Capable even at Enduro!

With the above!

I too am tempted by the Loco Moto but don’t need ANY hardtail frame let alone a new one. I’ve got a very nice Norco Torrent in the same mould as this and its a riot, although rarely ridden on serious MTB stuff

Went through the S1 and S2 torrent. Capable, nice geo and beautiful frame but really stiff. Back to back runs with the Moxie long/longer down some trails on the Golfie and the difference is night and day. Still though the Torrent is a tank and the headtube is much stronger than the Mx3 Moxie. The Torrent you really need to be going fast on anything serious or your legs will blow out before midday! The LocoMoto much better over rough. The Dave still king of HTs ride feel in the rough IMO. I think even MBR or Bike Radar recently reviewed it and there was some praise.

The older AL (2018) Mega 290 was one of the best bikes I have ridden. I got one when I moved to the Tweed Valley. Also at the time I think NP were getting some good results on that gen. So fun to ride. I spent about a month on the new one and no thanks. Just a stick of celery.

I have ordered one for my locomoto. If it sucks no doubt will be in the classifieds for a reduced price.

6ft here on a large Loco Moto. Also have a large Dave which is a fair bit shorter that I use for local jumpy stuff or uplift like Glencoe. I’d take the Loco on a big day out and It is my rig atm. A very fun bike to be on. The quality and capability of these frames is impressive. I am sold on the geo after going through a lot of LLS hardtails.

I need these for my Pinnacle Iroko build.

How strong are these frames? Would they take a heavy rider say 100kg down rocky paths XC?

I tried a T140 S around Stirling, Dollar and some of the Tweed Valley. They do not cost much in AL. Great trail bike for the UK. Fast like a Norco Optic but smoother. Climbs as well. Was very impressed with it around Dollar and then the Golfie. Was fun on 27.5 again.

Messing around in local woods. Grew up in the desert and still cannot get over how green this country is.

When I first started MTB that rocky bit down Dumyat got the best of me and I went off into the grass on the right somewhere. Gutted I did not get out today.

Not impressed with the NP scout tbh. I guess maybe too much change is bad. If it rides anything like the last gen celery.

I may try the XL with the prices still great. That orange!

I have 27.5 wheels and a 170mm Zeb which is taller than most other 170mm forks. Head angle now is 61deg and seat angle is 76 degrees. Feels pretty good. I got on a Np Scout the other day and it just felt a bit plain compared.

Trick looking bike.

Advent X 10 speed pretty solid for UK conditions. Still has great climbing range. I have a few k on my groupset. No issues just tightened the clutch.

Been enjoying mine. Use it all around the local hills up to 700meters. Was on a Moxie Mx3 before and I feel like this just rides better. Even on the flat. It is nice having the ability to hit all the steep stuff on the way down. Not saying the Moxie can’t. This just feels way more solid at speed and does net get deflected as easily or feel so. Need a 240mm dropper next! Still have 30mm showing on a large frame with a oneup 210. My plan was to ride it and then transfer all the parts to the Airdrop Slacker when available.

A ti loco moto will be a bit quicker for all round use.

Spray rust paint job?

Some fake looking algae pond weed trim?

Cotic will always be around and have good support in the UK. I have tried most Cotics and they ride really well. I would beef up a flaremax and call it probably one of the best bikes for the UK. It would be close to a Norco Optic for just rapidness up and down. The fastest steel all round, best for ride feel/comfort FS I have been on is probably the Morph 29er from Guildford. It is just a rocket. Uses 2 bearings like an orange. 142mm rear can be setup with a 140, 150 or 160mm fork with a 3way flip chip.

Got the Hello Dave up some pretty steep stuff, then down some.

Looks trick. I would fit 170mm Zebs in 27.5 forks, run 27.5″ and go full park with it. Would be fun.

If no fibres exposed I would just hit it with easy composites ef1 which is black. Tape it so it sets flush and forget it.

I seem to have broken the dog

HAHA that is funny.

I wish I got out. My Hello Dave needs a thrash. I will be like that Dog after the climb.

I climb my heaviest bike. A beefy built steel Hello Dave and it ends up being the quickest up a local fire road climb. Feels like a slug. My torrent was like this. Felt really slow but was much faster than expected. Very comfy though on the way up.

I find just using the bike only forum, sometimes will dip into the main if it is about something technical. Politics have no place on here IMO, I M O. Its a hobbyist forum related to a very positive past time. Even if any weiners show up in the bike forum just chill. Who cares.

Just make sure they are the original CAT. Plenty fakes about and they break or do not stay in place. The windlass is very soft. At that price either old stock or maybe counterfeit. Looks like 2010 if original.

The one in the IFAK above, SOF-T is excellent.

Also the SWAT-T, I have carried these since they came out. Also good for mtb btw. SWAT T

Nice work.

