Posts: 1397
Joined: 4/3/2014
Location: TX, USA
Do any of you guys ride steel framed hardtail mountainbikes? I’m considering buying a steel frame off eBay and throwing some 27.5 wheels on it, some quality components, I just don’t know what brand. With the aggressive nimble feel of a 27.5 hardtail, and the flex of steel frame, I would think it would compliment some of the more technical single track or am I overthinking the natural of a steel frame?
Posts: 8387
Joined: 3/12/2011
Location: Fort Worth, TX USA
Posts: 1302
Joined: 10/29/2013
Location: Boulder, CO USA
Steel vs CF hardtail is very noticeable difference.
How much are you wanting to spend. If you're looking for a high end ride, starting with a Chromag frame is about the nicest build you could do. But that may be out of your budget.
-'09 KX500AF
- '19 KX450F
Posts: 16965
Joined: 1/6/2011
Location: Ogden, UT USA
my lady is on a steel hard tail (DiamondBack, not the best bike but a good entry level) and it's fine on dirt. on technical rocky stuff the thing is fuckin' garbage. Moab she was getting tossed all over the place. spend a little extra cash on something like a used Camber.
Posts: 1616
Joined: 2/19/2018
Location: Washington, PA USA
not to thread highjack but I'm a beginner and I've been looking for a decent mtn bike as well, been looking at the specialized "roll" quite hard.
"Shifting gears and passing queers" GL
Posts: 16965
Joined: 1/6/2011
Location: Ogden, UT USA
JOE_SPROCKETS#1 wrote:not to thread highjack but I'm a beginner and I've been looking for a decent mtn bike as well, been looking at the specialized ...more
Specialized has some great intro bikes. i don't know about the Roll, it looks like a parkway type bike not a mountain bike. the Camber is great for beginning and XC type stuff. not too much suspension, but still offers a comfy ride. i'm on a Stumpy 29", it's my first bike and i've had it for about 5 years now. i can't decide between upgrading components or just getting new bike. i think i want a 27.5"
Posts: 1302
Joined: 10/29/2013
Location: Boulder, CO USA
Posts: 16965
Joined: 1/6/2011
Location: Ogden, UT USA
Posts: 1616
Joined: 2/19/2018
Location: Washington, PA USA
Edited Date/Time:
JOE_SPROCKETS#1 wrote:not to thread highjack but I'm a beginner and I've been looking for a decent mtn bike as well, been looking at the specialized ...more
Thanks for the tip Peely, I want something I can be comfortable on the street and some trails. I also would like to take it to the beach in the summer time. (got a condo at myrtle)
"Shifting gears and passing queers" GL
Posts: 2079
Joined: 10/18/2010
Location: Des Moines, IA USA
Posts: 5163
Joined: 2/13/2013
Location: OH, USA
Edited Date/Time:
Make sure you ride a 27.5 for a day before you buy one, rent or borrow one. After riding 29ers for about 7 years I too a spin on a 27.5 and did not like it one bit, but that's just me.
Posts: 16965
Joined: 1/6/2011
Location: Ogden, UT USA
thanks for the tip. i'm a tall guy and run a Large 29er... the thing is huge on switchbacks and i was hoping the slightly smaller wheels would be an advantage. i'll definitely try before i buy though
Posts: 750
Joined: 12/15/2008
Location: Boise, ID USA
What % will be paved road?
What % will be dirt roads?
What % will be sand?
What % will be smooth “path-like” trail?
What % will be rocky, snotty, roots and crap like that?
I live in Boise, and 80% of the trails in the near vicinity are buffed out, and not much more technical than a garden path at a retirement home. A hardtail is all you need.
If you are riding rocks, and getting technical, suspension starts to come into play.
Your first question is to really ask yourself what kind of terrain you will be riding, and then go from there.
Posts: 77
Joined: 4/24/2018
Location: OH, USA
I have a Camber 26" and I love the nimble feel of it. I've ridden a few 29ers and it way to awkward for me on downhills and jumps. I don't really notice too much disadvantage on uphills with the 26. 27.5 would be a nice hybrid. 29er is just way to big and cumbersome for the technical stuff.
Posts: 1397
Joined: 4/3/2014
Location: TX, USA
Edited Date/Time:
@iwreckalot.
I’m an intermediate rider. I’ll double rock gardens, find jumps on the trail, drag pedals through corners if I decide to keep pedaling, jump any thing that makes sense from a safety standpoint lol.
