Bit of a slow work day today. So…

I have upgraded my cheap alu hardtail to the point where the only original items are the frame and the headset. Obvious next step: new frame.

Requirements:

-Light enough to blast 30 mile XC routes as fast as my fitness will allow
-Strong enough to handle rough terrain, e.g. fast rooty downhill with repeated 1ft steps
-Maybe even strong enough to handle small jumps – would like to learn to be more comfortable with a little time in the air, but not full on DJ or anything
-Cheap
-Sexy

To give an idea, bike spec that will be fitted is:
685mm wide bars
SLX brakes 180/160
Mavic XM719 Rims / Kenda 2.1″ Tyres
RS Tora Coil U-Turn 85-130mm

I know it’s probably asking a bit much, but it’s good to get an idea of whats possible. The only thing that immediately leapt to mind was a Stiffee – light and bombproof. Only problem is that they’re quite pricey. Advice/Abuse welcome. Do I even need a stronger than average frame?

Have a look at a Marin Rocky Ridge, sounds spot on for what you’re doing and you should be able to pick up a cheap frame second hand.

Dialled Prince Albert?

Santa Cruz Chameleon my do it all bike, tis perfect for everything. My bike build theosophy is:

Be as light as possible, be able to survive a uplift day, and be comfortable enough to ride a marathon on.

Build: Chameleon, Pikes, 819, Hope, XTR, XT, Thompson

Pic (ignore mud guards they were needed under the circumstances):

Light AND Strong ?

I’m not superfit but I can still easily do 30 miles of hilly terrain on my steel frame so I’d say go for steel over ally

I suspect a Stiffee would be overkill, I know it is for me – but then again, I love it anyway. Don’t think I’d have bought one full price though. Does it have to be Alu? What about an Inbred / 456? I think that’s what I’d be looking at if I had to buy a new hardtail with a sensible budget.

Orange P7

PA,Soul,456.

2nd Chameleon, that’s what I’d get in your instance.

steel framed, 100-140mm travel.

most bike should be able to deal with 1ft drops. if not, the problem lies with the rider/riding style.

Sounds like pretty much any frame that will take a 130mm fork, but still will ride all day

On-one inbred
(On-one 456) – on the heavy side
Pipedream Sirrus
Ragley mmmbop/blue pig – not out until late june
Kinesis Maxlight XC<120
Dialled Bikes Prince Albert
Orange P7
Cove Handjob
Cotic Soul
(Cove Stiffee) – quite stiff?
(Santa Cruz Chameleon) – quite stiff?

Must be loads more

P7 – I built up a cheap 2nd hand 05 (i think) frame with some not so cheap bits and it is awesome.

Perfect fit for your forks

Commencal combi?

on-one Scandal with 120/130mm fork

I have the same dilemma, i’m hoping one of the ragleys will be the answer.

Lots of food for thought there. I’m in no rush, so I am prepared to go second hand. Does anyone here get ‘airtime’ on their hardtails – is it safe to do so or just asking for trouble? Couple of Chameleon reccommendations there – they look nice but I had heard they are incredibly stiff, is that true?

Orange P7 all the way.

Having read the May issue of Singletrack’s and the Budget Makeover article I’m now considering the Santa Cruz Chameleon. But I do have a test ride on a Ragley coming up soon so think I’ll try get a ride on a Chameleon as well.

Have a go on one and see for your self its the best way.

The Stiffee is extremely stiff too. There’s a clue in the name 🙂

Does the Chameleon change colour then too? 😆

I love my On-One. You could buy a new one and get it sprayed whatever way you like and still have change from £250

Does the Chameleon change colour then too?

That’s a pont – why don’t they paint it with ink that changes with the temperature like those Global Hypercolour t-shirts back in the early 90s?

Global HyperCruz!

Go for one of these and then you can SS it when you get bored.

456

I’d say a chameleon myself but it is a very stiff bike and will screw your back over long rides. Not hugely light neither. You’ll never snap it though and it is a hugely fun thing to rag about the place.

I’ve got an expensive handjob and a chameleon and the chameleon gets way more riding done on it.

Does anyone here get ‘airtime’ on their hardtails – is it safe to do so or just asking for trouble?

Ha!

As someone says above, it does depend very much how smooth a rider you are. I’ve broken spokes and even smashed the bearings in my rear hub doing fairly little drops like the one above, so I’d go with strong.

One other thing about alu frames is that the walls of the tubing are generally thicker than steel ones. So they are (generalising wildly here) more resistant to dents, and a steel frame that’s designed to survive the sort of front-on impacts you get in dirt jumping or DH will be very overbuilt and probably heavier than an alu equivalent – although it varies and there are some waaay overbuilt alu frames out there too.

The angles and lengths are really important in a frame as well as the contruction, you may want something fairly short so it’s easier to pick the front up for drop-offs.

I think I have some work to do on smoothness. Currently learning to bunnyhop consistently enough to clear obstacles safely. Trouble is, when I do it, it looks like someone superglued a guy to a bike then tazered him.

A PA is definately worth a look.

Yeah, I have heard horror stories of people dirt jumping XC frames and ripping the head tube off!

Anyone know what sort of weight difference there *typically* might be between a robust steel frame and a robust aluminium frame? I was assuming it would be of the order of 1 lb or so.

Don’t think it’s that much. More like 1/2 lb?

Well a PA is 5.5lb (and its a strong steel frame) and the Cove is 4.5lb’s so a lb doesn’t seem a million miles off. Bfe’s are a bit lighter but much more expensive (but still cheaper than a new Cove)

The Ragley Ummbop is only 3.7lbs so its much lighter than a steel frame, but its a bit of a unknown considering you can’t even buy them yet. If they do turn out to be any good I should imagine they will be very popular, as they will be strong, cheap and light.

P7

one important thing IMHO is the ability to run an adjustable seatpost, so ideally you want a 30.9 or 31.6 seatpost.

they will be strong, cheap and light

Oh no they won’t! Pick any two.

Whyte 19 would get my vote. It did in fact, and it’s awesome

Chameleon’s not that bad in terms of stiffness, certainly no worse than any other ally hardtail (with massive fat chain and seat stays…), plus you can mitigate it a bit with a carbon post, and a squidgy saddle. I can ride all day on mine, no worries, did a 55 mile loop the other day on it, and I wasn’t crippled by it.

The thing I like about the Budget Makeover article is the bit where it says (the oft-neglected mountain bike genre of “just riding along”) that’s what I do just ride along. Sometimes XC ricer sometimes Play Bike and sometimes Filth Riding but never enough of one or the other to get a specific bike for the job.

’airtime’ on a hardtail

it is more about the rider than the frame when it comes to jumping. a full-suss will let you get away with things if you cock up and are not smooth.

They don’t get any love on here so I’m going to say a DMR Trailstar is a great bike for not much money £299.99.

How good of an ‘all-day’ bike is a trailstar though? Aren’t they more of cross between a normal do-it-all hardtail and a dirt jump bike or more like a 4X frame?