[Closed] what's you favourite (not necessarily best) ever hardtail?

I'm hoping that this will be, although on its maiden voyage last Friday I seemed to spend more time picking myself up off the ground than riding the bloody thing... 🙄 I rode like a complete malaka.
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And then there's this one in Greece, which was ace last summer. It's waiting there for me now, poor thing.

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Loved my Sanderson Life,
it was an amazing frame, 853, 100mm fox, perfect marathon bike, so comfortable.

I've had my Bfe alomost a year and it is with out doubt the most fun to ride bike I've owned so far! It's evolved since the picture with a set of 34's and few other bling bits but you get the picture...

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There's an important theme running through this thread: people need to stop selling their favourite hardtails.

🙂

Azonic DS-1 with some Marzocchi DH 3s on. Saved very hard for that from around 13 years old until I was 15

Loved it

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My '90's steel Kileaua, was just lovely. From selling my Orange P7 in nickel and buying this, this tried to kill me for the first couple of months. With P2 forks, which I changed for Judy SL's in yellow with Englund cartridges. Just wish I never sold it, as I look back. Hateful Curve components, such as brakes and cranks, made way to a full XTR groupset, which then all went on a Kona King Kahunna Ti hardtail build. But it wasn't the same and the steel bike just rode nicer.
Also, although a rigid bike and have had it for 9 years now, my Pipedream Modro singlespeed is just lovely and a bike for life.

I loved my Blue Pig X. It was a wonderful bike. Sold to get a 29er and regretted it. Sold the 29er and got an Evil sovereign and do not regret it at all.

The Blue pig is just ahead of it though but I haven't had the Evil that long and still trying to get it feeling just right.

Best ever hardtail for me was a Whyte 19 steel I owned, loved it and now miss it. One of those just felt right bikes.

Would agree with all those saying Evil Sovereign. I have a Ti slackline now and sold another frame to buy it but the sovereign is hung up waiting to be reborn. Having said that the Ti slackline is still my current favourite, its got that hooligan edge that the sovereign has but with less weight and can take tapered steerer forks.

1994 Ibis Ti Mojo, still going.

My DMR Switchback...
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Or my DBR Axis TT...
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Had both for 10 years now.
But then there's my old Salsa...
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'98 Kona Hei Hei here, bought new after I'd stared at it in the shop window like the Wayne's World guitar. Still going strong with a bit of Scotchbrite once a year.

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My old Sov

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The thing all these bikes have in common - they just look 'right'*

except for that haggard looking Evil frame 😉

Gary Fisher Big Sur was a good one.
On-One inbred 29'er SS still going strong,even after South Downs and two trips to the alps.

My old Holeshot. Still wonder if it was the right thing to sell it, although it was a tiny bit short. Superb bike - I only hope the new owner is enjoying it as much as I did.

[url= https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3715/9183197402_d1bf900582.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3715/9183197402_d1bf900582.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/eZuhDG ]July mountain biking in the UK. #mud #wet[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/77122468@N00/ ]NeilCain[/url], on Flickr

I never liked any of my hardtails but I haven't had a long travel one maybe that would be more fun.

both my kinesai (??) ... xc120 was a hoot,
sold and replaced with an xc130. even more of a giggle 🙂

My current bike,
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Having said that,nothing has ever felt as good to own as my first ever bike. It was a fully rigid 1991 Saracen Andes,Orange with green forks like the one in the pic below.
Jesus,look at the length of that stem.

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Kingdom Bikes Project Brigante

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I've never had so much fun, and felt so confident, riding down stuff*

*stuff = 4-passes route in the Lakes. Ti hardtail frame meant hike-a-bike climbs were easy too.

I loved my old Pace's (RC200 and RC300) but nothing was as good as my old Orange elite (2011 edition), loved that bike so much. Undoubtedly prefer 29er's now but my dream bike would be a 29er version of that elite- keep hoping orange will do that one day.

