It's got routing for an internal dropper. I've got an exciting announcement for a dropper sponsor in a week. Can't wait to get it and a few other small upgrades, and it'll be ready to shred.
@@henryduran3899 Sorry Henry, I somehow missed this. I'm 5'6". I have super short legs, and the torso of a 5'10" person. The small is fantastic for playing around, like at a skatepark or a pump track. For super technical and steep downhill, I ride a size medium. They're very similar in feel.
Do you need help deciding which bike to purchase next? I offer a one-on-one bike consultation service through patreon. It's how I put food on the table for my family, and how I'm able to provide custom bike advice for my vieewrs. Become a patron today for access: sign up for the monthly bike consultation tier, and cancel at any time. Most people sign up for a month or two, and we work together to discuss their needs, riding style, etc. to narrow down the list of all the great hardtails out there. When they get the info they need and they no longer have any questions, they cancel. Become a patron today: patreon.com/hardtailparty. If my videos have saved you time or money, consider supporting this channel for as little as $5/month. I hope this channel is able grow so I can make more videos in the future. Support individual content creators over garbage tv or sponsored content disguised as reviews.
I am really stoked you went this direction for your channel. I am too a steel hardtail kind of guy. See ya at the SmtbF. Hell storm hurry up and pass, some of us want to ride.....❄️☃️
Building my NEW old stock chrome moly TRANSITION TransAm as soon as I get home 😎 My daughter's are awesome enough to collect all my shipments and chase all my Parts at Headquarters bike and Outdoors in Sugar mountain N.C. Sometimes I think building them is as much fun as Riding them 👍🤘 LOVE the new Channel Steve !! We have followed Tess since the beginning 🚵
Just ordered mine today! Sold my Rocker and immediately ordered this frame. Got the exact same one. They only had one small left in stock and it was the yellow one. Can't wait to get it and build it up. I need a headset, bottom bracket, a dropper post and a new set of brakes. I have the other stuff already. Stoked!
Hey Steve just wondering if you were able to use a 150mm dropper? You and I are the same height with similar builds so I was curious if you were able to ride a 150 dropper on that bike.
@@JimmyRadloff It depends on which dropper you use. Some droppers have a tall collar and some don't. The dropper I'm going with won't fit as a 150mm. It's 1cm too tall. :( So I went with a 125mm dropper.
Just discovered your channel and absolutely love it! I started out on a Hardtail, moved to full suspension, then to road, then to triathlon, yet lately have been really missing the trails. Plus my two sons are now both riding and loving the trails and local bike parks. Thank you for the outstanding content... I have learned so much bingeing some of your vids. Keep up the great work! Hope to get back to Sedona at some point to ride. I proposed to my wife on Bell rock so we definitely love it there! 🤙
Meet Steve and Brian at Sedona 2 weeks ago. I have to say these are real stand up folks. Old school mang.Busted up up my rear D hanger. They both stepped in to help me fix her up so I could continue our ride on the Hogs Trails. Been watching Steve's wife's channel for quite some time now and always enjoy a women's perspective on the best sport on the planet. Time to subscribe to HTP looking forward to future episodes!!!!🤗🤗💪💪BTW Steve is a bonafide Shredder to say the least🤛🤛🤜🤜
@@hardtailparty Pretty sure I just saw your truck and bike at the taco shop on 48th and Elliott. I didn't recognize you or would have stopped to say hi.
I was checking out your bike and it looks sick. Is it Small or medium? That titanium bike on your rack was sweet too. That I9 back country wheel set on that titanium bike looked rad.
@@JimmyRadloff my bike is a small. It's a blast. We just got back taking it up and down National. It did really well. 64.5* hta, super short chainstays. Super fun. Yeah, my buddy had the why s7 with the i9 backcountry wheels.
Want one of these bad. Love the geometry on these frames. I've ridden everything from skateparks to freeride trails on an SS dirt jumper and love that feel. Just need the benefit of gears and more travel up front.
I had to put on my sunglasses to watch the rest of the video after you took the new frame out of the box! LOL! If you ever get lost on the trail the search crew will have no problem finding you from the helicopter! Happy New Bike Day! Enjoy it.
