[Closed] Hardcore Hardtail

How hardcore? If you're talking 'fast in rough terrain' and I were building one I'd be looking at the new trek stache with normal 29er wheels and 140mm forks. Crazy short chainstays, massive tyre clearance and tensioner if you want to make it really hardcore and go single speed. And if you got bored of that you could turn it back to a 29er plus for more of an all-rounder.

Funnily enough, this is more or less what considering for my next bike.

Also tried a number ros9 a friend had on demo which was good fun. Less versatile though.

PP shan

2001 Kona Scab

Evil Imperial FTW!

On one 45650b.

Dialled Bikes Holeshot or Alpine.

Always was and forever will be, Santa Cruz Chameleon

[url= http://www.dialledbikes.com/products/mtb/alpine.php ]Yep, the Alpine's well worth a look[/url]

BFe 275 on sale now, love my 26 version

I consider my honzo in that category. It's a monster that's fun to ride normally but really, really, really likes being taken by the scruff of the neck and hurled at stuff.

I'm rebuilding my Honzo with 140 forks and an offset headset. It's a total beast.

More traditionally you'd be looking at something from DMR.

Bird Zero.
Nuke Proof Scout.
Last Fast Forward.
Chromag....all of them.

Santa Cruz chameleon
Also Orange crush, I have a 2015 crush and it's mental, 140mm, 27.5

Canfield ? EPO, or Yelli Sceamy.
Both 29er.
I'm seriously considering them.
Sadly I will shortly have a garage roof to pay for, so might end up at n for a while longer.

BTR ranger looks a lot of fun

another vote for PP shan. amazing bike.

Any Stanton

I'd recommend you check out the Last Fast Forward

is a hardcore hardtail a bit like a gravel bike?

dartmoor hornet or bird am

That PP Shan looks the dogs bollox ! tempted to bin my spesh enduro for one of those !

26 inch Ragley.

There has been a bit of a sudden influx of hardcore 29ers so you kind of need to pick a wheelsize. Historically everyone would have gone for 26 but the 29ers are very capable these days

Jones Plus?

I have a Banshee Paradox 29 but have just bought a PP Shan...not built yet though....still musing fork and build options 🙂

I like the look of the Yelli Screamy.

Santacruz Chameleon is the only answer to this. Anything else in a cheap imposter.

I think the DMR trailstar might like to question that last statement.

Kingdom vendetta, still lovin' mine

The DMR trailstar is horrible. I don't care how it rides I couldn't bring myself to even try one. It looks like the top tube has melted. The dropouts and brake mount look like an afterthought or have been designed by a blind person.

Evil Imperial FTW!

Lol.

My Sovereign is still pretty hardcore, on it's tiny wheels, with its straight steerer tube.

There are a couple of chromo Sunn Tzars (26", straight steerer) for sale on pinkbike 😀

The new Trailstar looks awful but the original (and the Exalt, I should never have sold the one I had 🙁 ) are lovely things of lovelyness.

Love my Switchback - it's very capable for a hardtail and is a hoot to ride.

My previous Slackline was great fun too an fun on the local DH tracks (sucked on climbs though because it was too small).

andysredmini -The [u][b]NEW[/b][/u] DMR trailstar is horrible. I don't care how it rides I couldn't bring myself to even try one. It looks like the top tube has melted. The dropouts and brake mount look like an afterthought or have been designed by a blind person.

Fixed that for you, the old one is pure classic

Bird Zero AM.

nobody's mentioned the Liteville yet!

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I'd def want 29in wheels as they're capable of so much more, and the bikes can still be great fun to ride.

Genesis High Latitude looks cool - also Kona Honzo (al or ti) and that Last FF if you wanna get more radical.

I agree the old one was nice in its day. A friend had one, Another friend had a chameleon and I have a cove stiffee. We spent many happy hours riding round looking for things to jump off copying the hucking videos of the time.

Slight intrusion albeit a good one!

