Slack hardtail… secondhand… what to search for?

Lazmo

Lazmo

Old and hopeless
OK… a while ago I posted a thread entitled “Is it pointless to put longer forks on an old plonker?” and the general consensus was… no don’t do it, get on gumtree/ebay/etc and look for a complete slack hardtail “with all the fruit” on it already.

So, I bin lookin, but either I’m crap or blind or hopeless or both… or maybe I’m not sure what I’m looking for. The other problem is, I also keep looking in the All Mountain “Post your All MTN/Funduro hardtail” thread… and it just makes me want want want real bad.

The last time I rode the old plonker on the trails, was the closest I’ve been to going over the bars since buying my Stumpy… OK, I saved it just, but I’m old and don’t want that otb grief, so I think a slacker head angle hardtail is definitely in order.

Can youse name drop some suitable bikes to search for. They are probably there, but I’m missing them.
 
pink poodle

pink poodle

気が狂っている男
Old Norco hard tails are what you want. I've got one at home, a torrent I think. Came with 180mm forks and has a 150mm rear end. They are fun if you can handle the bumps. I cant.
 
D

didly86

Likes Dirt
I just put this together for a friend with 170mm marz66's
I told him my self it will be a waste of time spending money on this frame and he could get something better for less , but I was wrong it rides great and we built the whole thing for $400 , how the head tube holds up will be another story .

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1437079506.041926.jpg
 
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limeyfingers

Likes Dirt
pink poodle said:
Old Norco hard tails are what you want. I've got one at home, a torrent I think. Came with 180mm forks and has a 150mm rear end. They are fun if you can handle the bumps. I cant.
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All I have to say is "do it, you know you want a real man's bike" . lets you put the parts on a dh frame as you become a more able rider. Most here will disagree but we all have different tastes, limey
 
N

Noobs

Squid
I love a good slack hardtail. Here's what I'd be keeping my eyes out for: Production Privee Shan, Cotic BFe, Stanton Slackline, Santa Cruz Chameleon, Commencal El Camino, NS Surge, Ns Eccentric, Ragley BluePig, Chromag Stylus, Kona Honzo, Cove Stiffee...
 
N

Noobs

Squid
A few of these have already been mentioned, but this is what I'd be keeping an eye out for: Ragley Blue Pig, Cove Stiffee, Cotic BFe, Stanton Slackline, Production Privee Shan, Santa Cruz Chameleon, NS Surge, NS Eccentric, etc. I hope that helps!
 
Z

zac

Likes Dirt
+1 for the old Norcos. Look at the Rampage, Torrent, Manik and Bigfoot. Rampage and Torrent usually had almost identical frames, the Manik and Bigfoot were slightly different from memory. I think the '05 models were the first ones to have the extra brace for a rear disc. I've got an '05 Rampage which I ran Marz 66s on and it is one of the two best bikes I've had (the other being an '02 Iron Horse G-Spot). The only reason I stopped riding it is cause I outgrew it - a size Large is about an 18" seat tube and it was my do-everything bike, including commuting.

Other frames that might be worth a look are the Chameleon, Banshee Scirocco (if you can find one,) Nicolai Argon (ditto, and bloody expensive) and there was also an AM Orange hardtail and a Kona called the Five I think? Dunno whether they ever sold them here though. I've been looking at the 456 or the Blue Pig lately cause I like the idea of steel but funds aren't permitting.
 
ForkinGreat

ForkinGreat

Knows his Brassica oleracea
W

will2

Likes Dirt
pink poodle said:
Old Norco hard tails are what you want. I've got one at home, a torrent I think. Came with 180mm forks and has a 150mm rear end. They are fun if you can handle the bumps. I cant.
Click to expand...
Yep, agree. I currently ride a Norco Rampage that I built up after it was sitting under a mates house for half a decade, it is a lot of fun and i ride a lot of steep stuff. I have a 130mm Rockshox Revelation and have a 66.5 degree HA (I measured with digital spirit level on the stanchions).

Sasquatch also good. Get on scumtree get something absolutely fucked give them $50, then join the crew, make sure you have plenty of stickers on hand to complete the look. Put a decent drivetrain and fork on and get looks of complete disgust from some snobs, then tear past them with a lip splitting grin on.

EDIT: Just had a look in the For sale section. That Rampage would be sick, but (I don't like calling people out) why is that user asking $700 for that thing, it's a complete joke.
 
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Lazmo

Lazmo

Old and hopeless
All fixed… RotorBurn to the rescue, as HimynameisMike PM’d me about his bike, and weirdly he lives two streets away. So, tonight he brought his Cotic BFe around and I took it for a spin… and it’s exactly what I’m after... thanks Mike.

Later I took the whippets down to the local oval for a run, and just tooled around on the BFe… and it really is good fun. The bars are wider than god, but that’s easy fixed. Later again, I took my Leader and the BFe out consecutively a few times… and it is just a totally different world. The Leader feels like a road bike and the BFe just wants to have fun. NBD.
 
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