I think Blenders would have too slack a seat angle for a do everything bike. The SA on my current bike isn’t as slack as the Blenders and even that (about 68-69) is awful for riding up hill – far too easy to wheelie unless you have a long stem. I still really want a Blender though, they look so fun.

Yeah its not ideal, but who cares when its Sooo much fun.

Dirt mag best do-it-all hardtail the last 3 years running, says it all.

^^^ yeah, but Dirt is more descent orientated. doubt they’re into their climbing very much.

… makes me want to get an Alpine

re. the weight… as said before: grow a pair.

i rode 13 transalp tours last year on my Alpine. somewhere in the resion of 160,000m of climbing and over 5,000km. MTFU.

Rock Lobster is an all day XC epic or possibly XC race bike ( abit heavy being steel) more than a fun bike.

No-one mentioned the Cove HJ yet? Mine should arrive tomorrow and hopefully should make a better do-it-all bike for me than the lovely Uzzi. Sure, I’ve seen the folded downtube pics but I’m a lightweight . . . looking forward to voiding the warranty with my Lyriks up front (wound down to 120mm of course 😉 )

I really like my Genesis Abyss. It just does it all. They weren’t sold as a frameset though.

I really like my Pha5e. It does wheelie a bit on the up hills but I just hang off the front. Stiff aluminium and really tuff. Underrated, me thinks…

get one of the chumba HX1s (or HX2s). They are absolutely brilliant. Torsionally really stiff and great steering but they are really comfy.

Scooted round cannock chase the other day and it was fantastic. At £299 i’m half tempted to buy another one.

I don’t work for Si btw ;o)

Cove Stiffee. Or maybe something with big wheels!

2nd the comfy hx1, I’ve got one as well as an 853 scion and tbh there’s no difference in terms of comfort.

im riding a kinesis maxlight xc130 at moment with a fox float 140 and its sublime, and its green

Identiti AKA?

No boutique kudos granted, but I have no complaints about the capabilities or bombproofness of my Mr Hyde and can’t see that the AKA deviates too much from that template.

slainte ❓ rob

A little over budget but the Orange P7 has been around nearly 20 years for a reason.

Get a 456.

Asked myself the same question, bought a Carbon 456. Remains to be seen how longterm durable it is but so far it’s been quietly impressive. Best hardtail I’ve had since my Soul, for sure, and possibly better. Don’t really rate the steel one myself, they always feel really inert and dead.

chestrockwell – Member

A little over budget but the Orange P7 has been around nearly 20 years for a reason.

Aye- but lately that reason is people will buy overpriced, overweight frames as long as they say Orange on the side 😉 Heavier than a BFe, weaker than a BFe, more expensive than a BFe, hmmmmmmmmmm.

colournoise – Member
Identiti AKA?
No boutique kudos granted, but I have no complaints about the capabilities or bombproofness of my Mr Hyde and can’t see that the AKA deviates too much from that template.
slainte rob

Having said that, if I don’t go FS for my next frame I will probably go for a BFe.

slainte 8) rob

I would go for an Alpine ( but then I did ) or a Bfe.
If weight is an issue a Soul or Prince Albert

Thanks all for your comments. It’s hugely appreciated and I now feel like I know a lot more than I did this time yesterday.

The frame is intended for stepson 1 who’s rapidly expanding and will need a large size before too long. He’s a very sturdy lad so I figured that a steel framed hardtail was a prerequisite. He is quite fond of the jumps, so I’d feel happier with something burly, but at the same time it can’t be so compact as to preclude all day riding.

Of course, the fact that I’m a large also is pure coincidence.

What do folks recon to Sanderson?

I’ve just got one of their SS frames to build into a demo bike for the winter.

It will be available in a few weeks to try at Drumlanrig if anyones interested..

Again, not one of Si’s employees 🙂 I have the Chumba HX2, for the cash the build quality is just unreal and its not far off my old 456C for comfort.

I like the Chumba, but the tapered headtube faff puts me off.

PJM1974 i have a large HX1 in ano black, if you want it i can do it for £250.

hx1-large by srbwilson, on Flickr

I know its wrong to like an aluminium frame but I really like my Mmmbop.
I would not buy anything that would not fit a Reverb, so 27.2 frames are out.

