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  • Replacement for my Explosif
  • misteralz
    Free Member

    Firmly in the acceptance stage after my Explosif got stolen on Saturday. I’m trying to find something to replace it with, and failing! So, does anyone still make a steel 650b or even 27.5+ trail-focussed hardtail, and if so, have stock here in Europe, or even the US/Canada?
    Nothing against UK builders or suppliers per se, but this year I’ve waited four months for clothing from there, and I’m currently at the six week mark waiting on a CD…

    misteralz
    Free Member

    Nobody? Or is the glitch back?

    joebristol
    Full Member

    I thought about replying but couldn’t really come up with a decent option outside of uk companies. The best I could come up with is Nordest – but their Ti hardtail (in stock – I think the 660b steel one is pre-order) is 140-160mm fork travel. At 140mm I’d consider that a trail hardtail but at 160mm that’s more ‘hardcore’.

    Either way it’s probably quite a long way from an older Explosif!

    If you can wait then you could go down the Marino custom steel frame approach which is what I did for mine. However that’s not going to get you a frame particularly quickly. Although it would get you something unique. 100% it would be heavier than an Explosif frame though – as will pretty much any steel frame you buy now.

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    LAT
    Full Member

    there isn’t stock of steel hard tails where i live in canada. well, i saw a chromag surface in vedder mountain bike co. but that is ultra $.

    edit, i think it was a surface

    edit edit, it was a customer build

    misteralz
    Free Member

    Damn. Anyone making aluminium 650b hardtails that feel zingy enough that tbey could be mistaken for steel?

    joebristol
    Full Member

    I’m not actually sure the majority of steel hardtails are zingy like older ones were. CEN testing made them have to overbuild them a bit more. I like how my Marino rides – I’d say it dulls vibrations vs my last 650b alloy Vitus Sentier Sonia more comfy – but it’s not zingy. That’s with 140mm Pikes / quite light wheels (Erase Components hubs / XM421 rims / alloy squorx nipples / DT competition spokes)/ carbon bars / carbon cranks / gx Eagle / Exo casing tyres. If that build were on a decent alloy frame I think it would fly.

    40mpg
    Full Member

    Sonder Transmitter? (Alu) – they have a euro site so I assume ship direct?

    Not a touch on an explosif but looks a good fun bike.

    I would have said look at Stooge but even the Mk5’s have sold out already.

    matt_outandabout
    Full Member

    +1 on newer steel not being as good as the older and less robust frames.

    Add in much wider tyres, and it really fades away.

    Imo the only noticeable difference is when you lose a chunky dropper and go 27.2 rigid.

    Rickos
    Free Member

    Check Hardtail Party on Youtube. He will comment on bikes and their springyness. For alu frames he says that the Ragley bikes feel good in this regard.

    joebristol
    Full Member

    In terms of actual euro brands they seem very light on 27.5 bikes – most are 29er. Radon have the ZR team but it looks quite budget. YT and Canyon only have 27.5” wheels on the small sized frames – the rear are 29er. Cube and Felt both seem to lack anything either.

    If Sonder have stock in the EU already then the Transmitter is pretty good – my mate went from a 2004 Kona Caldera to a Transmitter – it took some adjustment particularly to the slack head angle but he loves it now. Just threw on a 140mm revelation he had and a mosh mash of parts. I reckon if you run 2.6” – 2.8” tyres they’ll give more flex / comfort than the difference between steel and alloy.

    Sonder Dial probably also worth a look for a more xc experience than the Transmitter. If you can bring yourself to go 29er then the Sonder Signal Steel could be worth a look.

    misteralz
    Free Member

    I’m not against 29ers or aluminium, but I’ve already got a Scandal I built a couple of years back and while it IS great and much more ‘playful’ than I ever could have imagined, it’s not nimble in quite the same way. I was even considering a Big Dog and preparing to wait a few months for delivery, but it’s not really what I want.
    Will watch the Hardtail Party stuff. Thanks all!

    tuboflard
    Full Member

    Not 650b but lovely steel bike, Singular Swift. I’ve got a Rooster which is a bit more rowdy but still a wonderful old school steel ride but with modern geometry.

