Item: Charge Duster Mountain Bike Frame, Tange Prestige Steel, Medium (18")
Location: Melbourne
Item Condition: Perfect, Brand New & Unused
Reason for selling: Not needed
Price and price conditions: $300 + $30 postage depending on location
Extra Info:
The Brand
Charge Bikes is a small bicycle brand based out of Radstock in the UK. They design and build a range of mountain bike, road bike and fixie frames as well as components including saddles, grips and rigid forks. Their slim range of mountain bikes are designed to offer high quality steel and titanium bikes that fill the niches that the big companies just don't offer. If you check out their range, you'll get the impression that this is a small company made up of designers and engineers that love to ride and want to share that passion with others.
They are what's referred to as a "micro brand" that base all of the design, research & development around a core group of riders and have their frames manufactured in small volumes in Taiwan, much in the same way that Surly, Salsa and Soma Fabrications operate. Their production ethos is based around "low-volume, high-quality" and addressing the markets that the big companies ignore.
The Duster
The Charge Duster has been in the range for a few years now as their premier off road mountain bike. They have made a couple of different versions, some out of Titanium, others single-speed specific and they even do an internally geared hub model, the Duster 8. The classic steel Duster has made a reputation over the years as an XC bike with excellent trail manners that is far from the stiff, racey alloy and carbon bikes on the market. Although it may not be as light as those alloy and carbon race bikes, it makes up for it with durability, a comfortable ride and quality modern trail geometry that is ideal for off road riding.
Material
Being made from steel, it is super smooth on the trail and provides a much more supple and lively ride than stiff aluminum frames. However, it isn't made from any old steel, as Charge employs Tange Prestige double butted cromo tubing that is a bit more expensive than standard steel, but keeps the weight down and improves ride quality. The frame features beautiful seamless welds to keep the lines clean. Prestige tubing is Tange's answer to Reynolds 853 tubing, and if you know anything about 853, you'll know that's a very high quality grade of steel. The Duster frame isn't quite as light as a Reynolds 853 frame, though is tough, durable and exudes that silky smooth ride quality that steel frames are all about.
If you've only ridden aluminum and carbon frames, you'll love the ride of the steel Duster, which is more comfortable the longer you ride it. Steel is also more durable than other materials, as it doesn't fatigue over time, so you'll get years of service out of the Duster.
Geometry
The frame will take a suspension fork between 80-120mm, though handles best with a 100mm travel fork. The frame uses a standard 1 1/8" steerer tube and actually comes with a brand new FSA headset fitted. With a 100mm fork up front, the Duster makes an excellent cross country trail bike, with a slightly relaxed geometry that makes it ideal for all-day riding. It's not as steep or aggressive as a carbon race bike, but it's performance in technical situations and downhills is where it really stands out.
Although Charge list the Duster as having a 71 degree head angle, I measured the frame with a 100mm travel fork and the head angle actually comes out at 69 degrees. This is a big reason why the Duster rides so well on the trail and handles the technical situations with ease, especially downhills, as the relaxed head angle reduces the twitchiness of the steering. It's a welcome change from the racey Scott and Merida hardtails that dominate the market.
It is a Medium size, which works out to be an 18". This size will suit riders between 5'8" up to 6' tall.
Effective Top Tube Length: 55.5cm
Seat Tube Length: 46.6cm
Head Tube height: 12.6cm
Head Angle: Listed: 71 degrees, Measured: 69 degrees
Fittings
All of the fitting points on the Duster frame are standard, such as the 1 1/8" steerer tube (for use with 1 1/8" forks) the 27.2mm seatpost diameter, the 68mm bottom bracket shell.
Originally the Duster came with a Fox Fork, Shimano XT gears, XT brakes and XT wheels and retailed for $4199.
You can set up the Duster in a myriad of configurations, though most people will set it up as a geared mountain bike. You could set it up as a singlespeed, or as a commuter bike, and you could even fit on a rigid fork up front. The beauty about this hardy frame is that will last a very long time, and is likely to go through many different setups depending on what you need from it at the time.
