The Steel Vs Titanium Battle - Which Stanton Sherpa Gen 3 is Better? Reynolds 853 Steel vs Titanium 

Did I just here you have spot rocker now

What Seat tube material are your posts ?

Haha, you own a Spot Rocker! I think I commented you needed to buy one since you loved it so much. I'd go TI on that frame. I don't have the rocks that you have in AZ. Another amazing review. Love it.

@@mjl325is dropper material (aluminum)

Do you know the weight diff between the two steel models? That really bodes well as 4130 fits my budget better.

@@mellissanash7517 Sorry, I don't. It is said to be very close.

@@johng6369 thank you

massive congrats on a killer bike!

Yes, i have a plan to do more of those. Thanks for the feedback. For the record, i struggle with fast downhill chunk on a hardtail as well. :)

I agree. I’m going to get bucked off at some point.

@@niceG3s tuck and roll pinkys in

Thanks so much!

Did you get it put together? How is it?

Thanks for the kind words.

Haha! I am currently on something like a 3-day bender of watching the videos and typing on a spreadsheet to try and sort out pros, cons and other tidbits of info. Absolutely outstanding channel!

Thanks for the kind words byrren

BUMP!

Will do. That's a big ask for stanton to send another frame, but who knows... They've been awesome to work with.

The BFEmax and Sherpa ride completely different.

I live near the Peak District in the UK and im originally looking for 2 bikes.....1st a bike that can be ridden all day and maybe a bit of bike packing too. Also im in the process of selling my full suspension bike and replacing that with an hardcore hardtail. The Cotic Bfe max would be the one to replace the full suspension, cant afford both just yet and im torn on which to buy first.....

@@johnster187 sounds like you'd be a good candidate for my bike consultation service. When you get close to decision time, if you're still struggling, hit me up.

@@hardtailparty 100% will do that.

@@cycling_plurality what frame size?

That's up to stiff. Ice reached out to them many times, but i haven't been able to convince them to send one in for review. I think if enough subscribers politely contacted them, explaining why they'd like to see it reviewed on the channel, they may decide to send one.

I'll be testing the 4130 model against the Reynolds 853 model soon to see how they compare. I wonder if a full suspension would be a better option for you with the joint issues you're experiencing.

@@hardtailparty It might be, although a full suspension bike has more components and greater mass. I also understand that the identified early handling issues with wheelbase changes in tricky corners have been largely resolved. However, as a carpenter who also served for 12 years as a Territorial Force (part time) Royal New Zealand Engineer, I am well aware of the compromises involved in the use of aluminium alloy load bearing components. I will watch your video comparing the 4130 to the Reynolds 853 model. Stanton bikes and frames seem to be available at accessible prices in NZ. My current bike is a 1993 Marin Palisades Trail which I picked up in October? 1992. I intend to get back properly into local trail riding BUT for decades there seemed to be minimal real progress in mountain bike development at the mass market level. The time it took to introduce larger wheel sizes and transfer hydraulic disc brake technology from tandem road bikes to mountain bikes are just two examples. It was reportedly said, for decades, that the owners did the vehicle model development for Aston Martin. All good fun if you are into that! It seems to me that, economics and design preferences aside, the complete hardtail bikes and separate frames available at the retail level have largely reached maturity. I am not talking about the electric equivalents of the old moped, simply the pedal powered bikes. Thank you again for your reviews. They have helped me to focus on issues critical to my requirements and remember what I like and do not like about my current bike. I definitely need at least front suspension if I am going to return to 20km/h or higher speeds when travelling off-road. Far too exciting in the past! 🙂 I might use Patreon to arrange a full consultation but will probably be good to go with the information and advice imparted in your videos.

I'm hoping it'll happen one day. I don't have many 27.5 parts (Fork and wheels), so I'll have to start searching for those.

@@hardtailparty I run my Slackline with 27.5 x 2.8. I think that’s the biggest tire it can accept. So if you can find 2.8 tires maybe you can use the same wheels and fork on your current plus setup?

@@randyhou8522 i have 27.5 x 2.6. now i just need a 27.5 fork

I should belong to that group. There's something special about a great ti frame.

Hahaha! You got me cracking up over here! Healthy addictions always get a bit of a pass!

I bought a 853 steel one and it’s absolute magic!

I do a lot of wheel reviews and i talk about how they change the ride. I haven't found a eherlset that makes a stiff frame feel supple though.

Please do, I'd love to help you over there.

@@hardtailparty how much is it and how does it work ?

Geo is totally different between the two. Totally different riding position requires.

@@hardtailparty Sounds like the Solaris is much less of a "sit-and-spin" style rig and you it requires you to ride it hard. I recall you saying that in your Solaris review. I believe you've helped me decide that the Stanton is more my flavor, as I am in flat Houston, TX and am looking for something for easy trails, bike-packing, and general commuting and leisurely rides with the wife. Thank you for these reviews! They have been invaluable.

Right on! It's a special bike. Enjoy.

