Advice on Titanium Hardtail - all opinions welcome.

So I have a bit of a problem. My wife buys new shoes, I lust after new bikes, bike parts, anything. I buy new bike stuff like she does shoes. Now my problem.

I have two main bikes:

2016 Kona Titanium Honzo (68deg head tube angle/74.5deg seat tube/29er)

2018 Evil Insurgent 150mm fork (66.1 HTA/74.8 STA/27.5)

I like the honzo but love the evil. The suspension and better angles help obviously but I am a pretty big guy (220-230 without gear) and I think I like the smaller wheels for their stiffness and better maneuverability. The Honzo has been on the chopping block since the day I bought it due to it's Taiwanese origins. It's a fine bike and at the time I bought it, it was one of the more forward thinking hardtails out there, but it just doesn't have the details seen on USA made bikes.

Which brings me to the Lynskey Bootleg. Have a look. Would love to hear your opinions.

I love the chainstay details. Love the riveted on headbadge.

73 deg seat tube is a little old school. What do you all think?

I guess if the HTA is 64/66 sagged the STA might be 75 sagged (since everything gets 2 degrees steeper at sag apparently)? 

It's tricky with hardtails it's seems since some manufacturers post sagged, some unsagged, and some a mix of both....

Another option in the same flavor could be the cove hummer? I believe it is also made by Lynskey (for cove). But, it's a 29er so maybe that rules it out. 75 STA, 66 HTA,  and has a longer reach and shorter seat tube for a given size, if that is your thing. Could also look at the chromag surface ti as well, but they might be made overseas, I can't recall.

I found that a lower STA works on a hardtail because the rear has no sag.

The Surface Ti are made overseas. Waltly makes awesome very reasonably priced ti frames that are 100% custom (not the bullshit custom most brands sell you meaning component selection - real custom - angles, lengths, wall thickness, tube shape, etc) but they're in China. I'm convinced that the factory that produces Waltly is the same factory that produces a lot of ti frames for other brands. Welded in North America usually means a $3k frame. If you're going to pay that kind of money why not get custom?

Sage Flow Motion?

https://sagetitanium.com/products/flow-motion-hardtail/#

They are $3500 US.

Or you could get a Naked Ti, handbuilt in BC and fully custom for around $4300 CAN ($3760 US)...
http://nakedbicycles.com/the-bikes/mountain

Thanks for all the input. I hadn't thought about the lack of rear sag. Their geo is without sag.

In terms of other options. This one is made in Tennesse and selling for $1445, which I know is still a lot but considering it is more or less exactly what I was thinking about custom building - how can I afford not to!?

Anyone have experience with a 27.5 modern geo hardtail? Thoughts? As I mentioned, I love my 27.5 Evil so I am most of the way to giving this one a try too.

Chromag Surface Ti.  Bought one in May, never looked back.  If I had to give up by FS bike for the Ti I would.  Frame is a bit pricey, but you get your money's worth for sure.  I went all out on the spec kit as the Ti hardtail is the one thing I have wanted all my life.  I run 27.5 plus tires (2.8) on them with Chromag Magna 40 rims and there is no loss of rotation, and the nice part:  you can soften the tires for the down.  It has a threaded BB which to me is essential since the Ti will be a long term purchase.  Look it up on their website; the pics don't do it justice.

Yes, do it, buy it tomorrow.

I'll help by taking the Honzo off your hands for a somewhat fair price.

Seriously tho, I may be buying a steel Honzo this weekend so pm me a price and part spec if you're serious. I have cash monies on the ready and a lavender box to sweeten the deal.

Posted by: blackfly

Chromag Surface Ti.  Bought one in May, never looked back.  If I had to give up by FS bike for the Ti I would.  Frame is a bit pricey, but you get your money's worth for sure.  I went all out on the spec kit as the Ti hardtail is the one thing I have wanted all my life.  I run 27.5 plus tires (2.8) on them with Chromag Magna 40 rims and there is no loss of rotation, and the nice part:  you can soften the tires for the down.  It has a threaded BB which to me is essential since the Ti will be a long term purchase.  Look it up on their website; the pics don't do it justice.

That looks sweet. Chromag doesn't do ISCG mounts on their frames anymore? What's up w'dat?

Pulled the trigger. Lynsey Bootleg in transit.

1445 CAD for a made in USA Frame with some nice details and looks like it will fit me well.

I looked at Cromag Ti but it is twice the price and made in Taiwan. I've already had one Taiwanese titanium frame crack. I figured I would try something north American. Naked Bikes are great but not worth 4000 bucks when I can get what I want off the assembly line in Tennessee.

I'll post a build pic once it is all assembled. Thanks for the advice.

Posted by: RAHrider

Pulled the trigger. Lynsey Bootleg in transit.

1445 CAD for a made in USA Frame with some nice details and looks like it will fit me well.

I looked at Cromag Ti but it is twice the price and made in Taiwan. I've already had one Taiwanese titanium frame crack. I figured I would try something north American. Naked Bikes are great but not worth 4000 bucks when I can get what I want off the assembly line in Tennessee.

I'll post a build pic once it is all assembled. Thanks for the advice.

Sounds like a good choice. Looking forward to seeing the pic.

Got it all together. took it out for a little rip tonight. Rides amazing! Goes up and down like a champ. Picked up a pair of King cages to complete the build. It is the first bike I've had in 5 years that carries two bottles. Say goodbye camelbak. 

I see these on sale - how’s it working out? How is a 73 deg unsagged seat angle on climbs? How large a rear tire can you fit?

Posted by: powderturns

I see these on sale - how’s it working out? How is a 73 deg unsagged seat angle on climbs? How large a rear tire can you fit?

I really like the bike. I have ridden it on everything from Upper/Lower Oilcan to squamish to my local trails in cumberland. Great on everything. Although it has a slack HTA, the rest of the geometry is more traditional. It is very nimble and light riding. Climbing is fine. The front end tracks well on steeps and stays down nicely. I don't really think hardtails needs as steep of STA as the rear end doesn't squish while climbing. The only place I start to wish I was riding something else is really fast choppy riding where you feel the lack of suspension and smaller wheels. I would like to try running it as a 120mm Mullet bike one day. Rear tire clearance is good. Not sure what you could fit in there but I run 2.5's with lots of space.

This is what it looks like with a 2.4 minion