You can probably tell that I love this bike, as I currently own one myself and recently got the same bike for my partner.
However you decide to setup this bike, I'm sure you'll get as much of a kick out of it as I do!
Review from BikeRadar on the Charge Duster:
"Understated, that's the word. This designer minimalist approach might all sound a bit pretentious, and it is a bit. But that's also what makes these bikes so appealing. The tubes are impossibly thin compared with most large-diameter alloy frames, which makes the frame look big and a bit spindly. Don't imagine this bike is weak, though - these steel tubes are light and tough. The details are minimal but check out the head tube gusset, the frankly massive mud clearance and itsy bitsy rear dropouts; all marks of Nicks clean and tidy fetish. The Charge Duster is all about going riding. It's not a long travel freeride hardtail, a cross-country race bike or a dirt jumper, although at a push (and with the right components) it could be any three. It's a refreshingly simple bike designed for the sole purpose of riding -just plain old bicycling over rough ground. Not that it hasn't got a performance feel about it, because it has, it's just that it makes you want to criss-cross the woods from lunch until tea time, reveling in its purity and ability. This bike has the same ride qualities as a high quality steel frame from back in the day. The difference is that this frame will fit an awesome fork, and brakes and gears that actually work. The light-gauge tubing has a degree of flexibility, but is also springy. This translates into a sprightly ride as you ping along the trail. You can feel that flex as you power along, but the energetic spring of the lightweight steel has a lively feel, and not the dull thud that you sometimes get with aluminum or carbon frames".
Frame Specs:
- Tange Prestige double butted seamless cromo tubing
- Forward facing seat tube slot
- Custom Investment cast dropouts with disc mount
- Standard 1 1/8" headtube
- Includes FSA headset
- Seat collar included. Fits a 27.2mm seatpost
- Front derailleur spec: 28.6mm clamp diameter, Low Clamp (Top Swing) and Top Pull (cable routes from top)
- Standard 68mm bottom bracket shell
- Size: Medium (18")
- Weight: 2.2kg
Pictures: Attached
Location: Melbourne
Item Condition: Perfect, Brand New & Unused
Reason for selling: Not needed
Price and price conditions: $300 + $30 postage depending on location
Extra Info:
The Brand
Charge Bikes is a small bicycle brand based out of Radstock in the UK. They design and build a range of mountain bike, road bike and fixie frames as well as components including saddles, grips and rigid forks. Their slim range of mountain bikes are designed to offer high quality steel and titanium bikes that fill the niches that the big companies just don't offer. If you check out their range, you'll get the impression that this is a small company made up of designers and engineers that love to ride and want to share that passion with others.
They are what's referred to as a "micro brand" that base all of the design, research & development around a core group of riders and have their frames manufactured in small volumes in Taiwan, much in the same way that Surly, Salsa and Soma Fabrications operate. Their production ethos is based around "low-volume, high-quality" and addressing the markets that the big companies ignore.
The Duster
The Charge Duster has been in the range for a few years now as their premier off road mountain bike. They have made a couple of different versions, some out of Titanium, others single-speed specific and they even do an internally geared hub model, the Duster 8. The classic steel Duster has made a reputation over the years as an XC bike with excellent trail manners that is far from the stiff, racey alloy and carbon bikes on the market. Although it may not be as light as those alloy and carbon race bikes, it makes up for it with durability, a comfortable ride and quality modern trail geometry that is ideal for off road riding.
Material
Being made from steel, it is super smooth on the trail and provides a much more supple and lively ride than stiff aluminum frames. However, it isn't made from any old steel, as Charge employs Tange Prestige double butted cromo tubing that is a bit more expensive than standard steel, but keeps the weight down and improves ride quality. The frame features beautiful seamless welds to keep the lines clean. Prestige tubing is Tange's answer to Reynolds 853 tubing, and if you know anything about 853, you'll know that's a very high quality grade of steel. The Duster frame isn't quite as light as a Reynolds 853 frame, though is tough, durable and exudes that silky smooth ride quality that steel frames are all about.
