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Gramatica

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
Hey guys, I have been playing arround on my Trek HT for too long now, and I think i need to step it up a notch. Im looking into a freeride hardtail. I priced everything out on jenson, and came to one of many conclusions. This wont be cheap. Im looking into an evil imperial frame with a 1.5 fork. Does anyone have a reliable HT that has kept the budget under $2100 to $2300 dollars? Looking at my shopping cart...


AVID MECHANICAL DISC BRAKE 203MM (and 185 for the rear)

AVID SPEED DIAL 7 BRAKE LEVERS '04

AVID FULL METAL JACKET DISC CABLES

SRAM POWERGLIDE PG-990 9SP CASSETTE

MRP LRP CHAIN GUIDE

SRAM PC-99 9SP CHAIN

SRAM X.9 REAR DERAILLEUR '04

MANITOU SHERMAN BREAKOUT 04

TRUVATIV HUSSEFELT RG CRANKSET '04

TRUVATIV GIGAPIPE DHLT BOTTOM BRACKET

FSA BIG FAT PIG HEADSET (1.5)

WELLGO WAM-B38 PEDALS

SRAM X.7 TRIGGER SHIFTER 04

AVID STRAIGHT JACKET GEAR CABLES

RINGLE HUBS SUN RYNO LITE WHEELSET

SHIMANO XT M760 FRONT DERAILLEUR

AZONIC PDW RISER BAR

MAXXIS MOBSTER TIRE....times 2

JAMIS ATB SL SADDLE OE

THOMSON ELITE SEATPOST

to a total of $1815.94 plus a $750 frame. (sorry for the list in caps, just copy'd my shopping cart from jenson) Thats $2556 all together. Can anyone help me get this price down as low as possible? I would like to be able to learn a lot on this bike, and eventually be able to ride it hard as he||, get my "sea legs" so to speak, and afford the VP-Free if my dreams.

Sorry for annyoing post. Thanks to all.
 
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#2 ·
banshee scratch yo'

Hey, i'd highly recommend checking out the Banshee Scratch. Its a cromoly frame, can take 24's like the imperial, and take a bmx BB, and a DC fork up to 7 inches. If you dont know much about banshee then do some searching and you'll find out quick that they are one of the toughest bikes available. The scratch is an awesome bike, a friend of mine had one and it was a wicked cool play bike. In fact, and i know this is spam, but my local shop has one built with the stock package on the banshee site but they put on 26in Halo rims and a 02 z1fr. Its going complete for around 1200-1400. It has rim brakes, they are quality avids, but you could spend all the leftover cash you have on swapping parts you didnt like. If you arent interested in the one at my shop you can get the bike complete from banshee for 1000. however it comes with a rigid fork and rim brakes, you'll end up spending more to replace them, but still be well under your budget. I'd consider this bike before the evil, it sure as hell aint gonna break any soon. Some other info i forgot to throw in: if you really like your parts spec you picked out you can buy the frame only for 400. Check out their site at www.bansheebikes.com. If you are interested in my shop bike which seems to be going nowhere, then pm me and i can put you in touch.
 
Discussion starter · #3 ·
humm...

Well....that scratch looks very nice. For a grand it very tempting. Give me a little to think it over. I really like the One Point Five headtubes REALLY beefy, and a cople other things about the imperial just make my heart skip a beat. I will strongly consider that scrach, looks like a *****in bike, and the cro-mo would stand up to just about anything. Any other suggestions about this project are highly recomended. :cool:
 
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#4 ·
i cant think of a single bad thing to say about the imperial but if you want something that can stand up to all the same stuff the evil can. check out the transition trail-or-park it can hold up to a 8" DC fork, bmx BB, and a lifetime warranty. plus the frame is only $400 i put together a list of parts from jenson and it had avid disc brakes, manitou stance flow, truvativ hussefelt hg crank, maxxis hookworm tires blah blah blah blah im not gonna waste you time by saying every single part but the total with the frame came out to $1565
now that was set uup for single speed but for an extra few bucks you can put gears on it

heres the link to the website http://www.transitionbikes.com/TrailorPark.cfm
 
#6 ·
k, i kinda get the vibe that you arent really feelin the scratch cuz it doesnt have a 1.5 headtube. Thats cool. Heres my next suggestion. Sinister Ridge. Welded here in new england by Frank The Welder, has a 1.5 headtube, killer geometry for everything from xc-fr-dh-djs-urban, it can take up to an 8in fork as well, incredibly nice bike. The frame itself will cost you about 750, just like an imperial. Sinister offers it with two complete package options, the privateer and team, the privateer will probably run you about 2100, comes with avid mechs, sun rims, z1, sram x-7, decent stuff. I have a ridge frame of my own on the way, i've been riding my friends for a month now and it rules, does everything. The imperial is strong, no doubt about that, but if you want to pedal that bike around on the trails then i'd be looking at the ridge instead, im not saying the imperial wont go on the trails, im just saying there are many better options with a more well rounded geometry. Check out their website, www.sinisterbikes.com
 
#11 ·
One thing to check first...

