What BIke

[markhammond77]

Well, as many of you know, I do DH on a hardtail. Anyway I also like freeride and street. My question is, what hardtail frame will suit my needs (DH, FR Street)? Thanks.

[matt2991]

transition vagrant

[markhammond77]

I was thinking of that. Any others?

[SquadraCorse]

Go with the Vagrant. Amazing bang for the buck and the geometry is spot on. Get a fork you can drop down with the flick of a switch and it makes a great jumping bike. Plus it's real lightweight, my FR Vagrant probably comes in around 33lbs.

Freeride Hardtails FTW.

[wanabe]

Go with steel. Way smoother. Aluminium is too stiff for street. 243 has a couple to choose from or a steehead, all are bad ass bikes that can "do all". If you want to ride transition on the street/dj go with the TOP. The TOP sizes are small. check the geo (top tube) before ordering.

[SquadraCorse]

Go with steel. Way smoother. Aluminium is too stiff for street. 243 has a couple to choose from or a steehead, all are bad ass bikes that can "do all". If you want to ride transition on the street/dj go with the TOP. The TOP sizes are small. check the geo (top tube) before ordering.

How is steel "smoother"? "Aluminium is too stiff for street."

The elastic modulus for cro-mo steel is about 3x higher than it is for an aluminum alloy...:huh:

[sittingduck]

It's a very common perception, which I think is fairly misguided. I mean really... how much flex do you think there is in a steel frame?

[rid3HB]

how about a jackal with a fox 36 talas?

[r464]

Jackal with Talas...
http://web.minus9.info:88/bikes/jackal.jpg

[rid3HB]

^ perfection (i have a jackal w/ pike)

[SquadraCorse]

eh, whenever I see a jackal all I see is this:

http://www.usridernews.com/absolutenm/articlefiles/124-AIH-TX-Chopper-Anniv.jpg

I'm a big fan of the evil imperial.
http://www.dirtmag.de/bikes_evil_imperial.jpg

[AtTheGates]

How is steel "smoother"? "Aluminium is too stiff for street."

The elastic modulus for cro-mo steel is about 3x higher than it is for an aluminum alloy...:huh:

You're forgetting other factors like the geometry of the tubing that have a large effect on the flex of the frame. Alu frames typically use larger diameter tubes==> stiffer



I had an older gen. p series that I did about everything on. mostly street/slalom/dj but it saw some dh use also.

[markhammond77]

I am pretty much thinking of these options. Jackal, Morphine, Vagrant. Which of these 3 is better for FR/DH? If anyone knows of any not listed here, please post. Thanks for the info so far and please keep posting.

[rid3HB]

eh, whenever I see a jackal all I see is this:

http://www.usridernews.com/absolutenm/articlefiles/124-AIH-TX-Chopper-Anniv.jpg


lol your feet wont get clipped by x-ups and barspins with that ^

imperials are nice too..

[markhammond77]

Ok, I will discard the Jackal (my friend just got a Jackal and I dont want to have the same bike). Anyway, Vagrant or Morphine for DH/FR?

[bent^biker]

vagrant

[markhammond77]

Thanks, any other opinions (I want as many opinions as I can get).

[SLOPE]

I second the Evil Imperial!

Embrace the Evil

[markhammond77]

Ok, I guess I can add the imp to my list. So,what vagrant, morphine or imperial? Also were do they sell new imperial frames?

[Tmeyer]

Sinister ridge??

[SquadraCorse]

You're forgetting other factors like the geometry of the tubing that have a large effect on the flex of the frame. Alu frames typically use larger diameter tubes==> stiffer



I had an older gen. p series that I did about everything on. mostly street/slalom/dj but it saw some dh use also.

Er.....It's pretty much design dependent, but for the sake of argument, you're going to run a cro-mo tube with a smaller cross section, or an aluminum tube with a larger cross section, and pretty much come out with a frames that are similar in stiffness do to the material properties. But to say a cro-mo bike flexes more than an aluminum bike is an ignorant statement.

