foxinsocks Posted June 9, 2015 Report Share Posted June 9, 2015 A couple of years ago when i wanted to step up my game i got me a proper dedicated trials bike (a Toxsin II) to replace my old heavy Planet X Jackflash. Unfortunately, i hardly get to ride much trials since, so every couple of months when i take the toxsin for a spin it feels very harsh and quite awkward to get re-accustomed to. So now i'm looking to going back a notch, and trying to build something that is a little shorter, more forgiving and closer to a natural mountain-bike (an "urban trials" bike if you wanna call it that...) I've got a couple of directions: 1. find some street frame (Giant STP , Transition BLT , DMR Sideckick, Octane One Zircus), one that is not too DJ oriented, and spec it with some trialsy parts and 80-100mm fork. 2. Go for some oldschool frame such as a Zebdi, a Giant Trials team, Orange zero... build it rigid or with a 80-100mm fork and the rest of the parts from my toxsin. Those frames always look more neutral to me. i wonder how crappy they would feel compared to the toxsin. 3. Lurk in the shadows and wait for some Norco moment / Manifesto frame to pop up. (any similar frames i need to consider? that go well with a short travel fork) 4. Overstretch my budget and try to get some used inpired hex 5. shut up and just ride my toxsin more until i get used to it Would really appreciate some advice from more experienced folks here. I don't live in Europe, so getting a trials frame shipped all the way here is quite a long and expensive process, so i only get one chance (when i bought the toxsin, i ended up paying more in freight costs than i paid for the bike itself :/ ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxinsocks Posted June 9, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2015 here's a photo of the Toxsin... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greetings Posted June 9, 2015 Report Share Posted June 9, 2015 It's pretty normal that your trials bike will feel awkward if you ride it once every few months. That Toxsin is probably as forgiving as a trials bike is going to get. Anything more "forgiving" and it won't be a trials bike anymore. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross McArthur Posted June 9, 2015 Report Share Posted June 9, 2015 5. Spend your money on cake. Seriously, that toxin is like a commuter compared to some pure trials bikes these days. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxinsocks Posted June 9, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2015 Well, i'll rephrase i guess... perhaps "forgiving" is not the right word. admittedly the Toxsin is not as "extreme" as some more modern frames, but its still much more trials-oriented than most options i mentioned above (even the zebdi or the Zero, let alone STP and the likes). Its also a very long bike (Chainstay 385mm and WB around 1090 if i'm not mistaken). Good for big committed trials moves (of which i dont do much), bad and energy consuming for general fooling around. I reckon it will be awesome for someone who practices "pure" trials on a regular basis. But for someone who spends most his time riding XC/AM and has time for a trials session once every 2 weeks (at best), has fractured both his wrists in the past (hence my preference for some form of suspension), its a bit too much to get used to every time i take it out. So i'm looking for something smaller and more nimble, with a more streety orientation (more manuals, bunnyhops, 180's...), but still good for trials. Assuming i insist on swapping a frame - which of the above options would you recommend? any other options to consider? (offers are welcome!) would any of those options feel really bad for the type of riding i described? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Dark Posted June 9, 2015 Report Share Posted June 9, 2015 Inspired Hex, with a lowered marzocchi air fork? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark W Posted June 9, 2015 Report Share Posted June 9, 2015 Wildcard - get an Inspired Element 26" frame, put some bits from your Toxsin on there and still have the option to put some sus forks on in the future? I mean this version of it, by the way: Essentially the same frame as the Hex but with (from memory) a slightly lower BB which would play into your hands nicely if you were to put some suspension up front. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxinsocks Posted June 9, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2015 Thanks. The inspired does seem like the obvious choice.... unfortunate that used inspired frames at a decent price are just so damn hard to come by I think i'll spend a week or two looking for one that fits my budget, and if i can't i'll just go for a Zebdi/Giant/Norco. The STP / Zircus / DMR type frames will probably feel like crap for pedal kicks and such. i saw a used Orange Zero for a decent price - how well do those ride? they seem awfully short. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greetings Posted June 9, 2015 Report Share Posted June 9, 2015 Yeah, I'd go with an Inspired if that's what you want from your bike. It seems you're more interested in what's now called street-trials rather than pure trials. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old boy chez Posted June 9, 2015 Report Share Posted June 9, 2015 I have a zebdi for sale if you want one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxinsocks Posted June 9, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2015 And assuming the inspired is out of my budget...? