Neuhaus Metalwork's Brand New Hummingbird CORE - An Affordable Mass-Produced Steel Hardtail Frame

Neuhaus Metalworks has been building world-class hardtails for 4 years now, but you always had to pay to play. Now, they've got the CORE line, a batch that are built in Taiwan to their specs. Today we take the Hummingbird CORE through its paces to see how it stacks up to the US-made model.
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[@notice_fpv]

It's fantastic to see you out on the trails so much more since your move, Steve. 😍

[@hardtailparty]

@@notice_fpv thank you so much! It's been so good to get out on a bike from time to time

[@MichaelShearer-h1r]

So great to see you riding and reviewing bikes more frequently again! Hoping that your health and family continues to thrive in Arkansas!

[@hardtailparty]

@@MichaelShearer-h1r thank you so much!

[@DontWorryImAPilot]

This is great news! I went to their website yesterday to peek at their bikes and it was down. "Oh no. Did we lose another one of the good guys?" I'm stoked to hear the answer is "no" and their website is back up today. I'll be watching later but I had to comment right away. Thanks for being you and I'm glad you're out on the bike!

[@Theriver56]

This is so cool. I love my hummingbird and now that it’s more affordable than ever it’s good for everybody. This is the kind of bike you buy and never look back. I’ll have this thing until I die. Hopefully I’ll be able to pass it on to my children.

[@hardtailparty]

@@Theriver56 i feel the same way, it's a really special bike

[@jurisx85]

Yes! I would love to get this bike, and I just know it will just get more and more accesoble in the future. Good to see that hardtails are thriving on this day and age.

[@Daniel_Yang_ARTEFACT]

Thanks! We build some really fancy stuff, but it’s my mission to stay humble and make sure we can get more people out riding bikes!

[@jurisx85]

@@Daniel_Yang_ARTEFACT Someone like you is just what the industry needs. Thank you for your attention to detail.

[@cycling_plurality]

Great move on their part to capture a bigger audience. I definitely didn't guess correctly!

[@Kristian_Saile]

Great review but I mostly gotta say it’s really good to hear you happy and sounding healthy. Hope this road to recovery has been proven to be fruitful for yah! 👍

[@hardtailparty]

@@Kristian_Saile thank you so much Kristian. Every day is a battle, but occasionally I catch a break and feel healthy enough to ride a bike and film it

[@RobertDrake-p7b]

Great to see you back Steve. Been loving my paradox. Thanks for all you do.

[@pauls3616]

What a great looking bike and by the sounds of it a very good riding bike as well. Thanks for the video HP!

[@Daniel_Yang_ARTEFACT]

Those Bentonville trails look so fun on a hardtail! Thanks for checking out the Hummingbird!

[@hardtailparty]

Bentonville is the perfect place to hardtail. You'll have to come out sometime and we can ride hummingbirds together.

[@Daniel_Yang_ARTEFACT]

@ I’m waiting till it warms up over there 🤣

[@hardtailparty]

@Daniel_Yang_ARTEFACT good call!

[@shaunroach7829]

Another stellar review Steve!!! Great seeing some of the great trails in Bentonville and you having a blast on one of your favorite hardtails!!!

[@stephenkohler3472]

Awesome news! Especially when that spreads to their other models. ... Digging their new logo too 👍

[@jadinc77]

Still love my RSD Middlechild, but these videos make me want to have a fleet of hardtails...

[@JS-sy8mo]

Yahoooo I was just on those same exact trails visiting Bentonville with MY hummingbird setup SS with a Pike fork, so epic!!! This bike is so smooth, with 2.6" tires it just floats over bumps...never in a million years would have guessed how capable and comfortable a hardtail could be!! For the 100th time, thanks for the rec Steve!!

[@hardtailparty]

You get it! Perfect trails for this bike.

[@jtsimaras]

Great review Steve!

[@mikejones420]

Great review Steve, the move to Arkansas seems to have done well for you, I noticed lately your breathing doesn't seem as labored. Happy to see you doing your true love mountain biking all these hardtails :)

[@yoondaman316]

Can you feel the ride feel/quality difference between the CORE and the custom Hummingbird? Thank you for the video. Great seeing you riding and having a good time doing it.