    TheGhost
    Free Member

    Middlechild V2 Chromoly

    Although the Aliuminium one looks a good option

    p7eaven
    Free Member

    I’m not actually sure the majority of steel hardtails are zingy like older ones were

    This. I bought a cromo (Longitude) partly because it was (at least in skinny-tubed style) replacement for/familiar to my old faves (Lavadome, M-Trax, Cindercones), but it’s not ‘zingy’ at all. Neither was the ‘09 P7 before it.

    I’d settle for ‘comfy’ and tune the ride with big-volume tyres. Seems to be the way of today.

    Alu, you say? What size?

    Large: https://www.specializedconceptstore.co.uk/product/38409/2022-fuse-sport-27-5/?gclid=Cj0KCQiA-K2MBhC-ARIsAMtLKRtNIblNe6fupUV_wFuwY6iwuNQDX39ekv_wpP6oiZRKK6kFla0aK7caAjUPEALw_wcB

    nixie
    Full Member

    Why not look for a Genesis Tarn it Tarn ti?

    sadexpunk
    Full Member

    I’m not actually sure the majority of steel hardtails are zingy like older ones were. CEN testing made them have to overbuild them a bit more.

    agreed, came on here to say this.
    i loved my old kona’s, an explosif and a kilauea. went looking for similar pre-CEN, zingy bikes last year and narrowed it down to 1 really, the mk1 Cotic Soul. i think from mk2 upwards is post-CEN. i put a wtd ad on here and pinkbike and finally found one. i love it, light as a feather and zingy as a zingy thing. dont settle for second best 😉

    Nobeerinthefridge
    Free Member

    Aye, mk1 soul was the last good steel hardtail I owned. Replaced it with a bfe, then another soul. Both meh.

    squealer
    Free Member

    Pipedream have some stock of their moxie frames if that’s any good. The shorter and longer one, no inbetweens.

    b230ftw
    Free Member

    I have a Genesis High Latitude LT frame I was considering selling. I’ve barely used it, it’s Reynolds 653 steel, 650b with a tapered head tube, takes 120mm forks. It’s a great riding bike and could sell it with the forks and other bits if you needed them.

    Riksbar
    Full Member

    I got a Ribble HT 725 earlier this year. Steel with 27.5 wheels. Looking at the website availability seems to be December or January for most sizes.

    misteralz
    Free Member

    That’s a lovely looking bike. As is the Sonder Transmitter. I’m trying to get excited but I just want my Explosif back.
    Thanks for all the suggestions, some I hadn’t considered or even heard of. I think it’s gonna be a case of when I know, I know. Y’know?

    joebristol
    Full Member

    If I hadn’t gone custom I was thinking either the Ribble HT725 or the Pipedream Moxie in pink. I didn’t suggest them above as they are UK bikes so missed the scope of EU sourcing.

    If you really want zingy steel and have money and time on your side (given the Scandel so you’re not bikeless) then I’d have a look at Curtis. I’m pretty sure they could make you something zingy and pretty. Love their bikes either in the deep candy blue or the raw with clearcoat.

    Curtis AM7 could fit the bill:

    Curtis AM7

    misteralz
    Free Member

    That is gorgeous with a capital F. Waaaaay out of my budget though. I’m finding it hard to justify more than 2k for a complete bike, especially when I built the Scandal from lots of leftovers for about 400… I know that’s different, though.

    john_l
    Free Member

    Ritchey P29/27.5?

    thegeneralist
    Free Member

    I was going to reply to your other post offering a Kona Muni Mula chassis as a replacement. It’s not steel, but same era as the Explosif.

    Absolutely loved that bike ( though objectively its not in the same universe as my Orbea Occam so it sits in the garage looking dismantled and sad)

    Anyone want it? (Large)

    garethjw
    Full Member

    How about Stanton? They do 48hr frames. Sherpas and Slacklines last time I looked.

Viewing 27 posts - 1 through 27 (of 27 total)

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