DMR Trailstar

I keep looking at the DMR Trailstar. It’s one weird looking bike and seems expensive for what it is, but part of me likes the bizzare look of it. Anybody on here own one? I’d be interested in hearing about how it rides.

I had one in 1997, probably doesn’t help.

I don’t think the new one gets very good reviews?  Isn’t it quite expensive? Seat tube angle looks silly too

does look kinda cool though!

Saw one out in the Surrey Hills, best I can say is it didn’t look as ugly in real life.  Unless they’ve been discounted it didn’t look the best value, I’d probably go for a new Bfe instead.  Trailstar is certainly distinctive if that’s what appeals though

Not looking to buy one to be honest, just intrigued. It’s kind of cool looking yet still very ugly. A lot of basic 4130 Cromo frames are now very expensive. Not far off the prices of Cotic, Pace and Stanton.

A lot of basic 4130 Cromo frames are now very expensive. Not far off the prices of Cotic, Pace and Stanton

That’s because most steel is ‘basic 4130 CrMo’.

520/525 – CrMo (4130)
753 – Heat treated CrMo
631 – air hardening Crome – Manganese
853 – heat treated air hardening.

So if someone builds a frame from heat treated CrMo it doesn’t matter if its 753 or something generic it’s going to be about the same price and difficulty to work with.

You could also post weld heat treat a frame, but usually its easier to just use an alloy that doesn’t need it (same as some aluminium grades don’t require heat treatment just unlike steel they’re not the best strength/weight).

I love mine – it’s my most ridden bike along with my Krampus.

Mine’s an XL frame, which I think looks nicer at the ST/TT junction than the smaller sizes. I’m ‘only’ 6ft but the massive standover clearance means I can run the bigger size for a nice long TT.

An absolute beast on the downs, and not bad at all for climbing and general riding too.

I’m running the forks at 140mm and the angles are pretty bang on at 65/74.

Keep an eye out for deals from Upgrade/DMR, as I got mine direct from them on Ebay as it had a tiny paint blemish on the downtube. Saved me £175 off the RRP.

I’ve currently got it set up with 2.4 tyres on and the clearance is huge. You know as it’s DMR it’s built with UK weather in mind and it’s designed to take a hammering 🙂

thisisnotaspoon – Thanks for that, I genuinely had no idea that was the case.

You see, I genuinely think it looks great in those pictures.

The more I look the more I like it’s quirky features.  I need to stop looking

it is a funny one looks-wise. Personally I like the swoopy top tube, and as said before the enclosed brace on the XL looks loads better than the straight tube on the smaller sizes….i.e. a large frame….

Those of my riding mates who are wont to comment on how bikes look (some don’t and they may think it’s hideous!) have all said that they like the styling. But, it isn’t to all tastes.

That wasn’t to say ‘basic 4130’ frames don’t exist, plenty do, and they’re usually but not always cheaper, just in the Trailstar’s case specifically it’s described as heat treated CrMo, so it’s probably broadly similar to 631 so a Cotic/Stanton price tag isn’t unjustified.

Whether £300 more than an On-one Dee-Dar (not heat treated, or at least not advertised as such) is a slightly different question.

I guess economies of scale come into it too, as I expect On-One will be looking to shift a lot more units than DMR.

I did look at the Deedar when I was thinking about buying a new steel hardtail, and IMO the DMR is a lot more sorted design and geometry wise.