Hardtail choices....
Discussion
Hmm... gotten a shortlist down now for a nice hardtail. Never really got on with a full suspension rig so sold my Orange 5.
I am down to these: Cove Hummer, Isaac Impact and Principia MSLpro or even the Pace 303. Either way,will likely be specced with XT/XTR/RaceFace bling.
I basically want a Klein-like ride and these 3 bikes appeal to me despite being made of different materials. I think the odd one out is the Pace 303 as it seems to be aimed at all-day rides with a 5" fork upfront, whereas the others can be specced as semi-race, fast single track bikes for blasts lasting 2-4 hours.
I am interested if anybody has ridden these and what they would spec a bike like this with.
Cheers!
I am down to these: Cove Hummer, Isaac Impact and Principia MSLpro or even the Pace 303. Either way,will likely be specced with XT/XTR/RaceFace bling.
I basically want a Klein-like ride and these 3 bikes appeal to me despite being made of different materials. I think the odd one out is the Pace 303 as it seems to be aimed at all-day rides with a 5" fork upfront, whereas the others can be specced as semi-race, fast single track bikes for blasts lasting 2-4 hours.
I am interested if anybody has ridden these and what they would spec a bike like this with.
Cheers!
I have ridden the cove hummer, for a day around the same routes i use my cove stiffee, and it was stunning, rode it with a scott spark, and a cove hustler as well, but the hummer blew me away, i really recommend you try one or in fact just get one, it is stunning.
I however bought the steel version, the cove handjob, whick is really good and i am happy with, but it is not a hummer, which will at some stage get, but the stiffee is my main bike and i wanted to build up a good all day, lighter , cheaper, trail machine, so i got the handjob instead, but ended up putting XO and race face, and other top spec kit on it, so it did not end up cheap, could have bought silverfish's demo hummer from them for cheaper a while back.
oh well.
Get the hummer you will not regret it, with a XTR/XT mix.
Buy a new cove hummer from a cove dealer and you can get a great deal on a Raceface finishing kit at a good saving over RRP, that is what i did each time, Bargain.
(or XO, which is stunning, just don't hit it on rocks, mega expensive to replace regularly)
I however bought the steel version, the cove handjob, whick is really good and i am happy with, but it is not a hummer, which will at some stage get, but the stiffee is my main bike and i wanted to build up a good all day, lighter , cheaper, trail machine, so i got the handjob instead, but ended up putting XO and race face, and other top spec kit on it, so it did not end up cheap, could have bought silverfish's demo hummer from them for cheaper a while back.
oh well.
Get the hummer you will not regret it, with a XTR/XT mix.
Buy a new cove hummer from a cove dealer and you can get a great deal on a Raceface finishing kit at a good saving over RRP, that is what i did each time, Bargain.
(or XO, which is stunning, just don't hit it on rocks, mega expensive to replace regularly)
Edited by pastrana72 on Friday 14th March 22:18
Edited by pastrana72 on Friday 14th March 22:54
pastrana72 said:
I have ridden the cove hummer, for a day around the same routes i use my cove stiffee, and it was stunning, rode it with a scott spark, and a cove hustler as well, but the hummer blew me away, i really recommend you try one or in fact just get one, it is stunning.
pastrana72 what blew you away about the hummer, did if feel faster more nimble what was it about it, I have never ridden a titanium bike but am aware of the current
e etc....what makes it better?atom111 said:
pastrana72 said:
I have ridden the cove hummer, for a day around the same routes i use my cove stiffee, and it was stunning, rode it with a scott spark, and a cove hustler as well, but the hummer blew me away, i really recommend you try one or in fact just get one, it is stunning.
pastrana72 what blew you away about the hummer, did if feel faster more nimble what was it about it, I have never ridden a titanium bike but am aware of the currente etc....what makes it better?i had never ridden a titanium bike either, untill my friend handed me a Hummer to accompany a chap test riding a scott spark, so i could keep up with him (and i was able too, only because my cove stiffee is specced like a tank).
I was not expecting to like it at all, too XC for me i thought ie too light and pingy and not what i was in too, i liked heavy, burly bikes.
But first thing i noticed was how it felt, it just absorbed all the trail buzz and bumps, like a good FS frame, but with the zing, speed and response of a hardtail,
well i know i have a cove stiffee, and it is very stiff, but i can chuck mine at anything downhill, and it just takes it.
