Hi all. Having a hard time deciding between some hardtails so I thought I’d seek further contradictory advice from people who’ve ridden more of them than me.

I’m coming off the back of years on a lightweight, fully rigid, ’96 Saracen Kili, which has generally been a blast, and a few rides on an older Transition Trans Am (built up heavy as sin) that I’ve sold on to get something sproingier and dropper-compatible.

The shortlist at the moment is Soul 275, BFe (26 or 275), PP Oka or NS Eccentric (budget of ~£400). So basically more old-school British short travel or long travel, and new-school long-and-low short travel or long travel.

What would you get and why, for general trail shenanigans, the odd trip to a bike park and maybe some further-flung adventure eventually? Do I actually need 150-160mm travel ever? Hmmmmmmmmm

I want a 29+ Carbon hardtail with modern geometry, if that helps?

Chromag?
Canfield?
Stanton?
Commencal?
2Souls?
Mondraker Vantage from Evans

I want a 29+ Carbon hardtail with modern geometry, if that helps?

Trek Stache?

ragley?
nukeproof?

Of note is that with all of these I’d be building them up initially as 26″, with a u-turn Lyrik, and then possibly moving to 650b later

on-one also of course. 🙂

I remember people building up the Stanton Switchback on 26 wheels and loving it (just FYI).

Chromag?

Heavy

Canfield?

Ugly

Stanton?

Expensive

Commencal?

BB too low. Ugly.

2Souls?

Really **** expensive

Mondraker Vantage from Evans

vomit

Have a look at Stanton bikes, I’ve just picked up a 2nd hand Switchback from on here. Fits your bill perfectly, frame quality looks spot on too, some really nice touches here and there. Will report back on ride quality over the weekend…

So more to the point, as someone who’s never ridden one and is unlikely to find a test ride any time soon, is the low bb, steep seat tube and extra length/slackness of the Oka or Eccentric actually going to be beneficial for general riding, or really only on the downs? And will a sorted, shorter travel bike be generally more useful and predictable?

All the people bigging up the Soul can’t be wrong, right?

Have a look at Stanton bikes, I’ve just picked up a 2nd hand Switchback from on here. Fits your bill perfectly, frame quality looks spot on too, some really nice touches here and there. Will report back on ride quality over the weekend…

I do like the look of the Stantons, but people seem to rate the earlier ones more than the 631 version, but that means 27.2 seatpost, and the new Slackline looks ace but the BB drop is maybe a bit much for 26 I would have thought. Eh, idk

Cotic. You will never regret the decision.

lol 🙂

so you are looking for…

light, pretty, cheap, high-bb non vomit inducing frames that work with the wrong wheel size?

Can’t go wrong with a low bb. What’s the point of a higher one? Apart from making it harder to go around corners?

150mm travel on a ht is pointless.

I have a cannondale trail sl which is ace but I do think that it could do with being half an inch longer for riding about. I should probably have a large but then it’s gate sized and therefore crud.

Can’t go wrong with a low bb. What’s the point of a higher one?

so he can run the wrong size wheels obviously, low bbs on 650b frames are all an anti 26″ conspiracy.

jut picking up your points against the earlier bikes 🙂

I agree.

Good luck – there are tons of good bikes out there.

If you want cheap then there’s the Datrmoor too of course but it sounds like you are a little more picky than cheap. Don’t blame you.

I do like the look of the Stantons, but people seem to rate the earlier ones more than the 631 version, but that means 27.2 seatpost, and the new Slackline looks ace but the BB drop is maybe a bit much

The 631 list some of the magic of the original one. The new one is bloody brilliant. I borrowed one for two weeks and it does get back to feel, zip and zing of the original. If I’m honest, it’s more compliant than my Ti Switchback (second gen).

so he can run the wrong size wheels obviously, low bbs on 650b frames are all an anti 26″ conspiracy.

lol

so you are looking for…

light, pretty, cheap, high-bb non vomit inducing frames that work with the wrong wheel size?

Pretty much, that’s why I narrowed it down to the Soul, BFe, Oka and Eccentric

Can’t go wrong with a low bb. What’s the point of a higher one? Apart from making it harder to go around corners?

150mm travel on a ht is pointless.

I have a cannondale trail sl which is ace but I do think that it could do with being half an inch longer for riding about. I should probably have a large but then it’s gate sized and therefore crud.

Well this is what I’m wondering. Is low always better? Why have Cotic stuck with relatively conservative geometry if so?

