WHAT is a great hardtail?

[Santaman]

Yo, monkeys, im switching from DH on a V10 to a hardtail. Does anyone have an opinion on: Norco Manik, P3, Chase, or anything else? :think:

[FlashBullit]

Yo, monkeys, im switching from DH on a V10 to a hardtail. Does anyone have an opinion on: Norco Manik, P3, Chase, or anything else? :think:

NO dont do it. j/k I like the K2 frames AND THE KONA DIRT JUMPING HARD TAILS, P3 is good i tihnk you sould go test ride all the bikes you like and go to www.mtbreview.com. make sure you have good compants of corse. THATS about it.

[RideND]

Evil's are nice as are Endless. Iron Horse has a nice hardtail. There are a lot of small companies that make hardtails that you should look into.

[Santaman]

see, I like the idea of a warranty on my bike, plus my shops don't have access to Evil or Endless.

[endtroducing]

see, I like the idea of a warranty on my bike, plus my shops don't have access to Evil or Endless.

Um why wouldn't an endless or evil have a warranty? My endless has a lifetime transferable warranty, and besides both frames have essentially zero percent failure rates. But you make a good point. The caveat of the small/boutique builder is that test riding one can be very difficult.

If you want more feedback you should also try and be a little more specific about your needs/wants.

[Santaman]

Well, I want to ride lots of urban so I like the bury components on the p3. I would be trying some mild DJing, so weight isn't a huge issue. I would maybe race it on MX courses- maybe. I would sury do some shore type riding. IS the Norco Manik good? I rode a P2 today and almost got manualing, but the p2 feels so cheesy because of the parts, so I like the p3, but I cant ride one until the shop orders one, ****!

[Kornphlake]

d00d, th3 Ptoo iz a p13ce of p00p. U should get a pee3 cause th3ir compon3ntz r m0r3 b3tt3r.


I hate to tell you that if a p2 doesn't feel too good then a p3 won't feel much better, the only differance that you might be able to feel, and this is a big might, is if the cranks were flexy. The geometry and weight of the bike will make a much bigger differance in the way the bike feels than what handlebar or shifter it has.

Are you looking for an aluminum frame or steel, or do you care, do you care about weight, how much, what kind of price point are you looking at, do you need xtr components to not get balled by your friends... To be honest I have deore shifters and derailurs and they work as well as the XT stuff I've had at half the price. Sometimes you can get by with cheap stuff so you can get a better frame.

[Ronny Grady]

I just ordered a .243 racing frame yesterday to replace my old hardtail frame I broke. I rode one last summer and liked it A LOT. I can't wait!

http://www.243racing.com/

Balfa Minuteman is a great hardtail, but Balfa might be going out of business?

http://www.balfa.com/

[adrenalinjunky18]

Bansheeeeee Morphineeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[-BB-]

Planet-x

[Santaman]

yeah, the morphine is way sick. I figure the p3 will do good if I have a good warranty, but I don't want to buy it for just that. I don't have the $ to build a bike from frame up, but I budgeted about $1200. What for $1200 is a sick build?

[Ifelloffabike]

the giant stp1 is a sick bike for under $1200

and you could get a SS build kit from unrealcycles and a frame and fork for under $1200

[offdawalley]

all are top dirt jump bikes, the P3 and the Chase are more street oriented, they probably ride more like a bmx

[Kornphlake]

Get a frame with horiz dropouts so you can go ss now and save up to add on shifters later. You should be able to build up a SS pretty nice for less than $1200 and you get the cranks YOU want, the fork YOU want, the brakes YOU want, the wheels YOU want... it'll be sick, it just won't shift gears. Of course for what you spend you could get all the same stuff plus shifters if you bought a complete bike from specialized or cannondale.

You keep harping on this warranty thing, have you broken a lot of high end frames already? I only ask because I haven't and most of the people I ride with haven't.

[urbanhuckbot]

all are top dirt jump bikes, the P3 and the Chase are more street oriented, they probably ride more like a bmx


um, no they dont...

[40ozrepresent]

If your going to ride DH on a hardtail with a 5"+ travel fork definately get something that is burely.I snapped the head tubes off of a chameleon and an azonic evolution,and trust me it sucks.I would look for something steel like the brooklyns.

[Santaman]

nah, the warranty is mainly for components and stuff. I have had a cracked v10 sent to me that I had to warranty. Im scarred for life!!

[dirtdevil]

step it up to an ellsworth specialist. You can get an 04' for a pretty good deal. If you can wait a few months there is a newly designed frame for 05'. The 05' will be off the hook. The specialist is by far the most comfortable and best looking bike on the market today. Scope it out!

