# Relaxed Geometry Hardtails with Good spec.



## centershot (Nov 21, 2008)

Have an itch for a nice hard tail, don't really want race geometry but more of an upright and comfortable ride. I commute to work ~ 10 miles per day total and do some minor trails on the weekends. Occasionally I get to Sun Valley and ride some real trails but am getting to the point that the easier stuff is just fine with me. What I keep finding is that bikes with a decent spec are mostly race bikes with long stretched out position. My current ride is a Rumblefish that I really have no problems with but would like to give another hardtail a few year trial. Plus size tires are not of interest as I commute too much for tires that fat and expensive. Any suggestions? Thanks.

FWIW: by decent I mean Deore or X7 type components and a fork above the Recon Silver, like a Reba. 100-120cm travel. Thanks.

One more thing, I'm not quite 50 but getting there fast. Am wanting opinions from similar aged riders (not the 20 something huckers).


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## bitflogger (Jan 12, 2004)

My wife and I share a Honzo and love it. Your commute comment stands out because we use it around town, ride to trail head, and I recently met another Honzo owner who loves it for same reason. He rides it a few mi to work, to the urban pockets of MTB riding, and for longer and general trail rides. 

On good spec, a local shop with Amazon and eBay store called Trail This builds up custom Honzos for sale now that the production model is AL with steel and ti sold frame only. This includes building them with plus wheels. I was in recently and saw one build with a super mix of 11 speed GX and some premium parts where they make sense. Now the Honzo will come in composite but I don't know if they'll stock it. They'd have to ship which they do all the time, but a week ago they had a Pivot LES, and two custom Honzos that are as sweet as modern hard tails get. The LES is not as slack as some but I've ridden a friend's to know it's a great modern bike. He's got two sets of wheels for it. 

One of my dirt posse has a Canfield Nimble 9 that would be a nicer or step up from a Honzo. They make a great AL and composite bike too.

Stache+ is nicer than I wanted to admit. I rode one in real world settings last year, and have one that will be raffled off in my garage right now. I love our Honzo and Remedy 29 but confess you're even more aware of axle height with that bike. If you do trials moves or time on skinnies you have to be used to the high axle. I'm not sure I'd spend on the 9 I rode last season now that I've tried the 7 with GX. I'd get the 7, buy a dropper and apply the rest to a weekend getaway.

Something like those custom Honzos the Trail This shop does might get exactly what you want. You could have nicer ride than AL frame, save money on 11 speed with GX, but get a premium dropper post. 

Consider the SR Sun Tour forks if you do a custom. They're have an office by us so I've had hands on to know they really work well, and they'll customize the fork to your needs. The guy I mentioned with Nimble 9 has one of those forks. Those forks and GX will give you $ for premium wheels and a Thomson dropper.

Have fun.


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