Tell me about On-One

Oh, and an SS steel Inbred isn’t for mincing about on either!
*fanboi* 👿

I have been tempted to by OO bikes and PX (Stealth or exocet) in the past – indeed came close to pressing the button on the whippet in the sale yesterday. But being a mechanical numpty, I find it (1) difficult not to be overwhelmed by the website – seriously (!) and (2) the long history of mechanical niggles reported here and on other forums always make me suspicious. I always end up asking, are they good value (?) for good (?) reason? I hope that isn’t the case as they seem to be well intentioned and happy to respond on here and elsewhere.

I appreciate your argument, and concede that the design isn’t perfect. Quirky, is probably a good description. As for the chainsuck, why not use a smaller chainring?

On-one uses its customers as testers and doesn’t even fix issues straight away when they know about them.

Companies like Specialized have plenty of resources to pour into research and development to iron out the creases. Unfortunately, a small company doesn’t have the same capability.

Wanna know why all the headtubes are so short? Brant makes some sort of design reason nowadays but the original reason was that he forgot to change the headtube lengths when he made the different frame sizes and never bothered changing it.

Wanna know how penicillin was invented? 😉

Your results will obviously vary, but i love them.

C456 here, happy

cfinnimore – mincer.

😉

I really enjoy riding my steel 456 sumo season. Cheap? Yes. Fun? Yes again and i can’t really ask for more. I’d echo tom’s comment as my 20″ frame is pretty rubbish at jumping but show it some rough single track and it flies. I’ve never tried mincing on it though, is it any good?

Wanna know why all the headtubes are so short? Brant makes some sort of design reason nowadays but the original reason was that he forgot to change the headtube lengths when he made the different frame sizes and never bothered changing it.

Wrong end of stick there.

The original original 853 inbreds (Singlespeed only) all had the same length head tube as it was only the 2nd frame Dave and I had designed.

They were all 90mm long. It was a cock up.

Current models, well, they are clearly all different lengths/longer on bigger models. (90/90/105/120 on the S,M,L,XL 456 for instance, and 90, 115, 115, 125 on the 456 Evo)

Short? Why? Why not make them short so people with shorter fork steerers can fit them. Lower top tubes. Want bars higher? Use a higher stem or some spacers?

As an aside, it does make me giggle when people say a custom bike should have no spacers – why drag the top tube into your knackers to eliminate spacers. Anyhow.

PS: Robdob, I’m sorry you and your brother have had so many issues, and we’ve not delivered what you’d hoped. Your feedback has been taken on board, though I appreciate that sounds like you’re description of us “using you as testers”. All customer experiences are fed back and considered to develop any successful product (I think).

Brant, while you’re here. Drop the toptube on the L + XL frames a bit where it meets the seat tube on the next revision of the 456. Good man 😀

Brant, while you’re here. Drop the toptube on the L + XL frames a bit where it meets the seat tube on the next revision of the 456. Good man

The C456Evo has a dropped tube. You can do that in carbon. To do that in steel is a bit fiddly, though I’ve just had an idea.

I get a bit excited about extended seat tubes and gussets as things tend to crack when you don’t do them simply.

Noted though.

Drop the toptube on the L + XL frames a bit where it meets the seat tube

The same as an Inbred, you mean? 😐

On-one….
Northern.
Honest (painfully).
No frills.
VFM.

Don’t be dropping any top tubes. They’re fine where they are on the biggest frames. Thank you.

Robdob – if there hadnt have been chain suck we would have missed the opportunity of seeing a lovely looking bike 😉

On-One fanboi here too, I’ve had three Inbreds, an 853 Inbred and now on my second steel 456. Havent ventured onto Carbon or Ti – yet!

The same as an Inbred, you mean?

Sorry not familiar.

Stick a gusset in if needed Brant, a few pounds extra (price, not weight) wont make a difference to us big lads. It’s a really playful frame, but on the big sizes the toptube height is a drawback when throwing it about. X-ups are a thing of the past as my bars hit the top tube at 90 and that’s with a tallish stem and a couple of spacers. Big risers might help but would ruin it for me and turn it into a shopping bike.

Edit: just saw the inbred pic above. Yeah, a bit like that or even a smidge lower.

Ultra edit:

Don’t be dropping any top tubes. They’re fine where they are on the biggest frames. Thank you.

Why not? If it’s not in the way now, it wont be if it’s lowered and i can’t see a reason that making this tiny adjustment has to alter any of the other characteristics of the bike.

I have had 3 frames from on-one. an original inbred ss , a blue 456 and now a 29er inbred ss. all great riding great value frames. in my opinion it makes you realise what a waste of money alot of other frames are. in the end they all end up scratched and dirty so the slightly lower quality paint fininsh is no issue for me. the geometry is always spot on!!!!!!

Question (serious):: What steel frame brands have really good paint?

Brant – PP’s Inbred 853 ^^^ 😉

I like the whole concept behind On-One, would have bought one if I’d seen them before I got my Genesis Latitude. What I like most about them is seeing my mates on steel hardtails barrelling past guys on ££££ full-sussers. See it reasonably often too, too many out there with all the gear and no idea.

Why not? If it’s not in the way now, it wont be if it’s lowered and i can’t see a reason that making this tiny adjustment has to alter any of the other characteristics of the bike.

Because I usually need to run a seat post at full extension, and extended seat tubes are a bit ugly.

Question (serious):: What steel frame brands have really good paint?

