[Closed] I find myself pondering a 456 Evo

That deal doesn't strike me as great value - a Sektor RL "normally" priced at £450?

It's £299 on the site and available chepaer elsewhere.

http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/FORSSEKRL15/rockshox_sektor_rl_150mm_solo_air

Stem "normally" £39.99 is £29.99 on the site

http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/STEGCO/el_guapo_corto_stem

The bundle isn't really saving anything.

The answer to your question 'what are they for?' is as follows IMO.

Real-world UK mountain bike riding. I.e. ragging around the local woods twice a week (once at night) with bigger away days every few weeks. Not a 'balls on the stem' XC climber, nor a dual crown downhill bulldozer. I would say it is definitely on the 'hardcore' side of XC. A bike for people who regard climbing as 'the bit that's good for you' rather than the be all and end all. A bike for people who like to be 'involved' when descending.

I absolutely love mine (evo 2). It is heavier than my old (broken) alu frame, but noticeably more compliant. I am no mountain goat, so I really don't mind sitting and twiddling up climbs. It is a bike that needs taking by the horns a bit, you don't get that much out of riding it downhill comfortably if you get my meaning, the slack head angle and long 'body' means it is very stable, so it really encourages you to go for it.

In short, I would say they are really fun, and that's what it's meant to be about. One thing to note is that the evo2 doesn't have the big central pipe connecting the seatstays to the seat tube. Reviews of the original evo suggest that it is uber-rigid in the rear triangle. I have found the evo2 noticeably more compliant than an alu frame, though.

Hope you make the right decision!

Is this allowed? 😉

http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/fs-ragley-blue-pig-with-reverb-reduced-1

Sounds ideal but I fear honourablegeorge might be right about the bargain value of that bundle. But you know when you're just sick of looking and you want to buy something?!

Any pictures then? I want to know if a 20" looks like a famers gate or not.

I particularly like the tiny 35mm stem that comes with it. Can I assume the jommetry is pretty long in the top tube to allow for it?

I'm 6'2" and don't want to be hunched up on it.

EDIT: Blue Pig sounds great but 16 inch!

BYW - no issue with the frame itself - but I'd be buying the frame only and choosing my own bits at that price.

I'm 6ft and have a large 456 evo, the first hard tail I have ever enjoyed. It's pretty nimble, good on the climbs and not too much of a bone shaker. I sold it and bought the fireline 29er ti but realized I missed the 456 evo so I bought it back. I now have both if you want to try them pm me. I'm not sure if I will keep both in the long run but can't bear to think of getting rid of either

Seems like an ideal opportunity to post a couple more pics of mine (16" rather than 20"), although I bought the frame separately and have built is up with my own parts... Mines definatly built more for descending, and I'm now running 2.4" Big Betty's...

[img] [/img]

[img] [/img]

Both taken in the alps back in August.

They do build up into amazingly capable bikes, it definatly hasn't stopped me doing anything ( its normally my pussy fingers that come out to play first... Such as some of the drops at aston hill...) and are also I think amazing value for money. I can't work out what a frame twice the price can do that this one doesn't.

DannyH have you got any pics of yours up yet, I'm still waiting to see the paprika red frame built up...

I had a 20" evo and c456. Liked it, but was a bit of a gate. If it was the same length but lower..

It just missed something, so got the C456, which was nice, preferable even, but still missing something.

Sold them both and got a Mk1 Sovereign, yes its too small for me in Long at 6'2" and im deffo slower on XC stuff but the grin factor is back, its chuckable and fun, the 2 on ones werent.

Now repriced to £499

Stripeminister.

Here you go.

[url=[url= http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7310/10073894725_109652bf2e_n.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7310/10073894725_109652bf2e_n.jp g"/> [/img][/url] [url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/104136986@N05/10073894725/ ]image[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/104136986@N05/ ]Danny H 456 rider[/url], on Flickr]456 evo 2[/url]

[url= http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3699/10073894695_1844ac408c_n.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3699/10073894695_1844ac408c_n.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/104136986@N05/10073894695/ ]image[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/104136986@N05/ ]Danny H 456 rider[/url], on Flickr

A bit more XC than your build, I have since rolled the bars back a bit and fitted a reverb.

brant - Member

Now repriced to £499

Now you're talking.

