Malt, Inbred, or nothing?

Malt, Inbred, or nothing?

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Hard-Drive

Original Poster:

4,102 posts

231 months

Wednesday 20th January 2010
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The missus is going to take advantage of the C2W scheme and get a Myka (clearly needs FS due to all those new potholes that might spoil her, ahem, "commute". So her Rockhopper (which bears no resemblance to what it did when she got it parts wise) is going spare and was going to form the basis of a new HT build for me.

I want to do it on a budget (frame sub £200), so I was looking at either a Malt (1 or 2) or an Inbred. It will be running a 100mm fork which rules out anything much slacker I guess. What would people recommend out of those two, or am I missing something else that might be a better bet?

Also, am I doing the right thing? I've got a Fuel EX7 which I love, do other FS owners sometimes walk past the FS bike and grab the HT for a good thrash? TBH my Fuel is fairly well upgraded, carboned and pimped, and it's probably no heavier than the Inbred would be (no carbon, inferior components, Tora fork etc), so is the "real steel feel" really worth sacrificing plush travel for? I guess that the Malt would however be a fair bit lighter, and one of the reasons I quite fancy a HT is for muddy bridleways when the FS is a waste of engineering and Muc-Off, or possibly putting commuter tyres on for something that is OK to ride fastish on the road but can still deal with mild off road abuse in the summer.

Thoughts please!!

chrisga

2,090 posts

189 months

Wednesday 20th January 2010
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I am liking the on-one at the moment. The merlin will be lighter, esp if you went summer season 456 as mine is. Its basically a hollowed out anvil and weighs a ton.
I guess you know that Brant Richards the designer (i think) of the inbred has now left on-one and is at ragley bikes. He has worked his magic on the Blue Pig frame. Slightly more than the £200 budget but may be worth a look. Might have gone for it if i didnt already have the on-one. Frame can be bought here but may be cheaper sources if you have a scout round the net:

http://www.cyclestore.co.uk/productDetails.asp?pro...

chrisga

2,090 posts

189 months

Wednesday 20th January 2010
quotequote all
urr or i'd snap this up:

http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/product/101739.h...

Seems like a bargain, but it might be rubbish.....

Hard-Drive

Original Poster:

4,102 posts

231 months

Wednesday 20th January 2010
quotequote all
Bloody hell that Handsome Dog does seem cheap. Must be a reason for that? Not liking the V-brake bosses though!

I thought about the Ragley but it will be a bit skittish on a 100mm fork I'm guessing?

anonymous-user

56 months

Wednesday 20th January 2010
quotequote all
http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/category/frames/...
some choices but cant see anything better than the malt to be honest.

chrisga

2,090 posts

189 months

Wednesday 20th January 2010
quotequote all
Oops yep, sorry hadnt read it was for 130-150mm forks.

Inbred then? Or the scandal is available for a tad over £200.

mk1fan

10,542 posts

227 months

Wednesday 20th January 2010
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Does it have to be new?

S/hand Cove Handjob, Dialled Bikes Prince Albert, Sirus Pipedream are all great steel hardtails that work great with a 100mm fork.

snotrag

14,503 posts

213 months

Thursday 21st January 2010
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Dialledbikes Prince Albert, without question. Of the many, many bikes I've had in the past years, my two prince alberts (a mk1 520 and a later 720) were the best fun/cost or value.

Also, mike @ dialledbikes is a top guy and a pleasure to deal with - and a friendly chat on the phone will often reveal an ex demo or bargain price frame he can do you a deal on. The only company I've ever bought more than one frame from ( and I've had lots of frames). I've had 3 dialledbikes frames.

fatwomble

1,389 posts

216 months

Thursday 21st January 2010
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Another here to recommend Dialledbikes. Used to have a Prince Albert, replaced it with the Morning Glory (pretty much the same but Ti)

I ran both with a 100mm fork and they handled great (now changed to 130)

Edited by fatwomble on Thursday 21st January 20:31

Hard-Drive

Original Poster:

4,102 posts

231 months

Sunday 24th January 2010
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Does not have to be new, however I think I would be much happier huying new. You know the history, and don't have to faff around on eBay etc missing stuff, getting sniped, or driving to pick it up.

I have to say for some reason the On-Ones are really growing on me, and I think I've narrowed it down to a brown 456 or a green slot dropout Inbred. Both would look rather groovesome with the white forks, white bars/brown Charge saddle I have in mind.

