I want a hardtail. Help.

[Fingerpuk]

Hello.

I want a hardtail, analogue, something to do trails and dirt jumps on. I want to learn to manual and just be more playful. The ebike is great and I love it, but I want something to stick in the car and go to the Bull Track on.

Was thinking a Marin San Quentin 3 bit at £1600 it’s a bit rich. I’m small, 5’6”.

Thoughts?

 

[Zimmerframe]

We might regret this so be ready to take the rough with the smooth

@Gary

 

[Gary]

For decent complete DJ bikes at around a grand take a look at
Saracen amplitude, Canyon stitched 360 or YT dirt love
all capable of what you want
also look at Dartmoor. If you want gears their Hornet 4X is an awesome choice (I ride one so would say that tho

Oh, and stop calling normal bikes analogue. it sounds cringe

thanks

 

[Fingerpuk]

Dartmoor look nice. Struggling with stock.

I’ve found a dealer with the San Quentin in small, will check that for size and go from there.

Cheers.

 

[Gary]

The San quentin isn't a dirt jump bike and doesn't have dirt jump geometry
You should find most (small) 26" DJ frames will have around 400mm reach and sub 400mm chainstays with a 68ish deg headangle (with a 100mm fork)
The San quentin in small is in the right ball park for reach at 420mm (about the same as some Long DJ frames or my 4X) but it has long stays (due partly to the 27.5 wheelsize) a longer fork and slacker H/A
it'll work for dirtjumps and manuals but a proper DJ bike will feel nicer

 

[Fingerpuk]

This bike needs to handle trail riding as well as jumps, so I thought it would be the nice middle ground. A full on DJ bike would be interesting on a down hill trail.

 

[Fingerpuk]

Oh wow I started to Google more after re-reading your response and now the 4x is stuck in my head.

It would solve two problems: my need of this bike plus my wife can ride it for family rides along the river. So it’s technically very cheap!

I see Sam Pilgrim just converted his jump bike, adding gears etc. So that’s another route.

I’ll call around some food bike shops and get some more advice.

 

[Gary]

For about 20 years my most used mtb was always a 26" dirt jump/4X frame with 100mm fork and gearing (rear gears with a chainguide). and a very long seatpost and QR Collar.
The saddle could be raised to full pedalling extension for climbs or longer natural/XC/Trail Centre riding and slammed to DJ height for jibbing, descending and jumping.
I ran a 2.35 DHF and 2.35 Bling Bling (similar to an SS) both maxpro (hardest fastest rolling compound) for versatility. and ran them at fairly high pressure for faster rolling.
I rode everything from 40mile natural XC rides to national level DH tracks and EWS level Enduro to dirt jumps, skate/BMX/pump tracks on those bikes. Pre-dropper posts I'd think nothing of riding for 2 hours with the saddle slammed and never sat down.
Obviously being a lot shorter than a trail bike it's more challenging climbing a super short bike with less than super grippy tyres but I kinda like the added technicality and rider input it needed.You get used to this very quickly and just bending your elbows more when seated (elbows out) helps maintain a comfortable position. you also learn to weight the bike differently to maintain grip and to stop the front raising on super steep/loose climbs.

I still ride my 4X bike like this, just not as often as I used to. Coz Eebs and dropper posts have made me lazy and less fit

 

[Fingerpuk]

That’s what I’m craving. You describe what I know I’d love.

What do you think, find one built or buy a jump bike and convert it myself? I’m handy with a spanner, but choosing the components would be an enigma.

I’m going to ride the ebike still as it is doing wonders for my knee and building strength/fitness. My mini jump loop on it is a full body work out. But I can see a longer term future in the 4X bike.

 

[Fingerpuk]

Can’t find anyone who can suggest a frame that would take gears. Surely somebody makes a jump bike that’ll accept gears.