Andy R, that Genesis Alpitude with white wheels and white Marzocchis is incredible, I'd ride that down anything...looks really confidence inspiring.

As others have said, something about a HT looks 'right'....no fussy linkages, no absurdly long wheelbases, no excess weight etc etc....get the angles right, bolt a burly set of forks to the front and it's still the most fun mountain biking in my opinion.

The 456-evo I had was a gem, I got all fashion conscious about the lack of a large or tapered headtube, the 27.2mm sestpost making a Reverb impossible and the lure of bigger wheels...sold it to fund a 45650b that wasn't half as good....now back on 26 inch wheels with a Ragley and all is right with the world, I'll post a pic later when I finish work.

ah ha ... knew i had piccies somewhere 😉

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Hardtails are ace. I realy like them with long travel forks.

My Stantons were/are great but thining about it I've loved most of the hardtails that Ive had.

My '97 Kona Koa was ace - first bike with bouncy forks.

Loved my '99 Chameleon built up as a jump bike in 05 even though it was properly short. The later one in a sensible size was an awsome bike and one that I regret selling (it was that or my DH bike which I kept instead).

I had an Orange Sub Zero which was reay good until it craced. It was more forgiving than the Chameleon that replaced it.

There are some lovely bikes on this thread - surprised that a Shan in gold colours hasn't appeared yet.

For me its one of these, but not in single speed.

Rode beautifully, although you did take a bit of a battering through the arms.

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Still stand by my original suggestion of a Sov (missed my chance to post a pic too, so here's an early incarnation just after I put it together):
[url= https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8438/7776048542_8a4c27b8a0_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8438/7776048542_8a4c27b8a0_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/cR9hjs ]P1020898[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/67673780@N06/ ]warpcow[/url], on Flickr

I can see that a Blue Pig might be quite nice though too. Bought a cheap Mmmbop recently and loving the ride of it even if it is ridiculously stiff. Definitely seems to need a bit of welly to get the most out of it, but it begs you to anyway, so it's not such a problem.

Always had a soft spot for my old GT Outpost.
Destroyed everything on that bike but the frame outlasted everything.

I rode like a complete malaka.

😆

Heard that lots while living in Greece.

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Love this, had the frame since new in 97, it's been through the twin crown fork phase, commuter phase and finally it's actually back to something sensible.

I'm *considering* retiring it though. 😥
Round here a 29r is just a better solution most of the time.

Raleigh Strika. The early one with pedal back brake. Loved it!

My Bianchi Mutt with Rocksolid carbon forks. It was so light and fast it just devoured climbs. It was no downhiller but I always said if I could only have ONE bike - including road - this would have been the one.

My Mmmbop was a nice HT alternative to a full susser, but was a drag on anything that wasn't up or down.

Jumpin jack flash..

I have two in the attic should you be feeling...in need of one.

Would have to be my Chameleon, won it in 2007.

Orange Sub Zero with 36s and then 55s. Brilliant fun, decent all-rounder.

Bontrager Race. The head angle is (apparently) too steep and the wheels are (apparently) too small but it's the one bike I can't see me ever selling.

...it's the one bike I can't see me ever selling.

Is that because no-one would buy a bike with a steep head angle and small wheels? 😈 😉

I would like to ride my old 92 Explosif ,just to see if it really was as good as I remember.
Very happy with my Tuareg and it hasn't cracked yet 🙂

AD +1
My old Fuquay custom build - whenever I ride it there's always that moment when it just seems to surge with acceleration.

xc120
[url= https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3331/3190277053_507ba683cd_z.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3331/3190277053_507ba683cd_z.jp g"/> ?zz=1[/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/5RV1dM ]Frosty ride - winter hill[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/23330272@N06/ ]D0NK[/url], on Flickr
My most favourite-ist HT ever. Short lived but I loved it, could proper rag it around, mmmbop that replaced it wasn't quite as good - could be urged into action but took a bit more effort on the riders part. My carbon 456 could possibly equal the 120, it is nice, but that's setup a bit more cross country style (and no gears), quite tempted to do a lairy c456 build, we'll see. But for the time being I've binned off the "fun hardtail" and got my heckler frame back out of the attic - that's even more fun than the 120!
[url= https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2581/3738597674_f06e08df8c_z.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2581/3738597674_f06e08df8c_z.jp g"/> ?zz=1[/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/6GnhQA ]Crash[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/23330272@N06/ ]D0NK[/url], on Flickr
Gone but not forgotten.