I will be advertising a new (7mile blue run old) Surly Instigator 2.0 complete very soon as 4 I cannot justify.
It is with sadness I will be selling as could tell from it's initial ride that it is FUN!

Post your email up if you want pics and info.
🙂

2 souls quarter horse looks great to

Allow me!

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It's possibly a bit steep compared the the very latest bikes in the genre.

Interesting that so many suggestions are for 29ers.

Its not long ago that they either didn't exist or you'd be laughed at for even suggesting the concept.

No way would I want a 29er for the kind of fun riding a proper hardcore hardtail is intended for. Without wanting to start another wheelsize debate but every 29er I have tried has been far from fun. Probably very good for pure speed on xc type stuff but far from fun when it gets tight twisty and jumpy.

andysredmini - Member
No way would I want a 29er for the kind of fun riding a proper hardcore hardtail is intended for. Without wanting to start another wheelsize debate but every 29er I have tried has been far from fun. Probably very good for pure speed on xc type stuff but far from fun when it gets tight twisty and jumpy.

I might have agreed with you last week

As mentioned, any stanton. All of the stantons. Get a stanton.

every 29er I have tried has been far from fun

Tell us which ones you've tried.

My 29er (Process 111) is probably the most fun bike I've ridden.

Honourablegeorge. Given your recent acquisition, I find your lack of hyperbole disturbing.

andysredmini - Member
No way would I want a 29er for the kind of fun riding a proper hardcore hardtail is intended for. Without wanting to start another wheelsize debate but every 29er I have tried has been far from fun. Probably very good for pure speed on xc type stuff but far from fun when it gets tight twisty and jumpy.

My Alpine Five is the most fun bike I've ever owned. It certainly has dealt with twisty and jumpy fine, including the Megavalanche last year.

Scienceofficer - Member
Honourablegeorge. Given your recent acquisition, I find your lack of hyperbole disturbing.

I'm still in new bike honeymoon, and only really had a spin and a half, so reserving judgement a little.... but the thing is bloody ace.

andysredmini - No way would I want a 29er for the kind of fun riding a proper hardcore hardtail is intended for.

Its not the bike its the rider.

With the right mindset and skill you could have a hardcore Shopper.

29ers fit me better so I end up riding better.

2001 Kona Scab

Ha .. the poor man's Dekerf Implant. I had a Scab for a while. Should've kept it, would be a great round-town razzer now.

andysredmini - Member

Without wanting to start another wheelsize debate but every 29er I have tried has been far from fun.

Bigwig and Nukeproof Scout are tons of fun So are my 2 big full sussers, Trailfox and Remedy. Big bikes but still agile and tailwaggy.

But I dunno... 29er wheels add capability but one of the things I liked about my Ragley was its limitation, I feel a bit like a 29er hardcore hardtail gets a little bit away from what I like most about them. Not because tehy're bad but maybe because they're good.

Northwind - Member

But I dunno... 29er wheels add capability but one of the things I liked about my Ragley was its limitation, I feel a bit like a 29er hardcore hardtail gets a little bit away from what I like most about them. Not because tehy're bad but maybe because they're good.

Have you ever been accused of overthinking things, NW?

Definitely not a 29er for me. I still hark back to the fact I rarely saw them in Surrey Hills and most certainly not in the Alps. Around flat xc territory yes.

EDIT: apologies for getting sucked into a wheel sized debate. I honestly thought 29 was dead and it was all 275 as the industry is just too embarrassed to go back to 26

But I dunno... 29er wheels add capability but one of the things I liked about my Ragley was its limitation, I feel a bit like a 29er hardcore hardtail gets a little bit away from what I like most about them. Not because tehy're bad but maybe because they're good.

😕 🙄 😉

I kind of get what NW is saying, there is one hill near me that I used to let go of the brakes and hold on, now on the hardcore 29er I have to be on the brakes as it frightens the crap out of me how fast its going, or more to the point it frightens the crap out of me how fast I'll hit the ground when it goes wrong.

jambalaya - I honestly thought 29 was dead

Dialled Alpine. Such a fabulous wee bike.

