Possibly looking at a hardtail again. Previously had an 853 Inbred and thinking something similar might have to return 😉

Have a set of 120mm Rebas so a frame suited to these, no more than £300 and maybe a bit slacker than the Inbred.

Apart from the Piglet any other ideas?

Charge cleaver

Kinesis Versa?

Love mine with some 120mm forks.

Liking those Versa frames…

456 SS is the obvious recommendation.

Dialled PA!

My charge blender in the classifieds 🙂

A used Soul?

I’ve got an Inbred 853 and I’ve narrowed down the replacment to a Piglet…HTH 😀

456 SS is the obvious recommendation.

The cheap, sensible and sorted option, why am I not taken with it!

Yes to a used Soul but fancy that shiny new frame look 😉

strech the budget/ go second hand and get a soul, worth every penny and perfect at 120mm

Versa vs Soul vs Piglet…

Brand spanking new 456SS, rides really well with 120mm forks. Being a bit heavier will make you fitter 😉

Would a 456ss not be a bit too slack?

I used to ride an 853 Inbred but didn’t like the ridiculously wide chainstays and lack of chainring clearance. I changed to a Pipedream 853 Sirius which I like a lot (and which won a big steel hardtail test in WMB). The Sirius is out of stock but the lighter (same geometry) 853 Scion has just become available and I’d have thought that that was worth a look. The price is £350ish, so a tad over your budget.

Whyte 19 Steel would be perfect if you could track down a second hand one 😉

Also interested in trying/buying a piglet. Although does anybody know what steel the frame is made of or indeed the weight?

So far the shortlist is Piglet / Soul / Versa or potential outsider SIR 9.

Piglet on paper looks to have better angles than the Soul but Soul owners are completely smitten with their ride from posts on here.

@ PJay, does the WMB article pit any of these frames against each other?

photos would be nice 🙂

Forgot to add Latitude to the mix

that scion looks nice

I’ve got a latitude and i really like it, bit out of your budget though at £400, unless you get shop discount!

Sanderson or Dialed PA, I very nearly bought a Dialled PA from The Bike Chain in Edinburgh. Think they do a discount for STW?

I am in a similar position, I definately want a steel hardtail…it is between the Cotic Soul or the Pipedream Scion…anybody have a frame weight for the Scion? Need to decide soon before I go mental.

Trying to shorten the list! That Scion looks fast.

The WMB grouptest was a rather eclectic (read ‘odd’) mix of bikes. If I remember rightly it was the Genesis Altitude (now replaced by the Latitude), Cove Handjob and Pipedream Sirius plus the Ragley Blue Pig, On-One 456 and Cotic BFe (longer travel bikes). The Sirius won but there’s no direct comparision to the Cotic Soul. For anyone interested the Sirius review is on Bike Radar (see the Related Articles box for the other reviews).

There were some comments early on on various forums that the Sirius was a bit ‘portly’ (although with my robust kit and less that sylvette frame I can’t say I notice it), possibly as a result of unplanned CEN testing; I like mine though! The Scion is meant to be the same geo. with narrower stays and geared (rather than sliding) dropouts – apparently it’s about 250g lighter than the Sirius.

Here’s mine set up as a ‘do it all’ on-road/off road/commutter and general riding around having fun bike.

— Edit —
No one’s mentioned the Merlin Rock Lobster 853, I’ve no experience of them but they’re often recommended on here and seem really light; currenty sub-£300. There doesn’t seem to be any info. on fork height though.

There is a new version of the Virsa frame out soon according to Kinesis so you might want to wait a while if you are thinking of a Virsa.

Soul. Or a Soul. (But then my Soul frame cost me £40).

I love it.

Also interested in trying/buying a piglet. Although does anybody know what steel the frame is made of or indeed the weight?

Piglets are built from our own design of tube, externally and internally butted tubing called Fathead. The material is 4130 chromoly. Worth pointing out the 30.9mm seat tube too for dropper post compatibility. And of course a 3 finger bridge for tyre and chainring clearance.

Weight is around 5.2lbs upwards.

Piglet may have to be purchased very soon 🙂