Do it all hardtail…

I re-read an old article about a charge blender and it has made me think about changing my current frame (DB Alpine) into something a bit more of an all rounder.

The article is:-

Firstly am I being silly, I just feel the Alpine is too gravity biased for all round usage? Secondly, what frames would suit the ‘do it all’ tag?

I can’t offer advice on which frame but agree, the alpine is too harsh to be considered an allrounder. Something tough but xc oriented like an inbred, soul, etc would be good.

The Prince Albert is the dialled bikes “do-it-all”

The Prince Albert is the dialled bikes “do-it-all”

Before we go further please define what you mean by all…
On here the answer ranges from a cx bike to a 30lb trail bike.

Look into a second hand Chromag frame. I’ve had a few and I’ve never found anything else so nice to ride.

Someone on STW has a Chumba HX1 frame for sale for 200 quid. Stick a dropper post and some big tyres on it and it’ll “do it all” My HX1 does for me.

Soul or slackline (ti version)

A slack 29er HT does more of it all IMO.

Covers ground well but also deals with rough stuff better.

Maybe not the right choice if you’re dirt jumping though.

Best thing to do is short list your ‘all’ here based upon the range of riding you tend to do (and an intended budget)

Fr’instance, my do it all list would look like this:

Woody singletrack
Light trails lanes and RUPPS
Light touring and utility
Heavy climbing

Other: Small budget, little maintenance), easily available new and used parts in my parts box and elsewhere.

^^
Which means a light steel 26er rigid HT for me, relaxed geometry, bosses for fitting rack, guards etc. Plenty of cheap but good used parts around for me to use as replacements/seasonal swapouts.

Someone else’s ‘do it all’ list may dictate 150mm up front and a rear triangle as thick as an arm and don’t care about a parts box ie starting from scratch.

If you’re interested in a Blender I might be selling my frame 🙂

What about wheel size!!!! FFS someone menntion wheel size…..

Thanks for all your advice.

Generally used for evening blasts in the woods, trail centres, odd 30+ mile xc loop, odd uplift. I know there’ll be sacrifices for xc etc but can only afford the one bike.

fd3chris – any particular model?

_tom_ – how much?

26″ wheels only, not keen on 29ers.

Kevster 😉

I have a kinesis decade virsa, cheap steel frames, can run 120mm forks, can be run singlespeed too. Brilliant hardtail.

My Charge Cooker now fits that bill for me. I did a 50km on it on the road today, reasonable pace too. I did Swinley on it last weekend. OK, so I wouldn’t take it to BPW.. but pretty much anything else.

Currently on my want list for slackish XC

650b

carbon 456 , takes multitude of fork sizes, can be built very XC light or big and burly and still be fairly light.

I have a Charge Blender, 2008 – 2013 it was my one and only Mtb not to mention my first ‘proper’ Mtb.

I rode a lot of Mini DH, 4X, BMX tracks for which a Blender is absolutely awesome. I also rose XC and trail, great for the fun bits but I realised after getting my Five last year it is not a great peddler, hense I’m currently looking to change the frame for something more XC orientated for when I’m not on the Five. However for what I’ll get for it I could never bring myself to sell it, it will be a specific pumptrack specific bike one day!

My 456C does all of that, you can pretty much build it up for antmy purpose, it’s ace.

Cotic Bfe… That’s is all!

My Surly Krampus has become my do-it-all bike. The Dialled Alpine hasn’t been ridden in months, and the DMR Bolt is relegated to special occasions.

All day in the saddle – check
Bikepacking/light touring – check
Singletrack muncher- check
Winter ready bike as SS – check

It really is an ace bike 😀

fd3chris – Member
Look into a second hand Chromag frame. I’ve had a few and I’ve never found anything else so nice to ride.

I’ve just picked up a 2nd hand stylus, fitted up with a marzocchi 55 and some bits I had lying around. First ride impressions are good, quite comfy, reckon it’ll take on anything I can throw at it
Negatives-it’s a bit heavy (tho it could have a lighter build kit) and the price new is ridiculous!

kevster just emailed you re the Blender 🙂

Default answer to this is soul?

I loved my dialled PA, in the end wanted to go lighter as most of my riding chums are fitter and need all the help I can get. Currently riding most of the time on a kinesis xc130. It’s a heap of fun but at the harsher end of the spectrum. can see a soul happening eventually

I’ve got my Cove Stiffee frame up for sale at £155 if your interested? Was my only bike for three years, good do it all bike that can be built up accordingly but with the emphasis generally leaning towards fun!

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/cove-stiffee-frame-white

Soul here as well, with 120mm forks and a triple. I tried to change it for a slacker. lighter 140mm bike but just could not do it. The Soul is good at everything.

I can only hope you are all wrong 🙂

I have just bought a Banshee Paradox, and im hoping it will be a do it all for me.

I am an experienced Blender user. It definitely isn’t an all-rounder. It’ll do almost anything but they’re a pig for pedalling especially if you’re a bit tall for the ‘one size fits all’ geometry. An absolute hoot for DH, jumping, skids and wheelies type riding.

Now riding a Bfe and it’s almost as rowdy but 99% faster everywhere.

Cotic Soul.

Although I could be tempted with a Soul 27.5″.

I’ve got a spare 14″ DMR Exalt 4130 frame here if that’s any use? £120 inc. post to you chief, cos I like your face… I think I’m about to build the other one up using the bits from my Sunn Tzar S2 (ally), which might end up being surplus as well.

Another one for a c456

Just built mine up and went for a blast around the mendips and loved it

Seriously revaluating the full suspension bike in my garage

kevster – Member
26″ wheels only, not keen on 29ers.

There’s a size in between 😉

Anyway, I really love my c456. Not sure on the new version of it but it’s probably good. Some find the carbon a bit harsh, not enough flex, but I love it. I have a 150 Pike on it at the moment but use it for everything from long XC to whatever some might call All Mountain. Smashing down rocky/rooty steep descents basically. General stuff, I have quite a grin taking it out in the Surrey Hills as much as I do with my Nomad. I fancy trying it out at BPW too instead of the bouncy bike, though some of the rocks there will be, “interesting” 😀

There’s the plain 456 if you want that “steel is real” feel.

Other than that, Stanton Slackline, PP Shan are good all rounders from what I see.

However if you’re prepared to go with the fractionally bigger wheels, Bird Zero, 45650B, Stanton Switchback etc.

Im in the same possition im heading towards the decade virsa as i keep playing around changing from geard to ss frames in this has swapouts so will run both and save assing around in the future

I had a Blender for a bit.

The thought of doing a 30-mile XC loop on it gives me the shivers. You’d get fit though, if your back lasted.

Without wanting to talk you out of justifying a new bike….

I use a Dialled Alpine for all the things on your list and its pretty darn good. Yes xc is a bit of a compromise but it’s brilliant for the other 3. 😉

For what you’ve described, and staying with 26″ wheels, the most obvious answer to me would the the Stanton Slackline.

There are a number of other frames aimed at a similar kind of riding, but none do it so well as the Slackline…

I notice a few people have suggested a Soul as your answer. I own a Soul and a Dialled Alpine and of the two I would say the Alpine is much more ‘do it all’.

The thought of doing a 30-mile XC loop on it gives me the shivers. You’d get fit though, if your back lasted.

I know its not ideal but its really not that bad if you’re a short arse like me! Did a 28ish mile long mynd ride on mine in the summer and managed all the climbs. It did wheelie a bit on the steeper ones though!

Cheers for all the comments, very helpful!

I’ve a stanton slackline 631 I’m going to be selling soon if you’re interested, 18″ I black.