Hardtail Talk!!

JMac1

New Member
You’re gonna love your Ragley. I recently built up an Mmmbop and it’s been awesome. One of the reasons I like having a hardtail in addition to the full suspension is to ride with my son. It feels silly following a 5 year old on a flat trail on a high-end trail bike. Even on my own, I ride them 50:50.
 

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Bikeworks

Well-Known Member
Anyone have any experience with wolftooth headsets and spacers?

I have Wolftooth spacers and seat tube collars on both my bikes, well-machined and no complaints. Can't speak to their headsets, but if they are anything like their other components I would say they are top-notch.
 

Karate Monkey

Well-Known Member
Anyone have any experience with wolftooth headsets and spacers?

Like, what kind of experience? Headsets are a hard to screw up part. Even $20 Tange headsets are REALLY good. Sealing wise, they fall somewhere between the common 'open' OEM models, and a Cane Creek 110.

I've had a bunch of their parts, and seen more come through my hands. Machining is good, and would have no qualms using [whatever] if it met my needs.
 

Strix

Well-Known Member
Perfect name 👍 by the time I’m done with mine I’m gonna call it the “JOKER”
 

Santapez

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
My mind is blown that there's hardly any hardtail frames with sliding dropouts. Timberjack is on my short list but supposedly new frame is pretty heavy, not sure if @jimvreeland has info on that.

And then on top of that, most hard tails spec wise is based around cheap bikes with low end components.
 

Steve Vai

Endurance Guy: Tolerates most of us.
I've not weighed the new frame but it's definitely beefier now that it's designed around a 140 fork. Mine hits just over 20lbs in the "trail mode" which is really XC by today's standards.
 

Strix

Well-Known Member
Most modern bikes come with through axles nowadays not drop out not just a Hardtail thing, Plus if you keep looking you’ll find some decent specked hard tails but they’re pricey. You could always do like me and buy a frame and build up yourself.
 

Santapez

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
I've not weighed the new frame but it's definitely beefier now that it's designed around a 140 fork. Mine hits just over 20lbs in the "trail mode" which is really XC by today's standards.
Yeah, but that's what I'm looking for. I have a full suspension bike if I'm looking for more travel. That generation of Timberjacks probably is what I need to find, which is probably impossible in this market. Not looking for a slacked out heavy 140mm hard tail to ride at Six Mile or Allaire but looking for slightly more modern geometry.

I know you had issues with your alternator plates, but any other issues you've seen with those frames? I feel my El Mariachi is a ticking time bomb.

Most modern bikes come with through axles nowadays not drop out not just a Hardtail thing, Plus if you keep looking you’ll find some decent specked hard tails but they’re pricey. You could always do like me and buy a frame and build up yourself.
Drop out doesn't really mean the axle drops out anymore. Looking for through-axle rear that can be moved in/out so it can tension the chain when setup singlespeed.

I can buy a frame yes, but then I figure I get nickle and dimed through the whole process especially when buying a new fork. In the end it may make sense.
 

Strix

Well-Known Member
Yeah, but that's what I'm looking for. I have a full suspension bike if I'm looking for more travel. That generation of Timberjacks probably is what I need to find, which is probably impossible in this market. Not looking for a slacked out heavy 140mm hard tail to ride at Six Mile or Allaire but looking for slightly more modern geometry.

I know you had issues with your alternator plates, but any other issues you've seen with those frames? I feel my El Mariachi is a ticking time bomb.


Drop out doesn't really mean the axle drops out anymore. Looking for through-axle rear that can be moved in/out so it can tension the chain when setup singlespeed.

I can buy a frame yes, but then I figure I get nickle and dimed through the whole process especially when buying a new fork. In the end it may make sense.
You ain’t lying about the nickel and dime that’s for sure. By the time I’m done with my built I’ll probably be in for 3500$ but Colors and specs to my wants.
 

Steve Vai

Endurance Guy: Tolerates most of us.
Yeah, but that's what I'm looking for. I have a full suspension bike if I'm looking for more travel. That generation of Timberjacks probably is what I need to find, which is probably impossible in this market. Not looking for a slacked out heavy 140mm hard tail to ride at Six Mile or Allaire but looking for slightly more modern geometry.

I know you had issues with your alternator plates, but any other issues you've seen with those frames? I feel my El Mariachi is a ticking time bomb.


Drop out doesn't really mean the axle drops out anymore. Looking for through-axle rear that can be moved in/out so it can tension the chain when setup singlespeed.

I can buy a frame yes, but then I figure I get nickle and dimed through the whole process especially when buying a new fork. In the end it may make sense.

I break a dropout every year but other than that, it checks all the boxes. Threaded BB, Long TT, short stem, slack headtube even with a short travel fork. Lightning in a bottle.
 

serviceguy

Well-Known Member
I feel my El Mariachi is a ticking time bomb.
Are you referring to the infamous cracked chain stays ?

I believe that is more of an issue for heavier guys. Even then, @205lbs I've put the blue frame through the gnarliest trail in Ringwood and so far so good. You can always adopt my strategy and buy multiple bikes so that you lower the chances of each frame to crack on you (big part of that strategy in my case is to actually not ride any frame). I'm actually contemplating buying a 3rd frame right now.
 

Santapez

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Are you referring to the infamous cracked chain stays ?

I believe that is more of an issue for heavier guys. Even then, @205lbs I've put the blue frame through the gnarliest trail in Ringwood and so far so good. You can always adopt my strategy and buy multiple bikes so that you lower the chances of each frame to crack on you (big part of that strategy in my case is to actually not ride any frame). I'm actually contemplating buying a 3rd frame right now.
Still old geometry, and really heavy frame. Plus while my Lefty rides awesome I can't get the stem lower and shorter.
 

BPaze

Well-Known Member
Still old geometry, and really heavy frame. Plus while my Lefty rides awesome I can't get the stem lower and shorter.
You should wathc Hardtail party on youtube, all he does is ride and review hardtails and it should allow you to compile a pretty comprehensive list of hardtails that fit your needs. Even if you just went through the video titles to get a list of different hardtails it is a decent list to start on.
 

serviceguy

Well-Known Member
Still old geometry, and really heavy frame. Plus while my Lefty rides awesome I can't get the stem lower and shorter.
Not questioning the old geometry, but the weight doesn't seem that heavy to me, off course it's steel but compared to the same size aluminum...not sure, aluminum tubes need to be bigger for stiffness. Again, I've got nothing to compare to because I only have 26" full suspension bikes in my garage, so kind of apples to bricks type of comparison.
 
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