Not quite sure which version you mean by old but I’m guessing the one I’ve got, everything straight with very large replacable dropouts.
I love mine, pushed float shock giving about 5″ at the back and 36 van’s up front. Fine to ride all day and the best peaks bike i’ve ever had. Fly’s downhill and climbs happily enough.
After last night’s ride with the shock soft I’m wondering if I need to slacken the head angle some more though. This is probably as my other main bike is a Sunday though.
James yes they are good and not too dismilar to the new ones, front end is relatively steep/fast with Pikes on but not twitchy. BB quite low, expect a few pedal smacks. Bearings lasted a year on mine, easy to change. The shock might need a trip to TF, I changed mine to a 2nd hand RP3 and it felt as good and a whole lot lighter.
I got a new one as I regretted selling my old one.
I got an 05 heckler with 5th as a bit of something to batter whilst waiting to emigrate and if I’m honest I prefer it to the 08 yeti 575 it replaced,I run it with 130 revs and have decided to take it abroad with me instead of selling now,good fun bike
V good, got an 03 with a 5th element coil now with the pedal platform circuit removed (I kept blowing it) by TF, so pedalling isn’t as good but it’s plush-er on the downs. Did have fox 32 vanillas and middle weight wheels which was good for long rides, now have beefier wheels and Z1s on the front for shorter routes with more technical stuff. Definitely recommended!
A bit portly certainly but they ride OK, I always knew mine was a bit heavy but I was genuinley shocked to find out it weighted 32lb. Like I said I used to do some pretty big rides on it (and some monster climbs) and the weight didn’t bother me. Mind you I kept an eye on the scales wheels/tyres wise.
I think it’s safe to say that manufacturers are pretty careful with weight especially on a demo bike on a Demo big day event next to other manufacturers; it was heavy!
You pick it up with one hand, it feels heavy! Certainly so compared to the Blur LT2 or the Yeti 575.
The Heckler is known for being a heavy frame, however you see it!
I had a Mk 2 Heckler. It was good. raced a fair few enduros on it with Marz forks up front. I sold it to a friend who rates it. I bought the latest style of Heckler which is a bit longer in the top tube length. Both are good.
Yes.
Had on ’00 until very recently. Sold it to go for a Cotic Simple with Rohloff for simplicity. I loved the Heckler though.
Ran it with 5th coil shock with a Ti spring and ‘Zocchi AM2s up front. Longer forks slackened head angle nicely. Medium frame was possibly a tad short in the top tube for me, but there you go, it rode just fine.
now back to vanillas and light kit as Pikes have gone onto hardtail to burly that up for a bit, rides good light too
Great minds think a like. Lightened up my Heckler and burlied up my Rocky Ridge over the winter by, amoungst other things, swapping my Pikes onto the RR and Vanillas onto the Heckler!
I have had from new since 2005 and rebuilt it last year
even though it is built as a freeride bike it is awesome on my local trails, trail centres and for my trips to the alps
not sure where you are james (I am in Leeds)but you are more than welcome to try it out