[@Cotictimmy]

Great to see you riding that lovely flowy trail Steve. What an appealing bike! The pale green of the U.S. frame reminded me of that green 853 Stanton Sherpa. ('The Pinky Breaker') Best wishes from 2 fans in Southern England! 😀

[@ezraellis7289]

Steve you look healthy again, It’s good to see you back in top form!!!

[@hardtailparty]

Thanks! I have a soft spot for mint green hardtails.

[@notice_fpv]

14:46 If Neuhaus can, they all can. All the companies need to step it up!

[@hardtailparty]

@@notice_fpv agreed! The problem is, there are very few people that understand what the small builders do, and for some reason, the big brands refuse to hire them. I dont know who they have designing hardtails at the big brands, but it's the wrong type of person for the most part

[@bertkreft9689]

​@hardtailparty - exactly what you say 👍 i am a product-designer from germany - specialized to bike frame development - and it is really hilarious - they dont know how to do

[@ShadLife]

This must be one of the bikes you told me I would probably like ..😉

[@cnguyen32]

This looks like the perfect bike to have for times when you don't want to ride a FS/ Trail bike (130 mm+)

[@johnduke6438]

Happy to see you out on the trails, looks like you have some great riding where you are now. The bike is gorgeous! Another to add to the shortlist of dream bikes... I'd be interested to hear how you'd compare the Neuhaus to a Sour Crumble.

[@hardtailparty]

@@johnduke6438 thank you so much. Ive got a review video of the crumble too. If you ever want 1:1 bike comparisons, I do those over on patreon.

[@johnduke6438]

@hardtailparty thanks, the Stanton Sherpa would be in my comparison list too, I'll keep your Patreon in mind. Right now my Honzo ST suits the bike park I'm riding but at heart I'd rather be ripping that hummingbird singletrack and attacking the ups as much as the downs. If you ever feel like taking hardtail party on the road, come to New Zealand!

[@hardtailparty]

@johnduke6438 honzo st is a cool bike.

[@lenyarbrough8445]

Would love to have an offline discussion about Marino’s frames. I daily drive a Reynolds 725 frame here in the Bentonville metro area; you’re welcome to inspect it.

[@hardtailparty]

Sounds good, I'd love to see it sometime. Let's connect on instagram.. What makes me sad is when someone uses marino to copy another designers geo. Im sure there are people who have had merino build a steel version of my binary maniak, but I did all the work to ride 100+ hardtails and design the angles and details to make that bike what it is. Then fir someone to copy it and have someone else build it, that builder gets all the money off my hard work, and I dont make a penny. It discourages people from posting accurate geo charts or from innovating. Now, that's not Marino's fault, and not all his customers do that, but even though it's saving the customer money in the end, it hurts the original creative who was using their knowledge to design something great. I know bikes are expensive and everyone wants to save a buck, but if we want creative designers to be around and keep making rad stuff, we should be willing to pay a little more and support the hen directly. If someone comes up with their own design and has merino build it, more power to them.

[@scottmcpeek4132]

Just an easy 'Like' for this one: automatic, when talking Neuhaus Metalworks!

[@DAMN55117]

metallic blue ordered.

[@hardtailparty]

@@DAMN55117 nice!

[@Ile333]

If only I had the room and money for a second bike, this would be my first pic.

[@hardtailparty]

@@Ile333 nothing wrong with having one bike. There's something great about the simplicity of a one-bike setup

[@ChesterAlanHamilton-k7l]

Have you ever reviewed a Fairdale Elevator hardtail?

[@michaelhotten752]

It's a little hard to tell in the video and in pics but the Core headtube maybe different compared to custom? And it maybe aesthtic because looks like the bearings are the same?

[@NeuhausMetalworks]

It is the same spec as the custom headtube but a slightly different shape.

[@michaelhotten752]

@NeuhausMetalworks ahhh, my eyes are still doing ok at 60! Thanks. Beautiful bike. Yeah, looks like the custom has a slight hour glass shape.

[@weirdo5345]

Great to see you riding again. Im excited by this bike as its more affordable than the USA one but Im in the UK and suspect that the shipping taxes and import duty would take it out of my range. A while ago you hinted at reviewing the HBSL, any news on that.

