skeem

Im not sure if I have posted this in the right place, but I really need some help.

I raced for GT a few years back and got a 26" zaskar carbon with xtr etc etc. It was a decent bike. I no longer ride for them. I have recently noticed 3 cracks in the frame, and I am wary to ride it. I have a 12 year old ss indy fab which will have to do for now (its the best bike i own), but I want to buy a used (new for me) 26" mtb frame with disc tabs.

I have scoured the internet for months trying to find a decently priced 26" mtb frame in a smaller size, and it has yielded nothing.There seems to be nothing... anywhere. it seems that EVERYONE is riding 29ers, and that led me to believe that there would be a wealth of people selling their old, stupid, slow, cant get over obstacles, obsolete 26" frames. I was wrong. You would think that when every major manufacturer is only producing 29er frames, there would be at least a few 26" frames for sale somewhere. Nope.

Im begging the internet bike community: If you or someone you know wants to sell a hardtail 26" mtb frame in a smaller size (Im 5'7) for a decent price please please please let me know. I have top of the line everything and its all sitting on a cracked frame. I know you all have your old 26" frames collecting dust in your basement... sell it to me.

hybridbkrdr

I don't quite understand. You searched the Internet for months?

Nashbar mountain frame $103
https://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product...09_-1___202337

Leader 516H $124
https://www.blueskycycling.com/produc...-MTB-Frame.htm

Sette Reken $119
https://www.pricepoint.com/detail/225...tail-Frame.htm

If you want information on the WDCycle Elite frame, you can wait until I receive mine and shoot me a private message. Chances are, I'll probably measure it and post the info here because I found almost no information on it. Yes, I know, I took a big risk but I really like the titanium color and design/etc. of that frame. So, I intend to do a build with it (although I plan to buy the wheels next summer then the suspension forks next winter).

EDIT: Bunch of frames on Cambriabike...
https://www.cambriabike.com/shopdispl...ardtail+Frames

Chainreactioncycles frames...
https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/C...4&SortBy=Price

Bike24 frames...
https://www.bike24.com/1.php?content=...gc=0&orderby=2

BikeIsland...

https://bikeisland.com/cgi-bin/BKTK_S...0Framesets-ATB

Rosebikes if you want to translate from French...
https://www.rose-vpc.fr/produits/cycl...ffre-speciale/

If I remember correctly, I think the Leader frame is the one that has a more "race inspired geometry" than the Sette Reken. Read pretty positive comments on both. The Nashbar one I guess it depends on personal opinion. The WDCycle Elite frame has a "recreational geomety" sticker on it...

Zephyr11

I see them all over the place. Chain Reaction Cycles has a million (and some pretty cool ones at that). Also, Jenson has the Ibis Tranny if you want to spend more for a wacky little carbon frame with multiple personality disorder. Or ask at your bike shop, because I'm sure they could get you something. It's against forum policy to do any selling on here outside of the Marketplace forum (which you'd need to upgrade your membership for), but I'd be willing to bet that you can find something pretty easily as long as you look in the right places.

fotooutdoors

Also check out On-One (shop.titusti.com) for frame around $200 (shipping will be another 40 or so). I have a 29er from them, and am impressed with the quality at the price point (plus the fact that I actually get replies from them when I email).

skeem

Ive worked in many shops and have a lot of good connections with people who sell awesome bike things for cheap... there are no good frames.

I know every bike website (cambria, pricepoint, bike24, jenson, chain reaction etc etc.) and they all suck. Those frames are cheap and heavy. I have owned them before. I have moved on to bigger and better places. I buy quality products from companies who will stand behind their product (GT was a different story, probably because it is a crappy company and the bike was free).

I want to buy your steel frame, or your old cannondale or specialized or salsa or kona or any "good" brand.

cobba

How would you rate this frame?

skeem

thats a good deal, and I love RM- the old Slayer from the mid 2000's was a dream bike of mine. But that blizzard is a cheaper model. It uses basic 4130 tubing and frame alone weighs like 6lbs. Its just a typical cheap made-in-asia frame sold under the brand of a formerly great company. it'd be like if someone sold "budget" brand yeti's.

I need a high end used frame for not a ton of money. Something with good steel tubing or a nice modern frame. i might end up buying an on-one because the ss29er I had was nice, but id really like a nicer lighter frame. I used to put xtr and dura ace etc on cheap online frames... I no longer do that. Ive worked in a shop for years, and I know what a nice bikes, and budget bikes bought online arent "nice"

dminor 

^^ If you kknow so much, why are you on a pedestrian public bike forum asking for help instead of just buying the frame you already know you want (but just appear to be too cheap to be willing to pay for)?

andrewballa

i agree it, right, Its just a typical cheap made-in-asia frame sold under the brand of a formerly great company,thank you

LesterOfPuppets

I'd sell you my Mongoose, but I probably love it too much to let it go cheap. Have never weighed the frame alone but it's 24 lbs complete without any weight weenie parts on it.

