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New XC hartail?

Back Woods

Back Woods

Chimp
May 15, 2002
29
0
England... For now!
Looking for a new hartail for general XC use, nothing too fancy, can stand up to a agressive rider. I'm looking at the Airborne Liberator, and Santa Cruz Chameleon, maybe a Rocky Mtn blizzard, steel, alum, whatever, any other suggestions would be awesome. Thanks
 
scrublover

scrublover

Turbo Monkey
Sep 1, 2004
3,146
6,851
Social Misfit said:
Looking for a new hartail for general XC use, nothing too fancy, can stand up to a agressive rider. I'm looking at the Airborne Liberator, and Santa Cruz Chameleon, maybe a Rocky Mtn blizzard, steel, alum, whatever, any other suggestions would be awesome. Thanks
Click to expand...

man, that's a wide open category. how about some more definition of what you want?

how big are you? how much front suspension would you like to use? something to do some small/moderate drops on, or just fast riding? you looking to get a frame and build it up, or a complete bike?
most importantly what's your budget?

i'm a steel fan myself, but whatever floats your boat, right? i'll throw a plug for my hardtail maker.

www.peytocycles.com i've got the wild bill model, and it works wonderfully well as a do it all hardtail.
 
jacksonpt

jacksonpt

Turbo Monkey
Jul 22, 2002
6,791
59
Vestal, NY
Yea... almost any non-race bike will fit your needs, and some race bikes. How about a price range perhaps?

Some of my favorites...
- Kona Explosif
- Jamis Exile
- Cove Handjob
- Cove Hummer XC (*drool* titanium)
 
Back Woods

Back Woods

Chimp
May 15, 2002
29
0
England... For now!
i guess i shoulda said, i'm 6' a little over 200lbs, i'm just looking for something i can ride xc, but is kinda burly, about a 100mm fork, V brakes, and what not, been looking around, saw a Banshee Scirocco that i kinda liked, just lookin for input is all, thanks
 
Pau11y

Pau11y

Turbo Monkey
Oct 20, 2004
1,968
0
In a web in the corner of your room
How about this thing, Cove Handjob, full XTR, '01 Z2 Atom 80 (just back from Zokes), carbon FSA cranks, bars, and seatpost, Time carbons, Ti FSA ISIS. Handbuilt Hayes/Huge w/ DT 4.1D, 3x, 2.0x1.8/2.0 w/ alloy nips, and Avid mechs for brakes. Around 22# for a Nivachrom frame. Soooo forgiving...
BTW, I'm 180#, 6ft w/ 33" inseam, and longish torsol. It's a really good aggro XC fit. Definitely a west coast config, not well suited for east coast tight woods.


 
MikeD

MikeD

Leader and Demogogue of the Ridemonkey Satinists
Oct 26, 2001
11,735
1,819
chez moi
Hey, I'm a Dh guy who wanted an XC hardtail... I got a Mountain Cycle Rumble, just because they were cheap ($350 at Greenfish.) Wanted something that wouldn't feel sketchy or flexy when I pushed hard, but also wouldn't kill me going up.

Set it up with (wide)flat bars, 135mm stem, barends, layback post, and a Fox TALAS, and a triple chainring with a Heim guide, and it was great. Once I started taking it on tighter singletrack, instead of just riding for fitness on dirt roads, I dropped to a 100mm stem and ditched the barends, and it was even better. Just put an Evil DRS on with a 22/36 chainring combo, too...Heim wasn't doing it for me, and the big ring really was a liability in aggressive riding.

With the TALAS, it's nice to lower/steepen the front end for climbs. I probably go from a 70.5 or so HA at minimum travel to a 69 or so at max.

So, any frame like this would be good...Banshee Scirocco, as you mentioned, Cove Handjob or Stiffee FR, Mountain Cycle, Kona Hoss, or, if you want something really sweet...Evil Sovereign. I have a Sovereign on reserve, myself, but due to production delays will probably have to pass on it.

MD
 
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