Great vid, always learning stuff from you. I was in the dark about being able to replace my spacers with such a cool setup. Would love to see you include product links in your descriptions. Time to ride 🤘
My favorite color on a bike amazing man I definitely prefer steel over any material hence the reason I held onto my Chromo Schwinn Moab from 95 I need to rebuild it just havent got to it yet. But I am actually wrapping parts of my bike right now with the Highlighter Yellow.
Looking to get back into Mountain Biking (been 15yrs - Speacilized Rock Hopper) Very interested in the RSD Middle Child. I want to build my bike up from the Frame, but unsure about what size to Order?
Do you think the XL Middle Child would work for somebody 6'5" with 34" inseam? Or would I be on the verge of launching over the bars/cramped? Looks like it's about 490mm reach, which on paper seems decent but the specs never tell the entire story.
The best part of this video is at 10:03 in. Dusty Betty shows what's really important. New bikes are great, but some things are way more important. Not everyone will understand.
Hello Steve! I'm building my chomoly middlechild size medium. I plan on using my used Rockshox lyric rct3 160mm (552mm axle to crown). How did your fox 160mm fork work with your bike build? Also, what dropper did you end up using? Thanks, man!
Not familiar with that brand. That will be a fun bike, though. Rode a cromo bike for years before my Gary Fisher. They definitely feel, and handle, differently than aluminum. I like that ramp control. Pretty cool ability to give your bike.
@@hardtailparty awesome! Im full hard tail now rocking the Commencal Meta HT fully built! Im from Vancouver B.C but and state side for the next month and a half. lets sherd!
Edit: Just preordered the Middle Child AL2 29 GX build (Raw w/clear coat). I'm sure it will be more than enough bike for my daily use which is mostly well packed, non rocky, not too technical trails in the local foothills... May can't get here soon enough :). Really been enjoying your channel! I was pretty much sold on RSD after watching your review. Even after going back and forth on which bike might be best for me but I find myself coming back to RSD (also out of others I have seen reviewed like the Honzo and Chameleon among others). I have been out of mountain biking for a while... my last bike was a 2010 Cube Reaction (I lived in Denmark and Cube is a popular and affordable brand over there)... What I was wondering is how big of a difference there is between the Aluminum V2 and the Cr-Mo Middle Childs. I am planning on getting a 29'er and probably a Large (I am 5'10 with a 33" inseam so tend to fall right in between sizes for most of the brands I have considered).
Hey, I’m building up my middlechild and I was just wondering what size spacers do you use on the bottom bracket my chain ring seems awfully close to the frame with practically no clearance.
I take good care of my bikes. I just don't wash them... you got me there bud. As long as my drivetrain and stanchions are clean and my bearings are smooth, I'm good to go. Do they have a dealer/reseller in the US or does every frame have to be ordered directly from Toronto?
Good question. I believe they're direct only, but you could always check with them to see. The owner, Alex, is always on the web chat during business hours. He's super quick and has great info. Tell him you watch hardtail party. He'll take good care of you. And don't forget to use coupon code "party" to save 5%
Maybe you could do a video just on trail tuning with the MRP ramp control cartridge. I installed one on my Rock Shox revelation but I'm not sure how to get it set up.
I'll keep that in the back of my mind. There are some great suspension tuning videos out there right now. Treat your ramp control like volume spacers. The ramp control will really only affect your last 20% of travel. Basically, if you're not suing all of your fork travel every few rides, soften up the ramp control. If you bottom out more than once every 3 rides, firm it up.
Thanks for sharing! I just bought a middlechild frame and will begin the build process soon. Do you know what fork offset I should get? I'm going to build with a 140mm pike rct3. Thanks!
@@boulderstrongliveRSD built this frame around the geo of a 29er fork and specs their builds with a 29er fork. All plus bikes come with 29er forks because they have increased tire clearance over a 27.5 fork. Additionally, if you ever want to run 29" wheels on your rsd, you can only do thst with a 29er fork. your fork will allow it. A 140mm 27.5 fork will have a lower axle to crown measurement and will steeped the head angle and mess up the geometry a bit.
Very nice bike!awesome color..At 5:47 why you prefer press in cups rather than integrated headset?Integrated headset is more rigid and hold the forks tight ,that is why most bikes use it now or at least that is what they said.
