[Closed] Old full suspension frames, where are they all?

specialized fsr xc

I've got a medium Marin East Peak hanging in the garage - a 2005 I think.

So that's one of them.

Kona stinky , coiler, coiler air
Spesh enduro , enduro sx , stump jumper etc

Fsr xc was a short travel bike

What sort of thing are you after

I have an Orange Five from 2005 (still riding it, still fit for purpose).

Considering the offers I'm getting for my 2012 SC's here in Oz I'd be looking much newer, anything 2010 on should be a bargain and compatible with taper etc.

Mine is ziptied to the garage roof! A lot of them are basically just worth the price of the shock now.

At the risk of making this a stealth for sale ad, I've got one of my Cotic Hemlock frames more or less available- I planned to keep it as a momento but I realised I have a whole second frame of spares/damaged parts which is the more ridden bike anyway so it'd be nice for the good one to get a new life... Might be suitable, I had a great time in the alps on it with a set of Lyriks in the front.

They're all worth squat so the owners are either leaving them at the back of the shed or they've gone to the tip.

specialized fsr xc

Had a 2010 one of these (frame and shock only) for sale for over a year and no-one was interested. But then it was the last of the straight steerer, QR axle and steep geometry generation so no real market.

A lot of them are basically just worth the price of the shock now.

Shock was sold separately for £30 and the frame was scrapped a few months back. The only bike I was happy to chuck though, didn't like it too much.

We have Specialized FSr XC and Santa Cruz Superlight mk2.

Most are sold as complete bikes, par exemple:

https://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/Kona-dawgmatic-19-full-sus-mtb-used-good-con-shimano-spec-/162680597042?hash=item25e084ea32%3Ag%3AOpoAAOSwIINZwknZ&_trkparms=pageci%253Accdf9d5d-9f56-11e7-8efc-74dbd1805dc9%257Cparentrq%253Aa80e934415e0ab6b4479fc6bffd632d6%257Ciid%253A7

I have an original Turner Burner which is a small that I bought for my wife. I now use it as my alps bike as it owes me nothing and I love the way it handles some of the big stuff. They are still out there and it may be worth a punt on the wanted page to see if you can get a few out of the woodwork. Meanwhile my son is now nicking my bike so I will be building up another old Turner Flux as his next bike 🙂

My gf has a Xs Kona minxy frame I need to get rid of. It's a women's version of a stinky. Comes with a fox dhx 5 shock. It builds into a nice mini DH bike. Sizing wise she was a touch tall for it at 5ft 3. If it's of interest at all let me know.

https://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/2232024/
Check out pink bike too
https://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/list/?location=193-*-*&category=6&framesize=1,2,3,10,4,5,6,7,8,13,14,15,9,11,12,17,18,20,21,22
https://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/2250181/

Old hardtails get used as hack bikes/commuter bikes/single speeds but there isn't a natural role for old full suspension bikes

Really good (i.e. light) small and extra small FS frames are actually quite hard to get hold of as they get snapped up pretty quickly for the exact purpose you said.

Some were also very rare to start with - e.g. we have a women's Giant Trance in size XS, which they hardly sold any of in the first place and obviously it makes a fine bike for kids. Sadly my wife uses this one 🙂

Getting small frames isn't so hard, but getting good quality, light small frames is tough. I'd watch out for Scott, Specialized, Giant and Santa Cruz as these do come up reasonably often, but don't expect to get them for free.

2009 small Commencal Meta 5 frame and a med 2011 meta 5 full bike hung in my garage that haven't moved for years. Was hoping to keep for my daughter but so out of date and worthless already. Keeping "just in case"!

Small rocky mountain etsx adjustable travel from 3-5" with a fox rp23 if you want it £130 posted

Fwiw our Superlight is a loan from SirlingCrispin who also clocked the headset was worth more than the frame 🙂

Our FSR is two months use from new for a business, unused for 7-8years since then, so totally minted, was £275 from a pal.

The market for straight steerer, steep n shorter frames is not big. That said, both ours were battered around the Alps this summer...

If you go too old, you'll run into problems with getting other components for the frames unless you are looking at getting a complete bike.

I wouldn't be looking at anything that only had a straight steerer, given that virtually all forks now have tapered steerers.

Even my 2010 alloy Stumpjumper FSR had a straight steerer; the carbon version was tapered.

I've got a medium SC Blur lying around from 2003 that hasn't been built into a bike for many years now. So there's another one.

Early 2000's Orange Patriot frame gathering dust in my garage. 16" if of any interest.

Cannondale Raven anyone http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/152705190978 ?

