Project 1996 Dekerf Generation - She's done and Shore tested

Nice Cam…..I look forward to a ride on her…

I love how there seems to be a healthy interest in hardtails these days. I'm absolutely loving mine this year. Haven't had a hardtail since 99.

everything old is new again

everything old is new again

I still feel old

i love the spirit behind this build, but the fork just kills it for me. sticking a long fork on a svelte xc hardtail hearkens back to the mid-1990's when there were few other options - doing so now just seems misguided

big part of why they ride so f'n sweet

Come for a ride and I'll show you why I'm rocking a 150mm fork (most of the time). If I lived and rode elsewhere - or chose different trails - something shorter would be apropos. Or if I had Wade Simmons' skills perhaps - but it doesn't seem I'll improve that much between now and the grave.

I agree: Why deny a vintage frame the advantage of a travel-adjust fork, if it allows you to enjoy it that much more?

Come for a ride and I'll show you why I'm rocking a 150mm fork (most of the time). If I lived and rode elsewhere - or chose different trails - something shorter would be apropos. Or if I had Wade Simmons' skills perhaps - but it doesn't seem I'll improve that much between now and the grave.

the fork is appropriate for the shore, but not (imho) for the frame

don't get me wrong cam, i love me some classic steel bc hardtails. my first few rides on the shore were on a 94 rm hammer and a brodie sovereign. in fact, had the theft of my sovereign not resulted in a fat insurance payout, i might still be riding one (or not at all, given how those first rides went). when i was looking at a new bike post-theft i was pretty much only considering dually's - until i walked into dizzy cycles and first laid eyes on a chromag. it was so familiar, really reminded me of my sovereign - and when i found out that mike t was welding for chromag, even though the frames were very different, it totally made sense. the samurai is a true shore xc bike - spec'd for a 5" travel fork with all-rounder geometry that favors descending: slack hta, low bb

i submit to you that a samurai (or equivalent) built up with the parts from your dekerf would blow the ride you're currently enjoying out of the water. horses for courses and all that. and to put my money where my mouth is, i'll lend you my frame if you'd like to put my contention to the test. judging by the pics of your dekerf we're around the same height

i submit to you that a samurai (or equivalent) built up with the parts from your dekerf would blow the ride you're currently enjoying out of the water. horses for courses and all that. and to put my money where my mouth is, i'll lend you my frame if you'd like to put my contention to the test. judging by the pics of your dekerf we're around the same height

As the owner of several hardtails over the years and putting too long a fork on most of them, I totally agree. My Stylus blows everything else I've ridden out of the water (slightly annoying seat angle aside….). However, the object of the exercise seems to be to modernize the Dekerf, warts and all, and in that respect, it's pretty damn rad looking.

Edit - far too much blowing out of water action going on….D'oh…

i submit to you that a samurai (or equivalent) built up with the parts from your dekerf would blow the ride you're currently enjoying out of the water. horses for courses and all that. and to put my money where my mouth is, i'll lend you my frame if you'd like to put my contention to the test. judging by the pics of your dekerf we're around the same height

I don't deny that - but I didn't have a Chromag hanging on my wall! I'd love to try yours - but I honestly can't imagine (considering my skill level) riding much better on any HT than I have on the Dekerf.

Imagine it Cam.

Dave did a great job with my Lumberjack and with a 5" or 6" fork it descends like a DH bike.

You should see if DIrk will lend you his. He is also a beanpole like you.

Great fork test in gear shots today. WinkWink.

I sense a HT shootout coming up…

I sense a HT shootout coming up…

:banana:

you don't want to try mine cam - there's a reason i'm offering the frame, not the bike: it's currently rocking a full "parts-bin" build, complete with a shimmed nds crank, creaking seatpost, magic-gear single speed drive train, a non functioning front break, a fork in desperate need of a teardown and a rear wheel that needs retensioning, if not a rebuild…

I got a Cove Handjob that could easily be built for the shootout, plus my Lumberjack is prime right now.

Cove vs Chromag vs Dekerf vs Lumberjack vs Surly vs OffRoadToad vs ?

all the testers have to wear gear from the same year as their frames.

then rotate around regardless of size, no whimpering bitches!