Mountain bike hardtails with steel or titanium frames have a strong appeal for individualists. Especially when they come from small, niche brands that only insiders have ever heard of. We have tracked down three relatively unknown labels that produce exciting hardtails in small series. The bikes from Päsillä, Radical and Sklar are timeless, exotic and beautiful. It's worth thinking outside the box!
Päsillä Juntu: Punk rock from Finland
In the wilderness of Finland, surrounded by ice-age rocky landscapes and dense forests, lies the tiny village of Päsillä. Over a beer 20 years ago, a group of biking friends decided to start their own mountain bike brand. There was also talk of forming a rock band, but none of the mates could play an instrument. If you like punk rock, the Finns' English-language homepage contains interesting information on the connection between rebellious music and bike sports. The portfolio now includes everything from fat bikes for the Finnish winter to singlespeed bikes and trail hardtails, as well as a small but fine selection of mountain bikes with titanium frames. Rear suspension? The punks just call it "Work those legs!"
The Päsillä Juntu is a hardtail for suspension forks with 120 to 130 millimetres of travel. The Finns offer the titanium frame in two sizes and claim a weight of just two kilos for the larger of the two. The light alloy frame is brushed by hand to achieve a timeless finish. There are two bottle cage mounts on the down tube. The bike can take either 29 or 27.5+ inch tyres. With a 65 degree head angle, short seat tubes and long reach values, the geometry is modern. Sliding dropouts allow the bike to be set up as a single-speed mountain bike. The frame comes with a five-year guarantee. Päsillä ships frames and complete bikes of the Juntu hardtail worldwide on request.
Päsillä Juntu in detail
- Range of use: Downcountry / Trail
- Suspension travel: 120-130 mm
- Wheel size: 29" / 27.5"
- max. tyre clearance: 29 x 2.6" / 27.5 x 2.8"
- Price frameset: from 2299 euros
- Complete bike price: from 3600 euros
- Special features: sliding dropouts, chain guide mount
Radical Chilli Dog: Enduro hardtail from Great Britain
The rider-owned label Radical Bikes believes that fast, fun, beautiful bikes don't need a lot of marketing slogans. The claim: "No nonsense!" What began as a backyard project has become a respected boutique brand for steel and titanium hardtails over the years. Radical founder and ex-soldier Kieran Cosbie describes himself as an absolute bike nerd and wants to offer customers a level of customer service that is otherwise only known from the automotive sector. The frames are of course welded in the UK.
Although the titanium version of the Radical Chilli Dog is an enduro hardtail with 150 to 160 millimetres of suspension travel, it is said to be as manoeuvrable "as if it had just had a double shot of espresso". The UK bike's riding characteristics should make up for the lack of rear suspension with "speed and a bit of chaos". The titanium bike should be stable enough for big drops and yet sporty and direct for long tours. It can be fitted with 29-inch, 27.5-inch or mullet tyres. A super-slack steering angle of 63 degrees promises a smooth ride, while size-specific chainstay lengths should ensure balanced handling for all riders. Super short seat tubes and low standover heights should make handling easier in demanding terrain. For a titanium frame, the Radical Chilli Dog is pleasingly affordable.
Radical Chilli Dog in detail
- Area of application: Enduro
- Suspension travel: 150-160 mm
- Wheel size: 29" / 27.5" / Mullet
- max. tyre clearance: 29 x 2.6"
- Price frameset: from 1329 GBP
- Special features: size-specific chainstay length, inexpensive titanium frame
Sklar Tall Tale: American design object
Adam Sklar has been building steel frames for many years. His handiwork adorns hundreds of bikes. For five years, he focussed exclusively on custom projects before deciding in 2019 to devote himself solely to steel hardtails from small series production. To this end, Sklar honed every detail of his designs until he was completely convinced of their riding characteristics and appearance. Today, Sklar frames are produced both in the USA and by skilled top welders in Taiwan. The Tall Tale is a trail hardtail with a charismatically curved top tube. Long reach values meet very short chainstays of 427 millimetres in the geometry table. The suspension travel increases with the frame size from 130 to 150 millimetres and the steering angle is around 65 degrees.
Sklar Tall Tale in detail
- Area of application: Trail
- Suspension travel: 130-150 mm
- Wheel size: 29"
- Max. tyre clearance: 2.6" (in exceptional cases also 2.8")
- Price frameset: from 1199 USD
- Special features: Luggage carrier mount
Conclusion
My heart beats for unusual bikes and the stories behind them. These hardtails come from very different corners of the world and yet have one thing in common: with their slim frames made of titanium or steel, they have what it takes to become real collector's items. The small labels Päsillä, Radical and Sklar have certainly taken a shine to me. - Jan Timmermann, BIKE editor
Jan Timmermann
Editor