I’d be ok with spending around 500-700 on the frame alone. Ive owned an entry level XC FS style 29er and got rid of it and actually went back to 27.5 hardtail because they allow me to be more aggressive and that feeling of on the edge like an MX bike (probably gonna buy a new 250f at the end of this year after 5 years off)
@308
Cool I’ll look into those brands.
@Shiftfaced
Appreciate it. Most my trails is pretty smooth, but there’s a few around me I’ll ride that are more rocky.
Mostly dirt, but I’d say about 30 percent of my local trail is rocky/root but there’s ways to avoid the real rocky stuff 
i pretty much do no paved riding unless the trails are wet or I want to do some “urban” style mountain biking lol.
@peelout
I’m a size L on 27.5 frames, and M on 29er frame. You may be able to squeeze by with a L 27.5 frame but probably need a XL 27.5 frame. 27.5 tires are great man you need to try it. I had a 29er M framed giant FS and it wasn’t as fast in corners, the bike was loooong. Granted this was a 2014 bike.
Also jumping a 29er feels a little different. You can whip a 27.5 around Corners, and you can get a beefier tires on the 27.5 to make it closer to a 29er so you don’t lose too much of the rollability when switching to that smaller tire size.
26 in tires are terrible. Maybe for steep downhill gnarly courses on a 26in FS
Posts: 4839
Joined: 6/7/2010
Location: Mc Kinney, TX USA
I had a steel framed single speed, one of the best frames I've owned. I "upgraded" to a carbon frame and regretted it almost immediately. Steel has a very unique feel that some love, some don't. My frame was a Niner Sir9 with Reynolds 853 steel, but they don't make it any longer. The Salsa El Mariachi is another good steel frame that was discontinued, but you could probably pick one up used.
I would never consider a 27.5, particularly on a hard tail. The 27.5+ bikes are fun, but the regular 27.5 bikes just feel like a 26'er to me.
If you really want to be a baller, go titanium.
Posts: 886
Joined: 2/18/2010
Location: Brandon, MS USA
http://www.konaworld.com/honzo_st_frame.cfm
http://www.konaworld.com/explosif.cfm
I have always liked Kona bikes and their geometry lends itself to downhill trails.
Posts: 2763
Joined: 4/1/2008
Location: Somewhere in..., GA USA
I have a 18' Camber 29er (6' ride a LG frame) and I find it to be pretty nimble, and I ride some pretty tight east-coast trails. Coming off of a medium Niner Jet9, that was super-quick and had a really steep head tube angle (like 71.5deg) I was unsure how I was going to adapt to the Camber which is about 68.5 deg. It took a few rides to adjust my riding style, but now, I hardly feel like I'm putting in any extra effort to make the same corners. Plus, I like the extra slackness on the really steep drops...the dropper doesn't hurt either. A lot more stable in the fast stuff for sure.
My home trails are loaded with rocks and roots. I like the feel of the big wheels when rolling over this stuff. But hey, there are no wrong answers here. Everyone has a different preference when it comes to their bikes and how they are set up.
It would probably behoove a prospective buyer to find a demo day for their prospective bike brand and ride several bikes to make the final decision.
Posts: 8495
Joined: 11/3/2010
Location: AUS
Edited Date/Time:
My brother and I were just getting into mountain biking and we (dad) put deposits on a couple of Diamondback V-link 1.2's back in '98, I think they were 11 or 12 hundred bucks... My brother turned his ankle into powder out at the track training one day and he already had his DB, so I rode it for a while and then got a Specialized FSR. My mate had a Crackendale V500.
The DB is still in my shed. I'd like to restore it, as it's a bit rough.
Edit: Just a random, drunken, rant 
It was sad when DB became available from the department store here.
Posts: 9707
Joined: 8/16/2006
Location: CO, USA
Edited Date/Time:
My mountain bike just goes DOWN the mountain and goes up on a ski lift. I might get a electric mountain bike when they get all the kinks worked out but its got to have suspension. I am all about the fun and none of the work when it comes to mountain bikes.
Ed Johnson
Posts: 5163
Joined: 2/13/2013
Location: OH, USA
lostboy819 wrote:My mountain bike just goes DOWN the mountain and goes up on a ski lift. I might get a electric mountain bike when they get all ...more
That's not mountain biking 
Posts: 9707
Joined: 8/16/2006
Location: CO, USA
Its as close as I am going to get. I think bicycles are the greatest thing ever except you have to pedal it. 
Ed Johnson
Posts: 580
Joined: 8/26/2015
Location: Fayetteville, GA USA
I sold my Salsa El Mariachi single speed a while back.
Loved that bike and will likely get another one at some point.
Posts: 2043
Joined: 4/2/2008
Location: LAS VEGAS, NV USA
