So what were the ultimate 26ers then?

Now the wheel size has (pretty much) been consigned to the dustbin of history, can we agree what the best frames were?

Not the “classic” bikes, but the ultimate evolution of each strand (XC/trail/AM/FR/DH) in terms of geometry and design.

I had a Mondraker Summum for a while and it was a frighteningly quick bike with brilliant handling – but maybe just a touch short in the cockpit by current standards.

can we agree

Are you new here?

Agree? This is STW, lest we forget.

Pace RC200
Orange P7
Possibly Orange Five

3 for starters…

Either 2003 enduro sx or the 2013 sworks Carbon enduro

santa cruz heckler
santa cruz superlight
santa cruz bullit

all ground breaking

Intense Tracer/Uzzi
Turner Burner
Turner XCE
Turner RFX

Pace RC 2000

Litespeed Kitsuma

Ahem…

Not the “classic” bikes, but the ultimate evolution of each strand

Evil Uprising is my vote for best / last of the 26″ AM bikes…but I still think 26″ is coming back.

Transition bandit for me.

Ibis Mojo; a lovely design that is getting on for ten years old, has aged gracefully and still looks great.

On One 456Ti, Lynskey version

Cotic Soul, I bought a frame with the intention of building the last great 26″ hardtail. In the end it was built from the parts box as I couldn’t find it in me to shell out to put the bike together as I wanted it. Not sure it fits any of the above categories specifically but its worth a mention.

Sanat Cruz Chameleon. Carried on evolving so it remained the most fun frame you could possibly buy

From back in 04 The S-Works Enduro think was voted MBR’s best bike of their first 10 years.

The Blut LTc

both bikes I’ve owned, both bikes that have been significantly better than the others I tried along side them

Cotic Soul IMHO.

I’ll upset many Soul owners by suggesting DeKerf Team SL or adding another vote for late Orange P7’s for the steel hardtail strand.

Soul here as well

I also have a Turner 5 spot ( DW Link) which I think is well up there.

These are so good, I really can’t see any point in changing them, except for the inability to buy 26″ Rims and tyres or 1&1/8″ steerer forks. 😯

Rocky Mountain Element MSL.

Kona Explosif (1997)

For me, it the cannondale scalpel 2012 has to be in there. Just a fantastic frame.
The Merida 96 was also bloody good.
Hardtail litespeed obed was good

For me the original 1989 Kona Cindercone and also agree with the 04 The S-Works Enduro, loved mine.

Don’t agree with the original statement. I’ve bought 3 26″ wheeled bikes in the last 18 months. Far from being anywhere near dead as far as I’m concerned, despite what the bike industry, by and large, is trying to shove down our throats.

My Bandit which I regret selling but can really complain with my new Stanton Sherpa which is ace!

Downhill SC vp10
All mountain 2013 spesh enduro
trail hardtail soul or chameleon
xc full suss treck top fuel

I’ll upset many Soul owners by suggesting DeKerf Team SL or adding another vote for late Orange P7’s for the steel hardtail strand.

I got one of the very last P7’s (2012). I can’t see me wanting to move on from it any time soon. I bloody love the thing!

The venerable 456 in its many guises, favourite for me was the Evo model but I gather the Summer Season was legendary too.

26 is still great to ride, been out today setting up the new forks for my Ragley Piglet, they’re Rockshox Revs with the ‘so Enduro right now’ black stanchions….ignore the ‘industry’ sounding the death knell for 26 inch wheels, if there is a demand for the product and therefore money to be made then someone will continue to sell stuff in 26 inch flavour.

Whyte 19 hardtail ally or steel just very good at several things proper general all round bike.

Kona Explosif (1997)

A rather ordinary bike. IMO

Chameleon for HT has got to be up there, constantly updated, constantly revised, good for long XC, to jumpy, to DH duties.

ASR5 for ultimate 5″ trailmountainenduroxcjustrideyourbloodybike category

Light, slack, long, climbs lovely, hooligan on the way down

I’d say the Ragley Ti, but then I’d just be jumping on the ‘my bike is best’ bandwagon already overloaded with previous posters. So I’ll say the Maverick ML7…

In the same vein as the Bandit & ASR5, I’ll vote for the Santa Cruz Blur TRc for a British trail bike.

Oh and a Soul if we’re talking hardtail.

Santa cruz heckler has got to be top 10, best all rounder 🙂

On one inbred gets a nod from me too, even just for value.

Cannondale Prophet

DH- V10
Trail ASR5
XC Top fuel/yeti ARC

ML7? Are you mad? Next up someone will suggest a Whyte PRS-T1!

For me, it’s something like (XC, FS, DH): Cotic Soul (far, far better than a 456), an Orange 5 and Ironhorse Sunday. All pretty much the epitome of classic design, in their time, and all look quite dated now.

Will be staying with 26″ for the foreseeable future, after trying the new kids on the block Im not convinced that threre is anything out there worth the money that can tempt me away from my dustbin bound 2014 S Works Enduro.

Anthem X as the ‘go to’ Xc full susser for the masses…

ASR5 for ultimate 5″ trailmountainenduroxcjustrideyourbloodybike category

Is my bike, I didn’t nominate it. 😀

[Does dance]

Is my bike, I didn’t nominate it.

I’m just trying to raise some hype so I can drop in a link to my frame for sale 😈

Found the Cotic Soul a bag of awkward angles (IMO)

The Santa Cruz Chameleon a **** bmx for the trails

Marin Mount Vision. The first bouncy bike that worked.