You can't run Anglesets on integrated headsets. Also, the bearings will slowly wallow out the frame on an integrated setup (especially on an aluminum frame).
Wow four months ago I mentioned this company to you on your dusty Chameleon bike check video. Now your an ambassador?! Freakin sweet! Lol 😂 can’t wait for the review I’ve been looking at this for a while now
Yeah, thanks for putting them on our radar. They're exactly what I was looking for. I owe you big time! Shoot me an email, and when I have stickers available I"ll send you some.
Did you buy it yet? A slack head angle will completely change how the bike rides. Most bikes older than. 2018 have a super steep head angle. I'd look for something in the 64-65.5* range.
It depends on what you're looking for in a bike, how you ride, and what your trails are like. I ride a full suspension too, and each bike has their pros and cons.
I went with a small and I really like it, but I'm going to experiment with a medium next week. The small feels like a BMX/DJ bike. I expect the medium to feel more like a plow/attack bike.
@@hardtailparty Darn it, but I just bought a 2019 Specialized Pitch hardtail anyway... 4th hardtail in my arsenal, that Chameleon would have looked good mixed in with the others though!! Great Channel!!
I like it a lot more than my santa cruz. Check out my "first ride on my rsd middle child" video. Tge chameleon has too steep of a head angle for me, and it's crazy expensive for the cheap parts that come on it.
Yeah, a lot of companies say that, but then RSD goes and proves you CAN have your cake and eat it too. I'm proud of rsd for making bikes with short chainstays, tons of clearance for big tires, AND a threaded bb. There aren't many other companies doing that.
@@hardtailparty I might have considered RSD (amongst others) but I live in Hong Kong so I got the Chameleon. It's the next best option cuz I can actually find a dealer lol
30.8 lbs with pedas. It's not an xc race bike, and I've got a lot of cheap NX/Raceface stuff on it. I don't really worry about weight. I buy the parts I need for it to hold up to the riding I like to do, and the weight is what it is.
@@hardtailparty that's not bad at all with plus tires. Definitely now picking up this frame for 29er build. Can't wait for more videos of this beast!! Party on!!!!
Awesome. I couldn't be happier with thiss frame. Head on over to rsdbikes.com. you can start a chat with Alex, the owner. Tell him you saw the video here, and he'll give you 5% off using code "party". It's such a fun bike, I highly recommend it. It's cool that you can even fit a 29x2.6 on this beast. I'm really impressed with it. It's a fantastic hand-built frame at an amazing price. And the geo is DIALED!
@@chrispalmer1773 Nope. The only time I had adjustable dropouts was back in the 90s in my BMX days when I didn't run a chain tensioner. The dropout design on the RSD is solid, and it's not going anywhere. And it has built-in chain tensioners, which is extra redundancy and is super nice to get your wheel straightened in the dropouts.
Excellent question. Traditional headset cups are replaceable if something gets damaged. In other words, with an integrated headset, the bearings sit directly on the frame (not in cups). Over time this wears grooves into the frame and it's not replaceable/fixable. Also, traditional frames allow you to run an angleset and change your head angle. That's not possible with an integrated headset.
I haven't ridden an eccentric, but based off the geo charts, I like the slacker head angle, the super short chainstays and the handwelded frame of the rsd. This is such a cool bike .
So stoked for you Steve! The only thing that bike is missing is a dropper (if only you could run an internal one) - stoked to see you shred it!
It's got routing for an internal dropper. I've got an exciting announcement for a dropper sponsor in a week. Can't wait to get it and a few other small upgrades, and it'll be ready to shred.
Its nuts, the importance of a dropper to an AM hardtail. More so than any other mtb.
@@hardtailparty How tall are you? How does this small size frame fit?
@@henryduran3899 Sorry Henry, I somehow missed this. I'm 5'6". I have super short legs, and the torso of a 5'10" person. The small is fantastic for playing around, like at a skatepark or a pump track. For super technical and steep downhill, I ride a size medium. They're very similar in feel.
I love a hard tail, and that frame is beautiful, Steve. I'm excited to see the content you're going to be posting.
