Your favourite AM frame and why

L

Lurkin

Likes Dirt
In the future I intend to put together a custom bike, completely suited to me more or less from bits. The first thing under consideration is the frame which I may buy or build, all decisions are up for discussion. I like the slacker headtube angle, higher handlebars, beefy components etc more than the strictly XC bikes. It's likely to be used as a bit of an all rounder, DH frames are probably a bit too slack and unlikely to be much good when hills arise.

Geometry, material, weight, availability and any other relevant attribute are the topics for consideration. Really I'm just curious to find out what others prefer and why.
 
JTmofo

JTmofo

XC Enthusiast
You've just described any manufacturers current "Enduro" line up.....

There are literally dozens of choices... take your pick.

Budget, materials, standards etc are all personal things and have/can be discussed to death.

For me, carbon frame, 65-67 Deg HA, 140-160mm travel, 11 speed, tubeless, short stem (50-60mm frame sizing dependant) dropper post, mid-wide bars (740-760mm)
 
Last edited:
J

jawry

Likes Dirt
easy!

Its got to climb like a goat and descend like hell. Have a coil shock and fork (preferably travel adjust) be rugged, simple and easy to maintain. 1x11, dropper post. Just say Heckler (if you can find one)
 
B Rabbit

B Rabbit

Likes Bikes and Dirt
My Mach 6 is treating me well. I put in a 1.0 headset In for a bit more DH geo

Wish they got a water bottle in the front triangle and it has retardo cable routing

Aside from that, it's ace.
 
ianganderton

ianganderton

Likes Dirt
Ask the question "which frames fit you best?"

I prefer a longer top tube than some. This rules out a lot of bikes that other people love

Be careful of other people's recommendations because of this.

What bikes have you ridden and really felt like you could do everything on it? Grind out the climbs, nail the downs, carve the berms?
 
S

spoozbucket

Likes Dirt
I'm still a hardtail fan but if I went to the dark side I'd probably do it on a Banshee Prime. I really like the amount of thought those guys put in to the geo for each different size. It's Slack(for a 29er and can run an angleset), big hoops, short travel, looks like a bunch of fun but no drink bottle holder sucks big time!
 
Ultra Lord

Ultra Lord

Hurts. Requires Money. And is nerdy.
I love, more than anything in the world, transitions scout. It looks like such a ball of fun, shorts travel, aggressive geometry and by all accounts they are built like a tank.

I dont own one however. I have a reign. And 160mm is too much for alot of my rides, and its alittle bit long for alot of my trails. It really only optimal for me 20% of the time. That 20% is awesome though.

One day, when my reign breaks, ill buy a scout. Untill then, im happy with my reign.
 
L

Lurkin

Likes Dirt
If I'm really honest, its been a very, very long time since I have done anything decent offroad. I had a Cannondale bike back in the day which eventually saw a set of big forks etc but really it was a hack job and it was terrible for many reasons. The Trek X-Caliber MTB I have hasn't seen any offroad, its become the commute machine and busting it during the weekend isn't really an option as I rely on it. It's also a completely different bike, the geometry of the frame is definitely not what I have in mind. A Kona Taro is probably a better match if it were to be a fun, light hard tail, likely to want full suspension with this one.

The closest I've come of recent was a 2014 Giant Trance SX. I realise Giant's a despised brand on this forum by many, and it was ages ago when I rode it. I went back to buy it (it would have been heavily discounted and was advertised to still be there in my size) and it was long gone (in my size). I guess I wasn't really the passionate about buying it in the first place, otherwise I would have left with it on the day I test rode it.

I didn't post about these originally, because I want to know what other people like rather than revolve around what I have, have had or was thinking about. I realise it has likely been debated many times. But new things also come out all the time and the reason for coming on MTB forum was to get more input from people who are experienced and likely to have bought up to date stuff.
 
moorey

moorey

call me Mia
jawry said:
Its got to climb like a goat and descend like hell. Have a coil shock and fork (preferably travel adjust) be rugged, simple and easy to maintain. 1x11, dropper post. Just say Heckler (if you can find one)
Click to expand...
You had me till heckler. Great old bike, but.....

