All mountain/freeride hardtail

[Woodsie]

Hey losers, did you miss me?

So I've just hit Zurich and will be earning money again, so need to find a way to burn it. There is a lot of very cool riding around here, but it is way steeper, both up and down, than back home in Oz. So the Gemini is going to be a bit of a bitch and will probably spend most of its time on lifted run (lots of them in Switzerland! :D). Also the climbs are generally smooth firetrails, with sweet, well maintained singletrack for the descents. I have still yet to see a rock garden in the alps like the one's back home that still give me nightmares. So I'm thinking 5"-6" hardtail is the way to go.

So, the frame I am thinking about, after being very impressed by their inbred SS XC frame which I already have, is this one.
On-One Inbred 456 (http://www.on-one.co.uk/index.php?module=pagemaster&PAGE_user_op=view_page&PAGE_id=3&MMN_position=3:3)

The frame has an XC heritage, so the angles are steeper than most other long travel hardtails, but running a 6" fork will slacken things a bit, and if it is still a problem I can get an Orange Crush of Cove Siffie frame and sell this one on eBay and probably only be out of pocket couple of hundred bucks over if I had bought the more expensive frame in the first place. But I do like the whole idea of those skinny CroMo tubes, and the smoother ride that comes with them.

[RCOH]

edit: I didn't read the question.

What about the DMR Exalt: http://www.dmrbikes.com/?Section=products&pageType=item&category=7&CategoryName=Frames&itemid=FRMExalt

[Woodsie]

Hey Rod

Yeah, I like the look of the DMR frames, they make some cool frames. Though this one is a bit overbuilt for what I'm wanting to do with it. But the real problem with it is that like most DMR frames they only make them in small sizes, and I need something bigger for getting back up the hill.

[Trizender]

Looks nice, the designer also did the old Planet X Compo - if I can find one of those at the right time I'll be very happy.

Check these out too: http://www.dialledbikes.com/products/mtb/princealbert.html
only 5" though, not 6".

All mountain/freeride hardtail is just the type of frame I'm going to be after at the end of the year. Leaning towards a Santa Cruz Chameleon because of weight and my love of a stiff hardtail but I'm also looking at sweet British steel (even if most aren't made there anymore).

[bortong]

woo freeride on a HT is the bomb

[Woodsie]

Yeah, the Dialled Prince Albert looks cool, but I prefer the geometry and look of the On-One. There are rumours that Dialled are going to bring out a more FR oriented long travel HT frame, but that's not due out until early 2008. Looks nice, but I don't want to wait that long.

http://www.singletrackword.com/images/2007-05/DSC01079c.JPG

Though something I did come across that looks pretty sweet is this http://www.cotic.co.uk/product/BFe.html. Very sexy. About double the price of the On-One frame, but not much more when you look at the full price of the bike.
http://www.cotic.co.uk/product/interface/BFe/gallery/mainpic_05.jpg

Then of course there is the Rolls Royce of FR hardtails at http://www.evil-bikes.com/structures_sovereign.htm. Fucking expensive though when you think that the frame alone costs more than most DMR complete bikes.
http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=yn2qie&outx=800&quality=70
But looking at it again... Damn, I've messed my pants. :D

[nickhagee]

what about the nicolai 2mxtb
http://http://www.nicolai.net/products/e-frames/e-2mxtb.html
very sexy frame hmmm? 949 euro...

[Woodsie]

what about the nicolai 2mxtb
http://www.nicolai.net/products/e-frames/e-2mxtb.html
very sexy frame hmmm? 949 euro...

That's a bomber looking frame. A bit overbuilt for what I am looking for, but sweet. This one looks better suited to what I want http://www.nicolai.net/products/e-frames/e-argon-fr.html. But I do have mz heart set on a steel frame...

[nickhagee]

yes that is nice but the top tube is pretty high and looks alot like an all-mountain kina frame

[Woodsie]

Agreed, even if I do have long legs. This is why at the moment I am leaning more and more towards the Cotic BFe. Though the awesome colour schemes available on the Nicolai frames have got me thinking that a spray job may be an immediate requirement on that dull grey frame. Though it would go well with a set of Fox 36 Talas up front.

[nickhagee]

thats is true. that bike has one boring paintjob!!!!!!!!!

[nickhagee]

you could try a santa cruz jackal... put like, fox 36 TALAS forks that have 160mm of travel. i've read that the frame can take up to 160mm of travel.