[Ifelloffabike]

step it up to an ellsworth specialist. You can get an 04' for a pretty good deal. If you can wait a few months there is a newly designed frame for 05'. The 05' will be off the hook. The specialist is by far the most comfortable and best looking bike on the market today. Scope it out!


dont listen to him, he rides for ellsworth and the specialist definatly isnt worth the money or having to deal with tony ellsworth if something goes wrong.

There are plenty of other frames that are much less then the $1k price tag of the specialist and are just as good.

[alonedrinkin']

dude, the DMR Trailstar kicks ass, has a good warranty and most good shops can get it through BTI.

[alonedrinkin']

Plus Trailstars are pretty inexpensive

[endtroducing]

dont listen to him, he rides for ellsworth and the specialist definatly isnt worth the money or having to deal with tony ellsworth if something goes wrong.

There are plenty of other frames that are much less then the $1k price tag of the specialist and are just as good.


not to mention a statement like "by far the most comfortable" is a little relative don't you think? :dead:

[dirtdevil]

don't listen to me because I ride for Ellsworth? Come on now! I have been riding for them since 98' and that should tell you something. If I found a better feeling bike I would go and ride for them. When was the last time you looked into buying an Ellsworth specialist(obviously you've looked)? They are cheaper than a grand. Sure they are cost a little extra but if you can afford it why not make everyone else cry cause they can't. Give one a spin and I bet you'll feel the same way. Yo' everybody, did you see the new DECLINE? I love you all!!!!!!! ye' hah, i'm goin' on vacation! until the next time.............................

[endtroducing]

don't listen to me because I ride for Ellsworth? Come on now! I have been riding for them since 98' and that should tell you something. If I found a better feeling bike I would go and ride for them. When was the last time you looked into buying an Ellsworth specialist(obviously you've looked)? They are cheaper than a grand. Sure they are cost a little extra but if you can afford it why not make everyone else cry cause they can't. Give one a spin and I bet you'll feel the same way.


i owned one. it was ok. i moved on.

[Santaman]

dirtdevil? you're not the Ellsworth rider featured?

[letoy3]

The 24 letoy 3 or 4. I have a letoy 3 and its not only burly but looks awesome.

[dirtdevil]

dirtdevil? you're not the Ellsworth rider featured?

Yes sir, I am him, he is me. By the way, what do you mean by "featured"?

[Cash-Money]

i ride a kona cowan, and it is awesome, nice with a 4inch fork, or a six like i have

[w00dy]

Go with steel, your face will thank you. :)

[BoyBoy]

unless you are dropping lotsa cash, i'd get a steel bike. I find that less expensive aluminum bikes ride like crap.

SOme of the older steel konas are nice. I like Norcos. AtomLab has a new Steel bike that looks VERY nice.

over all, the On-One Gimp seems to be the best deal out there... BMX BB, H-Drops, Sweet stand over height.

[BoyBoy]

dude, the DMR Trailstar kicks ass, has a good warranty and most good shops can get it through BTI.


'nother good idea.



really... stay with steel. it's the only way to go for street riding. there are some exceptions to the rule, but in general, steel makes a stronger, cleaner, nicer riding, classier ride.

[protijy]

Steel is the ISH....

I'd go with Geekhouse but I'm bias ;)


http://www.geekhousebikes.com/images/frame_main.jpg

[Santaman]

All right now, For real here, I have access to finance these bikes/companies: NORCO, Specialized, Ellsworth, ORange, Yeti, Rocky Mountain, and I think that's it. I have budgeted $1200 for this and not much more. Who has a bike that will rip urban, MX, DJ? I don't know much about hardtails so I am relying on Monkeys to help. Yo Dirtdevil aka John Jesme?

[protijy]

~$1400

you could biuld up a Geekhouse with the profile 3 speed rear hub that be s33k!

[dirtdevil]

All right now, For real here, I have access to finance these bikes/companies: NORCO, Specialized, Ellsworth, ORange, Yeti, Rocky Mountain, and I think that's it. I have budgeted $1200 for this and not much more. Who has a bike that will rip urban, MX, DJ? I don't know much about hardtails so I am relying on Monkeys to help. Yo Dirtdevil aka John Jesme?

A.K.A.= yes sir :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:

[Santaman]

sick dude, I read that article and it was dope. Will you rip a double flip or whipflip?

[dirtdevil]

All that stuff you read in the mag is one big fake story. The truth is I can't even do a single flip, when they took the pictures they held the camera upside down. Alright fine thats not the truth either. The real story is........I quit riding MTB's. The reason I quit is because nobody likes me. :nuts:
Alright here is the real story....... it might have already been done but the footage is yet to be seen by the public eye!!!!!!!muhamuhahahaha :evil:

[flatulant_man]

i've been ridin a Haro Escape 8.2 (yeah, that's a mountain bike) for about three months now. the frames are super burly, and will stand up to pretty much anything better than you will. check it out at The Fix in Boulder.

