Ghost HTX, Stevens M7 or Orbea lanza frame?

[Johan]

Hi all.
I'm just about to build myself a new MTB this winter, and it boils down to three frames. Ghost HTX series Stevens M7 frame or Orbea Lanza frame.
Have any of you guys any experince with any of these frames? The Orbea seem to be the best choice if you just look at the price/Weight thing (360€/1390gr).
But what about the others? Are they good racing frames for XC?

Thanks
/Johan /Sweden

 

[Johan]

Nobody here have any experince with Stevens or Ghost frames??

 

[sharky]

stevens and ghost are nothing else than mass products from taiwan wich have a good quality and low prices
orbea is from spain and much more expensive then ghost or stevens. theses frames are handmade in spain and not to compare to ghost or stevens.

if you´re searching for good quality and good prices take stevens or ghost. but isn´t the HTX frame a scandium frame? if you´re a heavy weight driver, you´d better take a standard aluminium frame

 

[Thunderbird]

@ sharky: there is a very light Scandium version of the HTX (1200g)

@ Johan: The normal Ghost HTX frame is waaay too heavy (1860g, as I recall). Forget it.
I liked the feeling (not the looks) of the Stevens M7. Don't know about the weight, though.

I'd personally favour the Kinesis Kinesium frame (1440g @ 300,-€) but I've
never tried it. Have a look at my hardtail-thread. Maybe there's sth. you like:
http://www.mtb-news.de/forum/showthread.php?t=94029

Thb

 

[Johan]

Hi.
Thanks for your replys.
Ghost has a couple of different HTX frams, one scandium and two regular aluminium.
But the funny thing is that the Orbea Lanza frame is cheaper (360€)than both Stevens and Ghost HTX frames, except the Ghost HTX team frame that cost below 300 €.
The Orbea is also the lightest of the bunch, but i liked the looks of Ghost and Stevens. Lucky that i asked Now i think i'll go with the Orbea frame. The best price i've seen for it is 307€ in a Spanish site. But they are wery slow to respond.
//Johan

 

[Hornet]

Hi there,
I just can give my opinion and impressions on the orbea and the stevens as i have both of them well not quite but close enough. I have got an orbea kilo made of the starship alloy and an about 10 year old 8.5.2 stevens (but a friend has the M7)
so if I compare his frame to mine

pros and cons for obrea
cornering (its extremly good on single trails but starts getting nervous on highspeed 50km/h++) but its worth it really!!
up-hill (front wheel won't rise it is rather you that will give up)
light!!!! but quite flexy, but the painted frame 21" including headset and ?sattelklemme? and weighs real 1600g!! so when looking at the weights bear in mind that its the smallest frame size they measure and may be unpainted.... don't give too much on those numbers - they are just for orientation I suppose...
But what ever negative effects are on the horizontal flex they are in my opinion more than compensate by the comfort generated by the vertical flex

Stevens
its more rigid in every frame direction - and handls like a normal MTB nothing spectecular just a nice welded, well painted frame that's I think worth its money and not overpriced
Concerning craftsmanship the stevens is superior to the orbea - but they give lifetime warranty, don't they?

The bottom line is for racing I use my orbea (and always would choose it) but I doubt that the stevens would not do the job -
letting me do the choice my heart would say go for orbea the brain take the stevens - but biking should be fun - so let the heart do the choice.
But bear in mind that your orbea could be different to mine (flex) as it is made of another alloy and especially the walls of the tubes are thicker!!
If you have additional specific questions just feel free to ask
There should be a picture of my orbea attached
Greetings
Hornet

 

[Johan]

Hi Hornet.
I appriciate your comments about the Orbea and Stevens frames. The Orbea frame that i'm considering is the Lanza wich is the model below the Kilo. The Lanza weights about 100 grams more than the Kilo, and i talked to a Spanish shop. They say that the Lanza is much sturdier than the Kilo. So i suppose the Lanza should be more rigid and not flex as much as the Kilo. I havent been able to find out what the frame alone costs for the Stevens, but think the price would be equal to the Orbea Lanza wich is 318€.
And i can build a complete Orbea Lanza fully XT with disc, Ritchey WCS and Mavic 317 wheel for 1500€ so....What my heart tells me i s to go with the Spanish bike .. I think.. or??
//Johan

 

[Hornet]

or what did the guy in this white building always say?
As I told you I'd also go for the spanish one - without any really reasonable explanation. Look it's a hardtail you can't do much wrong unless the geometry does not fit your size and that is the point you should consider the most important.

And just for my curiousity where are you from?

Cu

 

[Johan]

.. is were i'm from. And it's winter here now. -10 C and snow.

 

[Hornet]

so rather cross country skiing than biking ?
I was just curious because there are not so many shops selling orbea here in Germany compared to Stevens, Ghost and Cube.
So please send me a PM when you've got your orbea and tell me how you like it.
By the way what warranty is on the orbeas in Sweden?
Have fun
Greetings
Marco

 

[Johan]

That's what it is in Sweden right now
So i go ice skating instead of cycling at the moment, but i can do indoorcycling too.
Yes, i noticed that Germany has very few shops that carry the Orbea line, and the prices are higher than in Sweden for this brand. Very strange since generally all cyclery equipment are about 40% cheaper in Germany than in Sweden.
I found that the best price for Orbea is in fact in Spain.
The Lanza frame cost about 300-320€ in Spain, wich is the best price i found.
Check this site www.alabike.com
The warranty for Orbea frames are the same. Lifetime warranty for the original owner.
//Johan

 

[Mattias]

Hej Johan!

Köpte du någon Orbea och isåfall är den något att ha? Jag står själv i valet och kvalet och har fått ett intressant erbjudande för en Orbea MTB. Har inte hört så mycket om märket förut så det skulle vara intressant att få en insiderrapport.

Hölsningar Mattias