What with winter drawing near I quite fancy building up a do it all hardtail to use in bad conditions, commute to work, play on it the woods in the summer etc…

I have always wanted a Santa Cruz Chameleon frame are there another similar frames? I like the idea of a pre 2007 chameleon as I can run V's on it should I want, but surely there are other options from other manufacturers.

Being a gigantic 5'6 I would be looking for a medium or small size frame (21.5-22 inch TT is a good starting point). I did have an Orange Sub Zero for a few years and that was great I would like something a bit less ugly!!

If anyone has anything lying around they are no longer using then get in touch.

Ta

rhid

I have a Whyte 19 as my do-it-all, not ultimately strong but enough for what I can put it through. It's an awesome bike, defo worth the premium over something more "ordinary".

The concern with the two you mention will be that they'll beat you up over any kind of distance.

Orange P7 or On-One 456

P7. Thread closed.

(re-open thread)

Cotic Bfe.
I've used mine for xc/dh/jumping about duties, perfect.
😀

(close thread)

I do quite like the look of the Cotic!

Another vote for Chameleon. It really is superb, but TBH any of those bikes would be ace, don't forget the Pace as well.

Another vote for Chameleon.

Yep very versatile bikes, buttttt, i'd deffo be looking for a steel frame instead of an alu one, much more forgiving.

Saying that if your not bothered about steel look at the marin rocky ridge, nice and slack, compact and strong. I'd imagine you can get a second hand full bike pretty cheap (about £1100 brand fire new) off ebay or the likes.

I just had a look at the Dialled bikes website and they look nice too. The Prince Ablert and the Alpine looked great!

Yeah I think a Chameleon is the one I really want, it will be a case of trying to find one going for a reasonable amount (ie cheap as possible)!

P7 – there's been a few threads recently like this.

Yep very versatile bikes, buttttt, i'd deffo be looking for a steel frame instead of an alu one, much more forgiving.

Depends on the frame design and manufacture and whether the TT's been butted or not, and on your seatpost and your choice of saddle, and finally, and perhaps not really even then, depends on choice of frame material; have you ridden a BFe, it's isn't what you'd call subtle…

i don't know what the rules are re. pimping your own goods but hey-ho.

rhid….. i've an Alpine i'm selling. very versatile bike. 21" TT.

selling it because i want a longer TT; i'm taller than you.

yours, if you want it, for £250

I've got a black 2007 medium chameleon frame I'll sell for £200 if you're interested.

if doing it all includes ss, you'd want slot dropouts or an eccentric bb (older chameleons had them, not sure about the current one)

Blimey 14 posts and no-ones metioned it.

Blue Pig.

P7/Soul/Bfe

have you ridden a BFe, it's isn't what you'd call subtle…

erm….

jackal – Member
(re-open thread)

Cotic Bfe.
I've used mine for xc/dh/jumping about duties, perfect.

Of course it depends on what material/manufacturing process/frame design etc how 'forgiving' a frame is, irrelevant of material. But, i'd say the Bfe is no where near as harsh as any alu frame i've owned or ridden, but it didn't feel as springy/forgiving as a cotic soul i had a spin on, obviously.

Now, comparing a steel frame and an alu frame that are both designed for a similar purpose as we are here (in this case general hooning around on) and are of similar strength, then the steel frame is going to be more forgiving to ride than the alu frame.

EDIT, wasn't trying to say the chameleon was a bad choice btw, i'd have one no probs, proper do it all bike 😀

Got to be an Ibis Tranny. 🙂
Or P7.
Or Cotic Soul.
Or Pace 303/305'

Love /Hate

SS, 1×9, Rohlhoff or Alfine, a great do-a-lot steel bike.

I'm 5'5" and the small fits fine w/ a short stem.

dmr trailstar?

Dialled Alpine just been for a short Dalbeattie loop it's a great bike, hadn't ridden it for a while so it was good to give it a run.

How about a Chumba HX1? Similar to the Santa Cruz, EBB for singlespeed duties will take up to 160mm and very versatile.

http://www.progressive-bikes.co.uk/news24082009.html

http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/cove-stiffee-fr-fs

Chromag Stylus
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=40596

Curtis FR

Do-it-ALL?

456 – they have mounts for pannier racks, iirc.

Hi rhid,

We've got sharki's Chameleon in our garage. We gave him my hubby's 456 so I reckon he would probably be open to us selling on the Chameleon (will check with him first obviously!). It's a 16" so would probably be about right, assuming Sharki's onboard, I'm sure we could sort it out for a good price for you.

My email's in my profile, so give me a shout if you're interested. IIRC it's got a seatclamp and Easton post too.

Cheers!

Id say a Santa Cruz Chameleon or a Cotic BFe

Depends on what definition of "all" you're after :mrgreen:If you want to run up to 130mm, I'd say a Soul, something about it makes me want to ride things I shouldn't. But if you want to go hurtling down a DH course at speed there's better. OTOH it's better at XC than most of the burlier ones. No one perfect bike of course.

from experience Pace RC305 or On-one 456 also good.

I've also hankered after the Whyte 19, Cove HJ or Cotic Soul.

As above, it rather depends on your definition of "do it all", I guess that no singe bike is going to cover the whole gambit of cycling disciplines. For myself I just like riding my bike and exploring on road and occassionally off and a short travel hardtail suits me fine. I've currently got an 853 Inbred but am looking for other options. I love the idea of a P7 but I'm not sure that it's not a little over built and maybe not at it's best with 100mm forks.

I'd have thought that there are plenty of options out there, it's just a case of getting the frame that best suits the mix. Something with rack mounts might be useful.

Damn, Mike_P beat me to it.

yeah, WHYTE 19 kicks ass!

WORD!

🙂

commuting ?
road salt and alloy do not like each other very much.
it's gotta be Titanium hasn't it…………..?

How about one more vote for a cove Stiffee?

I've toured round Scotland and Sweden on it, raced it cross country this summer, spent a lot of time in the peaks and Glentress and I took it down the Fort William downhill course (I would not reccomend doing this with a brand new 100ml fork and a 130mm stem)

I've got a lot of seat post showing and the flex from that does a lot to take the sting out of the trail. I think the hand job is closer to mine than the current stiffee

Heres a picture of it this summer ready for cross country racing

And when I rode it from Edinbrugh to Cork via the ferry at Stranrar? Belfast

😀

What I want is something to ride to work on, take out and hit the trails when is really wet and miserable, and when the trails dry out something I can happily jump and drop and mistreat. I like the Chameleon as it has always been refered to as a good do it all frame. You can ride XC, Trails and dirt on it.

Whatever I end up building isn't really going to be an all day riding in the mountains kind of bike, it will probably be more hard trail riding orientated with a 120-130mm fork. The frame is the important bit though as I can chop and change bits as and when I like!

Another vote for the chameleon..

Amazing bike. Great fun to ride.

Unfortunately my bank balance doesn't like titanium and ultimately its the boss, its marginally more accepting of 2nd hand though!

Well, if we're posting pictures, here's my 'do it all' bike. A 456 wouldn't be too different but would take longer forks.

You can't go wrong with any of the suggestions, but I'd vote for a Dialled bike, because they are at least as good as anything else out there and Mike puts loads back into supporting grass roots cycling.

You mention jumps, drops and generally abuse. I'd recommend a Stiffee. It is built pretty much for exactly your description. Mine is awesome (used for commuting duties too)