Let's offroad / mountain bike / mtb / ride dirt

What's the race?

Hi,
several races
Tuscagny trail first :)

I'm looking to build up a steel hardtail over the next few months.

Looking for someone to Id the year of this Stumpjumper,

I've got my heart set on one, do you guys reckon it will compete with more modern hardtail bikes if built up correctly?

Nope. Modern disc brakes shit all over v brakes. Tubeless wheels ftw...

1998?
alloy?

1998?

That's what google says.

The main problem, as @dancing james points out, is the lack of disc brake mounts. Everything else can be modernised, although by the time you've changed the fork, wheels and groupset you might as well have bought a modern bike anyway.

steel hardtail

Stumpjumper,

Which? Stumpjumpers haven't been steel since about 1996. You wouldn't want a 1996 MTB for actual riding, unless it was to the pub.

Nothing stopping you setting up non-disc wheels as tubeless, and the power of good Vs (or maguras) isn't that far behind discs. If having a cool retro ride is going to get you out more than some ugly modern shite, I'd say go for it, but there are lots of good steel disc frames out there if you're just after the skinny aesthetic. I would have thought the suspension is going to let you down more than anything else if you really want to go fast.

^ this.

You shouldn't be braking anyway ;)

Thanks for the replies,

I didn't realise they were aluminium due to the skinny profile, I also thought it would have been older than a 98 so thanks for clearing that up. Maybe something newer would be best.

Any alternative modern steel frames that can be hand second hand and won't break the bank?

Any alternative modern steel frames that can be hand second hand and won't break the bank?

Singular and Cotic are both reasonably priced new, I'd have thought you could get a good used frame for ~£250 or less. What's your idea of breaking the bank? Genesis are even cheaper, On-One 456 and Inbred still less.

My '96 Saracen begs to differ

@mk1mark plenty of Inbreds and various Cotic frames floating around for not much money, as a starting point

voodoo comes to mind

If you can find one, either the 98 explosif or Kilauea (853 & 631 respectively) are great for the retro option. I put a magura on the back of mine and modern forks with disc. 9speed xt shifts as well as anything and is very cheap on the bay.

Cotic soul frames look great! Looking to spend as little as possible so yeah around £250 max for a frameset. I think I'll wait till the right cotic frame comes up and have a bid.

I'm 5ft10 with a 30" inseam, 17.5 inch frame sound about right? Ie the cotic medium.

Also the steel voodoo frames look the part but are they really any good?

I'm 5ft10 with a 30" inseam, 17.5 inch frame sound about right? Ie the cotic medium.

You could go either way - 17.5 for an XC racey set-up or 16" for a more nimble trail bike.

Try and get the version with the tapered headtube - options for straight 1 1/8th aren't what they used to be, especially for medium travel trail.

I'm going to be selling a load of 26" stuff in the not too distant future so if you are after bits and bobs hit me up. I also have a 16" alloy frame for sale for cheaps but it looks like you have your heart set on steel.

I'm going to be selling a load of 26" stuff in the not too distant future

!!!!!!!

29 or 27.5?

Not sure. Just in one of those moods where getting rid of everything is appealing.

I'll probably snap out of it.

Ah, that can be good or bad, depending on your reasoning. Must be quite a while since you rode your XC bike now?

Yeah it's languishing. Trying to work out a way of racing the Beastway series without killing myself just getting to the venue.

Dibs all the cheap stuff.

Oh wait

Have you ever tried riding the XC bike with CX wheels fitted? 700c wheels & thin knobblies on a 26" wheeled frame is good fun.

Not as a full time solution, but might work for a few races :-)

Oi, you haven't finished buying all my old tat yet!

Heh, no, can't say I've tried that.

Could be worth a try, just for one race.