18 Bikes No 7

I’ve always loved steel hardtail bikes. In fact, with just one exception in the 1990’s, every bike I’ve owned has had a steel frame.

But you might wonder why I’m such a fan of hardtails when full suspension bikes give you the ability to ride harder/faster. The easy answer is that there is nowhere to hide with a hardtail bike. You have to pick your lines, you have to really ride your bike and use your skills – and that’s what I love so much about it.

So, when I was invited to join Team 18Bikes and start riding their new No7 steel hardtail, you can bet that I was excited to put it to the test. Read on to see what (and why) I chose for the build and, of course, how I’m enjoying riding my No7.

First, the demo

I was lucky enough to borrow the shop’s demo bike for a few rides before ordering my frame. It’s something I would strongly recommend to anyone before parting with your hard-earned cash, no matter what bike you’re buying.

The first thing that struck me about this bike was just how comfortable it felt. There was no stretched out feeling, just a nice roomy cockpit.

Secondly, was the ‘snap out of the gate’ feeling I got when stamping on the pedals. You’d think with stiffness like that, descents would be spine jarring experiences, but no! Once pointed downhill, the steel frame came alive, tackling the rough stuff with ease.

Not having ridden such a long bike before I found that I was still shifting my weight over the back (force of habit) on the first few descents, but by the final descent of the day I stayed central over the bike. The long wheelbase and weight evenly balanced over both wheels gives such a stable ride that you can really let rip.

The demo had me hooked and I ordered my own No7.

The Build

Frame

No9 & No7 on display in the shop

The No7 frame is handmade in a small unit on the outskirts of Sheffield (the Steel City). Being based on the edge of the Peak District with some of the finest mountain biking in the country, it’s the perfect place to design and build a mountain bike. For those wanting to know more, you can read about the 18 Bikes production process here.

Back to the frame! 18 Bikes size their bikes a little differently to most brands. At 174 cm tall (or 5’9” in old money) my frame is the 475mm, fitted with a 35mm stem, and with the saddle height at 700mm I have fitted a 210mm dropper post.

Forks

Due to its uncomplicated design and ease of set up, I chose the DT Swiss F535 140 forks. Put in the recommended pressure, a few clicks of rebound, leave the compression damping fully open (recommended by DT Swiss) and you’re good to go.

I can honestly say that I’m impressed.

Wheelset

At the time of ordering all the parts for the build, DT Swiss were the only other company to hold a license for the new Shimano microspline freehub. I’ve fitted an M1900 rim up front with the harder hitting E1900 rim on the back, both with DT Swiss hubs with straight pull spokes.

Tyres

I decided to stick with the old maxim “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” and fitted Maxxis Rubber to my wheels. I’ve used Maxxis tyres for many years now and have always been happy with them.

Up front, I have a Shorty 2.3 3C/EXO/TR and, on the back, the ever-faithful Minion DHR ll 2.4 WT 3C/MaxxTerra/EXO. They’re a tubeless set up (does anyone run tubes nowadays?).

As the trails dry out and the mileage increases over the summer months (once the current lockdown situation improves), these will no doubt be swapped out for something a little faster rolling.

Drivetrain

Having always been a fan of Shimano and with 12 speed trickling down to the more affordable groupsets, I’ve fitted the SLX M7100 12 speed. A 34t chainring and 10-51t cassette gives me a huge range of gears, and 170mm cranks finish the package.

Brakes

The only donor parts I’ve fitted to the build from my old hardtail are HopeTech M4’s with 180 rotors to take care of stopping power. Bought from 18 Bikes in 2009 (yes, you read that correctly!), this is the third bike they’ve been fitted to and, with a bit of TLC, they’re as good as the day I bought them.

Seatpost

With the huge amount of clearance given by the sloping top tube, it only seemed right to fit a massive dropper post. At 210mm the OneUp Components is probably one of the longest on the market.

It’s certainly the shortest overall length for the amount of drop and, at half the price of some of its competitors, it was a clear-cut choice for me - plus I’ve had their V1 dropper on my full suss for some time without fault.

Finishing Touches

My bars and stem are Burgtec RW (RideWide) Enduro alloy bar at 800mm with 15mm rise, along with their Enduro Mk2 stem 35mm. Bartender Pro grips and the Cloud saddle take care of the contact points.

As for pedals, I like to be clipped in so it’s the Shimano Saints spd platforms. In winter I often switch to flats - next winter will see me running Burgtec Mk5 Penthouse.

I’ve also added a bit of frame protection courtesy of the guys at HKT Products. Custom printed with the 18 Bikes logo (and also made in Sheffield) they can custom make frame protection kits to your design.

The First Ride

I collected my new bike in the shop from Matt who had personally cut, mitred and welded the tubes together. In my eyes, you can’t get a better buying experience than that. The only adjustment I’ve needed to make since picking my bike up from the shop is to set the brakes up how I like them!

So how was the ride?

What can I say? This bike is Fun with a capital F!

I’m not going to go into all the technical talk on angles, reach, stack etc. All I’m going to say is that this bike has put a smile on my face from day one. I’ve never felt more comfortable and ‘at home’ on a bike from the very first ride.

