what's you favourite (not necessarily best) ever hardtail?

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deviant – Member
Andy R, that Genesis Alpitude with white wheels and white Marzocchis is incredible, I’d ride that down anything…looks really confidence inspiring.

I tried to and ended up underneath it twice, on stuff I’ve cleaned with ease in the past. Ok, it was a bit greasy and icy but basically I was riding like a knob. It’s a thing I do sometimes…..

The forks are lush though.

Got to be the 1992 Klein Fervour that is in my spare bedroom. Either that, or the Bonty Privateer that sadly snapped a year or so ago.

RC200, Trek 69er Rootbeer SS, Stooge. Not necessarily in that order.

Love my alpine with 150s up front, it loves to manual! Really did enjoy my Rocky Mountain Vertex carbon til it snapped , then the warranty replacement cracked.. gave up and went with the steel alpine 🙂

Favourite has to be my old Trailstar. Still just looks kind of right, even if it is resigned to roller duties these days.

Best though, has to go to my BFe. Just a really capable, really tough little bike.

Since we seem to be allowing rigid bikes too then I’ll have to post this one, because it probably is my favourite bike ever.
Now with shorter stem, dropper post and decent tyres.
If I could only have one bike it would be this one….

This
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My Curtis;

it just feels ‘right’.

My longest serving is my Orange P7, 2007 model. I still have it, it is currently my only MTB and I like it a lot.

But for pure laughs per minute, my PX Jack Flash (bought for £28 off eBay) is the winner. At it’s best it was built with 100mm coil forks, 521 rims, v-brakes and a 1×8 drive chain. It rode like a BMX, simply brilliant fun. I then had an idea I would make a DH bike from it, fitted RS Domain’s, big disk brakes, heavy tyres and wheels, etc. It didn’t really work if truth be told. But riding it in it original guise was quite simply wonderful.

From time to time I do debate building another hooligan hardtail up…

When I was less decrepit, and not falling apart at the seems, I bloody loved my old Chameleon. Mainly due to the identity crisis it was clearly having, thinking it was actually a BMX. But my God! You knew about it after more than a couple of hours!

But for all-round, do-it-all awsomeness, from a quick blast out playing silly buggers, to an all day jaunt, you just can’t fault my P7. I bloody love that bike! Here it is out playing in the snow last weekend

Dialled Alpine on Lyriks.

Ragley Ti with an oversized headtube and a set of the new Pikes set at 140mm travel 🙂

I have a soft spot for the original Marin Rocky Ridge though – first aggressive(ish) hardtail I ever owned.

omg … my dream frame came up on here !!!!

18″ Tinbred … sex wee … 😉

Cannondale Beast of the East ’97 , still ride it now, it is light stiff and a joy ,Rode a 44mile sportive a couple of years ago on it . Love it

^ My second best was an M500 in grey, looked amazing with anodized purple bits and weighed about 23lbs with pace forks, back in 1996.

Beast of the east was still the best name for a bike ever! Think it was an M800?

It’s not my dream bike by any stretch – that would be a toss up between a Dekerf and a Curtis – but because it’s rejuvenated my love for riding in the last six months I choose my Bird Zero. It’s just so much fun.

Ragley’s balance is ridiculous, I didn’t think you could build a big slack bike that descends this well but still be such a brilliant technical climber, in the same year I bounced it down fort william then raced the glentress seven on it. Wish it was a wee bit “softer” and had a more dropped toptube, and let’s have a tapered headtube while we’re at it but still, superb.

Think the geometry on the mmmBop is about perfect for me. Would really a fancy a go on a Ragley Ti, think that would be even better (surely it must be less harsh than the mmmBop?)

If they made one I reckon a new Ragley Ti in a fashionable wheel size would be in with a good chance of being my favourite. Or maybe an up to date Blue Pig out of 853.

my 2002 cannondale F800 in matt black.

first bike i owned with both discs and suspension (lefty fork).

sold it in a moment of stupidity and have regretted it ever since.

my charge duster in kawasaki green though is also great (current bike).

1998 kona explosif 853. Still ride it occasionally and amazingly it still has the original bottom bracket. I can’t imagine how many thousands of miles it has done.

Until I had my Cove a Stiffee it was my 456 Inbred but the Cove really is a keeper…such fun to ride and seems to encourage me to ride faster and over/off stuff that I probably would only ever attempt otherwise on the full suss with a full face on….that’s how it feels to me.
I’m trying to think of the ultimate 140mm travel forks with nice thick stanchions 20mm axle but lightweight to plug in the front of it for when I explode the Revs that are on it at the moment.

I’m with you there Suggsey – I’ll never sell my 2010 Stiffee. Running it with 55ATAs set to 150mm. In about 8 years time, both my boys will be big enough to ride my bikes (with the saddles down a bit) and I know for sure there won’t be anything as good as the Stiffee any time in the future. So why sell it !

This did a lot of miles and trips away. Great bike at the time, bought a frame (Rock Lobster) a few years ago, but things have moved on since!

Got to be my 93 Kona Fire Mountain. I rode it until the head tube came off a couple of years ago. Rest in pieces my trusty steed.

Vc

Sunn xircuit, loved that bike. Many a great days out on my Cove Handjob. Both sadly sold. Hopefully they are still being used.

My Coyote Dual. Still going strong after 10 years. Paint work is looking a bit tired now so am in the process of “rawing” the frame. Excited, kinda like getting a new bike. 🙂

Salsa El Mariachi. Granted I’ve only had it for a few weeks so it could just be the honeymoon period but I really love it. Already think that my full sus is going to be neglected this year

DMR Trailstar or Charge Blender for sure!

Kona Pahoehoe – first “proper” mountain bike, after a GT. Excellent geometry, pretty good spec, and rode it in a variety of awesome locations in the States.

Cotic Soda Mk1 (I think) – similar geometry, and was able to build it up as I wanted.

There is no finer thread than a “great hardtails we have loved” thread.

Chapeau, everyone. 🙂

I really liked my Cove Handjob, it was built up pretty light and ride really well, even if it was a bit short.

Fave current one would be my FF29, it was really stable on the descents and climbed well too, but of a shame I ‘had’ to sell it

I replied back on page 1 but just dug out a picture. I miss this bike.

[/quote]Cannondale Beast of the East ’97 , still ride it now, it is light stiff and a joy ,Rode a 44mile sportive a couple of years ago on it . Love it

I have an even older Beast of the East that is in a very slow process of being reborn as a single speed. It’s got a 1 1/4 inch steerer. I inherited it from an uncle who past away…back then I thought it was the tits covered in ano purple, Pace RC35’s with an early Hope mechanical disc brake. I’m sure it won’t ride that well when it’s rebuilt, but it’ll still be ace to me, just because.

Dialled love/hate. Built it up as a winter snotter when my good bike was waiting for a replacement frame and it turned out to be beautiful.

Whyte 19, I liked the first one so much I’ve got two more now.

Love my Sov and still use it.

I did W2 on it a few weeks back and it was tough going but fantastic.

Running big 650b tyres with a set of 36s… have it!!

2002 Explosif was good but not as capable as my 29er Mk1 Scandal

chromag stylus

Love my Sov and still use it.
Running big 650b tyres with a set of 36s… have it!!
Jeebus – What BB height does that come out at??

My stumpjumper m4 i built in 04 …. loved it and still miss it 🙁 …. still have the forks on a hack bike

pic was end of first day build, still needs grips and setting up