If you've only ridden aluminum and carbon frames, you'll love the ride of the steel Duster, which is more comfortable the longer you ride it. Steel is also more durable than other materials, as it doesn't fatigue over time, so you'll get years of service out of the Duster.
Geometry
The frame will take a suspension fork between 80-120mm, though handles best with a 100mm travel fork. The frame uses a standard 1 1/8" steerer tube and actually comes with a brand new FSA headset fitted. With a 100mm fork up front, the Duster makes an excellent cross country trail bike, with a slightly relaxed geometry that makes it ideal for all-day riding. It's not as steep or aggressive as a carbon race bike, but it's performance in technical situations and downhills is where it really stands out.
Although Charge list the Duster as having a 71 degree head angle, I measured the frame with a 100mm travel fork and the head angle actually comes out at 69 degrees. This is a big reason why the Duster rides so well on the trail and handles the technical situations with ease, especially downhills, as the relaxed head angle reduces the twitchiness of the steering. It's a welcome change from the racey Scott and Merida hardtails that dominate the market.
It is a Medium size, which works out to be an 18". This size will suit riders between 5'8" up to 6' tall.
Effective Top Tube Length: 55.5cm
Seat Tube Length: 46.6cm
Head Tube height: 12.6cm
Head Angle: Listed: 71 degrees, Measured: 69 degrees
Fittings
All of the fitting points on the Duster frame are standard, such as the 1 1/8" steerer tube (for use with 1 1/8" forks) the 27.2mm seatpost diameter, the 68mm bottom bracket shell.
Originally the Duster came with a Fox Fork, Shimano XT gears, XT brakes and XT wheels and retailed for $4199.
You can set up the Duster in a myriad of configurations, though most people will set it up as a geared mountain bike. You could set it up as a singlespeed, or as a commuter bike, and you could even fit on a rigid fork up front. The beauty about this hardy frame is that will last a very long time, and is likely to go through many different setups depending on what you need from it at the time.
You can probably tell that I love this bike, as I currently own one myself and recently got the same bike for my partner.
However you decide to setup this bike, I'm sure you'll get as much of a kick out of it as I do!
Review from BikeRadar on the Charge Duster:
"Understated, that's the word. This designer minimalist approach might all sound a bit pretentious, and it is a bit. But that's also what makes these bikes so appealing. The tubes are impossibly thin compared with most large-diameter alloy frames, which makes the frame look big and a bit spindly. Don't imagine this bike is weak, though - these steel tubes are light and tough. The details are minimal but check out the head tube gusset, the frankly massive mud clearance and itsy bitsy rear dropouts; all marks of Nicks clean and tidy fetish. The Charge Duster is all about going riding. It's not a long travel freeride hardtail, a cross-country race bike or a dirt jumper, although at a push (and with the right components) it could be any three. It's a refreshingly simple bike designed for the sole purpose of riding -just plain old bicycling over rough ground. Not that it hasn't got a performance feel about it, because it has, it's just that it makes you want to criss-cross the woods from lunch until tea time, reveling in its purity and ability. This bike has the same ride qualities as a high quality steel frame from back in the day. The difference is that this frame will fit an awesome fork, and brakes and gears that actually work. The light-gauge tubing has a degree of flexibility, but is also springy. This translates into a sprightly ride as you ping along the trail. You can feel that flex as you power along, but the energetic spring of the lightweight steel has a lively feel, and not the dull thud that you sometimes get with aluminum or carbon frames".
Frame Specs:
- Tange Prestige double butted seamless cromo tubing
- Forward facing seat tube slot
- Custom Investment cast dropouts with disc mount
- Standard 1 1/8" headtube
- Includes FSA headset
- Seat collar included. Fits a 27.2mm seatpost
- Front derailleur spec: 28.6mm clamp diameter, Low Clamp (Top Swing) and Top Pull (cable routes from top)
- Standard 68mm bottom bracket shell
- Size: Medium (18")
- Weight: 2.2kg
Pictures: Attached
Attachments
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