Who Makes the "High-End", "Top Shelf" FS Mountain Bike Frames?

[HKEK]

I am depressed. Once again, my frame has broken. I can't take the down
time.

I am (was) riding a full suspension frame with a classic four-bar
linkage. I was fairly satisfied my frameset, but this weekend I met a
rider on a four-bar frame made by Titus, the Racer X. From a distance,
the configuration of this frame looks just like mine; however,
closeup, it makes my frame look like it came out of a Cracker Jack
box!

I was so impressed with the construction details of the Titus frame,
it is obvious that the mechanical design and fabrication are at a much
higher standard than the mass produced framesets. The failures that I
have experienced with my frame (and the excessive "slop" in the
suspension) would never occur with the Titus frameset.

My question: Who's on the short list of manufacturers making the
highest quality, technically outstanding FS MTB framesets?

[spademan o---[\) *]

"HKEK" > wrote in message
...
> I am depressed. Once again, my frame has broken. I can't take the down
> time.
>
> I am (was) riding a full suspension frame with a classic four-bar
> linkage. I was fairly satisfied my frameset, but this weekend I met a
> rider on a four-bar frame made by Titus, the Racer X. From a distance,
> the configuration of this frame looks just like mine; however,
> closeup, it makes my frame look like it came out of a Cracker Jack
> box!
>
> I was so impressed with the construction details of the Titus frame,
> it is obvious that the mechanical design and fabrication are at a much
> higher standard than the mass produced framesets. The failures that I
> have experienced with my frame (and the excessive "slop" in the
> suspension) would never occur with the Titus frameset.
>
> My question: Who's on the short list of manufacturers making the
> highest quality, technically outstanding FS MTB framesets?

Turner.

[Per Löwdin]

> My question: Who's on the short list of manufacturers making the
> highest quality, technically outstanding FS MTB framesets?

Titus are pretty good and they are friendly to deal with. My wife rides
a Racer-X and loves it.
http://user.tninet.se/~ipg289h/fu99/MTBruntUppsala/bilder/Lunsenled1b.JPG
I ride Switchblade. It is a splendid trail bike. Don´t think there are
any better today.
http://user.tninet.se/~ipg289h/fu99/MTBruntUppsala/bilder/Lunseled3e.JPG

Ellsworths are said to be good but their customer support has
shortcomings. Some reports on Intense warrantries are also worrying.
Otherwise their new Spider appears to be terrific. The new Santa Cruz
Blur could also be intersting, as well as some other SC bikes,
particularly the SL. Ventana is another top maker. Though you might ask
it is as good as the fourbar bikes with horst links. Giant is also
intersting. Has really competitive pricing.

Per

[Bruce]

"HKEK" > wrote in message
...
> My question: Who's on the short list of manufacturers making the
> highest quality, technically outstanding FS MTB framesets?

Turner, Titus, Ventana

[Chris]

"HKEK" > wrote in message
...
>
>
> My question: Who's on the short list of manufacturers making the
> highest quality, technically outstanding FS MTB framesets?
>

I think it would depend somewhat on what kind of riding you're doing
(shocker).

For lightweight XC, the Tomac Revolver Ti, Intense Spider, and to a lesser
extent the SC Blur, Titus Racer-X, Turner Burner, and the Moots Smoothie all
rule ass. MBaction magazine will tell you the Fuel 100 is the
quintessential FS XCer...I hate that bike personally. If you want to roll
the dice on an Ellsworth Truth, that's a good frame too. Cannondale
waterbrains would be screaming Scalpel right about now, but they can shove
it. Right up their bums. Cdale sucks. Real hard.

For a heavier-duty bike (about 5 inches of travel, you can smack it around)
look at Foes FXRs, Intense Uzzis, Titus 5Spot, Ellswoth ID (spin the wheel
of destiny), Titus Loco or Quasi Motos, and the Titus Switchblade are all
top-shelf longer-than-XC-travel bikes.

Ventana gets wanked prety hard around here (probably because JD gave it his
seal of approval) but unless you're a Klyde, the framsets are a little heavy
and _probably_ overbuilt. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but a
sub-200 lb. rider can do a lot better for himself IMO.

There's a lot that I missed - these are all that quickly came to mind - but
if you're spending over 1k U.S. on a frame it'd be hard to find a piece of
crap.

Chris

[Gary in VA]

"Chris" > wrote in message
news:hP3Na.24104>
>
> Ventana gets wanked prety hard around here (probably because JD gave it
his
> seal of approval) but unless you're a Klyde, the framsets are a little
heavy
> and _probably_ overbuilt.

The reason I "wank" Ventana pretty hard is I made the mistake of buying one
and now I have to justify my purchase.

Gary in VA (yeah right) (and there's a problem with it being overbuilt?)

[Per Löwdin]

> Oh, wasn't aware of that. We still have frames in the bike shop... they
> must be from last year.

Realised it because we had planned to buy two Pisgah frames to use for
travel, mixing singletrack with riding on road between places with good
singletrack. Seems not even Colorado Cyclist sells just frames this year.

So, we did not buy Pisgahs, instead we choose to hang BOBs on our hardtails.

Per
http://user.tninet.se/~ipg289h/fu99/MTB.html