I don't have one, but really impressed with the Focus Sams. If you are happy with Alu, like me, and a little more weight, I still love the Runes (I have a spitty, and a longer travel version would be awesome). Almost anything by transition is a winner.
 
the drizzle

the drizzle

Likes Bikes and Dirt
A couple of my mates are riding the new kona processes (134 and 153) and I reckon they are pretty amazing steeds. In saying that I am on my 3rd banshee rune and since changing the linkage and doing away with the bushings the v2 is amazing. It is rather heavy but aside from that at its price point I reckon it is an amazing ride.
 
N

nitro01

Likes Dirt
Focus SAM!!! You won't regret it! 160mm travel, 65.8* head angle, comfy to ride all day, can hang with an XC bike uphill and stick it to the big bikes when it gets rough!
 
MARKL

MARKL

Eats Squid
Mywifesirrational said:
I'm tall, steep STA - 74-76 degrees and reach figures around 460mm, the rest works out from there.
Click to expand...
I agree with the STA, my current AM #oldskoolb4endurocool is a S1 Intense Slopestyle, love it fun to ride down, corners great...bit crap at climbing...aargghh who am I kidding a lot crap at climbing. But with a reasonable STA and dropper post it can be made to work. By all accounts the S2 SS is a better bike but Intense deliberately fucked up the STA hence I still ride the S1.
 
scblack

scblack

Leucocholic
MARKL said:
I agree with the STA, my current AM #oldskoolb4endurocool is a S1 Intense Slopestyle, love it fun to ride down, corners great...bit crap at climbing...aargghh who am I kidding a lot crap at climbing. But with a reasonable STA and dropper post it can be made to work. By all accounts the S2 SS is a better bike but Intense deliberately fucked up the STA hence I still ride the S1.
Click to expand...
I've got a SS2 and its climbs only just OK.

GREAT for downhill though.

I bought an Intense seatpost off Chris Kovarik last year - layback style though and it made climbing CRAP.
 
stirk

stirk

Burner
I can second the kona process frame but then I have no reference on any others. Climbs very very well, if I concentrate on what I'm doing it won't lose its line and I'm yet to lift the front even in technical stuff as their seem to be alot of weight held forward even with short stays but its all about going fast downhill and there it ploughs, saved my neck a few times when I've dropped into ruts or gotten offline into the loose baby head sized rock gardens.

Would you like the geometry? Perhaps you won't, many might feel its a reach to the bars even with a 35mm stem.

Other bikes with similar long and low too tubes would feel the same. They do make you reach forward a little so on long rides the wrists can get tired but its not so bad and it makes sense when pushing hard as your weight is naturally over the front wheel.

Im 6 foot normal to longish legs, with bugger all rise in my bars and when the seat post is at optimal height for pedalling the bars are a couple inches lower than the seat so that may not suit you but that is what droppers are for.

I'm looking to buy another frame soonish but will definitely try before buy if possible, even if it means hooking up with a fellow burner who has what I'm interested in and no shops do.

Good luck, its always exciting planning your next bike/part/clothing/tool purchase.
 
B

bikeyoulongtime

Likes Dirt
Everyone is just talking about the bikes they own. But what do we expect - it's a leading question, why ride a frame you don't like?

I own a liteville 301 mk11. I'm over the fucking moon with it, it's taken me to some places riding skills wise I thought I'd never go. Goes where you point it, eats rocks, rides uphill, bombs down, flies well. Incredible attention to detail in its construction. Precise is the best one word description.

I'd like to swing a leg over a Process, a SAM, a Banshee Spitty and a Prime, an SC Bronson, the new Reign, A Knolly, a Transition anything, Devinci spartan, Mojo HD and some more, maybe a Nicolai? They all look like damn fine machines :) I've got a lot of demo days to schedule...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top