forteh Posted February 16, 2013 Report Share Posted February 16, 2013 Asking for a bit of advice on the above. I currently ride an '04 santacruz chameleon for xc duties and it works really quite well, however as I'm getting older I'm getting a hankering for a suspended bike. I'm not a hardcore xc rider by any means and a lap of cannock chase is pretty much enough for me (certainly at the moment), I do it because I enjoy cycling rather than to set fast times etc. I would like to keep with santacruz if possible, obviously this can potentially make it a bit of an expensive hankering! I think ideally I would want a nomad or blur LT but both are a bit out of my price bracket at the moment (saving for wedding etc.), however you can pick up the original blur frames of fleabay for 250-300 quid which is quite feasible. Another option is something like a bullit or butcher, but I think that perhaps a VPP frame would be better suited, also a bit lighter; maybe an older heckler? I want to keep my existing kit (1 1/8" headset, 135 QR rear axle, 30.9 seatpost) so I can swap back to the chameleon at any given time I only have 5"/130mm forks (2001 Z3 QR20's) which whilst old and heavy work pretty damn well although I suspect a modern pair of forks would give much better performance. Would 5" both ends work ok? (the blur is 5" travel) I've got no experience of full suspension so don't know if that might cause issues. If anyone can offer any suggestions or opinions on the above it would be much appreciated Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurtisRider Posted February 16, 2013 Report Share Posted February 16, 2013 Run whatever the travel fork the frame is deisgned for, which is often the same as the rear travel. I have a 16" Marin i'm selling for not much if you want to try out FS on a budget? I ran it with 130mm forks and it felt good, just too small for me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forteh Posted February 17, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2013 Ah so I should be good with a Blur XC, should be a touch more up front then. What marin is it? Is it a linkage vpp type or a high pivot like the older '00s design? Also how much are you looking for it and will my existing kit fit ok? I'm working a lot of overtime from home modelling up standardised designs in solidworks (I'm implementing it at work but current workload means I can't really do it in office hours) so should have some spare cash coming in, just got to persuade the fiance that I'm saving for the wedding Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomm Posted February 23, 2013 Report Share Posted February 23, 2013 Aren't Blur XCs more like 100mm? The older 130mm frames would be a Blur 4x? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZeroMatt Posted February 23, 2013 Report Share Posted February 23, 2013 The old 4X only had 115mm I think. Those forks come in at ~500mm axle-crown so a Blur TR or LT would be fine with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomm Posted February 25, 2013 Report Share Posted February 25, 2013 Sorry I didn't realise there was a Blur 'Classic' that existed before the LT / XC (and later Tr) versions. They look like a lot of money for a pretty old frame - no doubt helped by Santa Cruz's 'boutique' image. They're probably OK, suspect they'll be fairly flexy and the geometry probably won't be especially modern. I'd go for something more recent, personally, although it sounds like it'd work OK with all your bits so definitely not the worst idea ever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigjames Posted February 25, 2013 Report Share Posted February 25, 2013 Personally with your set up i'd go for a heckler. Don't think the Blur frame would appreciate having such a long fork hanging off the front of it, would mess up the geo a fair bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forteh Posted February 25, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2013 (edited) Cheers for the comments guys, I had considered a heckler (was always something of a dream frame back in the late 90s) but I'm not sure on how the high pivot suspension design performs compared to a VPP like the blur/LT/4X. Failing the heckler I could also consider the bullit, butcher or even superlight perhaps? Has anyone got any experience of the SC high pivot bikes? edit: superlight is only 100mm, perhaps too short with the 125 forks. edit2: would I be daft to even consider a vp free? 215mm travel with 125mm forks? Edited February 25, 2013 by forteh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forteh Posted February 27, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 27, 2013 Looking to get an intense 5.5 off pinkbike Small so suits my little hobbit legs, 08 in moderate condition (as long as its sound I don't care too much for age or cosmetics - my chameleon is 10 years old this year and my forks are 12!), recently serviced rp23 shock, hope BB, xt front mech, seatpost and a headset all for only 265 quid - result! All reviews say it's one of the best hard xc trail bikes, better than the blur or blurLT; slightly twitchy with shorter forks but Im sure I will get used to that; I don't really do a lot of technical steep descents so it should be ok. The only real weakness seems to be appetite for suspension bearings, although assuming they are standard sizes I can get them from work for a couple of quid each. Pretty chuffed to say the least Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigjames Posted February 27, 2013 Report Share Posted February 27, 2013 Very nice frames and sounds a very good price. I was running an Intense 6.6 for all mountain duties for a few years and it was an awesome bike. Pedal incredibly