I wouldn't be looking at anything that only had a straight steerer, given that virtually all forks now have tapered steerers.

Probably the only reason to not get a tapered frame is that there are some really cheap used, straight steerer forks knocking about, so if you can pick up a good set (or know how to return them to decent condition) then you might build a bargain. I sold my last pair of SS forks (Pace RC41 carbon) for < £100 on retrobike, but in truth they were still excellent forks providing you don't mind servicing them every 3 months 🙂

There's loads of other brands out there too, some of which you wouldn't even consider. I built my son's new bike around a small, carbon Haibike (non-electric!) frame, which I didn't even know existed and it's made a superbly light, versatile bike for him.

ive been on the spy for an older Kona Stinky or stinky delux from 99-2000 in large

but then given we all snapped ours back then(thinking we were brett tippie) i guess most of them went the same way.

I have a 2004 Enduro frame hanging from my front room wall.

In the early 2000s, it was awesome but the Camber I replaced it with was lower, slacker, stiffer and much faster.

Giant Trance were good bikes, as were the 26in Trek Fuel EX. Lapierre Zesty was brilliant.

Assuming you want trail bikes rather than longer-travel shred sleds?

I've a medium 2006 ano black SC Nomad with a DHX coil on it sat in the loft...

Giant VT2 was an amazing frame, sold mine for peanuts a few years ago..

trail_rat - you want the slightly later stinky, from 2001 onwards. They changed the swing arm and the front triangle (which previously came from the design for Thomas Misser's DH bike!) to deal with the propensity for the things to become a pair of unicycles.

lister as discussed on whatsapp: Dawg, bear, one20, lisa, cadabra, tanuki, kikapu (but check on konaworld as some have next to no travel).

I've a medium Cannondale Jekyll circa 2002 hung up at the back of my mum's garage.

hot fiat - its a bit like wanting a car from your youth 😀

we all know the mk2 is always better than the mk1....but its not the same is it.

i did nearly buy the XL red nicolai off ebay but my lyrics aint long enough in the steerer .

There's been a couple of comments about compatibility but all the components that fitted way back when there were only a few standards will still fit. It's only the brand new 142/boost/27.5/15mm stuff that won't. The good old stuff will always be good stuff and geo can easily be brought up to date by an angleset and offset bushes. Especially i it's for smaller stature riders as short cranks can be fitted to compensate and they really won't notice if the geo is a couple of mm or a degree or so out.

I'd definitely be looking at an xs Trance if they were available, mine was great.

[url= https://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/2234984/ ]HERE[/url]'s a cheap small on on Pinkbike

[url= https://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/2115464/ ]THIS[/url] ones a bit later/lighter but more expensive.

[url= https://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/2166233/ ]THIS [/url]one a bit more again

[url= https://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/2250181/ ]THIS [/url]looks pretty damn good too mind and is way different

True enough, i remeber seeing the original Stinky at the last malverns. It was a thing of beauty.

Still riding my 2003 Santa Cruz Blur, works for the riding I enjoy. Will update when something expensive wears out and I haven't spent the cash on travelling!

I'd definitely be looking at an xs Trance if they were available, mine was great.

As the OP specifically requested a bike for kids, I wouldn't bother with a coil shock as they are much harder to tune for very light riders compared to air shocks which can be reset for each ride depending on whether they are carrying a rucksack etc. (which makes a real difference for light riders!)

I'd agree on the Trance. They're great bikes, nice and light and very easy to work on. Highly underrated IMHO.

I bet you can pick up an early Boardman full-sus for not a lot - they're bendy with an adult on board but will be fine with a child. Offset bushing to lower and slacken?

I have bought 3 XS Giant Trance frames in the last 2 years as they're perfect for kids, if you run 24" wheels.
2 from here, 1 from Ebay.

all about the £100 mark. Ive had the shocks re-valved for the lighter weight of my boys and the ride great.

[img] ?dl=0[/img]

I have bought 3 XS Giant Trance frames in the last 2 years

One of the previous posts linked to exactly the frames (built up) i have, for sale on PinkBike right now.
[url= https://www.pinkbike.com/photo/14328426/ ]This in fact[/url]

I just built them up myself with bits more specific to the little peoples needs.

I'm sure they must still be available.

They gather in dark corners of sheds, garages and lofts, often missing the one key bushing/bearing/axle/shock that would let them live again...well that's certainly my experience...

Ebay, Gumtree and FB are a good source, but often the older ones have already gone through one round of being cobbled together from spares so you may have to buy a full bike with crappy bits on and strip it (and sell them if you can), often works out cheaper than buying just a frame.