Do you need help deciding which bike to purchase next? I offer a one-on-one bike consultation service through patreon. It's how I put food on the table for my family, and how I'm able to provide custom bike advice for my vieewrs. Become a patron today for access: sign up for the monthly bike consultation tier, and cancel at any time. Most people sign up for a month or two, and we work together to discuss their needs, riding style, etc. to narrow down the list of all the great hardtails out there. When they get the info they need and they no longer have any questions, they cancel. Become a patron today: patreon.com/hardtailparty.
If my videos have saved you time or money, consider supporting this channel for as little as $5/month. I hope this channel is able grow so I can make more videos in the future. Support individual content creators over garbage tv or sponsored content disguised as reviews.
I am really stoked you went this direction for your channel. I am too a steel hardtail kind of guy. See ya at the SmtbF. Hell storm hurry up and pass, some of us want to ride.....❄️☃️
Thanks John. We should connect for a ride while we're there. Let's hope it all melts in time.
so sick...love the highlighter color!
I wish every hardtail had adjustable chainstays...
Same here. It makes a ton of sense. Most bikes period should have adjustable chainstays.
super sick brother. That color is one of my favorite colors if you cant tell. ha. Super pumped for you. Congrats.
Man new bike looks so cool. That head angle is crazy!
I love it. It makes a big difference.
Building my NEW old stock chrome moly TRANSITION TransAm as soon as I get home 😎 My daughter's are awesome enough to collect all my shipments and chase all my Parts at Headquarters bike and Outdoors in Sugar mountain N.C. Sometimes I think building them is as much fun as Riding them 👍🤘
LOVE the new Channel Steve !!
We have followed Tess since the beginning 🚵
I totally agree! I LOVE building bikes. Hopefully we can ride together when we come to NC this year.
We live in East Tennessee .... Yall should Collaborate a video with Seth from Seth's bike hacks while in the area 👍
Just ordered mine today! Sold my Rocker and immediately ordered this frame. Got the exact same one. They only had one small left in stock and it was the yellow one. Can't wait to get it and build it up. I need a headset, bottom bracket, a dropper post and a new set of brakes. I have the other stuff already. Stoked!
Congrats, it's such a great bike! I hope you used our code to save 5%.
I did use it thank you. What headset did you get for your bike? I need to get that stuff ordered.
When you buy the frame, it comes with a headset too. I'm running that stock Cane Creek zs 44.
Hey Steve just wondering if you were able to use a 150mm dropper? You and I are the same height with similar builds so I was curious if you were able to ride a 150 dropper on that bike.
@@JimmyRadloff It depends on which dropper you use. Some droppers have a tall collar and some don't. The dropper I'm going with won't fit as a 150mm. It's 1cm too tall. :( So I went with a 125mm dropper.
Just discovered your channel and absolutely love it! I started out on a Hardtail, moved to full suspension, then to road, then to triathlon, yet lately have been really missing the trails. Plus my two sons are now both riding and loving the trails and local bike parks. Thank you for the outstanding content... I have learned so much bingeing some of your vids. Keep up the great work! Hope to get back to Sedona at some point to ride. I proposed to my wife on Bell rock so we definitely love it there! 🤙
Very cool, I've really been impressed with what RSD has to offer.
They're an awesome company. And the fact that the owner is there, answering live chat all day is pretty awesome.
You are gonna love that head angle, great looking bike!
Meet Steve and Brian at Sedona 2 weeks ago. I have to say these are real stand up folks. Old school mang.Busted up up my rear D hanger. They both stepped in to help me fix her up so I could continue our ride on the Hogs Trails. Been watching Steve's wife's channel for quite some time now and always enjoy a women's perspective on the best sport on the planet. Time to subscribe to HTP looking forward to future episodes!!!!🤗🤗💪💪BTW Steve is a bonafide Shredder to say the least🤛🤛🤜🤜
Right back at ya, you shredded that trail!
Dude, I’m totally getting one! Beautiful bike! Can’t wait to see your ride video 👍🏼
It's so amazing. Make sure to use code "party" to save 5%.
@@hardtailparty Pretty sure I just saw your truck and bike at the taco shop on 48th and Elliott. I didn't recognize you or would have stopped to say hi.