Congrats! I'm wondering how it feels with a 130mm fork. Let me know what you think 🤙🏼

@@George1161 I will! It is ready now, but it is so rainy and muddy here. Normally not a big problem, but I am a little bit hesitant to immediately ride my new, shiny bike in those wet and muddy conditions....Also I would like to take some pictures first, that do justice to the iridescence evergreen color :)

@@George1161 so far it has been really great! I must admit it is my first 29" bike, so not much comparison material. I especially noticed how much easier everything is with bigger wheels ;). It climbs really great (much better than my 26" bike) and also descends better! The 130 mm seems perfect so far. I have no indications yet that 120 mm would have been better for me.

@@JD-oe5uc Glad to hear you're enjoying it. Thank you for taking the time to update me, much appreciated!

He’s 5 foot 6.

I've heard a few cases of that. Mines been good so far and I'm the second rider on it.

Very important to note the new 2022 34 SC has significantly less clearance that the previous version (that Steve is riding). 2022 version maxes out at 29x2.4 and I would be surprised if it fit plus tires at all!

@@kevinmcclelland7695 this is very true.

Agreed, it looks rad. I'd love to try that bike one day.

@@hardtailparty with so many fantastic steel bike companies based in the UK I think you owe yourself a visit 😎🤘🏼

Not all reynolds bikes are compliant. It depends on tubing thickness and frame design more than material.

@@hardtailparty Alright. I expected it to be more of a supple material in general. Alright then. Good to know that i don't have to spend a lot of money instantly for a nice tubeset for my first frame.

Ive got the prototype in for testing right now and I can't wait to share more. It's totally different from the Sherpa.

@@hardtailparty Great to hear your on the move with that project (:

i haven't ridden a karate monkey long enough to share my thoughts on them. Geo looks OLD SCHOOL, but we all know geo charts only tell part of the story.

@@hardtailparty I totally agree. I have a bit of a background in vehicle dynamics and find it odd that people obsess over single bits of geometry without looking at the full stackup of things that affect the characteristic. Given that the riders proportions also factor in, there aren't good definable performance envelope metrics for bikes. But you do the next best thing: how do bikes compare to each other at matched rider under common load cases. Which is why I love your reviews.

I've reached out to them many times. No luck. I worry the reach is way too short anyway.

RSD middle child

@@hardtailparty Thanks !!

Yes. After i sent the review bike back i missed it too much and i ordered one for myself. It's a special bike. However, I'm dealing with some warranty issues with the frame at the moment.

@@hardtailparty Awesome! Hope you get things sorted out and can continue to enjoy it. I'm currently hardtail-less...dumped all my bike budget into a glorious Pivot Switchblade. In the meantime, I'm casually shopping for my next hardtail build- keenly awaiting the reveal of the HP build, though something like the sherpa is also on my radar. Gosh I love geeking out over bikes! haha

Quite possible.

I wonder if they're worried about the damage of a negative review? Fluff/press pieces seem to sell bikes well, but I can't stand it when it's disguised as a "review."

I think that’s definitely the issue. Companies send bikes out to places they know will feed into their narrative about how they want a certain bike to be seen, not how the bike actually feels and rides. Your review on the Yeti Arc wasn’t all roses and unicorns but I took what pertained to me on that review and actually recently purchased one because it made sense to me and my trails.

I'm so glad to hear that it helped you. Even if a bike isn't ideal for my riding, i hope to be able to explain who would benefit from it. I'm not here to make anyone look bad or good, i just want to inform potential shoppers.

Same here 👍🏾

170mm because it's what i had available. My 155, 160, and 165s were already installed on other bikes.

Me too

I'd reach out to thunder mountain bikes for recommended parking and routes. They're good guys.

There is parking on Long Canyon Rd. right at the start of the Long Canyon trail which I believe is what Steve started on, connecting to Deadmans Pass and then Aerie.

Holiday weekend are a zoo in Sedona. You'll need to get there super early.

Thanks guys. I have been on holidays and yes its a zoo. I just thought th loop Steve rode would be perfect for my group. The BFE MAX will want more but I can branch off a bit on that route.

Not yet. I'm betting it'll ride similar to the SIR 9 based on geo.

Nope, I've never ridden a gen 2.

Does Stanton say SS dropouts are coming? EBB is an option I guess.

@@FeeneyHollow I purchased the Sherpa Gen 3 a year ago on the fact that SS drop outs were coming. 13 months waiting now!! Email them, it might make them realise that lots of us want them..I have 2/3 times now...

Dangit, i misspoke and didn't catch it in the edit. Sorry about that. These are V2 wheels. (Paradox V3, Sherpa gen 3, o have a hard to keep all these straight sometimes)

Because it's not a standard color. They offer custom colors for an upcharge. They can do any ral color

@@hardtailparty Very nice 👍 to know! Thank you 🙏

You'd be a perfect candidate for my bike consultation service over on patreon. I'd be happy to help you over there.

I doubt it, but you can always email them and chat with the guys at Stanton.

in boxes, on shelves, indoors. :)

I'm not 100% sure, of course, but I believe he meant "Ti" as in the periodic table abbreviation for Titanium.

Easy oeasy