So far, I’ve ridden it on my local trails, a day in the Peak and had a week at Coed Y Brenin, before Covid-19 put paid to any other trips. However, I’m really looking forward to putting it through its paces on some longer days out as soon as Covid-19 restrictions are lifted.

The forks are superb, small bump sensitivity is spot on and they don’t dive through all their travel when you hit the brakes hard. It’s exactly what you want when riding a hardtail and yet they still take the sting out of big hits when you need them to. If you’re in the market for new forks, check them out: DT Swiss demo forks, along with their wheels, are available from 18 Bikes so you can try before you buy.

The gears are exactly what I’ve come to expect from Shimano. Shifting is crisp and quiet and I really don’t think you can go wrong with the SLX level groupset.

I’ll finish by saying that 18 Bikes also do the No9 frame based around 29” wheels and a 130mm fork if bigger wheels are more to your liking.

Demo bikes will be available once restrictions due to the Coronavirus are lifted. In the meantime I’m happy to answer any questions you might have, put them in the comments below or give the guys at 18 a call, I’m sure they’d be more than happy to chat.

Long, Low and Slack.... The progression of bike design.

For those of us who passed our driving test in the 80's, can you remember your first car?

If it was anything like mine, a MK1 Fiesta with meagre 1.1ltr engine, no power steering and terrible brakes, you'll understand where I'm coming from. It was ok just pottering about town, but get it on the motorway and anything above sixty and you were taking your life in your hands.

Similarly, when I first started mountain biking back in the late 80’s, I doubt much thought went into how geometry affected the bike's handling. It was more a case of making the bike strong enough to cope with off road riding. Rim brakes were pitiful in anything but dry conditions and suspension (if you could afford it) was just bits of elastomer wedges giving about 50mm travel at best.

1997 Marin Bobcat (photo courtesy of Jacquie Budd)

Riding these bikes with their narrow bars, long stems and steep head angles taught you how to handle the bike over the rough stuff. You needed to pick your lines carefully so as not to smash yourself or your bike to bits.

Moving onto the present day and most people's first cars are much more powerful, even though the engine size hasn't changed much. They have power steering, anti lock brakes, and most now have traction control too. Today's cars are much more stable at motorway speeds with the ability to brake under greater control.

To put that into biking terms, I’d hazard a guess that most people's first bike is an all singing all dancing enduro/all mountain beast, with powerful brakes and suspension that can be finely tuned. Riders can now simply plough through rough terrain, letting the bike do most of the work to keep them rubber side down. Ok head angles have slackened somewhat since those early days and the emphasis seems to be on keeping chain stays as short as possible, resulting in a short wheel base.

So where does "Long, Low and Slack" come into all of this?

Quite simply put, handling at speed is greatly increased by putting you in the centre of the bike and not biased towards the front wheel as a bike with steep head angles does (think a twitchy XC bike demanding a high degree of bike handling skills) or sat over the back wheel as you would be on a full on downhill rig with a slack head angle and short chain stays (great for the downs but not so good on the ups.).

Long, Low and Slack gives you the best of both worlds and, not only that, with its increased wheel base and lower bb you get a much more stable platform to work with. This goes for hardtail bikes as well as full suspension.

Latest generation of the Cotic Rocket with longshot geometry (photo courtesy of Cotic Ltd)

With this progression, does this mean that trails need to get gnarlier?

I don't think so!

Riding bikes will always be fun and anyway, in my eyes, there will always be two types of rider.

Type 1, those with a healthy sense of self preservation always riding in total control and Type 2, those one step away from a Darwin Award.

With this progression in bike design, I see it as a win win situation.

Type 1 riders will feel safer and more confident over rough terrain and Type 2 riders, while they will still ride on the ragged edge of staying upright, have a greater chance of surviving those heart in the mouth, getting away with it by the skin of your teeth moments.

So there you go, my thoughts on the progression of mountain bike design.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments section.

Full Circle

They say the olfactory sense has the strongest impulse on bringing back memories and feelings of nostalgia. If I happen to get the scent of a certain soap, I’m taken back to a childhood Christmas when I received the gift of soap on a rope in the shape of some boxing gloves. Just one whiff and I'm back as a 7 year old on Christmas Eve, sharing a bedroom with my brother, both excited as to what the morning would bring. Pillow cases on the end of the bed.

The auditory sense has a similar effect. Hearing a classic club hit from the 90's on the radio, I was immediately transported back to Visage nightclub, the noise and the lights. I could even smell the dry ice smoke machine.

But the visual sense is the reason that I'm writing this blog.

On social media I saw a picture of a Pace RC129 in black and gold. Some would say it's done as a tribute to John Player Special Formula 1 Team.

But to me it honours the Raleigh Burner BMX and, in particular, the Ultra Burner which came resplendent in black and gold and decked out in top of the range parts. Araya rims, Suntour stem with V-brace handlebars, Dia-Compe brakes and the classic Kashimax Aero saddle.

So on seeing this picture I was whisked back to my misspent youth.

