You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
OK, so Lucky Strike is broken beyond repair 🙁
The frame has some pretty good kit hanging on it (built up it was about 24lbs), and I really, really miss the way that thing rode.
Obvious solution would be to go for the most closely related current frame - the Van Nicholas Tuareg, which I believe is a direct repalcement of the Airborne Lucky Strike / Black Widow lineage.
But, the LS wasn't the lightest of Ti frames, and seeing as that broke, perhaps I now have some doubts about "Chinese Ti" - although to be fair, the LS covered 5000 or so miles.
SO, any other XC racey long and low style HT frames worth looking at? 100mm max travel
I think on one are selling the ti456 frames pretty cheap at the moment.
I think on one are selling the ti456 frames pretty cheap at the moment.
Whats the ride / geometry like on those?
ETA - ti456 looks like a shorter more relaxed geometry....
Rkk01-
Would you be interested selling in the damaged frame?
I could be interested in the salvage depending where the damage is located.
I have a non bike project and a few bits from a damaged frame would be handy.
e-mail me if interested.
thanks
Steve
Whats the ride / geometry like on those?
I've never ridden one, think they come highly rated and they have swappable dropouts and a fancy headtube. Probably quite strong for a ti frame.
100mm max travel in Ti? First thought is Charge Duster Ti.
Or something Seven, I guess, if you want to spend rather more.
Also, the 456's are fairly long and fairly low.
That Duster Ti looks nice - clean and simple lines. Weight looks good too, but TT length is pretty short.
My 21" LS frame had angles of 72 / 72 and Effective TT of 24.75". Not saying that a replacement has to be the same, but I definately want the same flighty, twitchy, fast feel ride
My dream bike, one day maybe...
[url= http://www.enigmabikes.com/bike/bike-enigma-ego.html ]http://www.enigmabikes.com/bike/bike-enigma-ego.html[/url]
You could take a look at a Burls custom jobbie?
Arent lynskeys VERY prone to snapping? ive certainly read/heard of 15ish breaking including Ti456s. That would be enough to put me off them. And if its Ti avoid anything with a head tube gusset.
I'd not be put off by Chinese Ti. I've seen more broken US Ti. Anyway, the new Ti 456s are made in the same factory as the Van Nics.
Enigma would be my choice.
Pipedream Sirius Ti, but probably 120mm-140mm travel rather than 100mm.
Sliding dropout option & under £1K.
Van Nic still looks the most tempting - if for no other reason than the geometry being very, very close to the Lucky Strike
€1399!!!! though
Must be double what I paid for the Lucky Strike - and the Euro is stronger now 🙁
Need the journos to keep talking down the eurozone!
Cotic Soda? Plus I have an older on-one Lyndskey Ti frame if your interested
Enigma will make it bespoke, by hand in Sussex. The steel ego rides well too, and very very light.
Enigma will make it bespoke, by hand in Sussex
Another good option. I like the look of the standard Ego Ti, but (minor pojnt) the seat tube won't take my exisitng 27.2 ti seat pin...
A custom build with similar angles to the Airborne, and a 27.2 ID seat tube might be just the job. probably similar cost to the Euro price I posted above for the VN.
How long do Enigma warranty their frames for?
How long do Enigma warranty their frames for?
[url= http://www.enigmabikes.com/technical-warranty.html ]Lifetime of the frame[/url]
They might even be able to [url= http://www.enigmabikes.com/technical-frame-repairs.html ]repair[/url] your Lucky Strike
They might even be able to repair your Lucky Strike
I've emailed them some pics of the damage. The whole top tube would need to be replaced, at a cost of about £300
Salsa Ala Carte ti? The 456 is a great value bike but definitely not an XC race bike.
GB
Ooooohhh
That Salsa looks pretty much spot on what I am after.
A LOT of money for a HT frame though
It's a nice frame - I've had one for a little over a year - it's taken a right hammering with XC and endurance racing on some pretty crazy courses and it's been awesome. If you're at SITS the team will be there if you want to come and have a look. Lifetime warranty too.
GB
having spent a week in the alps on a 456 i can concur - even if its cheap i wouldnt buy one for any other purpose than careering down a hill at speed ....
going from XC race bikes to that was a shock in how horrendous it was up hill - and essentially lucky strike to 456 would be the same.
do test ride salsa first though - i find the 2 ive ridden to be very steep - even steeper than my merida/ragley set ups - part of that may have been in the salsa fork being shorter than a suspension set up mind - or just a very bad(imo) 29er frame geometry !
Have you thought about a Cove Hummer? I've currently got a 2009 Litespeed built Hummer (18"/19") that i'm going to have a go at selling as a complete bike. However, for the right money i might consider spliting the build and letting the frame go on its own.
As it currently stands its got RS Revelation 130mm duel air forks, Mavic 717 on Hiope Pro 2 hubs, full xt drive chain with Avid Juicy carbon brakes, KS i7 (27.2mm) uppy downy seatpost, Easton carbon bar.
A great lightweight bike in great condition as its not used much being a second bike.
Let me know if you are interested?
Paul
If you're at SITS the team will be there if you want to come and have a look.
Thanks for the offer - unfortuantely not at SITS... Haven't had much success getting organisd for events this year 🙁
trail rat - yes, I have a Pace 305 which is great fun for going down, but noticeably slower and more laboured on the ups... It really is that spring of acceleration and easy(er) climbing that I am looking for from any replacement.
paulevans - Hummer (Sandvik version IIRC) was an option when I bought the LS, but couldn't justify the cost. I suspect 18/19 might be a little small. The LS was 21"
The handling is quite fast on the 29ers and the 26" too. They are both very much 'racer' rather than 'warrior' geometry. If you don't like that you probably don't want a racey frame... Saying that they are very comfy frames - our team use them at 24s as well as XC racing and have found them great for the endurance events as you just don't feel quite as beaten up as on other bikes. The 26" ones got 2 podiums at the Nat Champs last weekend too - so they have winning credentials!
GB
The Ti 456 i selling at £699 at the moment with a free Hope headset as well. Made by VN now and look lovely (in my oppinion of course) that's where my dosh would go
I replaced my broken Lucky Strike with a Lynskey Ti456 when they were selling off the last ones cheaply and to be honest it doesn't ride as well as the LS even though I was using 130mm forks - way beyond what the LS was designed for. New Van N 456 might be better though and I'd definitely be tempted by it at the current price. I also looked at the Cove Hummer and waited a long time for the Cotic Soda that never seemed to materialise
My LS lasted 6 years despite the long forks; it eventually cracked round the seat tube, so I wouldn't be put off Chinese Ti by this - as others have said, Lynskey seem to have their problems too. Still can't bring myself to throw out the LS frame though, and my LBS seem to think they know someone who could repair it if I get round to it.
Still can't bring myself to throw out the LS frame though
Me neither 🙁
Always said that I'd retire that bike to a wall hanging (much to mrs rkk01's disgust) - but there is too much good kit hanging on it.
456 doesn't sound like it is an option.
If I do replace the LS it will have to be pure old skool XC geometry.
The LS was scary as anything going downhill, but still quick as lightning and had a razor like balance.
It really did feel like skiing - in that you could feel the "edges" bite or slip depending on weight distribution. Get you weight wrong and you would run wide.
Get it right and it felt magic, effortless - on gentle curves it could easily be steered without any bar input at all - just a change in weight at the hips / shoulders and it would roll in to a bend