^

deviant - Member
Andy R, that Genesis Alpitude with white wheels and white Marzocchis is incredible, I'd ride that down anything...looks really confidence inspiring.

I tried to and ended up underneath it twice, on stuff I've cleaned with ease in the past. Ok, it was a bit greasy and icy but basically I was riding like a knob. It's a thing I do sometimes.....

The forks are lush though.

Got to be the 1992 Klein Fervour that is in my spare bedroom. Either that, or the Bonty Privateer that sadly snapped a year or so ago.

RC200, Trek 69er Rootbeer SS, Stooge. Not necessarily in that order.

Love my alpine with 150s up front, it loves to manual! Really did enjoy my Rocky Mountain Vertex carbon til it snapped , then the warranty replacement cracked.. gave up and went with the steel alpine 🙂

Favourite has to be my old Trailstar. Still just looks kind of right, even if it is resigned to roller duties these days.

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Best though, has to go to my BFe. Just a really capable, really tough little bike.

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Since we seem to be allowing rigid bikes too then I'll have to post this one, because it probably is my favourite bike ever.
Now with shorter stem, dropper post and decent tyres.
If I could only have one bike it would be this one....

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This
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My Curtis;

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it just feels 'right'.

My longest serving is my Orange P7, 2007 model. I still have it, it is currently my only MTB and I like it a lot.

But for pure laughs per minute, my PX Jack Flash (bought for £28 off eBay) is the winner. At it's best it was built with 100mm coil forks, 521 rims, v-brakes and a 1x8 drive chain. It rode like a BMX, simply brilliant fun. I then had an idea I would make a DH bike from it, fitted RS Domain's, big disk brakes, heavy tyres and wheels, etc. It didn't really work if truth be told. But riding it in it original guise was quite simply wonderful.

From time to time I do debate building another hooligan hardtail up...

When I was less decrepit, and not falling apart at the seems, I bloody loved my old Chameleon. Mainly due to the identity crisis it was clearly having, thinking it was actually a BMX. But my God! You knew about it after more than a couple of hours!

But for all-round, do-it-all awsomeness, from a quick blast out playing silly buggers, to an all day jaunt, you just can't fault my P7. I bloody love that bike! Here it is out playing in the snow last weekend

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Dialled Alpine on Lyriks.

Ragley Ti with an oversized headtube and a set of the new Pikes set at 140mm travel 🙂

I have a soft spot for the original Marin Rocky Ridge though - first aggressive(ish) hardtail I ever owned.

omg ... my dream frame came up on here !!!!

18" Tinbred ... sex wee ... 😉

Cannondale Beast of the East '97 , still ride it now, it is light stiff and a joy ,Rode a 44mile sportive a couple of years ago on it . Love it

^ My second best was an M500 in grey, looked amazing with anodized purple bits and weighed about 23lbs with pace forks, back in 1996.

Beast of the east was still the best name for a bike ever! Think it was an M800?

It's not my dream bike by any stretch - that would be a toss up between a Dekerf and a Curtis - but because it's rejuvenated my love for riding in the last six months I choose my Bird Zero. It's just so much fun.

Ragley's balance is ridiculous, I didn't think you could build a big slack bike that descends this well but still be such a brilliant technical climber, in the same year I bounced it down fort william then raced the glentress seven on it. Wish it was a wee bit "softer" and had a more dropped toptube, and let's have a tapered headtube while we're at it but still, superb.