[markhammond77]

Allright, well any other opinions on a DH/FR/a bit of street hardtail? So far, I really like all the options, but I would like to see others as well. Thanks.

[bjanga]

My vote is for the vagrant. I ride one (and have not ridden an Imp or Rigde), and like it although the chainstays are kinda long (16.5" if I remember correctly).

The Imp looks great but I wanted a longer seat tube for climbing. Of course, I just converted my Vagrant to singlespeed and do not need to raise the seat any more. The Ridge looked like a very nice frame as well but I remember it being more $ (and I think it has a steeper head angle?).

[wolfrider]

I already posted my Imp in your other hardtail thread. Imp's have 3 rear droppout positions adjusting the chainstay between 15.5-16.25-17 and still maintains a hardtail pedaling feel with a 180mm fork with very raked geometry yet somewhat steep headangle, even though it functions like a downhill bike on the rocky steeps.

[bballboy388]

has anyone said the soulcycles sluggo its only like 400 bucks new.

[Sir_Crackien]

ok i'm going to pipe in on this one. i have owned a morphine, instigator, soulcycles sluggo, and others. the morphine is a very strong bike. you i bet will never break the thing but its like 7+ lbs for the frame. its actually good geo for both street and dh. BUT i always had problems with the rear wheel moving, even with bolt on. the surly just cannot compete with these other bikes mentioned thus far. the sluggo has a lot on nice features like the sliding dropout and twin toptubes. its about 1.5 lbs lighter than the morphine but its pretty dedicated to fr and dh. not that good of a street bike. i have ridden imps many time and their geo just doesn't agree with me. they feel like a street bike and you have the put a long fork on the thing to feel good for fr and dh but that kills the street. the vagrant is my favorite on the bunch listed as of let. its geo is similar to the morphine and have vertical drops (no sliding rear wheel). also its probably th lightest as well and if it proves to be like the other transitions it will be strong.

[rmb_mike]

-RM Flow
-GF Mullet
-Scott Voltage
-Giant STP(friend has one and loves it)
One of my other friends has a Mob steel DJ, but I can't remember the name of it.
Another friend has a Trek Jack. I like them really well, but it seems to have that brand name price hike.

[nwd_26]

I am pretty much thinking of these options. Jackal, Morphine, Vagrant. Which of these 3 is better for FR/DH? If anyone knows of any not listed here, please post. Thanks for the info so far and please keep posting.


check out the 24 porn king. the only hardtail to race in this year's canadian open at whistler

[1453]

Ok, I will discard the Jackal (my friend just got a Jackal and I dont want to have the same bike). Anyway, Vagrant or Morphine for DH/FR?

what happened to your 06 Jackal? did you sell it or something?

oh yeah, look into Surly Instigator or the 24 Le Toy(whichever number they are on these days).

[capt.crispy]

Sluggo,I second that.The ridge is also way cool or a santa cruz chameleon.

[capt.crispy]

How about an identiti dr. jeckyll?Sliding dropouts,5.5 lbs. and $350.Worth a look.I have never ridden one bu ti would love to hear how they ride.

[markhammond77]

I will probably get a vagrant, but want to know more about other bikes. Maybe a DOC? What do you guys think of it?

[markhammond77]

Or maybe a Yeti DJ? Will it work for real aggresive freeride with a 66 up front?

[ROTFLMAO]

You should buy a frame that was designed to run with a taller fork like a Soul Cycles Sluggo. That way you won't be messing up the geo resulting in a goofy feeling bike.

[formermtboarder]

If your riding dh on a hardtail, get a hardtail made for dh
http://www.twofortythree.com/html/product/dhfra.html

Or for a little more all around approach
http://www.twofortythree.com/html/product/frfra.html

The FR has very similar geometry and is a pound lighter and everything is cromo so its tough stuff. Ive heard nothing but good things about .243. Hell you can even dj and possibly ride park, the chainstays slam to 15.2, way short.

[markhammond77]

Hey, anyone got a sovereign? I would be extremely interested. I know this is kind of spam, but whatever.