[Closed] Best hardtail frame for DH type riding?

any that takes some solid forks and a big back tyre, just take your pick.

NS Surge
Dialled Alpine
Evil Sov
Or another sub zero of course?

I'd say...

dialled alpine

Bfe no good? I've always been a big fan of them*, seem to cover a lot of bases.

*don't own one and not a massive Cotic fan, just like that model.

thought about a 18'' bfe, cant find a sub zero anywhere.
all the others will be looked at.
cheers

One of these? [url= http://www.btr-fabrications.com/ ]BTR Fabrication DH HT[/url]

Ragley Bagger or Troof.

A hardtail frame that's actually designed to have a big fork on it instead of being able to take a big fork... what this means is that with a big fork the angles work and the bottom bracket remains reasonably low.

[img] [/img]

I like mine rather a lot... 63deg headangle slack enough for you???

(and yes I know from bitter experience it needs a proper chain guide 😉 )

ton, I'm a massive BFE fan, you cannot go wrong. But I recently bought a cheap Saracen Zen alu hardtail complete to act as a donor to build up a BFe or similar. So far I havent bothered to make the change from the Alu fram to a nebulosu BFe as its been so good. See my [url= http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/saracen-zen-mini-review-if-you-are-interested ]Saracen Zen first impressions here.[/url]

You can still get 2011's in large (I assume you need large) for about 600 ish. A bargain and so far lots of fun in the bumpy stuff.

Cove Stiffee?

Depends on your budget but a few i'd also look at are..
Stanton Slackline
DMR EX(alt)

Ive got a Kingdom Foia which is amazing but probably out of your price range..

Here you go [url= http://www.singletrackbikes.co.uk/m1b0s2p12890/SARACEN_Zen_2_2011 ]singletrackbikes.co.uk[/url] has 19 inch and 21 inch complete bikes for 599. This is the 2nd cheap bike I've had off Dave at Singletrackbikes nice guy to deal with, despite being at the other end of the world from me (Midlothian>Devon).

Ive got a Kingdom Foia which is amazing but probably out of your price range..

[img] [/img]

Do you mean Downhilling or riding down hills?

toys19, thanks for the heads up mate.

'Coffee drenched monitor'...Nice one Flying Ox!!! 😆

Shinsplints is selling a large Zen frame in the classifieds (nice guy to buy from).

I have been riding one of these recently and have been very impressed, it's very playful and confident in the air. Goes well with a 150mm fork (BB height feeling quite normal) so a 36 should be alright too I'd guess.

Chromag stylus? I love the chromag stuff.

Think John @ shorelines still does them;
[url= http://www.shore-lines.co.uk/chromagstylus.html ]linky[/url]
If so he's a top bloke to deal with, bought my xprezo off him.

That Saracen is bargain-tastic! But you'd have to check if the rest of the components (wheels/tyres etc) are up to the job of some dh abuse.

Do you want it for pure DH/uplift days etc or just a playing about bike?

😀

TBH I found the 140mm fork to be fine in the rough stuff. The only issue is that it really benefited from a dna moco for better compression damping, which is about 70 quid from loco. Also you might need a stronger spring that standard. Again Loco is yer man. If not then TF had them, despite showing out of stock, so call them, they also do the moco's.

gonna be built up purely for uplift stuff.

I've been running a CHumba HX1 with 150 forks and think it is great, fits Maxxis advantage 2.4 in the back as well and that is a huge tyre which takes some of the sting out. Great tyre actually.

EDIT: Plenty cheap at Progressive at the mo too!!

Evil Imperial if you can fine one 2nd hand. You can put any fork you like on them including Super Monster T's if you wished.

That Saracen is bargain-tastic! But you'd have to check if the rest of the components (wheels/tyres etc) are up to the job of some dh abuse.

This was my worry, but for the price I figured I'd see how the wheels go, and so far they have been fine. I'm only a 90kg baby elephant with nothing like Ton's magnificence so he might find that the wheels will be less capable of supporting his pure awesomeness..

I have a Cove Stiffee which is pretty DH orientated. It's a solid bike so it will take the abuse.

One advantage worth considering is that it comes in plenty of sizes so hopefully you'll be able to get a decent fit.

i thought about a stiffee too. i have had 2 in the past, but found them very harsh, but that was using them as a trail bike.

A DMR Exalt yesterday...

