I know the Evil Uprising, but is there anything else out there? I want to eventually replace my newly built up 6 Point frame with something a little more up to date, but don't want to have to get a new fork, rims, tires, etc. I will already have to source some new cranks and rear hub, and would like to not have to do more than that.
Are there any good 26" trail bikes left?
- Thread starter csermonet
- Start date
where was it for sale? and how much? I am not opposed to buying used, so anything made in the last couple years is fine with me. Argh, if only the 6 Point had a 1.5 head tube, proper sizing, and more refined droupouts/d-hanger area.
competitive cyclist still has good deals on sb 66's
If you are not opposed to used the world is your oyster, everyone and their brother is blowing out their 26" bikes on the pink bike machine
There are TONS of good 26" frames being made right now.
It's any 650b frame with a 13.5+ BB.
It's any 650b frame with a 13.5+ BB.
When I am ready to pull the proverbial trigger, that's most likely where I will go. For someone who doesn't get a pro deal through sponsorship or working for a shop etc, new bike/frame prices are fucking ridiculous.
Thanks for all the suggestions everyone. Does anyone have any experience on a Pivot Firebird? Don't see many for sale used, but the few that are out there seem to be priced pretty cheap.
I was always under the impression if you put 26 wheels on a 650 frame you could get some weird handling characteristics..can you enlighten me?
Ibis Mojo HDR
Not that^ 
Bought by me. All yours.
CS: If you really think about that, it makes zero sense. The only thing different about anything 27.5 is the fork offset. These are still frames with 17"ish chainstays, 65-67 degree headangles, same reach measurements, same wheelbase measurements..... The only thing that changes is that they were sized for bigger wheels so the BBs are going to be a little low 'by conventional standards'. With 26" wheels and forks, they're just frames with a bb that might sit a little lower. The two that come to mind off the top of my head are the trek slash that's just coming out and the specialized enduro, both with 13.8 BBs with 27.5 wheels. That should put you around a 13" BB with 26" wheels. The forks are a tad shorter for 26s so you drop the front end a tiny bit, but it's still within the realm of the a-c difference between a pike and a 36 for a given wheelsize and travel (and really even with the range of different tires). I've been riding a 27.5 norco range with all my 26" stuff on it. It still has a 16.8" chainstay, the headangle steepened up about 0.3 of a degree, and the BB is 12.7........similar to what the GG megatrail gets in 'gravity mode'. I'm loving it™.
Really the only thing to watch is BB height since that's the only drastic change. If you're cool with the insanely stable sliding in corners and just looking at what you're pedaling over when climbing, then yeah, it's definitely an option. I did the same thing with a new nomad frame too FWIW. Because of the way the nomads blow through their travel at 2mph, I did think the BB was a little low on that one. Not so much on the norco. But with those two frames and a 160mm fork with decent sized tires, both dropped about 0.8-0.9"" from the stated BB with 27.5s
All that said, those evil uprisings look and sound pretty sweet. If I didn't come across this norco for the price I paid, that's what I would have gotten with zero hesitation. In fact I was in the process of trying to find one when the norco popped up.
Beer.
Bought by me. All yours.
CS: If you really think about that, it makes zero sense. The only thing different about anything 27.5 is the fork offset. These are still frames with 17"ish chainstays, 65-67 degree headangles, same reach measurements, same wheelbase measurements..... The only thing that changes is that they were sized for bigger wheels so the BBs are going to be a little low 'by conventional standards'. With 26" wheels and forks, they're just frames with a bb that might sit a little lower. The two that come to mind off the top of my head are the trek slash that's just coming out and the specialized enduro, both with 13.8 BBs with 27.5 wheels. That should put you around a 13" BB with 26" wheels. The forks are a tad shorter for 26s so you drop the front end a tiny bit, but it's still within the realm of the a-c difference between a pike and a 36 for a given wheelsize and travel (and really even with the range of different tires). I've been riding a 27.5 norco range with all my 26" stuff on it. It still has a 16.8" chainstay, the headangle steepened up about 0.3 of a degree, and the BB is 12.7........similar to what the GG megatrail gets in 'gravity mode'. I'm loving it™.
