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I’ve got some unexpected money coming in and fancy treating myself. I have a 26” Blue Pig X which I love but is due for replacement so I think a new frame is in order.
I like the look of the Stanton Switchback but it is a lot more than anything else, apart from that I’m considering
Orange P7
Blue pig
Bfe
Has to be 650b as I have forks and tyres ready for it, ideally steel and more enduro than XC, my mates all ride their full sussers all the time so I need to be able to keep up!
Cotic Cotic Cotic Cotic (other brands are available) 😆
I'd be hanging off a few weeks for the updated Soul....
I do already have a Cotic X...
Stif Morf is the other option, essentially the evolution of my Bluepig
Production Privee Shan....as I always say.
[url= https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4459/38019076331_9fe7dbda93_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4459/38019076331_9fe7dbda93_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/ZVBGQ4 ]Steel is Real demo day, Forest of Dean, October 2017[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/79912681@N06/ ]Kayak23[/url], on Flickr
Been to the shop and I think it’s Morf, Privee or BFE. Pretty stuck though, someone decide for me! Like the looks of all but the butting and clever touches on the Morf I like whilst the 853 on the BFE is attractive...
What’s mud clearance like on the Shan and BFE?
Are you anywhere near the FoD if you were i have a Bfe and a gen 2 switchback you are welcome to have a look although the switchback has more mud clearance than the Bfe.
I've got a Onza Jackpot and absolutely love it! Running 160mm on it and have sold my full suss!
Cheers volksman, I’m not close but do go that way occasionally
Just another picture of a Shan for your perusal - 26" flavour though...
[url= https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4566/26535733419_418230d423_k.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4566/26535733419_418230d423_k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/GqSz4a ]DSC00039[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/85252658@N05/ ]davetheblade[/url], on Flickr
If they still did that colour that pic might have convinced me! Press fit BB not attracting me though...
New BFE in blue looks tasty
Check out the Pipedream Moxie it’s proper amazballs looking
http://www.pipedreamcycles.com/shop/moxie-enduro/
Just got myself a Bird Zero TR.
Absolutely bloody marvellous.
chrishc777 - Member
If they still did that colour that pic might have convinced me! Press fit BB not attracting me though...New BFE in blue looks tasty
Everyone is put off by the press fit bb. I was too, but went with it.. Over a year later on a cheapo Deore bb in all weathers and not a single issue.
The new BFE is beautiful for sure. Saw it in the flesh at Steel is Real the other week.
For me though, nothing has come close to the ride feel I've had from the two Production Privee frames I own (Shan and Oka)
Just amazing riding frames.
I’d still be hanging off for the new Soul...l
Love my P7, it's huge fun.
P7 £1114 for a full bike!
I just bought a Soul.
I currently have no soul.
I have a Soul
I want a new Soul
What is the new Soul going to be like, any info? Will there be a new Solaris?
Rumours suggest it may pop up later this month and be along the lines of the new BFE, so a bit longer, slacker than the old one, but lighter and a bit more xc than the BFE...
Bfe, loved mine at bpw last week, does everything my nukeproof mega did but more fun
Stanton switchback I'm just loving mine bought in July never off it at the moment.
The 16.5 long geometry is just right.
If they still did that colour that pic might have convinced me! Press fit BB not attracting me though...
Wasn't sure about this colour scheme - wanted orange/black, but when I got it, I really liked it - goes well with the white forks.
Frame cost me £250 off PB and I put on a load of bits I already had and a few new bits.
Press fit BB - just took it to LBS and will only worry about it when it needs changing
Pipedream Moxie.... My next hardtail. I do have a Kona Honzo ST, which I also love
As it happens, I was at the FoD steel is real demo the other day and got to try a Morf, a new BFe, a titanium switchback and an onza jackpot. The geo on the Stanton didnt feel right for me, not as fun as the others. The cotic and the onza were both great fun but the morf was what did it for me. It has shorter forks and you do feel a little bit more over the front on descents but that just encourages you to sit back more. Still just as capable as the others. It is noticeably lighter than the bfe, more fun than the Stanton and a better build than the onza. Oh and the bfe has already sold out in medium blue frames!
So I bought a morf - it's arriving today!
Ps bfe can take up to 2.6 tyres I was told, morf is 2.4 I think, as you asked.
So pretty much decided on a blue BFE, only to find out they are sold out!
Cheers Justin, direct comparison is pretty handy. I really should have gone to that demo myself but only just decided I’m getting one!
I wouldn't rule out an aluminium frame as with a decent volume tyre and LT forks, material becomes quite irrelevant. If anything, aluminium will provide a stiffer platform for handling/steering, plus it's lighter.
On that basis, I would consider a 2018 Commencal META HT AM. 65 deg / 74 deg = brilliant.
I'd be a Stanton for me.
Yes they're expensive but they're full Reynolds frames (853 main tubes and 525 rear), the homes gives loads of tyre clearance and I like the little details, but it wouldn't be the Switchback, it'd be the new Slackline which is my favourite bike in the range (having owned an original 853 Slackline and theee Switchbacks).
I had a Mk II Ti Switchback which was brilliant on the fast, steep stuff and loved being jumped but it could feel like hard work on mor chilled rides or if you weren't feeling it. I found the Slackline to still be fun on descents and drops but it was a better climber and I think the 853 tubeset was actually more comfortable than my Ti frame.
I see Stanton more as a marketing exercise, and a brilliant one at that. That's not to detract from the quality of the product offering, it's just that those prices... I assume they are TW made (nothing wrong with that btw).