[img] [/img]

Ragley Bagger or Troof.

The Bagger/Troof make everything else quoted look like super fast twitchy XC bikes.

I can't work out if I'm biased or not, but damn, they're lovely frames. Shame I only rode a Bagger once.

but found them very harsh, but that was using them as a trail bike.

I think any hardcore hardtail is going to feel harsh.. The BFe was stiffer than a very stiff thing, the zen is not quite a stiff. I've had a 456 and an Orange P7 and they also felt harsh..

Brant, even if nobody else understands the Bagger and Troof frames I'm very glad you designed them and got them built 8)

Niche!

The Bagger/Troof make everything else quoted look like super fast twitchy XC bikes

Apart from the BTR Belter!

[img] [/img]

Apart from the BTR Belter!

Wow! First time I've seen that and it looks very interesting 8)

2008 18 Sub Zero on the classifieds?

[url= http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/orange-sub-zero-2008-18-inch-frame ]Link. [/url]

Ton - just emailed you about a Sub Zero frame that I think is up for grabs.

I had a Cove Stiffee for a while and that always felt pretty good downhill. I did a FOD Mini DH race on it and it coped pretty well with 140mm forks.

Any Aluminium frame built with a freeride ethos is going to feel harsh I would have thought. So I just accepted that's the way it is.

Nobody mentioned a Chameleon yet? They're bloody great fun!! You can stick owt on the front of those things and they'll still feel brilliant!!

Trailstar is the standard choice!

I find the latest incarnation of Chumba HX1 to be surprisingly compliant, very impressive ride quality.

What about the new BTR frame set pure downhill machine ?? There was a small piece in dirt this month on them.
Bats.

Ragley Bagger 288 for sure, everything else is not designed around longer forks, just strong enough to take them but the Bagger and Troofs are....

*SHOUTS* cos a few people have already mentioned it, but it doesn't seem to be getting through!

BTR BELTER

Purpose designed DH hard tail

[img] [/img]

http://www.btr-fabrications.com/index.php/products

I'd normally be recommending an Evil Sovereign at this point, but I love mine for its steepish head angle - it's DH capable, but you'd be better served elsewhere. Dialled Alpine is more downhill-y but if you're getting something purely for going down then the likes of a Bagger/ Troof has to be a sensible(!) option.

Of course you could get something outrageous like an Evil Imperial or Nicolai 2MXTB;
[img] [/img]

Although I would really question the use of a HT for pure DH. I love hardtails, and I love downhillng on mine but a suspension bike is definitely the better tool for the job in the vast majority of circumstances.

Head angles mean **** all. Trailstars have a 70 degree head angle when sagged and they're a beast of a frame.

Head angles mean **** all. Trailstars have a 70 degree head angle when sagged and they're a beast of a frame.

2+2=5? 😉

Head angles mean **** all.

That's not actually technically accurate, is it? I know as I've got the facial scarring to prove it

For true DH frames, you ought to be looking at Alpines, Troofs, etc. As others said I wouldn't just get a frame that can get a long fork, I would get one that was designed purely for descending, rather than a do-it-all which can take a long fork.

Why not a full sus though if its just for uplifts? Southerndownhill has some amazing deals every now and then and you will end up with a much better bike for purely DH riding.

[img] [/img]

That's not actually technically accurate, is it? I know as I've got the facial scarring to prove it

Probably not but reading things on here and in mags there always seems to be a focus on getting things as slack low and long as possible/make the bike as dull as possible to ride.

What is that?
It looks fairly chunky 🙂

Probably not but reading things on here and in mags there always seems to be a focus on getting things as slack low and long as possible/make the bike as dull as possible to ride.

It's only dull if it isn't steep enough and/or rough enough and/or you aren't riding fast enough!

Much as I'm a hardtail fan, I'd use a full-sus if buying a bike for DH and it would something pretty DH focused (unsurprisingly!) maybe even an actual DH bike.

Ton,

If you want to run long travel forks and use it for dh only then the only frames worth considering are those designed around long travel forks - i.e. those Ragleys.

You'll find people recommending these "ardcore hardtails" like Cotics/Stantons/Chamleleons/Evils etc. but the truth is, they arent designed around long travel forks, and in fact ride much better with shorter forks. Theres the truth.