The 631 list some of the magic of the original one. The new one is bloody brilliant. I borrowed one for two weeks and it does get back to feel, zip and zing of the original. If I’m honest, it’s more compliant than my Ti Switchback (second gen).

that’s really good to hear – less fussed on the new colours though

so he can run the wrong size wheels obviously, low bbs on 650b frames are all an anti 26″ conspiracy.

*mumbles something about chuckability and pointless standards*

a few rides on an older Transition Trans Am (built up heavy as sin) that I’ve sold on to get something sproingier and dropper-compatible.
The shortlist at the moment is Soul 275, BFe (26 or 275), PP Oka or NS Eccentric (budget of ~£400).

Well, my last hardtail was a Transition Trans-Am, which I replaced about 6 months ago with a Production Privee Oka.

I always liked the Transition, but the Oka is just the best hardtail I’ve ever had. Just a fantastic ride. It does anything and I’m loving trying to keep up(and often succeeding) with mates on carbon gnarpoon 160mm Enduroist sleds.

The Oka is brilliant.

Having said that, I’m currently maybe getting the Shan, but that’s purely because I’m a tart and have always lusted after the Gulf coloured Shan. I’ll be keeping the Oka if I can.

Well, my last hardtail was a Transition Trans-Am, which I replaced about 6 months ago with a Production Privee Oka.

Ooh, relevance. So the Oka doesn’t lose out on the flatter, slower stuff at all being longer and slacker and all modern?

How’s the press-fit BB been?

Had a Shan (longer travel version of the Oka), it was Ok on the flat dull stuff but not fabulous. the press fit BB is mildly irritating, but just consider it consumable. I replaced mine once in about 18 months.

150mm travel on a ht is pointless.

huge amounts of fun though

The Pinnacle Iroko has almost same geometry as the Oka – -4mm BB drop, +10mm Stack and +12mm Reach.
The full bike deals are rather tempting…
I shall await your judgement – I suspect not cool enough…

frame available for 250 quid too.

Has anyone ridden the Shan GT to compare to the Stanton Switchback? Thinking of either with + tyres.

I’m in the same boat. Currently have a Canfield Nimble9 in shiny Chromoly (which I don’t think is ugly 😛 ) but its a bit small (medium) so looking for a change.

.

So the Oka doesn’t lose out on the flatter, slower stuff at all being longer and slacker and all modern?
How’s the press-fit BB been?

The Oka doesn’t lose out on anything imho. It’s good for all day xc as far as I can tell and a hooligan downhill.

Not heard a peep out of the press fit bb since I fitted it. I was all ready to hate it, but no, not a hint of trouble so far.

The Pinnacle Iroko has almost same geometry as the Oka – -4mm BB drop, +10mm Stack and +12mm Reach.
The full bike deals are rather tempting…
I shall await your judgement – I suspect not cool enough…

Good spot! Looks like an impressive bike, especially the 4. I want to stick to steel, but it might be helpful getting one in to test ride…

Kingdom Vendetta 😉

Orange Clockwork EVO

Recommend what you own.. Pace RC127. Belting bike.

I ride a 26″ BFe with a 150mm fork, and its just the best fun a bike could possibly be IMO. I totally accept the physics of what people say about 150mm being daft on a HT. But if I had to buy a new HT tomorrow, I would be putting a 150mm fork on that too. I’ve had 80m, 100mm, 140mm and 150mm HT’s and the 150mm BFe is just the dogs doodaa’s as far as I’m concerned.

Pace, Stanton or Chromag look equally good to my eyes, but a bike would not be appealing to me without a dropper nowadays, so I’d be looking for a frame with a dropper compatible seat post.

You need to ditch the childs wheel sizes, all the big boys are on 29ers 😀

This.

Is low always better? Why have Cotic stuck with relatively conservative geometry if so?

Lower is different, not necessarily better. Depends what you want.

Having a hard time deciding between some hardtails so I thought I’d seek further contradictory advice from people who’ve ridden more of them than me.

😆

Cotic. You will never regret the decision.

I did. Love what Cy is doing (and plenty of others do, obviously), but did not get on with my mk1 Solaris.

Kingdom Vendetta

This. 😀

Yeah – they look awesome. A tad over 400 notes tho 🙂

Last Fast Forward looks a hoot, never seen one, ridden one or know anybody who has but hey, its the internet so based on this, rush out and buy one 🙂