Here i was on a hummer, doing the same thing and i just flys down hill so smoothly i swear it felt like it had rear suspension, i even thought it had a suspension seatpost, but it did not,
Its very fast climbing tool as well.
A few mates tried it and most of them were amazed too, but what put every one off was the price.
1.4 k GBP for a hardtail frame is a lot of money as a starting point for a build.
It was too much for me, but now i wanted to build up a second lighter bike after ridding the hummer, and was offered a Cove HJ new for a good price, i love steel bikes, so went for it and speced it differently to the stiffee. It is very good, fast and responsive,and i really like it.
But it does not feel the same or as good as the hummer felt over the rough stuff, but thats titanium for you.
but is the hummer frame worth the cost, 5 times what i paid for the HJ,
No, not in my view, it was too expensive for me to have as a second bike, it is hard enough deciding what to take to ride (took the wrong bike for the conditions this morning), a hummer would be a one bike option.
But i can understand why it is so expensive, it is because it is more costly, and skilled to work titanium, it is built very well, now by litespeed too.
However, i will probably get one in a few years time, as i see it now as my ultimate hardtail bike, and as i get older and want a smoother ride, i would prefer a hummer over a FS frame, as it is likely to last me the rest of my life.
FS frames evolve so quickly, there is always better one every few years. And the ammount of buggered rearshocks and pivots i have seen puts me off.
But do not take it from me, you need to try one yourself.
After all i said one of my friends, could not see what all the fuss was about with the hummer when he rode it. He did however buy a carbon s works just afterwards, so it is down to an individuals prefernce.
off to have a lie down now, to much typing,
thanks for the excellent review and thoughts.
I really do fancy riding one to see what they are like. I've read some feedback where riders just don't get on with them hence the need to test ride it as they could be a real love hate ride.
They are expensive still I'd like for my XC bike a titanium Commencal based on the Flame geometry that would be awesome and I'd also like to give the hummer ago as the reviews and feedback on that make it sound stunning, the Commencal like the Hummer is £1400 yet my Aluminium Flame was £350 for the frame so is it going to be 5 times better probably not same theory as you, but it's nice to have a goal bike something to aim for, just hope the market for them remains such that when I can afford one they are not everywhere and it's no longer that special.
I really do fancy riding one to see what they are like. I've read some feedback where riders just don't get on with them hence the need to test ride it as they could be a real love hate ride.
They are expensive still I'd like for my XC bike a titanium Commencal based on the Flame geometry that would be awesome and I'd also like to give the hummer ago as the reviews and feedback on that make it sound stunning, the Commencal like the Hummer is £1400 yet my Aluminium Flame was £350 for the frame so is it going to be 5 times better probably not same theory as you, but it's nice to have a goal bike something to aim for, just hope the market for them remains such that when I can afford one they are not everywhere and it's no longer that special.
atom111 said:
just hope the market for them remains such that when I can afford one they are not everywhere and it's no longer that special.
They will never be everywhere (the cost will prevent that), and will always be special (i hope).But not all titanium frames are stunning, the geometry has to be spot on, read about a guy who had his own designed, titanium frame custom made, and it was hideous to ride.
Want to make a Hummer frame price feel cheap and budget (relativly),
Check out these titanium custom frames.
http://www.jonesbikes.com/
sweet, but expensive.
The Jones look like they are finished beautifully but I find the looks challenging.
I've a hankering after one of these but it would be a strict XC build as I'd have 14 so 80mm travel
http://www.moots.com/?#/product/bicycles/mtb/rigor_mootis/
The fact the Hummer takes a 130mm makes it more useable bike rather than something to crackout for a casual XC ride.
The Commencal TI is lovely until you get to the rear stays which seem fine on a £350 but they are ugly on a TI which should be beautiful.
I've a hankering after one of these but it would be a strict XC build as I'd have 14 so 80mm travel
http://www.moots.com/?#/product/bicycles/mtb/rigor_mootis/
The fact the Hummer takes a 130mm makes it more useable bike rather than something to crackout for a casual XC ride.
The Commencal TI is lovely until you get to the rear stays which seem fine on a £350 but they are ugly on a TI which should be beautiful.
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