#hardtail

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Readers’ Rides: Michael’s Bender Hardtail 29er

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Readers’ Rides: Michael’s Bender Hardtail 29er

While many of the Readers’ Rides we feature here are well-loved machines that exude character from miles of usage and years of iterations, we also receive reader submissions featuring fresh builds. Today, we’re taking a look at one of these from Michael in southern California who recently commissioned a hardtail from Bender Bicycle Co and had it built up by the team at Velo Hangar in Carlsbad. They even had the build process and completed bike documented by talented local photographer/director Embry Rucker. Let’s check it out below!

Brian’s Crystal FX Self-Made Fillet Hardtail 29er: His Horse With no Name

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Brian’s Crystal FX Self-Made Fillet Hardtail 29er: His Horse With no Name

It’s cold and blustery in Santa Fe these days so, much like Hailey, I’m riding more pavement than I’d normally like and have put riding the mountainous trails on the shelf for the moment. Winters are great for water levels in the west, especially ones like the winter we’re having this year. Not much gets me out of the house on windy days, and battling headwinds in a 20º “real feel” is not this desert rat’s cup of tea.

Yet, living in a tourist hub, I often get hit up to meet with travelers passing through town. Sometimes, they want to catch up over a cup of coffee, other times; they have a bike they want me to see. The other morning, I got a message from Brian, who was returning from the Baja Divide with a unique bike in tow…

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Beautiful Builds: Necronomicog Battles the Moots Womble – Titanium is Immortal

Deep in the mountains of Norway, Titania Assault from the black metal band Necronomicog perfected the art of forging titanium under the watchful eyes of the Monks of True Metal. For decades he learned to craft the world’s finest titanium, eventually earning the title of “Master of Metal.”

As the ancient scriptures prophesied, an adversary would rise in the Rocky Mountains of the United States who would usurp this title, forcing Titania Assault to meet his mantle in the Sangre de Cristo mountains. That day came when the Steamboat Springs-based framebuilders, Moots, dubbed themselves the “Masters of Metal” and released the Womble 29er hardtail to the world. Balance needed to be restored, and the stage was set…

Watch as Titania Assault goes head to head with the Moots Womble in a battle for the title of “Master of Metal.”

Video by Justin Balog, Music by Gauntlet Ring – “Upon the Wings of the Black Eagle”

Thread Lightly: Seven Things I Learned While Making My Own Bicycle Framebags

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Thread Lightly: Seven Things I Learned While Making My Own Bicycle Framebags

After the apocalypse, I’m pretty sure society could learn to rebuild if we just get the Youtube servers back online. When I needed to install a new starter in my Tacoma, Youtube was there. When I needed to safely remove some stitches after knee surgery, Youtube was there. And when I couldn’t wait the six weeks or spend the $200 to have a custom frame bag made, Youtube was there.

John’s Moots Womble 29er Hardtail Updates: Chris King Fusion Fiber MTN30 Wheels and the New Rock Shox Pike Ultimate

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John’s Moots Womble 29er Hardtail Updates: Chris King Fusion Fiber MTN30 Wheels and the New Rock Shox Pike Ultimate

I’ve been privileged to throw my leg around many fine bicycles, and two years ago, when I got to review a Moots Womble, I fell in love. It’s incredibly light and capable, but, most importantly, it pedals pleasantly whether you’re climbing or descending. It’s the bike I ride the most here in Santa Fe, and while it often gets in over its head, so to speak, I find it capable enough for a proper all-mountain experience. I’ve climbed with it from town to our towers (12,500′) and took it right back down the guts of the Rocky Mountains on a long, 15-mile singletrack descent. It’s taken me across the Uncompahgre Plateau and all over Northern New Mexico. While it only has a 140mm travel fork, it’s honed my riding skills to where I feel like I’ve mastered this titanium chassis. Yet, I’m not opposed to upgrades or using this trusty bike as a lab rat for product tests.

Over the past few months, I’ve been giving two new products a proper thrashin’ from New Mexico to Montana, so let’s see what I think about the Chris King FusionFiber Wheels and the new RockShox Pike Ultimate below.

Sklar Sweet Spot Review: Josh’s Mash-Up Sweet Jammer

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Sklar Sweet Spot Review: Josh’s Mash-Up Sweet Jammer

The Sweet Spot from Bozeman, MT-based Sklar Bikes is a steel hardtail mountain bike designed to be a venerable quiver-killer. Built around 150mm of front suspension, with clearance for up to 29 x 2.8 tires, its geometry embraces builder Adam Sklar’s mantra of “fast is fun, but fun is fun-er.” Sweet Spots were Adam’s first foray into offering a small batch frame design and sizing, which he hopes will make his bikes more accessible and faster to produce.

I picked up a Sweet Spot of my own earlier this spring after many years of searching for the perfect hardtail. Due to a few requests I had to make it even sweeter, it turned into a custom project that retained the established Sweet Spot geometry and material selection. Below, let’s take a closer look at my build in addition to a brief interview with Adam about these bikes and his design/build process!

Trail Time with Breadwinner’s Bad Otis: A 160mm Travel 27.5 Shred Sled

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Trail Time with Breadwinner’s Bad Otis: A 160mm Travel 27.5 Shred Sled

Earlier this year, Locke Hassett had the pleasure of spending a few months riding Breadwinner Cycle’s Bad Otis. This modern 27.5-inch wheel hardtail – with snappy short 415mm chainstays, 66° headtube angle, and 160mm of front suspension – presented him with some interesting considerations about mountain bikes, the sport as a whole, and what it means to him. Continue reading below for Locke’s in-depth review of the Bad Otis, along with some other relevant revelations…

Jarrod from Hope Cyclery and His Self-Made 160 mm Raw and Rowdy Hardtail

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Jarrod from Hope Cyclery and His Self-Made 160 mm Raw and Rowdy Hardtail

It’s easy to wax poetic about handmade bikes and makers. Hell, it’s one of the main motivations for me to start this website over 15 years ago. Documenting builders, makers, and creatives within the industry has long been a favorite project of mine but you don’t have to be a career framebuilder to build a bike frame.

Jarrod Bunk is co-owner of Hope Cyclery, hosts of the Higher Ground 100, and pillars of the Johnstown, PA cycling community. Jarrod wears many hats and one of the recent projects he helped foster was Megan Dean from Moth Attack teaching a framebuilding class at the Center for Metal Arts in Pennsylvania.

Jarrod facilitated this event, shot some photos of Megan’s classes, and afterward, Megan asked Jarrod if he’d want to build his own frame, to which he obliged…