@@JimmyRadloff cool 👍we were there
I was checking out your bike and it looks sick. Is it Small or medium? That titanium bike on your rack was sweet too. That I9 back country wheel set on that titanium bike looked rad.
@@JimmyRadloff my bike is a small. It's a blast. We just got back taking it up and down National. It did really well. 64.5* hta, super short chainstays. Super fun. Yeah, my buddy had the why s7 with the i9 backcountry wheels.
Want one of these bad. Love the geometry on these frames. I've ridden everything from skateparks to freeride trails on an SS dirt jumper and love that feel. Just need the benefit of gears and more travel up front.
Its such a good bike. I now ride the Ti version and it's even better than the steel one.
Great rythme, great collaboration. RSD is on the radar screen now. And not to forget Action cycle.
Awesome build. Just got my first hardtail and am adding components. Excited to see this channel grow and hopefully join a ride sometime
Congrats and welcome to the club. What state are you in?
I’m in Southern California
Wow im saving up for an rsd middlechild right now. Im so stoked i happened on to your channel.
It's such an amazing bike. There will be many more fun videos of it in the future.
I had to put on my sunglasses to watch the rest of the video after you took the new frame out of the box! LOL! If you ever get lost on the trail the search crew will have no problem finding you from the helicopter! Happy New Bike Day! Enjoy it.
haha, good point! It's a safety thing. ;)
Great vid, always learning stuff from you. I was in the dark about being able to replace my spacers with such a cool setup. Would love to see you include product links in your descriptions. Time to ride 🤘
Good idea with the product links. I'll have to do that eventually.
Dude, I love the color. I have a matching hoodie that goes with that bike.
Wow, that's a nice frame.
My El Mariachi is a steel bike. Love that thing. I’d tell you the geometry but all I know is triangle and bike.
My favorite color on a bike amazing man I definitely prefer steel over any material hence the reason I held onto my Chromo Schwinn Moab from 95 I need to rebuild it just havent got to it yet. But I am actually wrapping parts of my bike right now with the Highlighter Yellow.
You picked the right color
They have some pretty sweet colors for this bike. The turqoiuse looks pretty hot too.
Dude that intro is awesome!!! 👌
Thanks brother!
Been to Action Ride Shop, they're incredibly friendly as well! Cheers!
Sweet. Yeah, it's tough to find a good shop these days, and even tougher to find a friendly shop.
sick frame, mate, congrats on the support from RSD
Thank you so much. They're an awesome company.
Great video and beautiful bike. I am watching it as I wait for FedEx to deliver my new to me Salsa Timberjack sometime today. Thanks for posting.
Congrats on the timberjack, what a great bike!
I really think this channel can do great
Thanks, I think so too!
Your bike is super super super super sweet!
Man I love that color! Almost wish I built one of those up instead of my Meta HT AM. Congrats on the new ride
Thanks, it's a blast. I'm sure your meta am is awesome too.
Looking to get back into Mountain Biking (been 15yrs - Speacilized Rock Hopper) Very interested in the RSD Middle Child. I want to build my bike up from the Frame, but unsure about what size to Order?
I wish I could build my own bike. There is so much info needed for this though.
At 4:58 who else thought he was going to grease the headset bearings with the pizza?
that frame is beautiful
Love the build. I've been eyeballing the Middlechild myself. :P
It's an incredible bike, but I'm an ambassador, so I'm biased. It's my favorite hardtail I've ever ridden.
So Rad Congrats 🎉🤘🏽🤙🏽👍🏽🎉
I’m liking your new bike 😊
Thanks, it's a blast!
Worth the wait. Love it!
Do you think the XL Middle Child would work for somebody 6'5" with 34" inseam? Or would I be on the verge of launching over the bars/cramped? Looks like it's about 490mm reach, which on paper seems decent but the specs never tell the entire story.
The middle child feels longer than its geo numbers to me.
SWEET STEEL SLED!
The best part of this video is at 10:03 in. Dusty Betty shows what's really important. New bikes are great, but some things are way more important. Not everyone will understand.
Hello Steve! I'm building my chomoly middlechild size medium. I plan on using my used Rockshox lyric rct3 160mm (552mm axle to crown). How did your fox 160mm fork work with your bike build? Also, what dropper did you end up using? Thanks, man!
this is a 27.5 fork, so it's got the same atc as a 140mm 29er fork.