[@hardtailparty]

@@weirdo5345 i havent had the chance to ride an hbsl, but the team at neuhaus can tell you how it rides compared to this. They're also able to get you a better idea of shipping costs

[@weirdo5345]

@@hardtailparty Thanks keep it going. I only ride rigid bikes so absolutely love this channel. I cant believe so many people get conned into buying full suss when 90% of the riding you do does not need it unless you live in the mountains or where you used to live of course.

[@ShredTactix]

So exciting!!

[@MattPhipps-vz9hn]

Steve, any plans in the future to review any FS bikes? I love your review style and know you’ve found your niche with hardtails but would definitely be interested to see what you think about some different suspension designs.

[@hardtailparty]

@@MattPhipps-vz9hn not on this channel, but you'll occasionally see some on my other channel, big brain party

[@Spacechoppers]

I’m curious as to the sizing recommendations. Neuhaus seems to be recommending pretty small bikes for people of given heights as compared to other companies, for example, when compared to bikes with similar geo like my ibis dv9. Any insight into the thought process behind this?

[@Daniel_Yang_ARTEFACT]

I suggest looking at Reach and Stack. Our bikes can be 20-30mm taller stack than other hardtails. Stack and reach combine to effect how "big" a bike is. One way to compare bike is the hypotenuse = sqrt(Reach^2+stack^2). This is actually how I design our bikes so that they have even size jumps between humans.

[@kylerodland5078]

Looks amazing! I really like the geo. I’m considering ordering one. Do you know how much the frame weighs? It’s a big consideration for my 140lb body.

[@matejzima8210]

I have to check out first how does it translate with logistics of shipping it into EU regarding fees and taxes.

[@jkeiffer]

I'd love to know what rigid fork options would go best with this. Is there only custom forks as the best 120mm replacement?

[@Julian-o8p]

Whisky MTN LT replaces 120mm suspension with its' 500mm a-c. There are others as well.

[@AllTerrainsMedia]

How does this feel compared to the Stanton Sedona? Geo seems similar. 66° head tube, 74.5°and 75° seat tubes, 420-425mm chainstays. Looks like reach is similar but stack is more upright on the Sedona. Also seems like you can fit a larger dropper in the Sedona as well. I didn’t hear you mention a weight on the Neuhaus build. Both bikes seem great!

[@hardtailparty]

@@AllTerrainsMedia both bikes are great, but have different attitudes. It feels wrong talking about my signature bike in the comments of a review of another brand. You've highlighted some of the main differences in design. I do my bike comparisons over on patreon as part of my consultation service.

[@xenaandzenafromsanbernadin3807]

Hello Steve, what is the name of the battery pump you were using? I see a link for a Milwaukee Inflator but it doesn't look like the one you were using. Thanks!

[@hardtailparty]

I just added it to the description. Here you go: Pocket Air Compressor and discount code: bit.ly/429Fe7S

[@jeremyfranz9129]

@@hardtailparty Thanks Steve - which model do you recommend?

[@mikej1348]

Nice review Steve. That’s a great price point for the frame from a company like Neuhaus. Will you be reviewing a production Stanton Sedona in the future too?

[@hardtailparty]

Yes, but the only difference between the sedona and my prototype is the seat angle (it's steeper on the production model)

[@mikej1348]

@@hardtailpartyAre you bringing back the geometer?

[@hardtailparty]

@mikej1348 i dont know. Those videos take so much time to make and don't get enough views to justify them. Maybe I'll think about putting those on patreon. I have so many bikes in for review that the first look vids were slowing me down. I want to get as many reviews out as I can. If there's enough demand for the first look vids, I'll consider doing them again. The good news is that neuhaus has done it. While trek could do it for $200 cheaper at scale, id rather support the little guys doing great stuff. I've tried to collab with a few big brands for a great affordable hardtail, but they're not interested. They don't get how great their bikes could be.

[@mikej1348]

@@hardtailparty I get it and I will miss it. I like your thinking about a collaboration….but I understand the reality at the moment.

[@Spacechoppers]

Definitely have appreciated those ‘first look’ vids.

[@annders8264]

How does it compare to the Stanton Sedona? I know you cannot be unbiased here, but I still would like to hear your impressions

[@hardtailparty]

@@annders8264They have different attitudes and ride feels. I do my bike comparisons over on patreon.

