[VTSession]

I sold my my current frame so now I need to pull the trigger on a new one soon. Budget is about $1500, need a 6 inch FS frame, I narrowed it down to the Transition Covert or Santa Cruz Butcher.

Covert: Pros? Lighter, I've had good experience with Transition as a company, suspension design seems on par with most modern designs. Cons? More expensive, hard to get, I've already broken one aluminum Transition frame.

Butcher: Pros? Cheaper, easier to get, frame's got a freakin' bottle opener. Cons? Heavier, APP is cool but single pivot seems a little old fashion to me (maybe I'm wrong?).

I've ruled out the other usual suspects. The Blur LT is too pricey, similar offerings from Pivot and Knolly are also too pricey. Don't suggest Specialized Enduro or Trek Remedy because I'm sick of seeing those bikes everywhere I ride.

Covert or Butcher? Kinda leaning towards the Butcher just based on price and better availability.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Hardtails Are Better]

You do realize the Covert is every bit as much of a single pivot as the Butcher is don't you? Albeit with a fairly different pivot location.

 

[b-kul]

both the covert and the butcher are single pivots. id go for the butcher, most of the benefits of vpp without the cost.

 

[VTSession]

Yeah, you're right, after looking closer, the Covert is a single pivot. I've had two G and T's my judgment is slightly skewed.

I do like the quasi VPP of the Butcher.....I'm hung up on the weight issue.

 

[b-kul]

both could easily be built up to around 30 pounds.

 

[scrublover]

Of the two, I'd lean towards the Butcher.

How about a Banshee Rune? Not on your list, but I'd go for that over the others.

 

[Brisco Dog]

Of the two, I'd lean towards the Butcher.

How about a Banshee Rune? Not on your list, but I'd go for that over the others.

The Rune is an awesome bike. It climbs extremely well and can bomb down the hill. If you are looking for a dual link suspension in the $1500.00 range, the Rune is hard to beat.

 

[rockhop]

the Rune is hard to beat

.
Also hard to find, at least for me. After playing email tag with their cust svce rep in trying to find a dealer I gave up. Was looking at the Banshee.

 

[builttoride]

banshee can ship to your local bike shop in most cases as long as the bike shop is happy for them to do so.

 

[ghashmi]

Covert Owner

I've had my Covert for one year - can't speak about the butcher as I've never ridden one.

I've had good luck riding trails one to two times per week. With a Fox Talas at 5" it handles most trails with no issues. On steepeer faster descents and the fork set at 6" the bikes is a mini-downhill sled, nice and slack and eats up rougher sections no problem. In steep down hill switch backs the bike tracks well. I generally keep things planted going down and the bike handles everything fine and has definetly made me a faster descender. With a more compotent rider drops and jumps should be no problem.

The frame is stout - not overly so -- and climbs better than my older clapped out '03 Heckler. I've had no pivot issues over the course of a year including much sloppy riding this winter. Should probably service to keep ahead of things but so far so good. A highlight of the frame is the stiff rear end.

The bike kicked ass last August at Mountain Bike Oregon (Oakridge, OR Shuttle Single Track Lovefest). Sections of a trail called Lawler were pretty rocky, not overly technical, just rocky -- put the front wheel where I wanted and the bike tracked extremely well and was stable at high speed. Except for the occassional snake bite running lighter tires in the summer brings out the fun factor.

BTW I picked the bike up used - lightly ridden - but even at retail the frame is a good value in my opinion and should last a rider many a season.

 

[scrublover]

.
Also hard to find, at least for me. After playing email tag with their cust svce rep in trying to find a dealer I gave up. Was looking at the Banshee.

Yep. No dealers near me, so I ordered my Spitfire via Chad @ Red Barn Bicycles

 

[macming]

There's a nice 2010 BLT for $2100 in the classified here, that's where I'd look.

 

[dwyooaj]

vt, call Dropnzone in Bellingham, WA to get a Rune. They will put any shock u want on it, go with manitou isx-6 if air or Elka if coil.

 

[dogss]

You might consider a 2010 Titus El Guapo on closeout - can be had for around $1250 with Monarch RT3.

 

[Russalf]

Yeah, you're right, after looking closer, the Covert is a single pivot. I've had two G and T's my judgment is slightly skewed.

I do like the quasi VPP of the Butcher.....I'm hung up on the weight issue.

The Butcher weighs 6.73lbs without a shock or 7,4lbs with. (my shock of my butcher weighs 312g)
The Covert weighs 6.7lbs without a shock.

There is no weight issue to get hung up on, Santa cruz are just more realistic and post the weight with a shock as its kind of important :thumbsup: , Transition remove the shock weight to try and make there bike sound lighter.

 

[twowheelsdown2002]

Throw the Knolly Endorphin into the mix. It's 140mm feels deeper than most bikes 160mm, and it is really compatible with a 160mm fork.

North of the Border bikes has them for $1,575 but my local dealer in Tucson bettered them because I was buying 2 and wanted to keep the money local.

The Endorphin is a modified Horst link, and pedals and brakes well, and just plain handles superbly.:thumbsup: First air shock bike I have had that does not make me want to try a coil on it. The suspension is excellent.

 

[firefox90]

Banshee's customer service has been spectacular to me. I am heading out to Moab in early March and needed a Spitfire as I just sold my old frame. Pretty much the whole country was out of them, but they found me 2 in my size and color. The Path Bike shop out in California is shipping it to me all the way across the country with free shipping. Everyone has been great to work with.

 

[mnigro]

just to respond to your opinion on frame prices, Pivot 5 and a Blur can both be had for less than retail if you're willing to buy online. Speedgoat has the Pivot. Also some other good deals on frames at Competitive Cyclist.

 

[VTSession]

Thanks for the responses guys. I've been doing some serious price hunting around the web and see some good prices on Pivots and Blur LTs but nothing in my size (large). There are some great prices on small and XLs, but nothing for me

Looks like I'm leaning towards the Butcher. I can get it shipped with no tax for under $1500. Hopefully will pull the trigger next week.

 

[scrublover]

Thanks for the responses guys. I've been doing some serious price hunting around the web and see some good prices on Pivots and Blur LTs but nothing in my size (large). There are some great prices on small and XLs, but nothing for me

Looks like I'm leaning towards the Butcher. I can get it shipped with no tax for under $1500. Hopefully will pull the trigger next week.

That's not bad. One of those, or a Nickel tweaked with an Angleset was the runner up frame idea to my Spitfire. But being able to get the geo I wanted out of the Spitfire without having to resort to a spendy and new to the market headset won me over.