Carbon Hardtail, bike packing capable

Talk about anything.

Moderators: Bearbonesnorm, Taylor, Chew

User avatar
Dave Barter
Posts: 3594
Joined: Sun Jun 16, 2013 6:21 pm

Carbon Hardtail, bike packing capable

Post by Dave Barter »

I may be in the market for a light bike with a bit of bounce at the front. What’s good in carbon that would take a framebag and work for more technical bikepacking?

Johnclimber if you say lauf I’ll be round with a knitting needle to take to your packrafts.
Elite keyboard warrior, DNF'er, Swearer
User avatar
Wotsits
Posts: 1364
Joined: Fri Oct 25, 2013 6:49 pm

Re: Carbon Hardtail, bike packing capable

Post by Wotsits »

Pivot Les all the way for Divide-Riders Dave! :cool:

Can also convert to single speed with a change of drop-outs..
Ever Feel Like You're Being Orbited?!
User avatar
GregMay
Posts: 3806
Joined: Tue Apr 21, 2015 12:57 pm
Location: Calderdale
Contact:

Re: Carbon Hardtail, bike packing capable

Post by GregMay »

LES would be high on my list - but the frame space isn't the largest.
Image
User avatar
benp1
Posts: 4051
Joined: Sat Dec 07, 2013 7:36 pm
Location: South Downs

Re: Carbon Hardtail, bike packing capable

Post by benp1 »

Also isn’t there a Shand one, although looks like a generic Chinese carbon job
User avatar
Pirahna
Posts: 829
Joined: Tue Nov 05, 2013 8:42 pm
Location: Alicante

Re: Carbon Hardtail, bike packing capable

Post by Pirahna »

My Stumpjumper does quite well.

Image
User avatar
In Reverse
Posts: 1819
Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2015 9:08 pm
Location: Manchester

Re: Carbon Hardtail, bike packing capable

Post by In Reverse »

Sonder Transmitter Dave? 65 deg head angle so should handle the rowdies and will take 29 or B+. Decent triangle size too.

Nige/mbnut bought one fairly recently and seems to have been very impressed.
User avatar
FLV
Posts: 4245
Joined: Tue Aug 28, 2012 9:12 am
Location: Northern Edge of the Peak - Mostly

Re: Carbon Hardtail, bike packing capable

Post by FLV »

Santa cruz do a couple. Highball or chameleon depending on how much bounce you want.
User avatar
whitestone
Posts: 7847
Joined: Thu Dec 04, 2014 10:20 am
Location: Skipton(ish)
Contact:

Re: Carbon Hardtail, bike packing capable

Post by whitestone »

The Fatster? https://fatsterbike.com/the-fatster-tech-spec-pics/

Alex Pilkington (it's his blog in the link) had one at last year's HT550, crazy light - there was a lot of "go and pick that bike up, go on" closely followed by "What the ... ?" No idea how it rides.
Better weight than wisdom, a traveller cannot carry
User avatar
Mariner
Posts: 1793
Joined: Fri Feb 06, 2015 2:37 pm
Location: East Devon

Re: Carbon Hardtail, bike packing capable

Post by Mariner »

What about the Chinese Carbon Frame route?
You could probably end up with an unbranded one that you would pay more for with a label.
Lots of treads on other websites usually under 'Chinese Carbon Frame will I die?'. :shock:
Zazen - nothing happens next this is it.
ScotRoutes
Posts: 8144
Joined: Mon Mar 18, 2013 9:56 am

Re: Carbon Hardtail, bike packing capable

Post by ScotRoutes »

Yeah, better to stick with Ti. Think of the weight you'll save by not needing to cover the frame with protective tape :-bd
redefined_cycles
Posts: 9282
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2016 8:19 am
Location: Dewsbury, West Yorkshire

Re: Carbon Hardtail, bike packing capable

Post by redefined_cycles »

Dave... I have the transmitter carbon (I'm 5ft11) which you'll be hard pushed to go much lower in (pure frame) weight...

The forks are a bit crappy (or just need a good service or a good tune up) but you're more than welcome to borrow it for a few weeks.

Please don't swear at it though and you're welcome to try it out with a different set of forks if you wanna
redefined_cycles
Posts: 9282
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2016 8:19 am
Location: Dewsbury, West Yorkshire

Re: Carbon Hardtail, bike packing capable

Post by redefined_cycles »

*afair its at the 1200g mark that frame which really is cutting edge and came with 5 years warranty and they (AK) said it's their strongest frame yet!!
User avatar
stevenshand
Posts: 265
Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2013 4:45 pm
Contact:

Re: Carbon Hardtail, bike packing capable

Post by stevenshand »

benp1 wrote: Fri Nov 29, 2019 8:50 pm Also isn’t there a Shand one, although looks like a generic Chinese carbon job
The Shand thing never really happened although there were a few prototypes kicking around (Rickie Cotter rode one on her TDR ride), Emily Chappell won the Strathpuffer a couple of years ago on one. I still ride one.
User avatar
stevewaters
Posts: 217
Joined: Wed Nov 13, 2019 9:23 am
Location: Dark Peak

Re: Carbon Hardtail, bike packing capable

Post by stevewaters »

I have a Sonder Transmitter Carbon too. I used it on the HT550 ITT and the Ard Moors Enduro this year with 130mm Revelation forks and 2.6" tyres and was very happy.
I have now got 130/160mm Pike forks on it (no fault of the bike - just because I personally needed to raise the front end because of my inflexibility/poor bike posture putting too much weight onto my hands).
Attachments
Transmitter1.jpg
(194.74 KiB) Downloaded 2148 times
BreninBeener
Posts: 406
Joined: Tue Dec 02, 2014 1:47 pm

