on one parkwood, experiences please.

I’m considering a new bike, one of the options /methods involves purchasing a parkwood frame to replace my existing 29 bouncer that I find a bit dull.

The hope is I’ll

A) fall in love completely and want to keep it long term, flog my 26 and pocket the proceeds. (best possible)

B) like it enough to want a flashier 29er hardtail, sell my 26 to fund a nice new frame (more likely, I think I’m too much of a snob for A)

C) like it enough that I don’t get bored riding it and keep riding whilst I sell my 26 but not enough to keep it, and replace both 26 and and the parkwood.

So my question really is:

Is it any good?
Well it give me a good(ish) impression of a 29er, the ones I’ve ridden before I’ve found a bit “beige” and I’d like to see if it’s me not liking 29ers or me not liking the 29ers I’ve ridden.
Also since this is stw, will I die in a ball of flame.
Should I just kill my bikes with bombers/nuke from orbit.
Are 29ers more or less hateful than the 650 which would possibly be involved in option c

i bought on last september, used it through the winter. it was ok, but felt a bit dull compared to other 29” hardtails i have owned.
steel frames ride a bit better i think.
i sold it and bought a specialized enduro.

Got a Fireline (Ti version of the Parkwood) which I think is a great trail 29er, the short chain stays help in making it more easy to flick the back end around, and the slack front end is good for descending and I don’t find it any harder for climbing steep ascents than my Solaris it replaced.

I’d demo one if possible or ask if any kind person off here is near you with one.

I tried a fireline & it was really nice to look at & indeed ride, but it was not quite the “do it all” bike I was looking for, I felt quite perched on it. My mate is selling an early Fileline (search it) medium frame for £300 if you want something to try that you could sell on for little loss if yo don’t like it 😀

I have one and love it. That’s about it really. Built mine from frame only with modest kit and have no desire to upgrade frame at all at the moment.

Full build deals are a bargain

I bought ton’s Parkwood

I like it, goes up Ok, down better

Only niggle is the set up of the direct mount front mechanism

Which is probably me

No upgrade plans here either

Cheers for the feed back, up I’m and down better sounds good to me (descend ok and go up not as well on my case)

Ton when you say dull do you mean lacking fun (how I’ve felt about the 29ers I’ve ridden on the whole) or lacked feedback (or some other word)

Medium fireline would be a bargain but regrettably I’m very top end of what they recommend for large (think it maybe a bit small even then and no xl size from what I can see by can’t tell without a ride)

I’ve got a Trek Stache frame and forks (or whole bike) for sale which might suit. Check it out as it’s similar to the parkwood

dull as in a bit dead feeling. and a bit harsh. but it may have been my fitness.

Ah that sort of dull I can probably cope with in the short term (or given my snobbery I might actually want), in honesty my hope is i’d like the thing enough to think it’s good but could be better, then buy the Nicolai argon, Canfield yelling screamy or 2 souls frames I like the look of but frankly can’t justify on the basis of “the 29ers I’ve ridden are boring”

Cheers for the heads up slack man, I think it’ll be a bit small for me at 6’4″ though.

I find it solid, feels secure, goes where you point it, happy to pile downhill on it

I’m 6 2″ on a large.. Think you will just about be ok. Running a 50mm stem but will change to 70 at weekend just to try it out.

Have limited 29er experience but it seems more fun and less road bike with big wheels than others I have tried. I know others like the kona honzo are raved about for having a shorter chainstay but its a really well planted frame is the parkwood.

And compared to my old Saracen Zen 26″ its definitely less harsh.

Frame weight is good too if you wanna go lightweight

then buy the Nicolai argon, Canfield yelling screamy or 2 souls frames I like the look of but frankly can’t justify on the basis of “the 29ers I’ve ridden are boring”

Believe me, you won’t find the 2souls boring. Ride one – pretty sure you will then buy one!

I have a Kona tora that I am considering selling……

I had a large parkwood built up for a while and it was a great bike, only thing was at 6’4″ I found it just too small for me. Was great on the downs, could chuck it about a fair bit, but a bit too cramped on the ups and the alongs for my liking. Tried swapping out the stem and bars to try get something that works but couldn’t get comfortable with it. It was great handling with a 50mm stem and wide bars but longer stems didn’t feel right. If they brought out a larger frame I would get another one.

My mate has one and likes it very much. He got the stock Deore/Rockshox bargain build. Very capable bike although the snob in you might not like the quality of the finish or durability of the paint. It’s a cheap frame.

chestrockwell beat me to it. I don’t have one but my mate does.

He got the deore,rev,reverb build for under a grand IIRC.

He’s very pleased with it. Came with daft wide 810mm bars which need chopping down a bit for tree compatibility.

If I was to poke holes in it I would say the wheels are the weak point but they are perfectly serviceable.

Cheers rene, thought the sizing might be tight though hopefully it would do for a few months whilst I replace it with something more permanent. (I’m not hora’s other login but do find I often end up with bikes a little too small anyhow)

I’ll be honest chestrockwell I’d rather not be a snob – these days my wallet is less able to absorb my old (bad) habits – but leopards and Spots and all that.

With luck I’ll like it enough to forgive it’s mass market brand (paint finish will be tatty enough quick enough any how as I don’t like helicopter tape and I do like rocks ).

Even then, if it convinces me 29ers can be fun even if I am acutely aware I could have bought my bike from tk maxx every time I ride it, it’s job done. – Oddly I’m happy enough buying clothes from tk but a bike would bother me.