Think the geometry on the mmmBop is about perfect for me. Would really a fancy a go on a Ragley Ti, think that would be even better (surely it must be less harsh than the mmmBop?)

If they made one I reckon a new Ragley Ti in a fashionable wheel size would be in with a good chance of being my favourite. Or maybe an up to date Blue Pig out of 853.

my 2002 cannondale F800 in matt black.

first bike i owned with both discs and suspension (lefty fork).

sold it in a moment of stupidity and have regretted it ever since.

my charge duster in kawasaki green though is also great (current bike).

1998 kona explosif 853. Still ride it occasionally and amazingly it still has the original bottom bracket. I can't imagine how many thousands of miles it has done.

Until I had my Cove a Stiffee it was my 456 Inbred but the Cove really is a keeper...such fun to ride and seems to encourage me to ride faster and over/off stuff that I probably would only ever attempt otherwise on the full suss with a full face on....that's how it feels to me.
I'm trying to think of the ultimate 140mm travel forks with nice thick stanchions 20mm axle but lightweight to plug in the front of it for when I explode the Revs that are on it at the moment.

I'm with you there Suggsey - I'll never sell my 2010 Stiffee. Running it with 55ATAs set to 150mm. In about 8 years time, both my boys will be big enough to ride my bikes (with the saddles down a bit) and I know for sure there won't be anything as good as the Stiffee any time in the future. So why sell it !

This did a lot of miles and trips away. Great bike at the time, bought a frame (Rock Lobster) a few years ago, but things have moved on since!

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Got to be my 93 Kona Fire Mountain. I rode it until the head tube came off a couple of years ago. Rest in pieces my trusty steed.

Vc

Sunn xircuit, loved that bike. Many a great days out on my Cove Handjob. Both sadly sold. Hopefully they are still being used.

My Coyote Dual. Still going strong after 10 years. Paint work is looking a bit tired now so am in the process of "rawing" the frame. Excited, kinda like getting a new bike. 🙂

Salsa El Mariachi. Granted I've only had it for a few weeks so it could just be the honeymoon period but I really love it. Already think that my full sus is going to be neglected this year

DMR Trailstar or Charge Blender for sure!

Kona Pahoehoe - first "proper" mountain bike, after a GT. Excellent geometry, pretty good spec, and rode it in a variety of awesome locations in the States.

Cotic Soda Mk1 (I think) - similar geometry, and was able to build it up as I wanted.

There is no finer thread than a "great hardtails we have loved" thread.

Chapeau, everyone. 🙂

I really liked my Cove Handjob, it was built up pretty light and ride really well, even if it was a bit short.

Fave current one would be my FF29, it was really stable on the descents and climbed well too, but of a shame I 'had' to sell it

I replied back on page 1 but just dug out a picture. I miss this bike.

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Cannondale Beast of the East '97 , still ride it now, it is light stiff and a joy ,Rode a 44mile sportive a couple of years ago on it . Love it

I have an even older Beast of the East that is in a very slow process of being reborn as a single speed. It's got a 1 1/4 inch steerer. I inherited it from an uncle who past away...back then I thought it was the tits covered in ano purple, Pace RC35's with an early Hope mechanical disc brake. I'm sure it won't ride that well when it's rebuilt, but it'll still be ace to me, just because.

 

Dialled love/hate. Built it up as a winter snotter when my good bike was waiting for a replacement frame and it turned out to be beautiful.

Whyte 19, I liked the first one so much I've got two more now.

Love my Sov and still use it.

I did W2 on it a few weeks back and it was tough going but fantastic.

Running big 650b tyres with a set of 36s... have it!!

2002 Explosif was good but not as capable as my 29er Mk1 Scandal
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chromag stylus

[i]Love my Sov and still use it.
Running big 650b tyres with a set of 36s... have it!! [/i]
Jeebus - What BB height does that come out at??

My stumpjumper m4 i built in 04 .... loved it and still miss it 🙁 .... still have the forks on a hack bike
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pic was end of first day build, still needs grips and setting up