Re: Carbon Hardtail, bike packing capable

Post by BreninBeener »

I have a Cube Reaction carbon frame. Running 1x10 with some rigid 29 forks. It has some fairly ordinary wheels. Its 10.25kg. The carbon eastons take me to 9.25. It has a carbon seat post an bars. Im 80 kg. I used it for italy divide this year and it was ace. The frame was €250 from ze germans.
As it was built up from parts i had, it was a super cheap build. Highly recommend.
Ian
slarge
Posts: 2641
Joined: Mon Aug 22, 2011 4:49 pm
Location: MTB mecca (Warwickshire)

Re: Carbon Hardtail, bike packing capable

Post by slarge »

Any hardtail frame is good for bikepacking (my Planet X Dirty Harry (probably a cheap Chinese frame) is light (circa 9kg with some trick bits and bouncy forks)) has done lots of bikepacking, ITT's and short races - fast, comfortable, light etc etc.

Frame triangle isn't massive, but a full frame bag does fit, or an Ocelot type framebag fits with a water bottle.

Not sure you can still buy this frame, but there's loads of generic Chinese frames on tinternet
ericrobo
Posts: 500
Joined: Tue Feb 26, 2013 6:40 pm
Location: West Pennine Moors
Contact:

Re: Carbon Hardtail, bike packing capable

Post by ericrobo »

Dave

My main bike is a Scott Scale 900, very light at 21 lbs with pedals....

HOWEVER !

I would NOT recommend Scott anymore.
Doing the Borders 220 a couple of years ago the seat stay cracked ! :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
I didn’t see it at the time but there was an annoying noise one day after breakfast, which disappeared after a mile.

And Scott did not honour the warranty, which I thought was 5 years. (They had changed it to 3 at a later point than when I bought it.... think, anyway I couldn’t convince them, though it was just 2 months over 3 years.

A mate who is very technical explained how there can be weak spots in the carbon, but all that should be thoroughly tested before release. A bit like weave and warp in fabrics.

They did offer a reduced price replacement frame, for £1200 instead of £2000, and my lbs (Cooksons Whitefield) gave up his margin, so I got it for £800. :-bd :-bd

So I’m into carbon, despite that.

I would recommend a Canyon Exceed, very light, guaranteed 6 years.
(James Hayden was in one in this year’s HT550)
User avatar
Dave Barter
Posts: 3594
Joined: Sun Jun 16, 2013 6:21 pm

Re: Carbon Hardtail, bike packing capable

Post by Dave Barter »

redefined_cycles wrote: Sat Nov 30, 2019 12:21 pm Please don't swear at it though and you're welcome to try it out with a different set of forks if you wanna
Very kind offer Shaf, thank you but I could never make such a guarantee and I'm a tiddly 5'8"

Thanks to all the other ideas. I've got to swing a deal with a big customer next week to fund this so wish me luck. Definitely going carbon though as I am enjoying the ride on the Cutthroat. It may be utter bollox but modern carbon feels a bit more springy than Ti at the back. To me anyway
Elite keyboard warrior, DNF'er, Swearer
ScotRoutes
Posts: 8144
Joined: Mon Mar 18, 2013 9:56 am

Re: Carbon Hardtail, bike packing capable

Post by ScotRoutes »

I reckon it very much depends on the frame design and carbon layup. If I wanted to be sure of a comfy posterior I'd be looking at a Trek Procaliber.
User avatar
johnnystorm
Posts: 3947
Joined: Wed Nov 21, 2012 9:55 pm
Location: Eastern (Anglia) Front

Re: Carbon Hardtail, bike packing capable

Post by johnnystorm »

If you like how your Cutthroat rides then keep it in the family and get a woodsmoke! Takes plus and 29er wheels for a bit of variety...
Woodsmoke_SLX_27.5plus_Orange-1.jpg
(55.98 KiB) Downloaded 1965 times
Image
User avatar
Dave Barter
Posts: 3594
Joined: Sun Jun 16, 2013 6:21 pm

Re: Carbon Hardtail, bike packing capable

Post by Dave Barter »

Apparently it has been discontinued. I already asked Shona and Rich
Elite keyboard warrior, DNF'er, Swearer
User avatar
BigdummySteve
Posts: 2974
Joined: Sun Nov 20, 2016 9:16 pm
Location: Somewhere over the rainbow

Re: Carbon Hardtail, bike packing capable

Post by BigdummySteve »

We’re all individuals, except me.

I woke up this morning but I’m still in the dark
ScotRoutes
Posts: 8144
Joined: Mon Mar 18, 2013 9:56 am

Re: Carbon Hardtail, bike packing capable

Post by ScotRoutes »

£1,700 for a carbon frame?
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
User avatar
BigdummySteve
Posts: 2974
Joined: Sun Nov 20, 2016 9:16 pm
Location: Somewhere over the rainbow

Re: Carbon Hardtail, bike packing capable

Post by BigdummySteve »

ScotRoutes wrote: Sun Dec 01, 2019 6:14 pm £1,700 for a carbon frame?
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
Wait until you see the price of a cutthroat frame :shock:
We’re all individuals, except me.

I woke up this morning but I’m still in the dark
User avatar
johnnystorm
Posts: 3947
Joined: Wed Nov 21, 2012 9:55 pm
Location: Eastern (Anglia) Front

Re: Carbon Hardtail, bike packing capable

Post by johnnystorm »

Dave Barter wrote: Sun Dec 01, 2019 2:23 pm Apparently it has been discontinued. I already asked Shona and Rich
Argh.
Image
Post Reply