Hi all,

I’m hoping that someone out there must have experience of this frame! If you have owned one before please let me know what you think of it.

I’ve just bought the frame new & I did take a bit of a chance. I only feel this way as I’ve never seen one in the metal & there’s not many reviews around. I’ve seen the Bikeradar review of course but usually a bike has a lot more attention on the net, good or bad…

all opinions from users or knowledgeable forum users is welcome.

my dad just got 1 we built it up bloody strong frame but relatively light for the strength. although the bike has radical tt drop which makes it look like a jump bike the seat angle and headtube angle make you feel quite upright. so its like the frame says its a radical xc design.

lots of fun my dad says and feels great to ride.

Very underrated bike, very tough and uses top quality Easton RAD tubing. Mine rides really well changes direction very quickly. Bit short in top tube for longer spins but a great quick blast bike

Thanks guys, any chance you could post pictures here for me? that would really help… a hard core hard tail, as they say, is what I want… & got it seems.

Again, pics or builds? I promise to post mine next weekend! Thanks!

my dads bike us not here atm its at his works as he is away on holiday …

@tony24, thanks anyway mate.

I had one for a year or so.

I wanted a hardcore hardtail, and started off with a Rock Lobster B-52, which was made my Kinesis and was pretty much a Pha5e in all but name. Like others have said, it was quite short in the top tube, so I then sold that to get the Pha5e in the next size up.

It was a very good frame. Strong as an ox, but pretty lightweight. The only real complaint I could have about it would be that it was just too stiff and unforgiving. I found it was essential to run a high-volume tyre on the rear and keep it at around 30psi to soak up some of the trail buzz, otherwise every grain of dirt could be felt through the saddle.

A travel-adjust fork would be useful for dropping the front end down on climbs. With the fork wound down to around 120mm, it climbs very well indeed. At 140mm it descends really well. I used a RS Rev U-turn, and it worked very well.

Being the grass-is-always-greener type person, I swapped the Pha5e for an mmmBop, which was another step-wise improvement in handling and comfort, and then onto a Carbon 456. The Carbon 456 is what I’ll be sticking with.

Will see if I can find some pics.

K

@kevin1911: Thanks for that. I have Fox 140mm Talas, so they should fit the bill perfectly. I use Maxxis HR 3.25 so will stick 30psi in the back as you recommend. That should be enough, right?

Would be great to see a pic & as I said, one it’s built, I’ll post here so anyone interested can see my effort…

The mmmbop: in which way did it handle better? I do realise that it’s all relative of course!

Cheers Kevin mate.

Ran 150mm fine ended up with dual ply rear to save pinching.

Very nice bike apart from being a little too stiff (suit a younger man!)

Still got my frame for sale!!
HERE!

Yeah, 2.35 HR is what I used. Worked well.

The mmmBop just seemed to climb better and be a bit more nimbler, and slightly less stiff. Quite small changes, but I probably preferred it.

Can’t seem to find any pictures at the moment I’m afraid.

argyle/murderburgh used to have one. Nice frame. He seemed to enjoy riding it.

bought the small frame to build up for my 10 year old, because of the weight and the short top tube. Got some floats (2006) 130 travel to go on, but the knobs of the forks touch the downtube, even with a deep cup headset (on one smoothie +5), so it has not been built yet.

Anyone knows what forks do suit? May be the fact that it’s a small frame that makes the problem worse. . . . Really would love to get this built

Simone

@Moniex: er, I’ve got the small & it just got purchased today. I thought that having this would be fine, wanted a small & the top tube is fine at 22.2… my 8 year old son could also ride it, he already rides the medium SC Nomad with the seat down.

I hope my Fox Talas 140mm don’t have this problem, I take it that it’s all in the headset?

If you find the answer, please tell me & good luck. If mine fit ok I will let you know my set up & send you pics.

manitou r7 were fine on my 16 ” rock lobster b52 Think old bomber 04 model are ok if you remove the dust cap iirc
TBH the front wheel is at 90 when it hits I put a crud guard there to stop frame damage for other forks – my fox ones hit as did u turn nob on a variety of rockshok ones- looking at your photo my turn a bit more than that and I think they would catch as well as the cap hit not the fork body

try to find a cane creek s3+5 headset, the lower cup is super deep specifically to sort out fork frame clearance issues

Oh an I built up a pha5e for a mate and was very impressed with it and he loves bombing around the peak district on it with some 150mm ‘zocchi’s on it

I think the cane creek +5 actually has a bottom cup with a lower stack height than the one fitted to my frame (on one smoothie +5mm, 21mm stack height), so I think the on one is as good as it gets…

Maybe just get a low stack headset and have the crown hit the top tube, instead of the knobs?!?

Not sure yet, so no bike yet for my son..

rob watson, if you solve the mystery on your frame please let me know, my email is in my profile,

Thanks
Simone

@Simone: Certainly will, no problem. 😀

Cheers! 🙂

@moneix: I have had my Pha5e built for a few months now using 140mm Fox talas… they do have the problem of the adjusters hitting the frame, just. That’s using a Hope headset. never mind though, it hasn’t been a problem. I put a wrap of rubber around the tube and all is good. Did you get sorted?

Tis an excellent frame, turns lush, really tight! As I’m 5.11 I use a 410mm Thompson seatpost (layback) and it’s great.