I am looking for recommendations on a replacement bike for a Rock Lobster Tig Team 853 which was unfortunately stolen from my garage.
This bike was steel frame with full XT group set and cost about £1100 in 2008.
It was an amazing and reliable ride and therefore I am looking to replace with something similar (potentially as unique as the Rock Lobster).
What hard tails are equivalent to what I lost?
Many thanks.
Are you looking for another steel bike?
If so Cotic Soul or the new Orange P7 could be worth a look.
Pipedream Scions are lovely (I have one) - 853 and about £250 for the frame at the moment but aren't available pre-built.
I've heard a lot of go good things about Sanderson Life frames but have never ridden one.
I went from lobster to cotic soul. Great move and a far better bike for pretty much everything I was riding.
What about this, depending where you live;
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pipedream-Sirius-R853-Mountain-Bike-XTR-XT-Hope-Reba-Thomson-Avid-/131839106918?hash=item1eb2391f66:g:RpIAAOSw9eVXVGr-
Have a look at Sanderson Cycles if you want different - Life for 26", Town Crier for 29"
Are you thinking 29er? Loads of steel options out there.
Cotic are a good shout.
Sorry to hear about your bike. I've got a rock lobster and despite it apparently being obsolete (steep head angle, short top tube. 26" wheels!) it's still one of my favourite bikes to ride and has outlasted quite a few more modern bikes I've had.
There aren't really any full bike offerings that are similar. There are steel hardcore hard tails out there but not really anything more xc and 'springy'.
Rl 853s seem to come up on eBay pretty frequently so might be worth keeping an eye out there, or in the classifieds.
Alternatively build up a frame as suggested above. Ritchey p650b could also be worth a look - lovely frames.
Not sure whether you'll find anything else with such a short top tube but the difficulty will be finding one that doesn't have a long tt (former Rock Lobster owner here).
Another recommendation for the Cotic Soul as it doesn't have a very long tt.
[img] 
[/img]
[img] 
[/img]
Rl 853s seem to come up on eBay pretty frequently
I sold mine this week for £65. It needed a paint job, otherwise it was fine. I replaced my old one with a carbon HT Carrera from Halfords, but I've never really got on with it. I do like the Whyte HT's, but it's been 3 years snce I looked for one, so dont know if they still do a similar thing.
If building up a new HT, I'd be looking at Ragleys too.
I had one of them, think it was an 06 frame, with full XT and Reba's. Replaced it 3 yrs ago with a Soul, also XT groupset, 120mm Reba and a reverb. The Soul immediately felt comfy and a lot more capable and fun
I also replaced mine with a (26) Soul. I would say it is quite different but that will partly be my build - I moved to the Soul in part because I wanted to use some 140mm forks I had. However even so I would suggest trying before buying a Soul as an assumed like-for-like replacement.
FWIW I quite strongly prefer the Soul (more capable at speed as above) although I still have the RL.
My RL was bought as an XT build with a Fox 100mm xc fork, although for most of my time with it I ran it singlespeed. I transferred pretty much the same gear to the Soul except for (older - 2008) Pikes and a Reverb.
When i broke mine I bought a Solaris, 3 years on still happy with it
De Kerf or Fat Chance perhaps?
Would have thought a Singular Swift might be a similar ride but on bigger wheels.
Cheers, Steve
Still happy with my RL.
It's been great fun over the last 10 years and I love it dearly, but I'd definitely replace it with a Soul if it was stolen, having ridden both.
Soul a little heavier & more capable.
Never met anyone who regretted buying either an RL or a Soul, btw.