Really the only thing to watch is BB height since that's the only drastic change. If you're cool with the insanely stable sliding in corners and just looking at what you're pedaling over when climbing, then yeah, it's definitely an option. I did the same thing with a new nomad frame too FWIW. Because of the way the nomads blow through their travel at 2mph, I did think the BB was a little low on that one. Not so much on the norco. But with those two frames and a 160mm fork with decent sized tires, both dropped about 0.8-0.9"" from the stated BB with 27.5s
All that said, those evil uprisings look and sound pretty sweet. If I didn't come across this norco for the price I paid, that's what I would have gotten with zero hesitation. In fact I was in the process of trying to find one when the norco popped up.
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knolly chilcotin?
exactly what I plan to do if I ever get sick of my Blur 4X.
650b will handle good enough for me with all my old 26" shit hung off it.
i'm less worried about buying 650b rims and more about how much a trail fork is going to be in 2015-2016?? ONE MILLION DOLLARS
canfield balance?
i was also considering a banshee darkside until intense stepped up and replaced the rear of my uzzi. i'll ride that thing until one of us is irreparably destroyed. but perhaps my idea of a "trailbike" is a bit more heavy duty than other people's...
i was also considering a banshee darkside until intense stepped up and replaced the rear of my uzzi. i'll ride that thing until one of us is irreparably destroyed. but perhaps my idea of a "trailbike" is a bit more heavy duty than other people's...
I know I'm losing my indie cred here but those bikes are friggin goofy. And that's based on riding one for a day, not just looking at a picture and going 'lessmoarpivotz!!'
I don't normally think of pedaling characteristics too much on dirt roads, but those things pedal real goofy like. I don't get all the fanfare.
can't say i've ever thrown a leg over one...just thinking of new bikes that are left out there in 26.
Evil. Really. God bless that man. I wish I were richer just so that I could throw money at evil and buy every 26" bike he makes. The weird thing is the fucker rides a 29er, but he still makes a really badass 26" trail and dh frame so we can ignore that because he continues to make them. I don't even own one but I worship the rain soaked seattle ground that man walks on right now.
And the good half of Guerilla Gravity too.
And the good half of Guerilla Gravity too.
Seems like Banshee will have a 26" option for the longest given their swap-able dropouts. A year from now I imagine very few companies will be designing 26" specif bikes in this category.
I can understand where you're coming from, but have you pedaled Knolly's 4x4 suspension up a tech trail? Its like riding a mountain goat.
Yeah those roads led to climbing singletrack. Galbraith in bellingham for what it's worth. I fvcked with the rear shock the whole way up.....all the different times up. I just mentioned the roads because like I said.....normally all bikes feel fine spinning on roads. I don't know what you call 'tech' but I pedaled it up plenty of roots and rocks. It squats in some gears and then squats and then extends in different points in the travel in certain gears.
They pedal goofy.
Honestly I thought it was fine descending off the pedals. But it never got good going up.
It was a loaner since I didn't have a trail bike and wanted to ride with a good friend so I was very happy to have it. I wouldn't buy one though. That had as much to do with some other things as well however, not JUST the pedaling weirdness.
They pedal goofy.
Honestly I thought it was fine descending off the pedals. But it never got good going up.
It was a loaner since I didn't have a trail bike and wanted to ride with a good friend so I was very happy to have it. I wouldn't buy one though. That had as much to do with some other things as well however, not JUST the pedaling weirdness.
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So, like a four bar but with better marketing?
I'm with Kidwoo on the 650b frame and 26" wheels, as long as it's not crazy low to begin with it will be fine, my hardtail is running like this with a ~12" High BB.
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Intense Carbines can be run as either a 26" or 650b.
Hey, you've got to love Knolly's offer: you get twice the pivots at the same price!
I've been thinking about 26" wheels on the new Transition Scout but think the BB will be to low. They do make the Suppressor in 26" but I'd like the shorter travel. 425mm CS on the Scout, 430mm on the Supressor and Patrol.
