FS Frames

[LloydP]

Afternoon boys and girls!
After a couple years of racing my not exactly weight weenie bike (I blame the low budget and my lack of research...) and a race on my brother's rather lighter bike, I've come to the decision that I need to do this right and start again from the beginning on a proper light bike (also now that I've got some $$$ stored up).
So, starting at the beginning means getting the big things right; frame and such. Decided to go with FS to replace the hardtail, but only if test rides convince me it's great.
Anyway, I've been looking around and come up with this as a short-list.

Nicolai Saturn TCC--looks good but I do wonder about the single-pivot-style suspension

Nicolai Helius CC--I prefer the idea of 4-link suspension, but not keen on the weight penalty

Titus Racer-X--very nice. Exogrid is cool, but is the only one that blows the budget, so Al it is, then.

Ghost RT Scandium--don't know much about it, but i wouldn't want to miss out on something that no-one else around me will have. Any thoughts?

Dean Ace X-lite 3.0--have heard these are flexy in the seat-stays. hmm.

Extralite F1--I've seen a discounted frame for sale, but again I've heard varying things about them; easily blown shocks and questionably rigidity were the worst, but like any of these I won't buy what I haven't ridden first.

Yeti AS-R SL--seen a lot of them at the last race (also Tituses), but wonder a bit about those pivots

I'm not really convinced on carbon as a frame material (the failure mechanism frankly scares me to be trusting my life with), so i prefer metals; perfectly happy with it for bars and derailleur cages and stuff, though.
Thus, if I stop fearing carbon, we can add: Trek Fuel 100, Storck Organic/Adrenaline, Scott G-Zero/Strike and some others that I've probably forgotten.

So: thoughts, opinions, comments?

[Xterra Racer]

Welcome!

My only experiance with your list is on the Titus Racer-X and the Fuel 100. Personally, I wouldn't buy a Fuel. They haven't quite worked out the pedal induced bob issues yet. Plus I'm the same way about carbon MTB frames. I currently own a Trek STP 400 and have cracked one frame already and had to have it replaced. If you ride hard that means you crash....part of the sport! I'm just not trusting of a carbon MTB frame in those situations (especially based on my own experiances).

That said the Titus Racer X is an awsome bike. I would also love to get the exogrid frame, but it is just to pricey. I have ridden the Al version and have a bunch of friends that have them. They are a performance dream. With any of the new platform rear shocks (fox pro-pedal, manito swinger, or progressive 5th air) they handle like a hardtail when they are supposed to and a full suspension when it counts. The other really nice thing about the Titus Racer X verses some of the others is you get a full 3.75 inches of travel on the rear. Alot of other good XC FS bikes only get you 3 inches or less travel.

Take a Titus Racer X with a progressive 5th element air shock and put a fox 80X fork on and you have a bike that will handle better than any other FS out there (at least in my opinion).

Good luck!

[Xterra Racer]

The other one worth considering that I have seen this year is the new GT I-drive. It's totally redesigned and works very well. The price is also very low. The stock kit is not a true WW kit, but if you could get the frame and then spec the components you would have a nice rig for cheaper than the other options.

Just a thought.

[morecanuck4thebuck]

I agree with exterra, the fuel is a wicked awesome race bike, but i am scared to death of the carbon components. I had a fuel 100 when it was part al and part carbon, and i had problems with the carbon chainstays (one chain suck experience and it's damaged for good). I have ridden the racer x and is is awesome! However, i like the ellsworth truth more than the racer x. it is more plush, pedals just great with a platform shock, and can be mad light. plus it is a beautifully built frame. Now, a bit of my background. I race sport class (hopefully my winter training will allow me to be competetive in the expert class...) but i ride a non-WW approved santa cruz blur! I will be doing some 24 hour races this year. i have ridden a lot of bikes, and just chose the versatility and comfort of the vpp suspension over a super light WW frame. I am a true WW on the parts though! At any rate, you are doing the right thing for you, and i am interested to see the spec and frame you choose! keep us posted!

[Cyco]

The Truth is my preferance for XC racing, I would team it up with a Push tuned rear shock and a F100X fork (not the lightest but the best).

[Xterra Racer]

It does go back to personal preferance. I like the Titus because it is not quite as plush as the Truth. I perfer a little stiffer ride.

To each his own I guess

[LloydP]

I hadn't thought of the Truth. I remember seeing one at a shop nearby a couple weeks ago; maybe I'll go see if they still have it for me to play with/try out tomorrow. That'll at least knock one off the test ride list!

My current HARDtail is rediculously stiff, so anything FS is going to feel soft to me! I'm more concerned with if I'm going to be going faster than how much less of a pounding I'll be having to take when it gets rough.

[Cyco]

XTerra, Try a Turth with a Float ProPedal shock, or a Pushtuned shock. Darren at Push is doing some amazing things tuning shocks - getting them to work like they should.

[Xterra Racer]

I would consider a Truth, but my lbs can get me such a good deal on a titus that it doesn't make fiscal sense to look at an Ellsworth.

I have never heard of Push before. Looked at their website, but it doesn't say much. What do they do that makes them so great?

[Cyco]

Darren at Push was one of guys behind Romic with a training in tuning motorcross shocks. For whatever reason, he has left and set up his own tuning shop. He is revalving forks and shocks with his own shim stack damping and adjustable platform. All reports are it makes an amazing difference (ask Brian Lopes). I am waiting on the new bike (Ellsworth Dare) then I'll send him the shocks off my Id to get tuned (I don't think I could cope with 3 weeks off the bike while the parts cross the Pacific twice).