Not sure whether it would be big enough for you but did you see that Chromag Surface on the classifieds?

That ought to fit with your snobbishness but at roughly TK Max cost 😉

No connection with the seller but if I was after a quality 29er and it fitted that would be a good option.

I’ve had a Parkwood for almost a year now. Went on to it straight from steel and carbon 456’s. I like it a lot, it goes up and down exceptionally well considering the rider is around 16 stone, however there are a few niggles that I live with…
It is harsh at the rear end, I’d never really noticed just how harsh it was until tackling the breaking bumps at Glentress last week.
Its not as nimble through the slow technical switchbacks (this could be my lack of skill) as i’d ideally like.
Finally I find the front can get exceptionally light with no warning. A couple of times I’ve found myself pedaling up steep techy sections only for the front wheel to suddenly lift with no warning.
Mine is the original Deore/Reverb spec however the bars were swapped out for knuckleballs and the wheels for Flows on Pro2 running tubeless. Weight is around 29lb’s IIRC.

Has anyone used a Parkwood with a rigid fork?

Has anyone used a Parkwood with a rigid fork?

Missing the point surely? If you want a rigid trail hardtail look at a Jones or A Stooge?

Parkwood – £200
Jones – silly money
Stooge – expensive and one size only

Hardly a direct comparison is it?

The point with the parkwood is that it’s potentially quite a versatile frame.

Obviously given I’ve not tried the parkwood I haven’t tried it with a rigid fork but I would have thought you’d struggle to find one long enough not to drop the front end 40 or 50mm and make it ride like a pig. Of course I may be wrong.

Missing the point surely?

Parkwood – £200
Jones – silly money
Stooge – expensive and one size only
Hardly a direct comparison is it?

Are you two new round these parts? I’m frankly amazed this thread got 2 posts in without someone recommending a sc carbon tall boy or similar as the obvious and direct alternative to a £200 hard tail, heck I thought Stw meant Straight off Topic World for the first year I was on here

Yeah, it’d certainly steepen it but then it’s fairly slack to start and I don’t mind a (reasonably) steep head angle

I’m definitely not new 😉

If you want to go rigid, someone’s selling a rigid 19.5″ Scandal mk2 in classifieds that might be suitable. I’d strongly suggest swapping out the bars and stem on it at the moment, mind. 😉

Not enough tyre clearance on a scandal for what I’m considering…

Those charge tange rigid forks on ebay for 45 quid that are always listed would be long enough I guess. They have a massive axle crown from what I recall.

By the way, paint on mine is holding up well.

The parkwood has the naffest sticker ever though on the non drive chainstay that says “play agin ? Yes/no” which is the only complaint I have with it!

Hi! I found this on eBay and thought you might like it! Check it out now: http://r.ebay.com/VGDrHE

Excuse link text im on my phone

The parkwood has the naffest sticker ever though on the non drive chainstay that says “play agin ? Yes/no” which is the only complaint I have with it!

Damn, I was nearly sold on-one (sorry) as a temporary at least until you posted that.

It’s got 8 bit pixelated graphics all over, play again ties in with the retro arcade theme. Brilliant!

That makes it all better then, I’ll put some muddy fox stickers on and all will be right with the world

<edit > that reads unduly harshly, it’s amazing how many times I forget intonation doesn’t work in text.

The other graphics are ace just thought that one was a bit too cheesey! Not a deal breaker just thought i’d add a negative.

It is crap as far as stickers go.
Important decision is green or orange graphics

Who did I see riding round Loch Leven, Kinross on bank holiday Monday then?

OK, here’s some logic on a rigid fork. My Swift rides spot on with a rigid (470) fork or a 100mm Reba which is about 4cm longer. The swift is quoted as 72 degrees with the rigid fork so probably around 71 degrees with the Reba (and sag). Add 20mm travel and you’d be looking at 70ish.

So the swift is always going to be much steeper than the parkwood but still rides fine (different but fine) meaning that even with a 470 rigid fork on the parkwood it’s not going to be particularly steep.

Hmm I can see the theory nemesis, though I can’t say I imagine it being a good ride – fair use for a commuter or such but I think I’d feel like I was about to go otbon anything slightly steep and loose – though that’s probably more to do with my lack of ability than the bike

Dangeourbrain

I bought a Parkwood last year and use it as my winter bike to save on full suss wear/tear. I did write a short piece on here about it.

I’ve dressed it in old kit I had lying around, plus a new X Fusion Slide fork. I’ve used it in the Lakes, SE and SW. It climbs well, descends well, does twisty well, it doesn’t beat you up, and in short, I find it difficult to fault it.

I like it and I’d not caution anyone against buying one.

PS. Loved your tubeless ready story. It had me incoherent with laughter for about ten minutes.

I’m glad you appreciated it billyboy, to this day, every time I pass comment on something like “you realise your qr isn’t done up ” the response is “tubeless any tyres lately?”

I think the parkwood is going to be a go-er, I’m rather looking forward to riding a hardtail again, though with stone trepidation I must say. The big down side is if I do love it I’ll have to pluck up the enthusiasm to sell my Nicolai, that I’m not looking forward to so much.

I (secretly) hope I hate the parkwood.

Who did I see riding round Loch Leven, Kinross on bank holiday Monday then?

Towing a trailer with two kids in it?….that’d be me.

Yes James! *waves belatedly*

Popular little path that.