I'm considering picking one of these as my next purchase. Which of the above would you recommend to buy and which is your least favourite?
Also have I missed any alternatives?
Sorry for yet another 'which bike thread' but I'm keen to get one soon and have some fun.
On One 456 is missing.
Had a Blue Pig Mk1 - good bike, can be built quite 'hardcore' if required.
Had a handjob too - older sort with 100mm geometry - didn't really like - seemed overly heavy.
Had a 456 - nice cheap option...
Not sure of rest.
Will be having a Blue Pig mk1 for sale shortly in a 20" flavour when I can free the seatpost 😉
Didn't get on with the handjob.
Love the Soul
Can't comment about any of the rest...
[url= http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/soul-v-c456 ]Have you also seen this?[/url]
That C456 frame looks really good. I've always thought of carbon as being really stiff.
I had a simmilar choice a year ago - however i was looking for a steel frame with some specific requirements.
What travel fork are you think of using? some of those you sugested are 100-120mm frames and a couple are, or can be, 120+
What sort of riding - trail centre, XC race, general XC or mixture?
Is sizing an issue 16,17,18,19 etc?
I was looking for frame that would take a 100mm travel fork in a 16" but at 5'10" i wanted a reletivly long toptube for xc riding and climbing paired with the lower standover of the smaller frame. Anyway after 2-3 months of looking at the frames in the bike shops talkingh to the staff, forums, and web searching, this was the conclusion i came to..
Cotic Soul - great frames, great finish, also a bit expensive compared to similar frames. Common around my way (Bristol) but it was a high contender on my list.
Ragley B/Pig - great on paper - but there are now reposts of poor finish and quality control issues.
Cove H/Job - not much frame for the cash also it has a suprisingly short top tube compared to the other options so watch your sizing (best try before you buy if you decide on this one).
Dialled PA - cant comment as its a bit hard core for me.
Pace104 - amazingly nice but expensive (would be my 1st choice if i'd had the cash).
Others to concider.
Pipedream Sirius - this was 2nd on my list as its cheaper than the Cotic, but it still got pipped at the post. Great looking bikes, part 853 build etc, they get great reviews and have a good following.
Singluar Hummingbird (what i went for) - i went for this specificaly because the geo matched what i was looking for, its traditionaly a 69r (29" front wheel) but can also be used with a 26" 100mm travel fork. Its got a great finish and can be run as a ss or internal hub gear (which i now do) as it has an EBB.
ive got a mk1 blue pig and its fantastic. makes me smile everytime i ride it, even if its a relatively genle ride. i have heard various quality control issues on the mk2 so id be a bit more wary buying one of those but my mk1 has never put a foot wrong. maybe a tad heavy, but i dont have the money to fuss over weight, good thing im fit enough to cope 😛
Had a Dialled PA for a couple of years. Loved it - ran it 9 speed with Pikes and used it for long days in the saddle around Surrey Hills, DH runs at Aston Hill, uplift days at Inners and a week of chairlifts in the Alps.
Fantastic bike. Sold it in the end after building up a full suss. If I was after another hardtail it would be one of these.
I took ages to decided and ended up going for my original choice of a cotic soul. Built it fairly tough but single ring up front with an e13 chain guide. Very nice to ride.
Pics -
http://www.bikeandbivi.co.uk/php/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=48&p=503#p503
This I why I love forums, especially this one. Thanks for the replys. I love the look of that singular hummingbird.
I'm looking for a hardtail that will be comfy for long days in the saddle, be happy banging around the streets as it is along singletrack, across fields, gravel roads etc. Not going to be doing any technical downhill, trail centres etc. I just want a fun bike that is happy to just do a bit of general (mild off roading) or pootling along on bike rides with the wife.
I have a Spesh Epic Comp that will either be used as a parts donor for a new frame or a sale to fund a complete bike purchase.
Had a 456, good for ploughing through stuff and cheap. Have a Soul now - love it. Reaaly like the look of the Morris Blue Pace. Hate the look of the Ragley - reminds me of agricultural machinery.
Genesis alpitude? Looks a nice steel frame.
I considered a lot of the same frames. I found the Soul bit steep and ended up with a Handjob. I usually ride a small, but I got a 17.5 hj, so it's a decent length and still has plenty of standover
. It's cracking fun - I'd wholeheartedly recommend it.
I considered a lot of the same frames. I found the Soul bit steep and ended up with a Handjob. I usually ride a small, but I got a 17.5 hj, so it's a decent length and still has plenty of standover
. It's cracking fun - I'd wholeheartedly recommend it.
There are loads of good steel hardtail frames to be had and you'd probably be pleased with many of them, the hard bit is narrowing them down to a single one. Budget might be one constaint, you can start around the £150 mark and go up to close to a grand.
I really like my Pipedream Sirius, it's a great 853 frame (not quite sure what MonkeyBoy means by part 853 build, perhaps that it's a standard 853 front triangle like the Cotic with a standard steel rear triangle). I've enjoyed my steel Inbreds too (an option if you don't want to go as beefy as a 456).
If I was buying again I'd still be considering a Pipedream Sirius or Scion but would also probably have a Genesis Latitue (old Altitude) and a Singular Hummingbird on the list (the Pace looks lovely but would probably be out of my price range, they've got a new 853 29er too).
Whatever you go for, enjoy it!
I really like my Pipedream Sirius, it's a great 853 frame (not quite sure what MonkeyBoy means by part 853 build, perhaps that it's a standard 853 front triangle like the Cotic with a standard steel rear triangle).
yep exactly that - its not a full 853 frame,the rear triangle, like you say is true temper (i think).
I love the look of that singular hummingbird.
well they are great frames (just got back from an early evening / pitch black night ride on mine...) Just watch the sizing, especially if running a standard 100mm fork - if you'd normally ride a 18" go for a 16" hummingbird as the top tube length is the equivelent of an 18's. I'm 5'10" so I traditionally would take around the 17-19" frame size, however i have my 16" hummingbird set up with a shortish 70mm stem which gives me the equivelent of an 18" frame. You can email Sam at Singular, hes very helpful, if you want some advise - i didnt need the supplied forks with mine so he did a frame only discount etc.
They are also very versatile with the EBB as i previously said - heavy though as a result, i think i weighed my bare farme as 5.75lbs when it first arrived.
Missing from your list is the Carbon 456... Many of the benefits of steel, without the weight penalty. Mine isn't quite my perfect bike so far but I'm still very impressed with it. Got some tweaking to do.
Soul is a lovely, lovely bike, fantastic allrounder and not too much weight penalty from the steel. And beautifully made too. A perfect 10 really, I sold mine as I didn't really want an allrounder any more but I don't think I ever had a bad ride on it. Wouldn't say no to another.
Geometry of the Blue Pig is superb but there's a lot of metal in them and it shows.