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i'm guessing that kevin's not necessarily a 26'er 4life kinda guy; just that developing new carbon frames for a micro shop such as his is a pretty significant expense / endeavour, and things just move very slowly at evil (the frame designs are what, 3 yrs old now?). more likely 26'er by circumstance, than by choice.
This
Obviously.
He rides a 29er and It takes them 3 years to make a sticker.
But they're not ceasing the 26" stuff and as far as I can tell he's still coming out with that insurgent thing. Still worshiping the rain soaked, molasses stickin ground he walks on.
And I greatly respect the side of the shop where GG makes their 26" bikes. (I'm assuming they don't let them touch and keep the 26" stuff clean and virginal)
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I have a Knolly Endorphin (26, 140mm, dbair), I didn't really know a ton about the brand, I just got a smokin' deal on a used one built up real nice. I don't really notice pedalling issues moreso than other similar bikes, but I'm not the most in tune with the finer nuances of different suspension designs. For what it's worth, I think it's a really fun 26 inch trail bike. I had a stumjumper evo 26 before, I'd say it pedals a bit more lively than that, and seems a lot stronger on really technical climbs. It doesn't pedal as well as the sb66's I've ridden though. I would ride any of those 3 frames.
You really have a ton of great options if you are going used though. I'm kind of on the fence about selling my bike just to unload it while its still worth something, but I'm not really certain what I'd get at this point. I've ridden some fun big-wheeled bikes, but I wouldn't say I'm completely sold on 29's, and 27.5 just seems like marketing bs to me. It's pretty annoying to see the 26 inch tire selection starting to thin, and everyone acting like it's not a relevant wheel size anymore.
I rode a 26" Mojo HD for years, spent a year on an alloy SB66, and now ride a Megatrail (specifically because it was one of the last 26" bikes being made). It's a great bike-poppy, fast, fun, tough as nails, and made by bunch a great group of guys. People write off single pivots but under power the Megatrail climbs nearly as well as the Mojo and Yeti with their fancy pants patented linkages. If you're looking for a new bike check out the Guerrilla Gravity guys. The SB66 was also a great bike let down by a need for frequent maintenance of the Switch bearing (at least out here in the muddy PNW), the crappy fox CTD rear shock, and a rear end that's not as stiff as the front end. If you buy a Yeti get the version with the carbon rear end and buy a CCDBa or send the Fox to Avalanche.
I love mine.
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Nah I've been seeing bike websites discuss this for the past two years now, it's really about choice. See you can CHOOSE the wheelsize that's best for you. As long as that wheelsize is the one they make which is 27.5. And in two years that 'choice' will be even easier in that one won't exist at all.
I blame the mtbr ilk as much as the equipment manufacturers for it. Half the world is following in step, consistently calling moving to those wheels an 'upgrade'.
Cuz you know, blowing 400 bucks on cranks that weigh 100 grams less makes sense, as does spending even more money for something heavier and weaker when it comes to wheels. 'Mountainbikers' suck.
I'm really liking my mojo hd w/ ccdba. And I've got a spare xl frame for sale. Along with a '12 enduro frame in lg.
The Enduro climbs pretty well, and is a great bike for whipping around tight switchbacks, but surprisingly the mojo (with slightly longer chainstays) manuals better, and not surprisingly, feels like someone is pushing you along when standing pedalling thru chunky stuff.
Along with a '12 enduro frame in lg. The Enduro climbs pretty well, and is a great bike for whipping around tight switchbacks, but surprisingly the mojo (with slightly longer chainstays) manuals better, and not surprisingly, feels like someone is pushing you along when standing pedalling thru chunky stuff.
It sucks, because I like my bike, but I feel the pressure to get a new one if I want to unload it while it has any so-called "value". No carbon, no big wheels, no care as far as everyone is concerned.
Ha ha. Yeah, we spray down the whole place with bleach after every batch of 650b. Those 26" frames are pure.
when the time comes the RM braintrust has enough contacts that we'll easily be able to source a container full of 26" wheels and tires from asia.