After riding today i’ve got mega back pain from getting pounded on quite a rocky trail and i’m finding my scandal particularly harsh and thinking carbon sounds good.

i’ve only really skimmed the carbon frames (scott scale, trek 9.8/9.9 etc) anyone recommend me more to look out for?

Ta!

I have a scandal, think it’s great!

However, mate has a scale and that is defo worth looking at if you’re after carbon. Always comes out with high scores in tests

Spence

The only ‘proper’ carbon hardtail bike I rode (Giant XTC) was not really much less rigid than alu….

The old Scott with the nice compliant, raised stay design however, was a winner….

What about a nice flexible seatpost? I would think that has far more effect than a new frame…

what do you reckon to ti? my feel is that carbon is being built into stiff hardtails (my 9.8 is), and my global ti is much more forgiving

I’m liking my Zaskar carbon for that very reason, nice and comfy for long rides.

Built up with 120mm rebas so its a more all round bike than out an out xc, now with a big ring as I kept running out of gears.

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Lots of carbon hardtails are full on race fiends so comfort not really the biggest concern, try a few if you can.
Carbon can be really stiff or really compliant depending on what the manufacturer does with it.
I will say the Commencal Skin looks good enough to eat though.

I’m going to buy a Tranny… one of these :

no idea if it’s a compliant ride or not, I just like the look of it :) Going to run it with my Alfine and rigid carbon fork, it’ll be sweet as 8)

I like the look of the Whyte 19 carbon but I daren’t push my luck any further :wink:

i had a 2008scott scale 30 really really stif, backend so rigid you could wheelspin when you put the power down
now got a 2009 scale 10 its still stiff but absorbs more trail buzz and grips better, the frame is 100g lighter than the 30 and that must have flexed it up a bit
for out and out racing i would prefer my cheaper 30 , but for more general riding my 10 is a lot more forgiving on the body

Orbea Alma, if carbon is what you want, as it has a lifetime warranty. It’s my most used bike, love it..

1100 grams and a 900gram version being launched this year.

I too was going to suggest Ti. Even (especially?) a cheap Ti frame such as a Zion.

this does the job for me

it ain’t working mr knott… :)

skillllz

:D

zaskar for me too an absolute missile and comfy too
not shure it’ll sort your back problem tho
have you tried different bar widths ?
do some press ups and the width you find your hands at is theoretically
the width for your bars might help
after that its slusharse bikes i guess :lol:

I have a Whyte 19 carbon HT frame on order. Hopefully will be here in a week or two now – but I am not expecting it to be uber compliant really. If I was looking for out and out comfort I would be looking elsewhere.

If you’re after comfort then get a sus-post or a full susser. No hardtail frame whatever material it’s made from is going to make enough difference to the comfort to get rid of your back pain (a fatter tyre run at lower pressure might help a bit if you’ve got the space).

cheers for the responses. loving the merida and the ibis, but having discussed yesterdays ride with some other riding pals, i don’t think its the frame directly, i’ve had this back pain twice and its not in the base of my back, its in the middle and across my shoulders, and the two times i’ve had the pain its been on different bikes, the only commonality of both riding trips was i used a camelbak for those 2 rides, never used one before. i’m wondering weather i’ve got the straps too tight and thats whats causing me back pain? i’ve also shortened the cockpit on the scandal on the seat rails which im going to try and move back, and im going to check the setup of my forks as i was also getting mad hand pump at the bottom of some descents yesterday too.