[Mo]

this thread is very appropriate to me, as i was looking at getting a better freeriable frame.

i just will make sure that woodsie doesn't end up with the same frame as me.
the on-one is mint except for the excessive cable routing that looks like crap.

[Woodsie]

Got bored, so put the BFe through photoshop to see how it came out with a bit more colour in it:

So a before and after:
http://Woodsie.smugmug.com/photos/180657148-L.jpghttp://Woodsie.smugmug.com/photos/180657189-L.jpg

[bdstorer]

Santa Cruz Chamelion..?

[Woodsie]

you could try a santa cruz jackal...

Santa Cruz Chamelion..?

Yeah, but these are all Al frames. I said in my first post that I am only looking at steel frames, for my own eccentric reasons. :rolleyes:

[mayo]

get a stp............not, you should get a bike that feels good to ride but at the same time is strong enough for what you ride

[Woodsie]

So I've bought the Cotic BFe http://www.cotic.co.uk/product/BFe.html :D

In the process of painting it now, because the standard colour is really sad, then will pair it up with a 2008 Fox 36 Talas and DT Swiss EX1750 wheels. I'll post up pics when I finish building it.

[DJninja]

Sounds like an extremely awesome build (I love 36's).

[stinkytodamax]

DMR trailstar comes in 18in is that big enough?

[RYDA]

08 manik would go nicely i think

[le chat]

Dude - have a look at this forum www.chocolatefoot.co.uk

Dialled Mike on this forum is the owner of Dialled bikes.....

also, try and hook up with RHS who runs a guiding company over in Verbier - different side of CH to Zurich but could be worth tapping for some info etc.

Enjoy the riding in the alps, the snow is due soon so get the board out!

[le chat]

oh, and the On-One is a sweet bike, cro-mo for XC is so much nicer than Alu, has a bit more life about it!

[Woodsie]

oh, and the On-One is a sweet bike, cro-mo for XC is so much nicer than Alu, has a bit more life about it!

Yeah, I have an Inbred which is now relegated to commuting duties. But it is such a nice frame that I used it quite a bit for short XC runs with rigid forks. Suddenly makes boring trails a lot more fun. :D

But ended up with the Cotic as I wanted something a bit more burly that would take a longer fork, but not as burly and expensive as the Evil Sovereign.

I didn't see that the DMR Trailstar has an 18" version. Is that new? But that only takes a 5" fork, which is probably enough for a hardtail to be honest. But the Cotic with a fork that switches between 4", 5" and 6" just seems a bit more flexible.

[RaID]

Then of course there is the Rolls Royce of FR hardtails at http://www.evil-bikes.com/structures_sovereign.htm. Fucking expensive though when you think that the frame alone costs more than most DMR complete bikes.
But looking at it again... Damn, I've messed my pants. :D

You can go the cheaper version and get the DOC
essentially the same Geo but 2 deg slacker head angle, major difference.
less exotic alloy and made in Taiwan rather than USA
An adjustable travel fork should be good for the climbs followed by flowing DH with more give up front.


That sovereign is very nice that the sort type of bike im trying to build up right now

[Woodsie]

Geez, the DOC is even smaller than the Sovereign, and the Sovereign is too small for my lanky legs. ;)

Also, the Cotic BFe is the same alloy as the Sovereign half the price, a pound lighter and comes in a 18" size which is still a bit small for me but should be fine.

So the Evil frames are sweet, but not a good fit for me.

[RaID]

how tall are you? if you think the evils are too small for you?

[Woodsie]

190cm, or 6'3" in old money. With the 18" frame I'm having to get a 400mm seatpost to get proper leg extension for pedalling up the hill. BIG hills in Switzerland. :D

[Badams]

the norco h/t frames from 2005 onwards are great and bombproof

[le chat]

the norco h/t frames from 2005 onwards are great and bombproof

.....but short in the top tube! This dude is 6'3"

Difficult one as you don't want a 5 bar gate, (XC machine) but you do want something that you can pedal about and not bust your back on.

Something like a Cove Stiffe could be a good option, one of the dialled bikes or the on-ones but they are all slightly different. For what you're looking for I'd probably look at a large Cove Stiffe or an SC Chameleon. Plenty kicking around Euro forums and ebay as everyone wants a full suss so are selling their HTs