I had a Dialled Alpine, that was goodun.

thanks for all the idea's guy's.

the ragleys do look like a fave so far.....price is always a factor.
and the btr looks lovely.

Chromag Aperture or Stylus might be worth a look. Think shorelines have the Aperture frames discounted at the moment.

ton - www.darksidezoo.com

Production privee Shan looks good. North west mountain bikes at cheadle had one being built up for a customer last month . It was the limited edition yellow and blue version. Looks good with dh geometry. Price wise more than the cotics etc but about 100 euros less than the btr belter.

Wow I just found [url= http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/fs-dialled-alpine-mk1-1723-and-marzocchi-all-mountain-sl-2006-forks ]this Lovely 823 Dialled Alpine [/url]frame in the classifieds.
Still available, framesavered, mint condition...
I bet you can make the seller an offer 😉

+1 here for the Evil Sovereign
Possibly the best hardtail I've owned. And I've had a few
Plus you can run it ss with the sliding dropouts

does anyone know where i can get a dialled alpine. they are pretty ****ing awsome

I always thought the Duncon Cock was the gnarrest HT frame until I saw that Nicolai.

No idea but I do like this Vid of a guy in whistler with his Chromag gypsy

No idea but I do like this Vid of a guy in whistler with his Chromag gypsy

edit oh poo. repost instead of edit fail

I like my Sovereign, but in no way is it a DH hardtail.

May as well wheel out the 2MXTB pic...

[IMG] [/IMG]

First choice would be a belter (even though burf still hasn't bloody let me ride it!) as I've seen how fast it is possible to go on a DH hardtail.

Second would be a ragely. As DTF has said, no point getting a frame that can take a 160 fork if the bb is stupidly high and it handles like a bag of shite.

.243 racing used to do a DH hardtail, remember seing one with 888's flying down the bike park in whistler.

[img] [/img]

although they don't seem to be making anything other than custom these days.

That dark side looks like it was made by the A team, dialled alpine is a beauty.

Ton, the answer is a DMR exalt mate. completely solid DH tank. Oh,and a set of coil 66's. Don't get a BFe.... ask RobHilton for more details!! 8)

I've this for sale

[url= http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/fs-16-ragley-bagger-288-mmmbop-lime-inc-hope-headset ]My Bagger 288[/url]

that Darkside War looks amazing. might have to sell the norco and get me one

^ Too right! Looney bike for doing looney stuff on. I'd be in hospital double quick if I had one

just looked at the darkside frame, did not notice it when i 1st posted this thread.
looks fantastic, fitted with a set of 180mm forks and some 200mm rotors, it would be pretty ideal for a big un........... 8)

Did you notice the [url= http://www.darksidezoo.com/en/grinder.html ]grinder[/url] takes forks 130 - 200mm 😯 ❗ ❓ and is for "mad people who don´t care about anything."

Also liked the Apocalypse - for Hardcore/Brainless riding

A DMR Exalt yesterday...

I had one in truth it was toss really, should have stuck with my Trailstar really...

Quite like my 456SS now but that's more a trail/all rounder type HT with a nod towards DH use IMO...

But if its a dedicated DH HT Its got to be the BTR for the win, Paul Burford is quite handy on a bike, I'd certainly look pretty seriously at any bike he was involved in designing/building...

chainreaction are selling either the Ragley Troof or Bagger at a great price atm

nick

Ton Ive had a Trailstar and an Exalt, both great but for DH stuff the Exalt is longer, slacker, much chunkier, far better suited to the larger rider. 8)
Had an Dialled Alpine too. Sold it. Shouldn't have.

I am surprised that nobody has mentioned the 24Seven LeToy yet. I've yet to ride a stiffer frame that's more bulletproof. Beautiful machine, comes with a warranty that'll cover SuperMonsters and I'm pretty certain they'll fit Gazzidodi's 3.0in tires.

chainreaction are selling either the Ragley Troof or Bagger at a great price atm

Troof frames are currently £175 on CRC... ****in bargain!

[img] [/img]

Just ordered one at that price, Bargain!

Just bought one too!

[img] [/img]

At last mine has a proper chainguide that "should" stop the chain coming off 🙄

Don't get a BFe.... ask RobHilton for more details!!

What's wrong with a BFe? 😯

Messiah, is the welding around the ISCG tabs a bit "agricultural" on your Troof? Mine has the look of something that I'm sure functions well but it looks a bit naff.