Recommend me a LT Cromoly Hardtail

Danny B

Danny B

Likes Dirt
So I'm moving to New Zealand in a month... and thinking that its a good time to upgrade my current bike to something that is capable of tackling of some rougher terrain.

I'm currently riding a 26" Jamis Dragon - 100mm travel steel hardtail (classic XC geometry - long chainstays and a 70º HT). In an ideal world I would be getting myself an AM/trail dualie but the $2.5-3.5K price tag for a decent one of these rules out this option. So instead I'm getting a new frame and fork and swapping over the parts from my current bike (not stock), which are fairly burly as it is.

So what I'm after is a long travel cro-mo hardtail frame. I've got myself a set of 150mm 2011 RS Revelation forks (w 1.125 straight steerer) to use with it. Ideally the frame will have trail geo, an oversize headtube (so I can run a tapered fork if I want) and a 30.9 or 31.6 seat tube so I can run a dropper, ISG mounts and cable routing for a front derailleur.

Been looking at:
Cotic B Fe
Chromag Aperture
Transition TransAm
Production Privee Shan
Ragley Piglet
On-one 456

Any other suggestions, or ones that are on my list which I should pass over? :juggle:
 
rone

rone

Eats Squid
I'd get a Blue Pig over a Piglet if you are running 150mm forks, but other than that you seem to have most bases covered. The Cotic BFe gets my vote. It's a hell of a bike. I've had a Blue Pig and a 456 and now have the BFe. It's the consummate all-rounder.
 
C

CQP

Likes Bikes
Hi Danny,

It would be pretty hard to go past the Cotic. I've got a Soul, which has the same geo as the BFe, but made from Reynolds 853. I think the fork limit on it is 140mm. It has a tapered head tube, 31.6 post and dropper routing.

I'd call the Cotic a classic hits hardtail, because it seems to have everything good about all the different hardtails I've owned over the years, with none of the bad bits. They say the BFe was made to be a stiffer version of the Soul, but the Soul is really stiff. I've had a couple of steel hardtails over the years (DMR switchback, trailstar and my wife rides a steel Kona) and the Soul is a bit too stiff for me. At 60kg, it doesn't flex like my other steel bikes have. I've just gone back to my dually.

If you are interested in a Medium, Black Soul, let me know. I haven't advertised it yet. But either way, good luck with this bike. All the bikes you have listed look like insanely fun rides.

CQ
 
J

JONO WADE

Likes Bikes and Dirt
I've ridden the Production Privee Shan, but none of the others. Had an absolute ball on the bike, loved it!

Really fun on the trails and definitely a very clean looking frame, that'd be my choice.
 
guitar1234

guitar1234

Likes Dirt
On One 456 Evos are designed by the same bloke as the Blue Pig, so naturally they're a pretty solid frame, for a ridiculously low price also :dance:
 
G

GravityJockey

Likes Bikes
What about a Cotic Rocket ??? CrMo 5in AM Dually.... ???

Cotic make some pretty sweet CrMo frames like the BFE or soul which were both previously mentioned.

But since you mentioned you would like a AM dually Cotic also have the rocket... A 5in CrMo Dually which might be in your budget. I have seen this frame used to race DH on, so you know it's good to go.

Check them out at www.cotic.com.au or email tom@cotic.com.au

Tom normally has a few frames ready to go or can exactly what you want (Size and Colour) from the UK in around 14 days.
 
rone

rone

Eats Squid
GravityJockey said:
Cotic make some pretty sweet CrMo frames like the BFE or soul which were both previously mentioned.

But since you mentioned you would like a AM dually Cotic also have the rocket... A 5in CrMo Dually which might be in your budget. I have seen this frame used to race DH on, so you know it's good to go.

Check them out at www.cotic.com.au or email tom@cotic.com.au

Tom normally has a few frames ready to go or can exactly what you want (Size and Colour) from the UK in around 14 days.
Click to expand...
It's a 6"/150mm frame I believe. I also understand they're supposed to be pretty bloody good.
 
Danny B

Danny B

Likes Dirt
I think a Cotic B Fe or Soul will be the go - you get a lot of bike for the money.

Can anyone tell me exactly what the differences between the B Fe and Soul are exactly, other than tubing set? Does the B Fe have shorter chainstays? The Geometry looks very similar... Its weird that Cotic doesn't provide detailed frame geometries on their site.
 
rone

rone

Eats Squid
Danny B said:
I think a Cotic B Fe or Soul will be the go - you get a lot of bike for the money.

Can anyone tell me exactly what the differences between the B Fe and Soul are exactly, other than tubing set? Does the B Fe have shorter chainstays? The Geometry looks very similar... Its weird that Cotic doesn't provide detailed frame geometries on their site.
Click to expand...
The geometries are identical. The tubesets are different. Soul is 853, BFe is 853 downtube but with beefier double butted and air hardened proprietry Cotic chromoly tubes. Soul is pitched at XC to light AM. BFe is more trail to mega-avalanche and beyond.
 
Danny B

Danny B

Likes Dirt
rone said:
The geometries are identical. The tubesets are different. Soul is 853, BFe is 853 downtube but with beefier double butted and air hardened proprietry Cotic chromoly tubes. Soul is pitched at XC to light AM. BFe is more trail to mega-avalanche and beyond.
Click to expand...
^cheers. I thought as much. I think I'm gonna opt for the Soul.

Thanks everybody for all the replies. Muchos gracios!
 
Danny B

Danny B

Likes Dirt
Yeah the Chromags are real nice.

Just picked up my Cotic Soul today. Looking forward to building it up over the coming weeks. Thanks go to CQ (and the rest of you who have contributed to this thread). Cheers!
 
Danny B

Danny B

Likes Dirt
shakes said:
Nice man, seeing how you ride that will suit you heaps better. Taken it out yet?
Click to expand...
Unfortunately not. We're packing up the house for NZ this week. Out next Monday. Don't think it'll touch Aussie soil :( . I can't be arsed cleaning it and MAF NZ are pretty hot on Mountain Bikes and dirt. Pity I'd have loved to have broken it in on Cressy's.

Yeah, I'm pretty chuffed with how it turned out.
 
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