I think the paint on my Sanderson was very good – but it has started to mark up and scratch, although it has taken a coupe of years hard labour…Paint is only temporary though, it would not put me off.

Salsa

Peterpoddys new Saracen has amazing paint.

My Ti.456 was pretty faultless and rode like a demon and is now superseded by the fireline Evo 29r which is pretty faultless.

Great value and well thought out hardcore UK hardtails….. Better than my old Cove Hummer by some margin. All IMHO..

I do enjoy riding On-One frames: good geometry and in particular the longish top tubes and short headtubes work well for me…I’ve had a Inbred 853 (Same as the chainsuck issue one mentioned above), a sample 456, a Inbred sliding dropout 29er, a Scandal 26er, a C456 and I’m now on a Scandal 29er. If the Dirty Harry went down to £399 again in the current sale I’m sure I’d have another!

Strange as it may seem I don’t consider myself an On-One ‘fanboi’ or especially loyal to the brand, it’s just their frames suit me and my pocket so if they keep doing what they’re doing I’ll probably keep buying them…

Talking of head tubes…

@Brant – I take it you have lengthened the 16″ C456 Evo head tube?

I was one of the early buyers before the problem was noticed 🙁

PS to join in with the rest of the thread I’ve also got an original scandal 29er which is a great bike too. Only reason I’ll change it is for a frame that can take a larger diameter post for a dropper. (not keen on the small diameter droppers)

@Brant – I take it you have lengthened the 16″ C456 Evo head tube?

Yes

Well I bought one today, so I’m looking forward to swapping over my 29er bits to an Inbred 🙂

It was a toss up between that & a high latitude, but to be honest, the On One was 1/2 the price, and orange

I’ve got 3 One-One/Planet X bikes.

Original (blue dragon) PX Kaffenback – great steel workhorse. My commuter and winter road bike/tourer. Have raced CX on it but the small size (I found) has too close clearance at the seat tube for proper CX tyres. Fitting mud guards is tight but doable. Think this is sorted on current disk versions. Versatile hack bike. Paint finish was good but looked gopping. Since been powder coated.

PX Uncle John – my quickish summer road and CX bike. Swap of tyres suits it for sportives or CX events/towpath/trail blasts. I right like it. Paint finish is fine.

OO Ti456 (Van Nicholas) – this bike pops. Really responds to being pushed but always feels lively. Stable downhill as you point and drive the fork and the rear skips along behind. Easily as much fun as the Orange 5 it replaced. More involving but still appropriately forgiving. Paint? What paint?

PS – chipped my radius falling off the Ti456 3 weeks ago. I take it all back. The bike is a dog and not b****y forgiving enough!

Not wishing to hijack the thread. I’m thinking of buying one of the older style Inbred 29er’s 2006 sliding dropouts. Anyone got one? What are dropouts like compared to the Kona one’s as the disk tabs are separate to the sliders?

They’re cheap. So buy one, try it and if you don’t like it sell it on here. You won’t lose much money and it’ll have been far more productive than asking a load of keyboard warriors for their opinion. How helpful is it to get everything from, “they’re crap” to “they’re brilliant”. Having said that I’ll chuck in my tuppence worth. I’m skint and On-One make some of the cheapest frames avaliable and if you don’t mind building it yourself with bits from here or ebay or the corner of the shed you can get a really good value bike. I love my Scandal Singlespeed, far more capable and versatile than something that racy should be. My steel 456 just puts a smile on my face, I treat it like crap and it doesn’t mind a bit. It actually climbs steep stuff better than my old Orange E6 did. If I had money to burn then I might have tried all the usual competitors, Cotic, Dialled etc but I don’t and I’m not sure I could bothered even if I did. I’d much rather just get out and ride, which doesn’t happen enough to be honest, so you could stick me on a pile of scaffolding and I’d be happy….. Oh wait a minute 😉

As the disk tabs are separate to the sliders?

Yes

Yes

hmm…offering a trade in service? 😉

brant – Member
Question (serious):: What steel frame brands have really good paint?

POSTED 2 HOURS AGO # REPORT-POST

Dialled, Vassago, Singular…

Yes
hmm…offering a trade in service

Yes

(May be quite a low value ;-))

Am 38 & been riding bikes since a nipper, have always loved steel but recently put together my first carbon bike in the form of a dirty disco, by far & away the best cross (bloody fast on the road also) bike I have owned.
Well finished, stiff but compliant bit of kit. Now want to try a carbon mtb.

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My “gruesome looking” whippet. Great value, great bikes for those of us who don’t have bottomless pockets and a source of scorn for those that do! 🙄

brant – Member
Question (serious):: What steel frame brands have really good paint?

RM Blizzard has good paint.

@ kerv – is that a ti seatpost? Just wondering what brand & if one that diameter makes a decent difference over a alu one? Have had a 26.8 one before that was massively nicer.

@Rob Hilton not Ti I’m afraid, it’s a 30.9 alu’ Thomson one, bought in the sale from guess where!

Anyone know what’s happening with 16″ 29er Scandals? Mentioned in the geo charts but not in the buying options.

Got a Barry White Inbred.

Like it, but I built it up from new with new components and on the first wet, muddy ride it chainsucked like mad. Never had that problem on any other bike.
Would consider getting a C456 if this one goes twang at the chainstay (it is getting pretty chewed up), as a mate has one built up with 130 Revs and it feels really nice to ride.