I LOVE the color!
MRP looks coo! I tend to run max tokens and just deal. I’ll look into it for my next HT😁
In the end, I prefer tokens over the mrp ramp control.
@@hardtailparty Good to know! Thanks👊
Awesome bike!
Like the Channel Name man! I'm on a NS Surge evo right now Love it! before that was a on-one 456 evo2 but I Cracked that Frame..
Yes! Represent.
Not familiar with that brand. That will be a fun bike, though. Rode a cromo bike for years before my Gary Fisher. They definitely feel, and handle, differently than aluminum. I like that ramp control. Pretty cool ability to give your bike.
That yellow is like looking at the sun,it just hurts my eyes
So Slack!! 64.5! thats awesome!!!
Yeah, it rides awesome!
@@hardtailparty awesome! Im full hard tail now rocking the Commencal Meta HT fully built! Im from Vancouver B.C but and state side for the next month and a half. lets sherd!
@@BenYorkeMrHardtail that looks like such s fun bike. I almost got a meta ht am.
Edit: Just preordered the Middle Child AL2 29 GX build (Raw w/clear coat). I'm sure it will be more than enough bike for my daily use which is mostly well packed, non rocky, not too technical trails in the local foothills... May can't get here soon enough :).
Really been enjoying your channel! I was pretty much sold on RSD after watching your review. Even after going back and forth on which bike might be best for me but I find myself coming back to RSD (also out of others I have seen reviewed like the Honzo and Chameleon among others).
I have been out of mountain biking for a while... my last bike was a 2010 Cube Reaction (I lived in Denmark and Cube is a popular and affordable brand over there)... What I was wondering is how big of a difference there is between the Aluminum V2 and the Cr-Mo Middle Childs. I am planning on getting a 29'er and probably a Large (I am 5'10 with a 33" inseam so tend to fall right in between sizes for most of the brands I have considered).
Sick build!
hey coach Steve it Willie you the man
YOU da man Willie. I hope you're able to get out and ride during this time.
@@hardtailparty thank and i will you going to help coach this year
@@williamhunt7181 yup, I plan on it. I love being your coach!
@@hardtailparty that is rad
I'm waiting for the sticker peeling video SOHARD!#TEAMSTEVE !!
Looks dope!
Steel !! Dig it Steve
Steel is real baby. But honestly, a few of the aluminum bikes these days ride just like steel. Not most, but a few. I'm stoked to be on this bike.
Hey, I’m building up my middlechild and I was just wondering what size spacers do you use on the bottom bracket my chain ring seems awfully close to the frame with practically no clearance.
You should have a spacer between the bb shell and your drive side bb cup.
@@hardtailparty thanks for your reply, that makes sense I have only bin using a spacer for the drive side 4,5mm but seem a too short
@@piano2597 you'll need a boost chainring if you don't already have one.
Right, now I notice that my chainring is not boost, it’s got a 6 mm offset so I’m going to look in to that, thank you
Definitely want to get one, and well within a price range i can afford, will beat the ol giant hard tail i used to rock
I take good care of my bikes. I just don't wash them... you got me there bud. As long as my drivetrain and stanchions are clean and my bearings are smooth, I'm good to go. Do they have a dealer/reseller in the US or does every frame have to be ordered directly from Toronto?
Good question. I believe they're direct only, but you could always check with them to see. The owner, Alex, is always on the web chat during business hours. He's super quick and has great info. Tell him you watch hardtail party. He'll take good care of you. And don't forget to use coupon code "party" to save 5%
Maybe you could do a video just on trail tuning with the MRP ramp control cartridge. I installed one on my Rock Shox revelation but I'm not sure how to get it set up.
I'll keep that in the back of my mind. There are some great suspension tuning videos out there right now. Treat your ramp control like volume spacers. The ramp control will really only affect your last 20% of travel. Basically, if you're not suing all of your fork travel every few rides, soften up the ramp control. If you bottom out more than once every 3 rides, firm it up.