Iron Horse Sunday
Trek Slash
Cotic Flare
Pole Machine
Shand Shug
Stooge

First Bike was an Indian Atlas Cycles on the streets of Dubai 1989. I used it to get away from the Yemeni kids who would stone me as I walked back from school.
Early 90s Marin
Mid 90s Scott XC bike
Dropped MTB for stand up jetskiing.
Whyte 901
Giant reign Adv1
Focus Sam AL
Focus Sam Carbon
Focus Black Forest (LOL)
Vitus Sommet
Vitus Dominer
Commencal Meta 4 AM
Commencal Furious
Commencal Meta 4.2 AM
Commencal Supreme SX
Canyon sender CF7
Kona Operator DL
Norco Optic C2
Norco Torrent S1
Norco Torrent S2
Norco Rampage 1
SC NOMAD
SC MegaFlower
Vitus E-Sommet VRS
Vitus E-Escarpe VR
Privateer 161
SC Bullit R
Cotic road rat
Cotic Rocketmax
Cotic Jeht
Cotic BFEMax
YT Crapra
Banshee Titan
Banshee Rune- A great trophy truck of a bike.
Pipe Dream Moxie Long, Longer, Full moxie Long
Morph FS- Fastest FS
Hello Dave

Buy, use, See what the hype is about then sell. I have tried a few Birds and Speciales but never owned.

The Hello Dave is the best riding bike in this list.

I think the thicker stays on the Dave out of the seat tube make it look a bit better. My large seems pretty straight top tube to seat stay.

Not too bad tbh.

Frame is a bit different application than that ST?

Looks great! The best color (yank) for them! Get some tape under the brake and shifter cables at the seat tube. Also under the the dropper cable in two small strips running between the hose mount/clamps. . It will save that paint.

Also some mastic on the chain stay. Easy to shape.

Found the below style worked better

The V3 version is an excellent suspension platform. Great on rough tracks. Plenty stiff laterally. Built like a tank but not harsh at all. Climbs well too. I got a Rune from Pedals in Edinburgh and it served me well last summer. Hope to try a Titan soon.

On mine I ran a 180 one up for not very long but it did fit with my 33″ inseam and still had some of the post out with about a cm left until the post bottomed out on the main pivot welds. I think you only have 260mm of post insertion on the Large v3 bikes. One up 180mm is 267mm at full insertion.

Yeah S1. Maybe they will be fine if a light, smooth rider.

What a deal.

The optic would be better, just not sure about Uk support. Dh shock, fast riding up and down. Can handle a bit of park riding. They ride great. On the C3 later just upgrade the flexy stock wheels.

Glad some people got some fun out of my PSA. They look rad built up

Definitely! It has been a pretty fun bike. Really look forward to riding it all the time. The Moxie was excellent but I feel this is better. Maybe heavier, not have an ED coating but the stability and confidence make it one of the best hardtails I have ridden to date. It is not slow either on the ups. The large is comfortable, just sit and spin. Was really impressed yesterday climbing around Bridge of Allan and then up to Dumyat. Heading back down there is a drop you can hit quite fast into some rocks and it felt really good. Then down into Witches Craig there are some nice fast sections that go into root steeps. Bike handled it really well. Really fun. Clips making a difference no doubt on the rough sections. Frame is stiffer than the Moxie.

For the money you can’t go wrong. Will just see how long the frame lasts.

Is that the stream gap jump at fort William?

That was testing the morph proto trail frame 142 rear with a 150 lyrik. Poor cane creek inline air took it like a champ and a few 1000mi later has just blown. The whole bike has been battered but with quality steel it has plenty of life left. Just two bearings like an Orange. Uses the same bearing kit and extractor.

So after a few laps of the local I have to say I am pretty impressed. It charges way harder than many other hardtails. First ride and I trust the traction on it completely. The 170mm Zeb and 27.5 ride so well. Even with 175mm cranks no issues on some of the rooty and rocky climbs. I do not think I would want this bike in 29er form. Maybe if I lived somewhere with really long trails.

It is heavy but I did not notice it much coming off a heavy ripmo AF. I would say it maybe pedals better or more comfortable.

Yeah they ride great. Steel is fun and fast!

That orange Dave looks great.

A man after my own heart – Orange or Starling?

Morph FS based out of Guildford. 150 forked 142mm rear travel 29er.

Nice quality frame. Fits pretty good at 6ft. In between the long and longer moxies.

Right, off to cut the grass, spray 100 gal of glycosulphate on those weeds and burn that shed.

I tried to like the Pit Vipers but their lenses give me a headache. The mudslinger :(

Needs a better pic if this damn sun would go away.

Well that is my rig for the summer. Tossed the FS for now. Next FS will only have 2 bearings!

If I am solo will head to GT to play on some of the offpiste blacks. They are fun on a LLS HT and easy to loop. Other steeper trails in the valley will probably group ride then can push it a little.