I'm starting to realize that I'm an old school kinda guy. I like 2005-2007 Norco Sasquatch and Cove Stiffee North Shore - Freeride type hardtails.
Are companies still coming out with similar types of bikes today in 2015? I've stopped keeping track...but they seem strictly like a thing of the past...
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Theres plenty of enduro-y ht's that could perform the task with an angry build kit. the only DH hardtails in production at the moment are boutique british ones, the BTR and Curtis.
Theres plenty of enduro-y ht's that could perform the task with an angry build kit. the only DH hardtails in production at the moment are boutique british ones, the BTR and Curtis.
so in other words a thing of the past then? These used to be mainstream bikes...
This is the problem in having now. Trying to replace my 2003 Kona Roast. They are a thing of the past. However, Norco is apparently bringing a new model out next year.
I'm starting to realize that I'm an old school kinda guy. I like 2005-2007 Norco Sasquatch and Cove Stiffee North Shore - Freeride type hardtails.
Are companies still coming out with similar types of bikes today in 2015? I've stopped keeping track...but they seem strictly like a thing of the past...
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Here you go: 2016 Norco Torrent (sorry, it's in German - there are two models, the base costing $1,835 according to Westwood Caps). The upper -according to my memory - was to be in the neighbourhood of $2,700. If you're curious, I can pm you the dealer pre-order release dates).
By and large, overbuilt hardtails have been relegated to the history books, but that doesn't mean that you can't accomplish the same riding feats on a modern hardtail. Frame and component technology has greatly improved in the ten years since bikes like the Norco Sasquatch, Cove Stiffee, and Banshee Morphine had their heyday, and there's no longer a need to head off into the woods on a 40 pound hunk of aluminum and rubber. As an added bonus, the lighter weight of modern hardtails makes it possible to gasp> ride uphill as well - no more trudging up fireroads as the XC crowd spins on by. Smaller companies like Chromag, Cotic, Stanton, and Ragley, just to name a few, have built their reputations on producing high quality hardtails, and although full-suspension bikes have become more and more affordable, the hardtail doesn't show any signs of going extinct.
There are also more wheelsize options than before, and where 10 years ago 29ers suffered from awkward handling due to their old-school geometry, the bigger wheelsize is now a viable option, with bikes like the Kona Honzo or Transition TransAm able to easily take on technical terrain. The 27.5+ wheelsize is also starting to gain momentum, and while I'm still not sold on the fatter tires for full suspension bikes, I do think it has potential for hardtails, where it can soften harsh landings and mute chattery sections of trail. The takeaway from all of this? The freeride hardtail may be dead, but it's been replaced by a wide range of options that will all deliver loads of fun out on the trails. -
Funny, I never had a problem biking uphill on my Roast in Moab or on the North Shore (Seymour, Whistler, Grouse, & random foothills/mountains in Abby, Mission, Chilliwack). That's the problem full suspension bikes had back in the day because lock-outs hadn't been popularized yet. Always ripped past them!
Ah well, I'm stoked for my Torrent 7.2. Hopefully it fits the bill as I didn't feel like building up a Rampage, SP3, or Cove frame.