Question...I think the slot Inbred would probably be the more suitable bike, what's the deal with standard QR standard skewered hubs on the slot dropouts? Someone has said I need some kind of tensioner thingy in the dropout...this build will be a standard 27 gear job, not SS, although it may one day end up as an Alfine.

Or are the slot dropouts a PITA and should I just get a 456.

Any thoughts?

156silver

14 posts

173 months

Monday 25th January 2010
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When I first read your thread I immediately thought of the 456...A friend of mine has the Ti version but all the same it's a nicely built bike.

I have an alfine on my singular and can thoroughly recommend but as far as I'm aware the Alfine won't work with slots. Al you have to do is get used to the back to front gear changes!!!

village idiot

3,160 posts

269 months

Monday 25th January 2010
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my geared inbred is as solid as a rock... it's not too light but imho you need to a very good rider to really take advantage of a very light bike. mine is kitted out with bouncy forks and hydraulic discs and does everything i want it to.


mk1fan

10,542 posts

227 months

Monday 25th January 2010
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156silver said:
I have an alfine on my singular and can thoroughly recommend but as far as I'm aware the Alfine won't work with slots.
Why? You just need to find the right chaintugs and be prepared to pay for them.

Hard-Drive

Original Poster:

4,102 posts

231 months

Monday 25th January 2010
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Spoke to On-One, really helpful. I'm going to go for the slot dropout inbred in green, and put chaintugs on it to help with the wheel alignment.

Just need the missus' new Trance to arrive so I can get my On-One order in!


156silver

14 posts

173 months

Tuesday 26th January 2010
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I'm not sure if the anti-turn washers will work in slots. Because the gearing is inside the hub, the chain has a tendancy to try and spin the hub when in low gears. Worth checking with someone who can give a 100% answer!

mk1fan said:
156silver said:
I have an alfine on my singular and can thoroughly recommend but as far as I'm aware the Alfine won't work with slots.
Why? You just need to find the right chaintugs and be prepared to pay for them.

mk1fan

10,542 posts

227 months

Tuesday 26th January 2010
quotequote all
You just need to use the right combination of the four supplied with the hub.

timnoyce

413 posts

183 months

Thursday 28th January 2010
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My missus's Dad bought one of these last year http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/product/6479.htm... as it was cheaper than buying a new shock for his Speccy FSR and wanted to keep riding till he could afford the shock he wanted. It's a pretty good frame actually, not the lightest thing in the world, but for £55 its pretty incredible!

Which Trance has she gone for? I really like the look of that bike. Cookie has got a mint TranceX.

I've currently got the other predicament. I love my Marin to bits and it suits all the riding I do locally, but I really hanker after a full suss for the Wales trips. Not sure whether it is worth investing in a second hand frame and shock and then building up an ebay build using my old parts and keeping the Marin as a lightweight whippet, or maybe just hiring a bike at the trail centre when I get there?! Probably cheaper in the long run, and you know you're getting a top bit of kit.

Hard-Drive

Original Poster:

4,102 posts

231 months

Friday 12th February 2010
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Tim

She went for the X5. Nice bike, and a bargain.

Talking about bargains, On-One have dropped the price of the Inbred to £99. So it was rude not to order (glad I did'nt do it the other week!)

Bring on the snot green steely goodness!


timnoyce

413 posts

183 months

Saturday 13th February 2010
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Nice Iain, I like it. With a bit of mud on it, it'll look camo. Post pics once its built up!

Hard-Drive

Original Poster:

4,102 posts

231 months

Monday 15th February 2010
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Woohoo!!! It's arrived!!!bounce

I have to say, regardless of price tag, it is a thing of great beauty. The welds are all perfect, the paint finish and shine are superb, the graphics look the muts nuts, and design wise it's great...forward facing seat tube notch and scope to run a full rear mech cable outer should make this the mud plugging monster I'm after. Add the fact that it was with me within 2 working days, and packaged incredibly well (every tube covered and it slotting very neatly into a special box) and I'm starting to feel guilty about paying just 99 measly quid for it! The twelfty seatpost and the On-One grips and seatpost clamp are also really nicely made.

With a fully pimped ally and carbon full susser in my shed I really should not be getting this excited about something so basic, but I have a feeling I'm going to love this bike!