You should probably be more specific on reqs.

Disc mounts a necessity? HS size preferences? Etc. I have a bit of a light steel MTB frame collection but making deals on forum pages is verboten.

hybridbkrdr

Cheap and heavy? How do you define cheap and what weight range are you looking at? Which manufacturers makes good frames? Are you implying that companies like Surly, Soma and Salsa don't make frames worth mentioning?

skeem

not too cheap... too poor. Im in law school. so the funds arent there right now. but I assumed some people out there may have some older 26" frames lying around as EVERYONE now rides 29. Surly and soma are just cheap bikes. theyre not bad, but just cheap. Salsa is an amazing company, but they no longer make the 26 ala carte, which was an awesome bike. Id like a small sized frame with disc tabs that can be built up to like 22-20 lbs. Hell, it doesnt even need disc tabs. My friend would weld them on for $50. Im just looking for a mid level to high end 26" frame which im sure tons of people have lying around... hell, I have 2 in my basement, theyre just old and super heavy (one is a sette and one is a fetish cycles... both junky).

mtbikerinpa

No 29" here... For that matter not that much of a percentage of local riders that I have seen...

rebel1916

Surly an Salsa are the same company. And have been for quite some time.

hybridbkrdr

skeem, thanks for the comment on Salsa. I certainly read some positive comments on the Surly Long Haul Trucker and other frames in the touring forum. But, ever since I thought about the idea of having an "everwhere explorer", I decided I'd want a 26 inch mountain bike (with upright geometry and eyelets in the back for a back rack). And yeah, I did see comments/videos on people saying 29ers are superior of all kinds of reasons. But, I once went off-road with a hybrid and went down and up an area that went almost straight up. When I slipped and had my crotch area very close to the top tube (on a compact frame), I decided if I wanted to explore on a bike with more flexibility, I'd prefer 26 inch wheels.

This is kind of off-topic but I ordered a WD Cycles Elite frame on eBay just to build a "temporary tourer". (I want to build a more expensive one in the future, not right now.) I can't wait to post pics etc. when I get it.

LesterOfPuppets

The winter project I'm working on is to be an "everywhere explorer". It's a sixer frame but I think I'm gonna put 700c wheels with CX tires on. We'll see...


Silver Bullet. by Lester.L., on Flickr

skeem

surly and salsa are owned by the same brand etc. but in term of quality they are quite different. Surly's are a tad heavier and generally made for more all around riding. Im looking for a bike I can race. If i were to buy a generic 4130 frame itd be an on one, but thats not the path I want to go yet. I know people have 26er frames lying around, I just dont know these people.

LesterOfPuppets

Just got rid of a Fisher Supercaliber frame couple of weeks ago. That thing was really light, but Al.

dminor 

Maybe it's time to buy a tubeset and lugs from Henry James and take a brazing class at the local CC.

LesterOfPuppets

I have lugged steel also but probably couldn't part with that either...especially knowing about plans for tacking on some disc tabs


Bridgestone MB-3 by Lester.L., on Flickr

Grimlock

Skeem, your solution is simple. Use one of the two frames you have already. When you're out of law school and have more disposable income, buy something fancier. Clearly, your discerning tastes prevent you from buying something inferior and your budget prevents you from buying something superior.

skeem

^ you get it. I know how to braze... I have made a lugged MTB from henry James stuff but it was a as 29er which I sold.

I sorta want a frame soon so I can race this summer. Its hard to compete in expert races with a heavy bike

I have an awesome 90's lugged trek with platinum ox tubing which I could weld a disc tab to but the top tube on those old bikes were waaay long.

Also, I would love to ride aluminum but there aren't many good all frames left. My dream frame is an ALU flash 26 but right now that frame no longer comes in 26 (correct me if I'm wrong) and the price new is a tad too high.

dminor 

Sooooooo . . . you're in law school and have no budget and no time to practice, yet you want to build a bike and race competitively this season in Cat 1?

LesterOfPuppets

Theres a complete Al Zaskar on my CL for $200? Needs fork or fork rebuild

skeem

I have some time to train and should be less busy over the summer. Hopefully enough to get in a few races a month. When you need something you find a way to make it happen.

Still no quality frames?

The al zaskar is tempting... and I do have EVERYTHING beside a frame, but the newer low-end aluminum stuff stinks. There is a reason bikes like the caad10 are a staple in every race scene while cheap all frames are seldom raced. Same goes for MTBs.