Is anyone using a 27+ as a hardcore hardtail? I´ve been getting a bit hardcore on my Orbea Loki recently and have done tens of thousands of meters of uplifted Pyrenees descending in the last few weeks. I´m really, really loving it and it´s amazingly capable.

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As mentioned, any [s]stanton[/s] Chromag. All of the [s]stantons[/s]Chromags. Get a [s]stanton[/s] Chromag.

Fixed that for you...

As for 29ers...

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That Chromag is a 6.5lb frame!

Get bigger legs

That Chromag is a 6.5lb frame!

What's your point caller?

You're confusing dead with not being pushed as the next big thing

2017, I reckon.

Chromags don't usually float my boat, but that Primer looks lovely.

It'd be heavier than my full susser!

I like a good hardcore hardtail, but part of the appeal for is that it's a bit lighter and chuckable than a FS.

That Chromag is a 6.5lb frame!

Your 2 souls does not look light, did you weigh the frame?

Nicolai argon
PB's Pyro's Swarf

Yeah. The chromag has nearly a pound on it. QH build is 29lbs.

honourablegeorge - Member

Have you ever been accused of overthinking things, NW?

Brain as big as mine, it's hard not to 😆 It's true though, often I'd ride my hardtail because it was less good than my full suss. Same reason I now ride my fatbike where I used to ride my hardtail. It had other advantages as well mind but that was always a biggie.

Northwind - Member

Brain as big as mine, it's hard not to It's true though, often I'd ride my hardtail because it was less good than my full suss. Same reason I now ride my fatbike where I used to ride my hardtail. It had other advantages as well mind but that was always a biggie.

I know what you mean...I think I like the variety too, and the buzz of hitting something on my hardtail that I was a bit nervous doing on the DH bike in the past

doug_basqueMTB.com - Member
Is anyone using a 27+ as a hardcore hardtail? I´ve been getting a bit hardcore on my Orbea Loki recently and have done tens of thousands of meters of uplifted Pyrenees descending in the last few weeks. I´m really, really loving it and it´s amazingly capable.

Doubt I'm "hardcore" in the sense that you are... but starting out on plus and it's great fun. I do have a longstanding ambition to visit you and do your backcountry trip... when funds/mates/wife are all in agreement.
When's the best time of year (next year, probably) for that trip?

The older (straight top tube) Chromag Stylus is lovely.

[list]Just an hour ago i bought an On One 456 Evo 2 raw frame with a few extras. The 26er will never die for hardtailing! 🙂

Plaid shirt and cut offs FTW! 😉

First ride out on my Mk II Ti Switchback.

Happy choppy so far.

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The new yoke massively improves tyre clearance and looks great.

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Honorablegeorge I don't want to disrupt this great thread by hawking my wares! Drop me a mail.

I've always wanted a Chromag since I saw gordymac from here's one. The Loki is the first non xc hardtail
I've ever owned though.

Is anyone using a 27+ as a hardcore hardtail? I´ve been getting a bit hardcore on my Orbea Loki recently and have done tens of thousands of meters of uplifted Pyrenees descending in the last few weeks. I´m really, really loving it and it´s amazingly capable.

I've just built a Sonder Transmitter - the Alpkit bike - with 650B+ or whatever it is. Still getting used to it, but it's brilliant over rocks and rubble even with 'just' 120mm up front. Loads of roll over, loads of grip, super confident feel. It's amazing for holding speed over uneven ground - the frame's proper slack and composed and a bit Ragley-esque.

I don't know if it's a 'hardcore hardtail', or what 'hardcore' is precisely, I think Alpkit call it a 'trail hardtail', but t has definite leanings that way...

Picked up my new Orange P7 frame today, new long and slack geo and bolt through rear end. Just waiting on the oil to service/lower my Pikes then it's all systems go! 😛

Mondraker Vantage??

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At least you don't have to look at it when you're riding it...... 😆

Looks like a lot of bike for the money too.

I have an original Chromag stylus that I used to run with a Hammerschmidt and it was/is a lovely ride.