Thanks for sharing! I just bought a middlechild frame and will begin the build process soon. Do you know what fork offset I should get? I'm going to build with a 140mm pike rct3. Thanks!
It's up to you. Id get a 29er fork if I were you. Standard offset will be just fine.
@@hardtailparty Why a 29er fork? This is my first bike build, so lots of research, questions and learning. I appreciate your feedback!! Thank you!
@@boulderstrongliveRSD built this frame around the geo of a 29er fork and specs their builds with a 29er fork. All plus bikes come with 29er forks because they have increased tire clearance over a 27.5 fork. Additionally, if you ever want to run 29" wheels on your rsd, you can only do thst with a 29er fork. your fork will allow it. A 140mm 27.5 fork will have a lower axle to crown measurement and will steeped the head angle and mess up the geometry a bit.
@@hardtailparty gotcha. But wouldn't a 27.5 plus Fork work just the same as far as tire clearance?
@@boulderstronglive They don't make specific 27.5+ forks. 29er forks are marketed as 29/27.5+
Very nice bike!awesome color..At 5:47 why you prefer press in cups rather than integrated headset?Integrated headset is more rigid and hold the forks tight ,that is why most bikes use it now or at least that is what they said.
You can't run Anglesets on integrated headsets. Also, the bearings will slowly wallow out the frame on an integrated setup (especially on an aluminum frame).
Will that ramp controller work with the factory rythm fork that comes with the chameleon? Thanks in advance, Steve.
Yes
Stabilo Boss could be even more prouder!
Did you weigh this bike with dropper ? Just curious. 32 lbs?
Wow four months ago I mentioned this company to you on your dusty Chameleon bike check video. Now your an ambassador?! Freakin sweet! Lol 😂 can’t wait for the review I’ve been looking at this for a while now
Yeah, thanks for putting them on our radar. They're exactly what I was looking for. I owe you big time! Shoot me an email, and when I have stickers available I"ll send you some.
Stoked for you..congrats!
Hey Steve do you still own and ride any of your Middlechildren?
@@dozza7946 no, i dont have any at the moment
Cool shop
Love your channel. I’d love to see a review on a Spot Rocker
Me too. I've tried to get the be for review, but no luck.
Thanks for nothin! I just spent the last two days looking at for plus hardtails online. I found a NS Djambo for $750. I have to try one.
Did you buy it yet? A slack head angle will completely change how the bike rides. Most bikes older than. 2018 have a super steep head angle. I'd look for something in the 64-65.5* range.
Can you get the MRP Ramp Control for X-Fusion 36mm forks?
Good question. You'll have to shoot em an email. They're super quick to respond to email or phone calls
Thanks dude, really loving the channel 👍🏻
@@ollydickinson2196 thanks for watching. If it wasn't for great viewers like you, this channel wouldn't be possible.
Any plans to review the middle child AL V2?
Yes
Do you recommend this to a guy that rides a full suspension
It depends on what you're looking for in a bike, how you ride, and what your trails are like. I ride a full suspension too, and each bike has their pros and cons.
I like it!
What size did you go with ? I’m also 5’6”
I went with a small and I really like it, but I'm going to experiment with a medium next week. The small feels like a BMX/DJ bike. I expect the medium to feel more like a plow/attack bike.
what are you doing with the Santa Cruz frame???
I sold it. It was posted for sale on my Instagram for a while, and a friend bought it.
@@hardtailparty Darn it, but I just bought a 2019 Specialized Pitch hardtail anyway... 4th hardtail in my arsenal, that Chameleon would have looked good mixed in with the others though!! Great Channel!!
Steel is Real, AWSOME Steve. Would love to meetup some time and ride.
What are are you in?
@@hardtailparty Im in SoCal, aren't you in Utha?
@@arod4084 we are nomads. We live an rv and travel to a new town every week.
@@hardtailparty Nice I'll keep an eye where you head out to.
Hey Steve, bout to buy a middlechild blk and they said you may have a discount code care to share?
Indeed. Use coupon code "party" to save 5%. Congrats on the new bike, it's such a blast!
LMAO should have just watch the video again like i just did PARTY baby!
My buddy rides an rsd we built. We went way overboard with all premium brands lol
Subscribed!
Yeah you need to put a sunglasses warning at the start of the video, man is that thing bright.
