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Nice, light 4.5"-5" XC frames?

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James

James

Carbon Porn Star
Sep 11, 2001
3,559
0
Danbury, CT
I love my Trance, don't get me wrong, but the 7.5+ pound frame is just killing me. The Reign frame is only about .2lbs heavier, and 2" more travel.
Anyone have any suggestions for a nice trail frame that pedals well? Probably not interested in any single-pivot bikes.
I'd be running a Reba too, at 4" travel.

Rocky Mountain ETSX has been piquing my interest lately, scandium main frame, carbon rear...

JJames
 
B

Bikebro

Chimp
Apr 13, 2005
87
0
I'm looking for the same thing currently. Specialized seems to be adding weight to the fsr stumpjumpers this year with a women's small expert coming in at just under 30lbs. My 2005 120 stump in large with lower end cranks and heavy 2.2 ust tires weighed 28.5. We just got Intense as a line in my shop and a large 5.5 was 7lbs on the dot with a new rp23 shock. A bare(some bare finish) 6.6 with a dhx air is only .7lbs more. Mavericks and blur lt's don't seem to be any lighter. I'll have to grab a spider frame as the other ones we have are xtr builds.


Wonder what makes the Trance so heavy for a 4" bike. I've been looking at them alot lately.
 
greenchris

greenchris

Turbo Monkey
Jun 24, 2005
1,381
0
DA BEARS.
a guy i ride with owns a trance and is burlier than most xc bikes leading me to believe they are a lighter all mountain bike. although i have no first hand knowledge of many bikes out besides foes i read an article in the latest dirt rag about the giant xc race bike. i think its the anthem? seems to be really light and got a good review. Foes is coming out with a new light 4" air shock xc bike shown at interbike. I dont know how much info is out yet, but a phone call to foes would let ya know.
 
B

blue

boob hater
Jan 24, 2004
10,160
2
california
That Trance is really seven pounds? Wow, what a whale.

I think the ETSX is just a linkage actuated single pivot.

SC Blur XC, Intense Spider...Remember that GT IDXC I had at Sea Otter? Yeah, that's a light frame. Especially the carbon one, or maybe the five inch version.
 
loco-gringo

loco-gringo

Crusading Clamp Monkey
Sep 27, 2006
8,887
14
Deep in the heart of TEXAS
What about the Haro Sonics? I don't know about them, but the link intrigued me before.

edit - I am not sure what a 5" frame should weigh. It kind of goes beyond the true XC standard the industry made, so I don't really know.

I hate to mention Titus, but would a MotoLite fit the bill?
 
TreeSaw

TreeSaw

Mama Monkey
Oct 30, 2003
17,813
2,132
Dancin' over rocks n' roots!
I would think the Intense Spider, a SC Blur, Titus MotoLite or perhaps even a Turner Flux or FiveSpot (I think they're both under 6lbs frames).

The Yeti AS-R is a light bike, but it's just shy of 4" of travel. The Yeti 575 can be built up quite lightly if you go with the carbon frame (under 6 lbs). Even the aluminum frame is right about 6 lbs.

I know you said you probably weren't interested in single-pivot bikes, but the C-dale Rush is a nice bike and deserves a mention too.
 
Reactor

Reactor

Turbo Monkey
Apr 5, 2005
3,976
1
Chandler, AZ, USA
Titus Motolite can be run as 4 or 5", Racer-X is 4" but only about half a pound lighter. My wife has a racer-x and I've got the motolite and we both love them. Motolite is about 5-5.5# depending on size. Mine fully built is about 27.5 lbs (raceface Deus, x-9, avid juicy-7, carbon bars, x-max enduro w/ UST tubless) and I could get it a little further if I went ghetto tubless.
 
James

James

Carbon Porn Star
Sep 11, 2001
3,559
0
Danbury, CT
greenchris said:
a guy i ride with owns a trance and is burlier than most xc bikes leading me to believe they are a lighter all mountain bike. although i have no first hand knowledge of many bikes out besides foes i read an article in the latest dirt rag about the giant xc race bike. i think its the anthem? seems to be really light and got a good review. Foes is coming out with a new light 4" air shock xc bike shown at interbike. I dont know how much info is out yet, but a phone call to foes would let ya know.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I have an Anthem, which is nice, and I have a Reign (6" travel), I just want something decently light that can slot in between the two.
Blue, yeah, the Trance frame is like 7.3 or 7.5lbs for the frame and shock.
Honestly though, I did look at the Rush, it did appeals to me, maybe I could settle for a single-pivot, providing it rode decently well. My coworker has a Blur XC, and those are really nice.
Hmm, the I-Drive eh? I'll have to take another look @ that carbon version. Titus is probably a bit more than I am willing to spend probably.
I think the ETSX is similar to the Giant NRS in that it's a modified version of a Formula 1 suspension system. I'll have to dig a bit more into that bike too.
Thanks for the leads guys.

JJames
 
James

James

Carbon Porn Star
Sep 11, 2001
3,559
0
Danbury, CT
blue said:
Totally.

I think maybe the carbon IDXC would be too similar...the ID5 is a nice bike, and for 07 has greatly increased standover.
Click to expand...
Well, maybe not too much. The Anthem is a pretty steep bike, 72/74 angles, and honestly if I could get something with a bit more travel in nice and light, I might be able to lose the Anthem.
I have always liked the new iDrives. I'll have to drop Pacific a line...
 
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