ve got so much of it right that I don’t give two hoots about exclusivity.

Actually a shame I’ve had a Trance since 2015 as I’d happily give their FS bikes a go too based on how my Hornet rides.

How do you find the sizing deviant? Was looking at the large running a 130mm revelation

got a hornet, great bike and cheap too. I got mine for £160 from hibike last year

Good frames manufactured in the same country as all the others, at a reasonableish price.

You only have to look how CRC slash frames from 400-500 rrp (royal rip-off price) down to what they are actually worth, about 200-250 and less, they are ripping the piss.

Dee Dar has been 134 for 4130 steel and Parkwood 64 (Alu) albeit they are about as cheap as it gets, but there is still some margin left. Don’t let retailers blag you into thinking they sell things at cost they don’t, lower margin yes, at cost to your average retail punter very rarely.

Supermarkets and car dealers are dab hands at convincing the public they sell things at cost.

The new hornet (which has (imo) better geometry) is out in a couple of months but with a minor price hike. I’m waiting till then

Needs to be a 26er unfortunately but I need to work out if my old revelation fork will fit and whether to go for the 16″ or 18″ frame before I buy

Love my Primal Plus. Good frames, good price, what’s not to like?