Looks mint cant wait to see the test ride video.
How was the ride compare to your santa cruz
I like it a lot more than my santa cruz. Check out my "first ride on my rsd middle child" video. Tge chameleon has too steep of a head angle for me, and it's crazy expensive for the cheap parts that come on it.
What you gonna do with your old chamelion, do you have plan to sell, if so how much.
@@ramonskepweng333 I already sold the chameleon a while back. Zero regrets.
Chromag says PF bbs give them the space to squeeze wide tyres and short chainstays. I still don't why
Yeah, a lot of companies say that, but then RSD goes and proves you CAN have your cake and eat it too. I'm proud of rsd for making bikes with short chainstays, tons of clearance for big tires, AND a threaded bb. There aren't many other companies doing that.
@@hardtailparty I might have considered RSD (amongst others) but I live in Hong Kong so I got the Chameleon. It's the next best option cuz I can actually find a dealer lol
@@Goodman-4525 yeah, rsd is direct to consumer. Congrats on the chameleon, they're fun bikes.
What size is it again?
Nice bike Steve...
Solid.
Steve are you going to be selling your dropper? I need a 31.6
Yes. It's a 150 raceface dropper 31.6 shoot me an email at hardtailparty@gmail.com
Thanks but i think 150 might be too much height for me
Nice!
Dude sick bike what are you going to do with the chameleon frame
I've got it up for sale. It's a size small.
Just asking for a friend thanks
Is your front tire size 2.8 on this?
Its a 3.0 high roller 2
What was the final weight on that bad mammer Jammer?
30.8 lbs with pedas. It's not an xc race bike, and I've got a lot of cheap NX/Raceface stuff on it. I don't really worry about weight. I buy the parts I need for it to hold up to the riding I like to do, and the weight is what it is.
@@hardtailparty that's not bad at all with plus tires. Definitely now picking up this frame for 29er build. Can't wait for more videos of this beast!! Party on!!!!
Awesome. I couldn't be happier with thiss frame. Head on over to rsdbikes.com. you can start a chat with Alex, the owner. Tell him you saw the video here, and he'll give you 5% off using code "party". It's such a fun bike, I highly recommend it. It's cool that you can even fit a 29x2.6 on this beast. I'm really impressed with it. It's a fantastic hand-built frame at an amazing price. And the geo is DIALED!
Also quick question, have you ever had the adjustable dropouts ever shift on you riding a bike hard?
@@chrispalmer1773 Nope. The only time I had adjustable dropouts was back in the 90s in my BMX days when I didn't run a chain tensioner. The dropout design on the RSD is solid, and it's not going anywhere. And it has built-in chain tensioners, which is extra redundancy and is super nice to get your wheel straightened in the dropouts.
what tire are u running in front? 2.6?
3.0
thanks for answering. looks way smaller than the rear size. :)
is it the same rim size too?
greetings
That is one sick looking frame! I love me some 80's neon on a bike.
Same here.
I am jealous now~~~°
No need to be jealous, just head over to RSDbikes.com and get one for yourself. Come join the RSD party.
At first glance, I thought it was a Whyte 905
Why are integrated headsets worse than headset cups?
Excellent question. Traditional headset cups are replaceable if something gets damaged. In other words, with an integrated headset, the bearings sit directly on the frame (not in cups). Over time this wears grooves into the frame and it's not replaceable/fixable. Also, traditional frames allow you to run an angleset and change your head angle. That's not possible with an integrated headset.
Nice choice 👌. It's a lot like my NS Eccentric Cromo which I absolutely love
I haven't ridden an Eccentric, but I love NS bikes. Congrats on owning a sweet bike.
Spot! Noticed at 1:25
I was wrong! RSD is nice.
Spot makes a sweet hardtail, and I ride their Enduro bikes, but the RSD middle child has much better geo for how I like to ride.
Bike looks awesome. Looking forward to your initial impressions.
@@derekmann4317 Coming soon. Spoiler alert: it's amazing.
I love you new bike .. better than Ns bikes
I haven't ridden an eccentric, but based off the geo charts, I like the slacker head angle, the super short chainstays and the handwelded frame of the rsd. This is such a cool bike .