Something older? I bought this cheap, swapped a few parts to improve the looks mainly, and added a front cable disc for Teen1. It was stolen a while back, and he's now on a Medium Trance. Just look around for something older - too new and owners think they are worth too much. He loved it.

[img] ?oh=d84f3b4af2d6b28d5826835719cdba8a&oe=5A45A0B0[/img]

@lister: have you considered asking Bill for his old b-17? Think it was a 15" when I bought it.

I've got a dead FSR XC in bits in the shed.

Thanks for all the replies folks, my internet fell over so I couldn't reply sooner.
Some of you might get some PMs in the near future, but it wasn't a stealth WTD ad, honest!

My 06 Spec Enduro is in the shed with a duff shock. Not worth the cost of a new one really. Anyone have a cheap replacement?

I guess they get binned as unlike a hardtail eventually the shock blows up and the bearings wear out. On a recent-ish specialized the bearings can be £100 if you don't already have blind pulling tools, and a shock service is £120 or so.

I have a '08 Spesh Enduro SX slalom in black and red, imported at great expense from the US, and can't bear the thought of it going to scrap!

[url= https://www.pinkbike.com/photo/15115062/ ]https://www.pinkbike.com/photo/15115062/[/url]

10 years, still going strong.

Marin rift zone and orange 5 hanging up in the shed. Didn't want to part with them!

Still using my Rocky Mountain ETSX

My 10 year FS is my main bike - got replacement bearings for free from Merida for free... And managed to get a spare shock as a JIC.

Have a 13yo frame that just needs a fork.

I have a '08 Spesh Enduro SX slalom in black and red, imported at great expense from the US, and can't bear the thought of it going to scrap!

Dibs to the OP of course but otherwise please, tell me more.

I looked everywhere for a cheap FS bike a few years back when trying to get back into biking. Ended up with a sort of urt Kona driven by a linkage (Kona U'hu). Got a full bike for £150 and it served me well for a year or so before I took the plunge and went 650b with a new bike.

Some people were asking strong money for old bikes claiming they were 'retro'. But there's defo a distinction between retro and old and knackered for me!

I looked everywhere for a Univega Ram 990 just for nostalgias sake as I had one back in the day but the few I found were silly money.

@lazlowoodbine this is it when it was built up:

[img] [/img]

It's the 100mm travel slalom version in Long. Chris King headset and all. I had it built up as a little trail bike and it was an absolute rocket.

This definitely wasn't a stealth ad, but I'd love to see it go to a good home 8) Email in profile.

i had a 2007 Marin Quake, which i sold to a teenager on PB. It had a new zee drivetrain, lyriks, fox dhair shock, hope/ dt swiss wheels and saint brakes, with thomson finishing kit. I tried to sell it here for ages without success.

It sold on PB after a couple of weeks. I think that is where the market is, for second hand, cheaper bikes.

I guess they get binned as unlike a hardtail eventually the shock blows up and the bearings wear out. On a recent-ish specialized the bearings can be £100 if you don't already have blind pulling tools, and a shock service is £120 or so.

Meh, in that case they just get sold to someone who can do a bearing job for way less than this, and service their own shock (at least, seals and oil). There's no excuse to bin a frame just for want of a bit of TLC...

True, but then even DIY the bearings in a spesh frame aren't cheap, ebay kits are £47 for generic bearings, the official ones are £80. Plus the cost of pullers (they're blind so you can't just drift them out with a socket).

And shocks do blow up, you can keep the seals fresh, but the damping oil loses viscosity or gets air in it, or just blows up. I don't think I ever made it to a yearly service with mine, I'd always blow up the damper long before then which isn't a DIY fix. Add on top of that unless you're in the middle of the bell curve for weight, riding style and local riding, the shock won't be tuned to you.

After all that, even with new bearings and a OK-ish-maybe shock the difference between say a Pitch, or a Turner 5spot, and a 2nd/h 2-3yr old bike/frame is actually very little cash.

Basically if you're on a budget, you're probably better served by a hardtail.

The exception might be simpler bike like a Cannondale Prophet. But looking at recent ones sold on ebay they still sell for £800 or so, probably because they were ahead of their time, combined with a cheap to replace pivot means they've got longer service lives, which keeps the prices up, negating the idea of an older cheap bargain FS.

Looking at some of the bikes in this thread that were awesome back in the day (that Spesh SX Slalom in particular looks like a proper short travel rocketship), I can't help but feel a pang of envy for all the bikes that I've never had the chance to ride.

The Prophet is a very good call, on paper it looks fantastic. But the secondhand value looks poor when you consider that an ex-demo Calibre Bossnut can be had for less than £900.