[flatulant_man]

since your out of state, check out the fix online at www.rythmcycles.com

[Showtime]

Go steel.

Check out the Transition Trail-or-Park

Pictures of mine:
http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/showthread.php?t=87049

:thumb:

[boostindoubles]

my 2 cents:

i ride a 2004 KONA roast xl. i bought the bike new for 1400$. came out of the box ready to shred. i been shreding the streets and dj's on it for almost 6 months now. i love this bike man. it came with a djIII fork, but it was a tad heavy for my tastes. i swapped in a Fox Vanilla 125R and i have been i heaven. i have ridden dj's, street, park, and DH all in one weekend on that bike. :D

[McGRP01]

Go steel.

Check out the Transition Trail-or-Park

Pictures of mine:
http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/showthread.php?t=87049

:thumb:


WERD!

[spookymilk]

I'd go .243. I got one and it's definately a versatile bike. You get 3 different top-tube sizes to choose from. It's got horizontal drop-outs and wheelbase adjusters to go with it. It's got a huge reputation in Vancouver and on NSMB.com. They're also reasonalby priced and have a good warrenty

[mandown]

I love my Norco5Hun. They don't make the 5Hun anymore, but the other frames should be in the same league.

Check unrealcycles.com. They have a good inventory of stuff with descriptions. Also check Soul Cycles at ridesoul.com. They have some good looking products with improvements and more models planned for next year.

[urbanhuckbot]

www.fbmbmx.com

[RD]

www.fbmbmx.com

Thank you! Someone finally gets it!!! :D


Or even www.terribleone.com the new Barcodes are tasty.

[El Jefe]

i ride a kona cowan, and it is awesome, nice with a 4inch fork, or a six like i have

I am selling my Cowan very very soon as a full bike. Anywhere from $650-$900 depending on fork and component choices. Yeah yeah, I know, post it in the Buy and Sell...I will, but he's asking for recommendations on a hardtail, and I happen to have one..... :sneaky:

[big boy]

there are alot of good hardtails. If you want beef, get a evil. but if you want a strong , relativly light ht check out norco, or maybe the small company transition bikes

www.transitionbikes.com

[RD]

there are alot of good hardtails. If you want beef, get a evil. but if you want a strong , relativly light ht check out norco, or maybe the small company transition bikes

www.transitionbikes.com


That Transition hardtail is 8lb. The Imperial is 6.1lb or so. I say go for the Imperial in terms of strength and weight. Very few companies appear to be even coming close to touchnig the Engineering behind the Imperial.

[Bicyclist]

I would be aware that the P3 weighs 38 lbs. (If you are at all concerned w/ that) It is HELLA beefy, though.

[hardtailer88]

Snipes Elemental it all the way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[BMXman]

www.nicolai.net ....check out the 2MX and the BMXTB...oh yeah almost forgot they come with a 5 year warranty:thumb:

[Ilovespooky]

since your coming off a V10 a burly hardtail should be the way to go, i have a new steel clifcat tankass and i've done everything on it, i raced MTX on it last weekend and it has great geometry for everything

[flatulant_man]

i've actually heard bad things about the chase. however, azonic is out with a new hardtail. the steelhead. Shawnee at the Fix in boulder (he owns the place) says it's a pretty sick frame, and he's never steered me wrong before.

[scurban]

look at planet x, or if you want to go with NORCO, get the 250 rather than the Manik, P3's are alright, but your best bet is to look at the planet x line, and build one up with parts you like.

[scurban]

dude, the DMR Trailstar kicks ass, has a good warranty and most good shops can get it through BTI.

He's right, check out this frame at www.dmrbikes.com the sidekick is a great choice too, I think the sell the frames for right around $300

[CreeP]

what do you guys know about "blk mrkt"? All i know is what i remember from scanning the latest decline at the shop. That being: a project set up by some dude who used to work for S&M and some other guy and the frame's got an integrated headset and it's made from OX platinum, only, that has got a new name, like supertherm or something.

um, why would anyone want to run bmx spacing on a 24" or larger wheel? Hint hint geekhouse. I mean, wow you get to use bmx hubs, but sheesh, how many 180's can you do without having to carry some salsa for the innevitable taco?

[dexter]

all im saying is that i love my yeti i might be a bit biased because i ride for them and put some thought into the final production (beat the living poo out of the prototype for a year) but it rides incredibly nice. check it out. i tossed my slider plus on it and it rode pretty decently

[willyboy8576]

ya the only thing i have to say is get horiz drop outs