Ha! Shame you don't get that kind of response from Santa Cruz.

You have my attention. I am going to break my massive coin jar and get one ordered up.

I like the look of dannyh's red one but can't see the full pic. I want a red one to enjoy while it lasts, and when it looks hammered it can go naked.

My two main riding buddies both ride On One steel and rate them for the cash. Can't say they push my buttons though. One thing to check if getting a 20" is the head tube size as the one on my mate's Inbred is mega short and I know it annoys him.

Here's a pic of my 20" Summer Season (fairly similar to the evo). You can add [i]dad duties[/i] to the long list of things this bike can do 😉 .

[img] [/img]

I'm 6'5" but if i was your height i'd maybe think about the 18" if going down is your thang. The high top tube on mine can be a bit of nuisance. Jumping with the seat right down the bike feels really BIG - there's not much ball room with the long seat tube. You can float over jumps fine, but if you've ever tabled a road bike you'll be familiar with how this large frame handles in the air when you try to style it out. Another odd feeling occurs on the initial roll in onto steep stuff. It's scarier than it should be for some reason and i'm putting that down to the bigness also. Other than that it's pretty darn fun - a very capable bike for little money.

There isn't a great deal of real size difference (reach) between the 16", 18" and 20" frames, it's mainly all in the seat-tube and head-tube lengths.

I have a 20" c456 and love it (I'm a lanky 6' 1/2") with wide bars and a 70mm stem. I still wish the same size bike was made with an 18" seat tube though.

The EVO is slacker than the c456, but with 160mm Wotans, my c456 is just slack enough, any slacker would stop it going 'round switch-backs.

I've been looking at the geometry. There's only 15 mm difference in reach between the 18 and 20. And it comes with a 35mm stem. If I find an 18 too short I could switch to a 50mm stem which I'm used to anyway and get some length back.

Buying an 18 would give me about 60mm of extra saddle droppage and standover and presumably be a bit less 'gatelike'.

I feel like I'm over thinking this now! Never deliberated so much over a bike.

I've an Inbred rather than a 456 but here's my tuppence any way: I'm 6'4", got the 20" and hated it then got the 18" and loved it. It's now my favourite bike.

DannyH your ride looks good, definetly more xc than mine.
The red looks pretty bright and vibrant in the sun light.

sharkattack, what's your inside-leg?

(that's not a chat up line, honest)

if i stand up straight, i'm 6'2" - with a 36" inside-leg. I loved my old 18" inbred, but could never quite get the saddle high enough, so sold it, and bought a 20", which is very sensible, and efficient, but slightly less fun.

if you're built like me, you may need a 20" to get the saddle high enough, but i'm a freak, so i suspect you're a more normal shape...

sharkattack - Member

If I find an 18 too short I could switch to a 50mm stem which I'm used to anyway and get some length back.

really, there's no shame in using a 70/80mm stem if it's what you need to get comfy/rad.

DannyH your ride looks good, definetly more xc than mine.
The red looks pretty bright and vibrant in the sun light.

Thanks, I love the way it looks to be honest. I suspect it won't be so 'vibrant' for the next six months in the absence of any sunlight!

It handled beautifully again yesterday on my local stuff, getting low and loose with the reverb right down and the tyres squirming around in the mud and wet rocks.

[i]sharkattack, what's your inside-leg?[/i]

this +1

Also 6'2" with long legs and run a 20" 456 - yes, it could do to be bit smaller on techie stuff, but the rest of the time it's right. And still need a long seat-post to leave enough in.

34 inch legs here. Leaning towards an 18 with a longer stem as it will be more fun. I want a bike I can do some miles and night rides on but I'd be frustrated if I couldn't get lairy on the jumps!
I think we've decided that it's going to be my girlfriends bike when I get another full sus. 18 will be spot on for her.

If you're 34" leg I would definitely go for the 18. IMO the extra reach is minimal for the penalty you pay in standover when you go from the 18 to the 20.

I run a 17 degree rise 80mm stem (so real stem length is about 75mm with a bit of trigonometry). The top tube is long and the head angle is slack, so you won't be troubled by lack of reach.

Enjoy.

Done. Full report when I get one sorted out!