 

[1981Miked]

I am contemplating selling my 2019 Cotic Soul in small frame size. Not a DJ bike but with seat right down it could do a job while still be ace to to pedal around and ride trails on. PM if interested. It’s a nice spec.
Cotic Soul small frame in Mercury with orange decals (frame looks raw in colour)
130mm RockShox revelation
Hope Fortus 27.5” wheels on Hope pro 4 orange hubs
Hope headset, BB and seatclamp all in orange
Thomson 150mm dropper post
Shimano SLX rear mech and shifter (11 speed)
Rage face cranks with 33T narrow wide chainring
Shimano DEORE brakes with 180mm lifeline rotors
Kore 50mm stem
Bontrager carbon riser bars
WTB trail boss tyres .

 

[Fingerpuk]

Oh man the timing! I just bought a bike.

 

[1981Miked]

Buy mine and have 2 hard tails.. it’s man maths. Makes sense.. ?

 

[Fingerpuk]

I need to build a house. I’ve already gone £4.5k over budget on bikes!

 

[Fingerpuk]

Holy crap. This thing is light. And hard to pedal! But jumps like a thing that jumps well.

When the rain stops I’ll head out properly and share a video.

 

[Timochka69]

I hope this helps.

 

[Fingerpuk]

First proper ride. Wow it’s different. I know I’ve gone from one extreme to the other but Jesus. It’s not just light and rigid and uncomfortable but unstable and loose. And tiring to ride. I did 3 miles of jumps on the little loop going round and round and I was knackered, more than I was doing 30 miles on the ebike.

By the end I was landing perfectly smooth, pushing the front down to the landing. It felt great.

Will see if I can fit a dropper.

 

[chin.surf]

i use an old ragley hard tail, its good, im guessing modern hardtails are even better now

 

[Fingerpuk]

It’s epic and hard HARD work.

 

[Gary]

Keep at it. You'll get stronger, fitter, gain way more skill than on a FS Emtb and possibly even eventually stop moaning

 

[Fingerpuk]

Stop moaning? Nah.

Went out on it tonight it’s great. I love it. I’m going to find an empty car park to practice manuals and generally playing. The more comfy I get throwing it around the better.

I’ve learned to do mini tabletops on it. Get air then sort of push the front down in a curved manner to land smooth. Once I can manual and bunny hop I’ll practice jumps more. I can bunny hop easy but not with technique just lifting it with my foot.

Wish I lived near you Gary I’d buy dinner in exchange for help.

 

[Fingerpuk]

It’s kindled a desire for a normal full sus enduro bike now. Did 47 miles on the ebike last night and used two bars of battery. Need to use my legs more.

 

[RustyMTB]

I keep my old On One Whippet ht on the fleet way past its sell by date. 26", straight steerer, 100mm Reba, 9mm QR's etc. because there's nothing quite like a hard tail. They're so direct, the power transmission is instantaneous, they force you to focus on the moment you're in & by definition, are light & agile. I reckon everyone should rock a hard tail.

 

[Fingerpuk]

So. Update on the DJ bike. It’s still great. I am now getting much more air time than I was before, off the bay jump I shared in a video here Im now clearing 3ft of height. And landing smooth. I’m ready to start learning to get the rear end moving about whilst in the air. I can’t manual yet but am getting close, and I can bunny hop both styles. Again not much height but it’s a start.

I’ve found that 30 minutes on this bike is much more of a full body workout than two hours on the ebike, even leaving it in Eco. I come home like I’ve been to the gym.

Need to find or build some better jumps and a pump track. More on that later though

 

[R120]

Nice, I picked up a used Saracen Amplitude a while back and have got heavily into riding pump track since, I hadn't ridden a DJ bike in years and it felt weird as feck at first, but soon got used to it, and your right an hour down the pump track is brutal but so much fun, and for honing your skills the DJ bike does wonders at sharpening you up.

 

[Fingerpuk]

Yeah they feel really odd. Tiny and they bounce about.

Did shit jumping tonight. Think I was tired. No air sometimes epic air other times. Landing bad no consistency. And my ability to manual has gone nowhere.