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark W Posted June 9, 2015 Report Share Posted June 9, 2015 Have you checked the price of the Element frame new wherever you are? Over here they were quite a bit cheaper than the Hex frames were, so they might be more within your budget possibly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxinsocks Posted June 9, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2015 I have a zebdi for sale if you want one PM'd you Have you checked the price of the Element frame new wherever you are? Over here they were quite a bit cheaper than the Hex frames were, so they might be more within your budget possibly. Mark, i'm from Israel. Getting stuff shipped here can be insanely expensive. When i bought the Toxsin from the UK i ended up paying more in freight costs than i paid for the bike itself... (quote i got from some parcel service: "apparently it will cost us less to ship it to the moon and back, than to ship it to Israel...". So i'm looking for something used in the UK, which i can bring back home with me when i visit or with a friend... There are no local Inspired dealers (MTB scene is INSANE here, but trials... not so much) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old boy chez Posted June 9, 2015 Report Share Posted June 9, 2015 Not got nothing man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murga Posted June 10, 2015 Report Share Posted June 10, 2015 Have you tried shipping through fedex they don't seem to be that pricey to Israel? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxinsocks Posted June 14, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2015 Have you tried shipping through fedex they don't seem to be that pricey to Israel? Murga - Thanks for the advice. i haven't even checked FedEx this time (or any other service). i did quite an extensive research about shipping 3 years ago when i got the toxsin. i dont remember which service i used eventually, but even the cheapest one was quite painfully expensive. I got other ways of picking it up from someone... probably than just dumping money on bogus charges and freights costs (funny thing is, it would've actually cost me less to buy a plane ticket to the UK and back, plus a night's accommodation, than it was to ship the whole bike here...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natmangee Posted June 14, 2015 Report Share Posted June 14, 2015 (edited) Tarty bikes says £93 but dunno if they will sting you for import tax your end? Seems pretty reasonable to me. Certainly cheaper than plane tickets and the like... The bikes i picked i believe are relevant to your interests too? Edited June 14, 2015 by natmangee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxinsocks Posted June 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2015 Thanks, but i actually got some family visiting in the UK, so i wasn't looking for any shipping to begin with. It is certainly cheaper than what it was 4 years ago. i remember trying to oreder a handlebar from Tarty, and i think the shipping alone was £30-40. I think i'll eventually go for a decent condition Jack Flash again. set it up with 80-100mm fork, or even a rigid one, and all other parts from the Toxsin. I tried doing some trials on an Octane One Zircus just last night. with 15mm bb drop (with a 130mm fork), it felt pretty horrible for trials. I think a Zebdi / JackFlash is as "streetish" as i'm willing to go. They're still very capable for trials, while not feeling like a dj/street bike. Tarty bikes says £93 but dunno if they will sting you for import tax your end? Seems pretty reasonable to me. Certainly cheaper than plane tickets and the like... The bikes i picked i believe are relevant to your interests too? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ash-Kennard Posted June 18, 2015 Report Share Posted June 18, 2015 I think a Zebdi / JackFlash is as "streetish" as i'm willing to go. They're still very capable for trials, while not feeling like a dj/street bike. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Gibbs Posted June 18, 2015 Report Share Posted June 18, 2015 A hex would be better for "proper" trials over a Zebdi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxinsocks Posted June 18, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 18, 2015 lol Hmm... whats so lolish...? am i wrong there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waybe2014 Posted June 18, 2015 Report Share Posted June 18, 2015 I think he was implying that those frames aren't good for trials so you will actually be making things more difficult Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark W Posted June 18, 2015 Report Share Posted June 18, 2015 They're not the strongest frames out there too, so you might be running a risk buying a second hand frame that - due to them stopping production of them a while ago - is going to be pretty old. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxinsocks Posted June 19, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2015 (edited) I think he was implying that those frames aren't good for trials so you will actually be making things more difficult I know they're not as intended for trials as the Toxsin, and thats exactly what i'm after. something that i can bunnyhop and manual easier, but still pedal kick and gap a bit... (i tried manualling my Toxsin the other day and almost popped my shoulders out trying to get it up But are they THAT bad to deserve a lol...? Edited June 19, 2015 by foxinsocks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ash-Kennard Posted June 19, 2015 Report Share Posted June 19, 2015 Frames like that were used because there was no other choice. They stopped production a decade ago on frames that regularly snapped and cracked and now the aluminium is a minimum age of a decade old, it will be shit. Get the hex, you will enjoy it 10 times more, it won't die beneath you, looks better and you can run modern brakes. they world of trials has come on laps and bounds in the last 10 years, make the most of that knowledge the manufacturers have learnt and get a modern bike. OR Look at older frames with decent geometry made from steel as they can atleast be modified and repaired if necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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