@Si.

Damn you sir, that’s one nice frame. 🙂

Cove Stiffee – Handjob may be a bit too ‘lightweight’ for dirt jumping.

Here’s a vote for Mythic Viento – poss a bit over budget, but I love mine, a proper looning bike, tough as nails, not too heavy, and loves a big fork…

Cove Stiffee with 140mm fork. Its not new, it’s hard work on the body and uncompromising but I love mine and wouldn’t swap it for any others hardtail. It constantly makes you push harder and I’ve never felt the bike get out of its depth or reach its limits. Its always me that’s the weak link.

You should be able to get one for about £400 if you look around. Having said that if you want something comfy and bendy you can potter around on don’t bother with the Cove, you’ll hate it.

Another vote for the BFe (is it winning vote wise?!) Was going to get rid of mine due to other circumstances and go to one bike, I just cant bring myself to get rid of it.
Had a 456, a Ragley Mmmbop and now the BFe, it IMO blows the other two out of the water(same components only frame changed), can’t say whether its the build quality/material, the angles or some magic that Cy knows but it just rides so well, and as a consequence I’m riding the same lines faster and harder than on the other two. Rides best at 120mm as well IMO, but that’s horses for courses as someone else will say 140-150-160 whatever!

RE. People saying it’s slacker than a Soul, iirc they are the same for a given fork length just the BFe will take a longer overall fork and the Soul is lighter (open to correction though)

I’ve had 4 from dialled now, a Mk1 PA in 17, then an 853 PA in 17, then a 15.5 Alpine, and now this one, a later 520 PA in 15.5. I kept selling them to buy FS bikes, then changing my mind a few months later. The latest one is definitely the best compromise – it seems ludicrous that the 15.5 is the ‘right’ size but it really is (I’m 5’10”).

Souls are, admittedly, lovely, but I love my PA to bits.

I recently DID buy another FS frame, but this time I was savvy enough to try it before selling the PA on, so its been hanging in the garage.

I’m off to build it back up this afternoon 😀

Edit for pic –

Devs, curious to know specifically why you’d say no way to riding those on the Rock Lobster? Is it a geometry thing on the steep stuff? Or the build? Or think it’s too fragile?

A combination really. The steeper angles and shorter forks mean on rough stuff your arms get more beat up. It is quite skittery over rock gardens with the back end getting flexed and chucked all ways. You don’t feel as in control. Steep rocky stuff like Nessie, Blue Crane or Laggan black are possible, just much harder work. Actually I’d never take it down Laggan black, it would be just to prove a point and in no way enjoyable. I’m sure there’s people that can, and I’m also sure the same people would be much faster on other bikes. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great bike, it just doesn’t cover everything like the 456 does. It’s fast though!

I kept selling them to buy FS bikes, then changing my mind a few months later.

This is why i don’t want to get red of my blue pig!

get the onone 456ss there great fun

I got a Dialled Price Albert a couple of months back. Love it, is so much fun and has taken a few hits already so know it can take what I throw at it. Dare say my Five will not be used for a good while yet…

On One 456

Adil.

Dialled Prince Albert! had mine about 4 months now, and its the best bike ive ever had. love it. its in a proper size (19.5), its comfy for long rides but its a load of fun thanks to its small rear triangle. cant recommend it enough

sked myself the same question, bought a Carbon 456. Remains to be seen how longterm durable it is but so far it’s been quietly impressive. Best hardtail I’ve had since my Soul, for sure, and possibly better.

Interesting, you are comparing the Cotic Soul+carbon 456 right?

If so what would you say is the difference between them, cost wise its £80 atm, but i wondering how the ride compares.

Cotic are selling Souls for £400, check their news page

Bookmark. 🙂

To square the circle, I didn’t go FS for my next frame.

slainte 😉 rob

Can’t remember if I ever replied to this thread properly…I went for an Orange Pure 7 in the end, I bought the frame for £200 and built it up with ProII Evo hubs & 719 rims, a Rockshox Pike Air and a spare Hope headset. I’m chuffed to bits with it, it’s very versatile, not too heavy and is most definitely a viable all day bike.

Why didn’t I do it sooner?