well and begs to be thrashed; sure the 5.5 will be similar. Out of the two intense bikes I've owned (Socom and 6.6) neither of them were too friendly to the bearings, some of it is down to less than perfect alignment from the factory. But they are standard sizes you can get from most internet bearing suppliers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.Wood Posted February 27, 2013 Report Share Posted February 27, 2013 I had a 5.5 with a Cane Creek double barrel shock and it worked pretty good, only got rid of it because it was an easy sale and I wasn't riding it much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forteh Posted February 27, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 27, 2013 My mates got a 6.6 and it's rather nice, about 8" too tall for me, I can't touch the floor with his reverb fully lowered! I can get bearings through work at ridiculous discount, 80% off or there about, shouldn't cost more than a tenner to do the lot Looking forward to building it up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave33 Posted February 28, 2013 Report Share Posted February 28, 2013 you wont go wrong with a heckler, great afor even a bit of trials lol, i have an orange sub 5 its not to bad to pedal, maybe not the best but its one of the best all round bikes iv rode Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forteh Posted February 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2013 You missed the post about me having bought an intense 5.5 then dave? Getting posted tomorrow, excited! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forteh Posted March 11, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2013 Got it all built up and running, lower linkage pivot bearings are shot so there is a fair bit of play in the back end but that's not a problem, new set of bearings on the way. The frame appears to have been owned by a maintenance shy person, cable rubs right through the paint to the metal, seized pivot bolts and bottom bracket full of mud. Stickers are all scuffed up, a good amount of scratches and chipped paint but it's all structurally sound so nothing to worry about! Built up using the parts straight off the chameleon, total weight is 32.7lbs, hardly a lightweight but I don't think that's too bad for a 5" travel bike with no real concession to lightweight parts on it. Rode it to work and back for a couple of days and on the road it feels like the chameleon but far more comfortable, the vpp system seems to eliminate just about all pedal induced movement, especially with propedal switched on. The only disconcerting thing is the rear suspension lifts loads with front wheel braking, just need to get used to it. Had the first proper ride on the intense on saturday, it blows the chameleon out of the water in just about all ways* - climbs with more traction and descends without having to worry about what line you're taking through the ruts, on the flat it picks up speed so very, very fast and just flies along with minimal effort needed. *the chameleon is easier to pedal hop, but then I've got a trials bike for doing that on! My worries about the steep 70° head angle seem to be unfounded, whilst I found the geometry to be twitchy and skipping around a lot, I could pick a line and follow it without any issues; if I needed to adjust just look and it goes. It rides aggressively like the chameleon did but with more power and control; it begs to be thrashed and pushed harder and harder. Only bummer was the chain snapped, fortunately it was only 500 yards from the car so no real riding lost So chuffed with it and can't believe the night and day difference compared to the chameleon, 265 quid well spent I say! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurtisRider Posted March 13, 2013 Report Share Posted March 13, 2013 Any plans to tidy it up a bit paintwise? Looks really good so far Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forteh Posted March 14, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2013 I will do eventually, going to put new bearings in this week and see how they last. When it comes to the next bearing change I will strip it all down, put grease nipples onto the bottom linkages (something intense started doing two years after my frame was made) and get it powdercoated. If the frame cracks then it will be going to JAF for weld and carbon wrapping, in that case it will probably be stripped raw and polished. I'm not all that fussed about having a 100% mint bike because I know it will eventually only suffer cosmetically eventually, it will be mechanically sound and maintained though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigjames Posted March 14, 2013 Report Share Posted March 14, 2013 The paint on Intense bikes is known for being pretty poor. Both the frames I had were less than perfect and were prone to chipping. Looks good though, makes me wish i still had mine! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forteh Posted March 14, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2013 On the whole the paint seems pretty thick, just the adhesion in places is poor, particularly around the swing arm bracing webs, its flaking off there! The new bearings will be with me at work tomorrow morning, I might try to get them fitted before saturdays ride but probably better to wait till afterwards! My reverb has an air gap in the damper, the post needs bleeding out which is a bit of a ball ache (need to take the whole thing apart and I don't have the IFP setting tool), it isn't detrimental to the operation of it but there is 1-2mm vertical free play in it bah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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