Is if the Imperial geometry will work for you. The one-size only with the slack seat tube may not give you a good pedaling position. Other than than, I can't recommend the Imperial enough. You may be able to shave some money off by picking up an '03 Breakout for Greenfish Sports (if you want SPV you should get an '05). Also, you only need a 6" rear brake unless you like making stutter bumps in the trails. If the Imperial geometry does not work for you I second the recommendation of the SInister Ridge (it was my second choice until I found out about the Imperial SL's).
 
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Discussion starter · #12 ·
Thanks a lot banshee, and the others, You have been more then helpful..... I do think I can take a shine to the sinister. Seems to me that it can be a very trail worthy frame. The packages look nice, but would it be possible to order from them and dump the fork out of the package. I really like the Privateer, but im looking for a breakout. Rode my buds rig with a breakout on it, and really like the feel of the manitou under me. Other then that, the whole package looks sweet, and unbreakable. Granted I do need a bit more money at the moment and comming by it right this second would be tuff at best. My pocket will be burning arround november, do you think that is time enough to hit any clearances, and the such?

p.s. that 03' breakout looks mightly tempting. I dont really give a hoot about spv on my fork.
 
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#13 ·
I am not sure if sinister will let you swap out the stock privateer fork for a breakout which comes on their team package. If they were a bigger company i am sure they would, however they arent, each one of their frames are welded by one guy. From what my shop has said sinister JUST got in a whole new batch of frames from being painted so if you want a frame by october you might want to get on the phone and ask them if they have any frames in your size in stock. I think the best way to approach the fork situation is to first ask, and see how much the price will go up, if they cant swap it then the next best option is to sell it on here or ridemonkey, then find a used sherman and buy that. I know dw on ridemonkey.com had 2 brand new sherman breakout +'s for 450, new in the box. Wether he'll still have them by then i dont know.Anyways, im glad i could be somewhat of a help and i think the sinister is a great bike to consider, but dont get my wrong there are other bikes out there, i just really push to promote bikes that i've ridden and have really worked well for me. Good luck.
 
#14 ·
hey no one mentioned Sovereign?

My choices:
Evil Imperial SL
Evil Sovereign (strong and light, 5 lbs)
Transition ToP (notice that it is over 8 lbs)
Sinister Ridge

just my 0.02$

Coldfire
 
#15 ·
Evil Sovereign

Coldfire said:
My choices:
Evil Imperial SL
Evil Sovereign (strong and light, 5 lbs)
Transition ToP (notice that it is over 8 lbs)
Sinister Ridge

just my 0.02$

Coldfire
Click to expand...
Yes , I agree
I think the geomerty on the sovereign is closer to the Imperial. It's look to be a bit more
trail friendly . I got to ride one of the prototypes at SeaOtter and I really like the way it felt.
 
#17 ·
8 lbs = straight guage

If the bike weighs that much it's probley straight guage chromoly or hight tensil steel.
Both the Evil frames are made from Reynolds 853 which is much stronger, than standard chromoly.
The thread on Hcor.net has some info DW the evil engineer posted about that stuff , pretty cool.
 
Discussion starter · #18 · (Edited)
Ok

Been putting together my plans in more depth, and im rather blown out right now. Can I have just about everyone tell me what good quality HT frames (material is negotiable) that have 1.5 headtubes. I REALLY want to run a breakout, and if I can ger the price of the frame down somehow (max of 750, but would love to spend less) It would be a lot easyer to afford a breakout. I called sinister, and gave them a message (it IS memorial day) about swaping out the forks. Im gonna go have a beer, way too much thinking.
 
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#20 ·
I have no bad things to say about the Imperial, and would highly recommend one. I would contact John P. at Evil Bikes and ask about possibly putting together a component package when you buy a frame from him - he may be able to help you out with some discounts on the fork and components, I'm not sure. I do know that they are top notch guys over there who will bend over backwards to make sure you're happy, which is about all you can ask from any frame manufacturer.

Incidentally, an MRP chainguide on an Evil frame is blasphemy :D - ask John P. about getting an E.13 chainguide in your frame package too!

The Banshee Scratch is, in typical Banshee style, unnecessarily overbuilt and therefore very heavy. If that's your thing, great - I'm sure it won't ever break. I prefer well engineered lighter weight at the same strength, though.
 
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