[Sojourner]

Ok so its just about income tax time! This means its new bike time too!

At this point I'm holding out for a Redline Monocog Flight 1X9, which is supposed to be available around March (according to Redline's post on the MTBR forums). But then I started looking at the Interbike pics and noticed a couple of full-suspension (FS) 29" bikes. I've tried tracking them down, but up to this point all I see are AL/Scadium FS 29ers. So my question to you is this...

"Do you know of a manufacturer that makes a bike/frame that is CroMo/steel, FS, and a 29er?" If so, please give me some links!

Thanks,
-Sojo

 

[Enel]

 

[Sojourner]

Thanks for the hint, but didn't see *your* frame on there (note the top tube). Also noticed it was $1600 for just the frame... ouch! The RMF29 (Redline Monocog Flight) is $900 for a rigid complete. Not exactly a fair comparison, but still, that's quite a price difference.

I really do appreciate your help though; that looks like a nice ride!

-Sojo

 

[PeanutButterBreath]

I think custom is your only option for steel FS, 29er or otherwise, and if I am not mistaken they all involve and Al rear end. See also http://www.ingliscycles.com/ and http://www.sycip.com/

 

[Enel]

They are all custom, he'll do any sort of TT you want.

$1600 is as cheap as a custom steel frame can come. It just goes up from there. Most non-custom FS frames are well in excess of that as well.

 

[lushmd]

Wow, that's the first time I've seen anyone balk at Doug's pricing...

Re the MC Flite 29er comparison, the thing to keep in mind is that not only are you comparing an SS rigid (albeit complete) bike to an FS, but Doug will build the FS custom... Its certainly not cheap in absolute terms ($1600 is, at least to me, a significant amount), but relative to what you're getting (a custom steel FS frame), the cost seems, at the very least, reasonable.

 

[laffeaux]

Beyond Curtlo, there's Vicious, Sycip, and various other small manufactures making steel front traingle 29ers. But you'll be paying quite a bit for them too. A better price comparison would be with aluminum FS 29ers (or 26ers). Unfortunately, $1600 is pretty typical for higher-end FS bikes.

 

[WarPigs]

i've never seen any 29er FS with a steel rear end.

what are the possible reasons?
that AL can do the job since its not a HT?
weight savings?
propriety linkage design, comes only in AL? aka ventana rear end?

 

[GlowBoy]

i've never seen any 29er FS with a steel rear end.

what are the possible reasons?
that AL can do the job since its not a HT?
weight savings?
propriety linkage design, comes only in AL? aka ventana rear end?

In a FS rear end, you want stiffness, not compliance. That can be with aluminum for a lot less weight than with steel.

 

[WarPigs]

ahhh, so thats why, thanks GlowBoy.

but again, i may be mistaken, did i see a fully ti FS? seven ala maverick?, moots?

maybe some riders wants more compliance?

 

[mintbiker]

www.mintcycles.com

I will post pics as soon as I can upload them

 

[mintbiker]

OK here you go with a steel 29er that weighs less than aluminum

Enjoy!
6lb 3 oz frame with shock....
4" front and rear...with 5" front and rear available this spring.
29er goodness!

Mojito
Mint Cycles
www.mintcycles.com

 

[Bells Brewery MTB]

i've never seen any 29er FS with a steel rear end.

what are the possible reasons?
that AL can do the job since its not a HT?
weight savings?
propriety linkage design, comes only in AL? aka ventana rear end?

The 9Ball Aluminum front triangle with steel rear linkage - www.quiringcycles.net --- Not much info on the website. I would call/email Scott about this build.

 

[mintbiker]

Why AL for half?

i've never seen any 29er FS with a steel rear end.

what are the possible reasons?
that AL can do the job since its not a HT?
weight savings?
propriety linkage design, comes only in AL? aka ventana rear end?

Coming from a frame builder perspective....STEEL is great, but when you want something to be solid, then you want aluminum...It is easy to machine into whatever shape you want, and cheap and solid. So, yes you could use aluminum, and I love STEEL, but aluminum is the way to go for anything that is going to have a shock attached and is going to take a large amount of load. Some of the newer air hardening alloys show promise for a rear end, but there is the extra cost of machining high quality steel yokes and pivots....It certainly can be done, but would you pay $2800 for a full steel frameset?

Mojito
Mint Cycles
wwww.mintcycles.com

 

[Go Kart Motzart]

ahhh, so thats why, thanks GlowBoy.

but again, i may be mistaken, did i see a fully ti FS? seven ala maverick?, moots?

maybe some riders wants more compliance?

For an FS bike you want the suspension to provide the "compliance", not the frame itself. An FS frame should be stiff as possible to give you a stable platform to let the suspension do its job.

 

[Troll]

Waltworks

I think Waltworks is doing a FS using the Ventana rear end now.

 

[mud'n'sweat]

Mojito, that is the first bike of yours I've seen. Looks nice.

 

[MMcG]

I would think that you could definitely use 4130 cromoly for the rear triangle - it als might allow for better rear tire clearance too due to the thinner nature of the tubes you'd need to use?

For example, Balfa used 4130 rear ends on all their bikes and I'd say that the bb7 and their 2Steps handled plenty of abuse and rode plenty stiff back there too.

Just my two cents. It can be done, but it also might come with a weight penalty. The Balfa frames, with the exception of the Belair, weren't the lightest things out there on the trails or race courses. However, the Belair was about a 6.5 frame with shock and that isn't too shabby at all for a 4.5" travel FS frame.

 

[WarPigs]

i'm not insisting that steel must/should be used for the rear triangle, i'm just curious why it's not/rarely used, and i've been answered, thanks all.

and now, that quiring fs bike just makes it all confusing again. hahahhaha but i'm sure there is a logical explanation.

 

[sikocycles]

Mint

Price of that bad boy?

Enjoy!
6lb 3 oz frame with shock....
4" front and rear...with 5" front and rear available this spring.
29er goodness!

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View attachment 226837

Mojito
Mint Cycles
www.mintcycles.com