Bikes have always been a big part of my life, right from when the stabilisers first came off my little blue bike.

I've owned a lot of classics. A Raleigh Strika complete with faux dual crown forks. The pre BMX Raleigh Grifter, complete with 3 hub gears. Two BMXs, one of which was an MRD from the legendary Tim March of which I recently found out there were only about 1500 made. Wish I'd kept that one instead of trading it in for my first mountain bike - a Scott Sawtooth which was more of a chunky road bike than an MTB.

I'd say my next bike was my first proper mountain bike, a Specialized Rockhopper with V-Brakes, Panaracer Fire XC tyres and resplendent with Pace forks. I replaced this with an 26" Orange P7, which was then replaced with my Cotic mk3 Soul.

Now I have both feet firmly in the Steel is real camp as I ride both a 26" wheeled Soul and a 27.5" Rocket. So apart from a minor blip when I rode the aluminium Rockhopper all my bikes have been steel frames.

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So you could say that I really have had a life behind bars.

There was a real gang of us on our BMXs, several models of Burner including the Tuff Burner in blue with bright yellow Skyway mag wheels. We rode spoil heaps left behind by the housing estates from the building boom and through the school fields, where we were chased by the caretaker - like a scene from ET without the alien in the shopping basket.

Netherton Knights BMX Club and Big Valley BMX, our local bike shop selling all the top brands of the day. With bikes like Hutch, Diamond Back and Haro to name but a few. If we weren't at the track we were at the shop drooling over all the fancy bike bling of the day.

Because the shop was in the basement of a car repair garage, whenever I get that certain smell of oil and grease I’m taken back to those steep stairs that led to the Aladdin's Cave of BMX heaven.

Saturdays through the summer holidays were spent either just riding the track and it's various jumps and ramps, or racing with the Netherton Knights BMX Club.  I still have the trophies in the attic.

In fact I spent all my spare time at that track, even during the week. I'd get home from school get changed out of my uniform and be at the track as soon as I could. This came to an end when the track was finally flattened to make way for houses.

Now, Huddersfield must be one of the only towns in the country without a BMX track.

So a big thank you to Pace for bringing back some great memories.

Now where's my 80's mix tape.......?

The Cotic Owners Club

Way back when, I once owned a 1971 VW Beetle.

I had visions of it becoming a magazine worthy restoration, but financial constraints and the fact the engine packed up meant that it had to go. However during the time that I owned it, I used it as my daily ride and whenever I passed another bug we gave each other a friendly wave. The unofficial Beetle Owners Club.

And so it goes with Cotic bikes.

Everytime I head out on either my Rocket or my 26" Soul there seems to be a similar reaction. Former owners regretting the day they sold their Soul, current owners talking about how much they like the bike, or potential future owners saying how they've enjoyed trying the current crop of bikes on one of the many demo days which Cotic hold.

Talking of demo days I don't know of any other company who will come to you and your mates with a van full of bikes for you to test on your home trails. Sam the demo man spends his time organising official and private demos and travelling the country in Black Betty the Cotic Transit van.

The latest event I entered was no exception. The 14th of May saw the return of the Hamsterley Beast - a 40 mile challenge over varied terrain around Hamsterley Forest. You can read about it on my other blog post.

I'd no sooner got my bike out of the van when I started getting comments on it, or rather how good Cotic bikes were. I took this as a compliment as it came from an employee of a certain Santa Cruz dealer who had got himself a rather tricked out Hightower.

On the start line there were plenty of other Cotics. The Bfe seemed to be the steel hardtail of choice over the Soul. One other Rocket owner was there and we exchanged pleasantries before the off, even stopping for a photo for his mate as he seemed to be amazed/amused there was another green Rocket there on the day. Out on the trail the compliments on both the bike and the way Cotic run their demos continued.

So how did a 31lb Enduro rig perform over a 40 mile course with over 1500m of climbing. All I can say is it certainly tamed the Beast.

Since fitting a OneUp Components oval chainring, climbs have been so easy it feels like cheating. Traction on steep technical climbs on loose ground is unbelievable, never losing grip once. New tyres and the excellent Cane Creek DB inline air shock, that climb switch is something else, may also be a factor.

I've had my Rocket a little over 12 months. It’s my first full suspension bike, having ridden a hardtail for nearly 20 years and before that a fully rigid Scott Sawtooth with Shimano Exage groupset (remember those).

So what do I think 12 months on? Would I change it for another bike, a Flare or Flare Max (I bought the Rocket before these bikes were launched)?

Considering I like my rides to be longer than the normal 20 odd miler and the fact that I relish in the challenge of a tough technical climb, the answer to that is a resounding no. I love this bike and I can honestly say it's quite possibly one of the most capable on the market. I'm still to find its limits.

Its credentials speak volumes from regular podium places on the PMBA Enduro stage to holding its own at Steel City Downhill, even finding itself on the podium in the capable hands of the team Cotic riders - and yet even with these gravity based stats it climbs like a mountain goat.

So you can forget carbon and all those super modern materials, give me a steel bike any day of the week.