Interesting a Foes Hardtail is coming soon

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It looks to be a mid fat hardtail. Here is a poc from instagram of the chainstays and bottombracket
 
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scottay said:
Too bad he cant weld up some nice carbon...
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I have talked to him about this. It is just not in his wheelhouse. Once you go carbon (because of where it is produced) as a small mfg'r you give up your intellectual property. Also, you lose the ability to be an innovative small batch manufacturer (molds are kind of pricey). SO, if you are sticking with ALU you had better do it audaciously and innovate like a mofo, and do what you do better than anyone else does it.

He is all in on the above and I dig it baby!

He is not making cross country race steeds, but is throwing junk better than a 40 year old knuckleballer!

And by "junk" I mean innovative, atypical stuff that appears to get the job done in unique ways most don't think about.

Out of personal experience, I am a fan of smaller businesses that compete with mega businesses through better customer service, and finding niches and exploiting the heck of out them.

Oh, and his entire factory is in California.

I am a fan.

But yes, it would be rad to be able to get his bikes in CF. :)
 
Yes, carbon is a tough market and his bikes would be so expensive if they were made in the US, Let alone California. I too am a fan of small California builders and have tried to support them as much as I can.

One of the companies I have dealt with with just incredible customer service is Ventana. Teresa is just amazing and if for some reason can't answer the question she will get Sherwood(the owner). I have bought 3 bikes (2 Panteras/ 1 El Salt)from them and really loved them all.

My other California built bikes are an Anaheim built Chumba XCL, Murrieta built Russ Denny and a Pasadena built Foes XCT 5.

The only company actually making non custom frames is Alchemy and their prices aren't crazy either. It is on par with any boutique Asian made frame.
 
rossage said:
Since I got my alloy Highball, I haven't missed my carbon HT at all.
Definitely needed some carbon bars so I put on some S-Works 780s
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In a similar story, I recall wanting desperately to replace a HT with a FS for more comfort. And it stayed that way for some years. Then last year I built a new HT and I ride it 90% of the time and it does not bother me one bit. I am a spinner. You just can't get the efficiency of a HT in any FS. Been there, tried. Can't be done. For me, the efficiency of a HT overshadows any beating you might receive compared to a Full Squish. My poor, poor Remedy rarely ever sees any action... :(

Now, HTs are being designed to do big drops and ride more relaxed. This is appealing.
 
Danmtchl said:
Yes, carbon is a tough market and his bikes would be so expensive if they were made in the US, Let alone California. I too am a fan of small California builders and have tried to support them as much as I can.

One of the companies I have dealt with with just incredible customer service is Ventana. Teresa is just amazing and if for some reason can't answer the question she will get Sherwood(the owner). I have bought 3 bikes (2 Panteras/ 1 El Salt)from them and really loved them all.

My other California built bikes are an Anaheim built Chumba XCL, Murrieta built Russ Denny and a Pasadena built Foes XCT 5.

The only company actually making non custom frames is Alchemy and their prices aren't crazy either. It is on par with any boutique Asian made frame.
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Right after I ordered my Foes I was on a long climb with a guy on a beautiful Silver Ventana, we chatted about his bike the entire climb! It was purdy!
 
The frame itself to me with the big, square, and angular tubing looks like a rough ride. Aluminum frames with some cush built in will typically have thin or oval tubes in the rear triangle. I see nothing that screams compliance on this frame:D. Reminds me of the aluminum GT BMX frames from back in the day. Looks like a big shredder.

Maybe thats why its got some plus tires on it...at least they look like plus tires.:whistling:
 
RS VR6 said:
The frame itself to me with the big, square, and angular tubing looks like a rough ride. Aluminum frames with some cush built in will typically have thin or oval tubes in the rear triangle. I see nothing that screams compliance on this frame:D. Reminds me of the aluminum GT BMX frames from back in the day. Looks like a big shredder.

Maybe thats why its got some plus tires on it...at least they look like plus tires.:whistling:
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Heck, all Foes makes is big, brawny, bad-ass, mountain taming overly strong mountain biking frames, right?
 
Probably lighter than it looks. Foes is pretty good about having metal where it's needed and not where it isn't.

Example: foes mixer size large frame with shock is 1 to 1.5 lb heavier than an IBIS HD3, Evil Wreckoning, or other compareable CF frames. But it's also 1 pound lighter than some competitive aluminum frames
 
dustyyoungblood said:
Chumba fans. Wooohoo.
I remember test riding the first XCL prototype when I ran into the Chumba Lawyer (Allen???? Maybe??) at PV. And later anXCL demo on SJ. Wanted one of those so bad!!!!!
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I think the lawyer (Alan Kang) Is the one who really ruined that company. Plus they didn't answer their phones. They took down the Chumba forum on MTBR due to all the bad mouthing about the company. I sold mine to a guy in the OC, so it may be there still somewhere.
 
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