[@reidarbrattebrekke1116]

Great review as always! What about a review on the new Schwalbe Albert radial tires? They are supposed to provide more grip and have a smooth ride feel to benefit hardtails. I have yet to see any review with these tires on a hardtail

[@hardtailparty]

Id love to review them, but at $100 a pop it's not feasible for me. If I'm lucky, i generate $50 on a KZbin video, so even if my time were free (which it isn't ) I'd still be paying money out of pocket to create that video. I think calling their tires "radial" is quite misleading.

[@reidarbrattebrekke1116]

Recognise that, I hope to see that they come with some lighter versions in radial design later on and will maybe give them a try then. They are supposed to be set up without inserts which is convenient.

[@brendenwestin8785]

​@@reidarbrattebrekke1116I think their increased contact patch leads to increased rolling resistance, which is why they're more gravity oriented. I bet the tech will trickle down in time.

[@brendenwestin8785]

​@@hardtailpartySteve, you may consider an account with BTI or other distributor for your business expenses. I think they typically offer accounts for stores and manufacturers, but you may be eligible as well.

[@Rucker99]

Loved your review. In fact, I want to purchase your hand held air compressor...but I am unable to find it from any of your links...please double check your links.

[@hardtailparty]

Thank you for catching that! Here's the link: CYC Pocket Air Compressor and discount code: bit.ly/429Fe7S

[@Rucker99]

@@hardtailparty That works...thanks!

[@qualm43]

the lack of gussets around the headtube would make me nervous....

[@NeuhausMetalworks]

We use custom butted tubes that essentially have the gusset formed into the tube.

[@lenyarbrough8445]

What tube set are you using for those builds?

[@hardtailparty]

@@lenyarbrough8445 that's proprietary information that no company will share. It's part of what makes their bikes really stand out. I know you're hoping to hear that they're using a popular name brand tubing like reynolds or Columbus, but the truth is, those are just brand names for tubes that are very very similar. Kind of like puffs vs kleenex. Reynolds is a company that called their tubes certain things based on their design. They have great marketing, and they make nice tubes, but there are other tubes equally as good that don't have the name brand on them like Reynolds. Neuhaus' tubes are equivalent to reynolds brand tubes, only you're not paying for the name brand to say "reynolds" on it. These guys are so nerdy that they tell the manufacturer the tubing profile they want (butt length, diameter, wall thickness), not the other way around. We have some educating to do about tubing profiles. I need to film a video on this topic.

[@yoondaman316]

@@lenyarbrough8445 I think that's the "secret sauce" that Steve often refers to special bikes.

[@hardtailparty]

It's definitely a big part of the secret sauce. Many people think all steel frames ride the same because they're steel. Knowing which tubing to choose is an art, and most companies get it wrong.

[@bubbastank3108]

What trail is this?

[@hardtailparty]

Most of these are in the wonderland trail system

[@lenyarbrough8445]

Blowing Springs area; Bella Vista/ Bentonville

[@MattFinch-f2w]

Cool ❤

[@drewchang7921]

gotta say....really miss all the vibrant colors of sedona.

[@crewmanderek3641]

Yo HTP!

[@TecraTube]

weight please

[@jarrilaurila]

160 lbs maybe?

[@TecraTube]

@jarrilaurila so when is your 12th birthday?

[@jarrilaurila]

@@TecraTube year before yours

[@Andyoffical_666dnDavis]

Does anyone make a trail hardtail with a gearbox?

[@Daniel_Yang_ARTEFACT]

Viral Bikes does!

[@MavenHQ]

Anyone knows anything about shipping to EU? Is this possible? I can’t seem to find any options besides US on their website.

[@hardtailparty]

I recommend contacting neuhaus, they know. They are great at responding to emails.

[@NeuhausMetalworks]

Shipping prices to EU are highly variable and we prefer to quote those individually, send us an email and we can get you taken care of.

[@Proviction]

back 40?

[@stevencole7331]

Yep i agree . We have gone to slack . A majority riders are not riding steep technichal trails and even with that a majority of trails with steep technichal downhills can be a small partof the ride . I think bikes were being based off of enduro and diwnhill races . Another factor for most we dont need these wide bars . I prefer my 720s and a bit swept back to put me in a more compact position instead of being stretched out . Nice bike . That bike will last a lifetime or longer

[@Daniel_Yang_ARTEFACT]

Totally agreed! A big benefit of a steeper headtube is that you can use narrower bars and the bike still handles great. Slack headtubes require a lot of leverage to steer the bike. We make sure to balance the steering input with the steering response.