The Switchback is possibly not as low or long as some but Dan will explain why that it is not necessary in a hard tail. 64 degree or less static head angle though for the car park win.
The Slackline must be a lovely trail bike
I have a 2012 26” BFe and since getting it its my main bike ridden 90% of the time. Covert just for holidays now really. I am a fully signed up Cotic fan and any next bike will be Cotic (Solaris or Escapade) as I really like the bikes and the company.
I do really like the Stanton’s but it’s just a lot more money, and the BFE has plenty of nice touches, 853, oval top tube etc and in my opinion the best paint job out there, for alot less money.
Pipedream moxie looks good, very progressive geo with shortest stays I’ve come across but despite what their website says a 16.5” bike is going to be too small for me at 6’2”, probably perfect for DH but I’ll be doing long rides as well.
Curious about the new Soul, I think I’ll wait for the BFE in Feb as I can’t ride till January due to a shoulder op, and I’ll be on holiday most of Jan anyway. In the meantime if the new Soul takes my fancy I’ll consider that
Yeah cotic are a great brand and great company, excellent customer relations, nice meeting them at the FoD. It wasa tough call not to go for a bfe!
Stanton make some cracking looking bikes and have feverish fanboys who seem convinced they are the best regardless of what anyone else makes. Would still like to try one though.
I still think the new pace r127s look better as do the stif Morf. For the price and geometry the p7 looks best value for money to me.
Both the moxie frame sizes come witha16.5 seat tube the idea being you can run a longr dropper post in it for when you are going downhill.
but the seat angle is pretty steep at 76.5 to really optermize climbing etc.
Im 6.3 and have gone for the longer one but to be fair I could have gone with either as the hardtail I ride now has a reach or 460 and the last couple I’ve tryed have been 470+ with no issues.
So for me it’s about seeing what a really long set up would be like with something like a 35mm stem fitted etc.
Also I loved the look of it in pink lol
despite what their website says a 16.5” bike is going to be too small for me at 6’2”
If you were 6'5"+ I'd agree. But a 170mm Reverb is 480mm long - I'm on a 16.9" frame with 33" legs and absolutely tons of post still in the frame, enough for a good 4" more leg length.
Yes, should have added that I don’t want to fork out 200 quid for a dropped as well! With a 170 it would work in sure.
Just noticed it’s a 29er anyway so no good. Not because I don’t want a 29er, just because then just buying a new frame becomes new frame, new forks, new tyres, new dropper, new wheels.
I Think we just mean it can take a 170 dropper.
It is deigned to take 27.5,27.5 plus so 2.4 to 2.8 tyres and 29er wheels hence the adjustable drop out system so you can tune it around the rear wheels etc.
That’s interesting. I’ll go measure my crank to saddle height and dropper length and min insertion tomorrow.
Cheers!
I do really like the Stanton’s but it’s just a lot more money, and the BFE has plenty of nice touches, 853, oval top tube etc and in my opinion the best paint job out there, for alot less money.
The BFe isn't really an 853 frame; only the down tube is. Yes Stanton's are a lot of money, but there are reasons for it. The Morf is £500 for boggo 4130.
I had a BFe and didn't really like it. Looked pretty but wasn't that nice to ride because I thought it was a bit dead, stiff and harsh. The Slackline that replaced it was a much nicer bike to ride in my experience.
The Production Privee bikes are lovely in the flesh.
Stanton make some cracking looking bikes and have feverish fanboys who seem convinced they are the best regardless of what anyone else makes. Would still like to try one though.
The same can be said of Cotic around these parts... 😉
I get that the BFE isn’t really an 853 frame but the rest of the material is well thought out. Similarly the Switchback isn’t really a 631 frame yet costs almost 60% more than the BFE so it’s much of a muchness.. The Morf is only 4130 but has some nice features like the 12 gauge chainstay. The Privee is also 4130 but almost as expensive as a Stanton.
The numbers are all very similar between them, the Moxie is the only ‘out there’ geo
The Switchback is a 631 front triangle and 525 stays, so that's more Reynolds steel than in an 853 Soul!
However, my understanding of the Cotic Fm is that it's basically their own brand version of 631, thus less expensive but equally strong. And they've only ever used 4130 stays because they're strong enough. The BFe is a very clever design for getting maximum strength for minimum weight and cost. They probably do more direct sales than the other companies too, so tighter margins through their few dealers.
Having ridden an alloy hardtail for coming round to two years, I'm struggling to convince myself of the extra weight and cost for steel (ignoring very long term durability).
The numbers do vary a fair bit - it doesn't take much change in BB height to make a bike feel quite different to another. Likewise chainstay lengths.
If you can tell the 1mm difference in BB height between those frames you must be a riding god!
If you can tell the 1mm difference in BB height between those frames you must be a riding god!
Even I wouldn't notice that little difference! But being hypersensitive to handling and fit doesn't make me a riding god, it's more an annoyance if anything...
The BB drop on the Switchback and BFe are pretty close - 45 and 40mm at sag with a 150mm fork. The Shan is at 50mm with the same fork. I'd say 10mm is a pretty obvious difference. My Zero AM is at 57mm, again with the same fork and sag.
I think the Moxie's numbers must be quoted at sag judging by how slack it looks so it is viable with 27.5 not plus (but bloody low - 64mm BB drop).
Where are you getting those numbers from? Stanton lists it as 43 same as the BFE @140. Companies quoting sagged and non sagged measurements make it pretty hard to get a clear idea! Beginning to think a demo is the only way here! That or just go with the one that looks best