I'm not one to review or gush about bikes or frames, but I need to make an exception in this case. The Soul Cycles Hooligan is perhaps the best SS frame I've ever owned, if not the best hardtail I've ever owned. Period. And I've owned a buttload of hardtail frames (2 Surly 1x1s, a Bianchi SISS, Gunnar Rockhound, Giant XTC carbon, 2 On-one Inbreds - 29 and 26, a Fisher Rig, an Access XCL, two Trek hardtails, and probably more I can't remember.) The Hooligan is the cream of the crop of 13 years of riding. I've spent about a full season of riding it at least once a week or more and now feel that I've spent enough time on it to give a review.
I was looking earlier this year for a 26" frame with an EBB. I wanted steel, but I frankly couldn't find a single non-custom steel 26" frame with an EBB. (Seems like you 29'er people have now co-opted singlespeeding and the frame manufacturers are thusly caterning to that crowd.) Somebody suggested the Hooligan. I checked their website and saw the low, low price of $350 for a new frame with an EBB, full cable stops and two dropouts so you could run it SS or geared. Easton elite tubing. I have not really loved AL frames in the past, and hesitated. But then I saw the "scratch and dent" frame selection. For even cheaper. I ended up getting a 3rd generation Hooligan "scuffed" frame for $250. (One barely noticeable scuff in the black paint on the top tube.) I ordered by phone. Due to transposing two numbers in my credit card, the order took a few days and a second call to get it to go through. The cool thing was that due to that small error they comped my shipping. So, brand new frame for $250. Not bad.
At the time I was riding the Giant XTC carbon frame as a SS with a singleator. 2.7 lbs. Crazy light. I was sort of bored with it and wanted a frame I could run sans-tensioner. I thought no way would the Hooligan outperform the carbon frame - especially with the relatively pudgy 4.10 oz weight. I couldn't have been more wrong. Right out of the box, the thing out accelerated and out climbed the Giant. And the descending was instantly spot-on. I've never had a bike or frame that felt "right" on the first ride. This thing was more than right. It was perfect.
It is truly the best handling bike I've ever owned. (And I've had a few other bikes, including a Superlight, a Ventana X-5, a Racer X, and a Ventana El Ciclon.) The Easton elite tubing simply disappears - it rides like no aluminum frame I've owned - and better than every steel frame I've owned. The geometry is perfect (for me.) I'm running an '08 Reba Race dual air U-turn with 85 - 115mm of travel and this thing downhills as fast as my El Ciclon. (Other bits and pieces on the frame are irrelevant. The one other part I really like and which I think improves the handling is the On-one Fleegle bar.)
Anyway, crazy. I can't give this thing any more compliments. Fantastic frame. If you're in the market for a "budget" SS frame, this should be at the top of your list.
I was looking earlier this year for a 26" frame with an EBB. I wanted steel, but I frankly couldn't find a single non-custom steel 26" frame with an EBB. (Seems like you 29'er people have now co-opted singlespeeding and the frame manufacturers are thusly caterning to that crowd.) Somebody suggested the Hooligan. I checked their website and saw the low, low price of $350 for a new frame with an EBB, full cable stops and two dropouts so you could run it SS or geared. Easton elite tubing. I have not really loved AL frames in the past, and hesitated. But then I saw the "scratch and dent" frame selection. For even cheaper. I ended up getting a 3rd generation Hooligan "scuffed" frame for $250. (One barely noticeable scuff in the black paint on the top tube.) I ordered by phone. Due to transposing two numbers in my credit card, the order took a few days and a second call to get it to go through. The cool thing was that due to that small error they comped my shipping. So, brand new frame for $250. Not bad.
At the time I was riding the Giant XTC carbon frame as a SS with a singleator. 2.7 lbs. Crazy light. I was sort of bored with it and wanted a frame I could run sans-tensioner. I thought no way would the Hooligan outperform the carbon frame - especially with the relatively pudgy 4.10 oz weight. I couldn't have been more wrong. Right out of the box, the thing out accelerated and out climbed the Giant. And the descending was instantly spot-on. I've never had a bike or frame that felt "right" on the first ride. This thing was more than right. It was perfect.
It is truly the best handling bike I've ever owned. (And I've had a few other bikes, including a Superlight, a Ventana X-5, a Racer X, and a Ventana El Ciclon.) The Easton elite tubing simply disappears - it rides like no aluminum frame I've owned - and better than every steel frame I've owned. The geometry is perfect (for me.) I'm running an '08 Reba Race dual air U-turn with 85 - 115mm of travel and this thing downhills as fast as my El Ciclon. (Other bits and pieces on the frame are irrelevant. The one other part I really like and which I think improves the handling is the On-one Fleegle bar.)
Anyway, crazy. I can't give this thing any more compliments. Fantastic frame. If you're in the market for a "budget" SS frame, this should be at the top of your list.