[@lukas-a9234]

No reason this should be more than $699. You geeks are getting fleeced by these boutique companies

[@hardtailparty]

​@@lukas-a9234 If you know of a bike that rides like this for $699, let me know. It sounds like it would be a good idea for you to start a bike company and sell a similar product for $699. If you could, you'd sell a ton. The truth is, very few designers understand what Neuhaus does about tubing and bike construction. I think that knowledge is worth something special. If saving $550 is more important than finding a truly special frame that rides and flexes great, there are options out there for $699 made of steel for people to choose from. The fact that nobody else is making a bike that rides like this for $699 should tell us something about how much they should be charging. I think if neuhaus were ordering these in a barch of 1000 like trek for specialized, the price would come down quite a bit. But for a small company to lay down over $1M to hit those price targets is simply not realistic. I think you're painting with a pretty broad brush here, not realizing the cost of small batches from small companies. There's so much that goes into the cost of a frame that people don't realize. If they used straight gauge steel tubing, and all sizes used the same tubes (much like what other brands do), they could save a bunch of money. But they're not interested in building the cheapest steel frame just for the sake of being cheap. Specifying the tubing profile for each tube isnt cheap. Having a different tubeset for each size isnt cheap. Most manufacturers fight you hard for these things, because they want a bike that's cheap and easy to produce. Adding things like the seat tube water bottle mount that doesn't protrude into the seat tube adds cost and complexity. All of these little things that set this bike apart from the rest make the bike more expensive. The real question is... Why is no major brand taking hardtails seriously enough to design something like this on a mass scale? It's not like steel is a new material, or hardtails haven't been around for 30 years. It blows my mind how bad some mass produced hardtails are.

[@jurisx85]

To hit that low price you'd have to make concessions on the quality of the frame, and that's not what the company is about. Of course I would like to see things cheaper, but If that's my goal I could always get another not so great bike. And yes, some of the price tag should be put on the branding. Like getting a rolls Royce made in China, and saying it should cost the same as a Changan. It's absurd.

[@edwardsamarin]

Good luck finding a bike of this quality for that price. You are not taking into account everything that goes into the process of producing this bike. This is not a Giant or a Trek were they just pump out mediocre quality bikes with no regard for ride quality. Listen to what Steve is saying about how the bike is built and all the nuances between different sizes. You want premium, you pay premium.

[@manchesterexplorer8519]

​@@hardtailpartyAll good ,,probably the link.

[@Daniel_Yang_ARTEFACT]

Dang, send me the link! That’s almost the price we pay for them!

[@lindonandlisa8114]

USA made if I was a American I pay the extra American job for American do not be fooled

[@Julian-o8p]

um so buy the USA model then?

[@raulmedina6223]

Beauty, but For that price you can get a sweet mint used fully built top of the line carbon bike with a full suspension, I get it though it’s made for a small audience of people I can appreciate the work they put into them

[@hardtailparty]

Not really though. Let's take a yeti SB160, a top of the line frame. It costs$3800-4800 JUST FOR THE FRAME! This is $2500-3500 cheaper. Now, you can get carbon FS frames for $1250 new, but they're definitely not top of the line with the right geo and standards. Now, if you're talking a USED bike vs this, then we're not really comparing apples to apples. The truth is, this bike isn't for those who are looking to build the absolute cheapest bike they can; this bike is for people who realize that great design, including tubing profile, is worth paying for since it has such a huge effect on how a bike rides. We've become so obsessed with full suspension and carbon that many look for those two factors at the cheapest price they can, rather than finding a bike with the right geometry, suspension kinematics, and ride feel that matches their needs. But that's a lot harder to do than simply selecting a bike based off frame material. Many of us on this channel buy hardtails because we love them, not because we can't afford a full suspension. Hardtails are not inferior to FS, they're just different. For those who have never ridden a special hardtail, it's hard to imagine a hardtail riding great. For those who have, they understand the value of spending a bit more than bare minimum to get something truly special.