Colony Hell Stallion Review

Hey guys and welcome to my first review.

I just got home from my first ride on my brand spankin' new Colony Hell Stallion and I am psyched on it! I bought the 21.25 version in black this morning from ForTheRiders in Browns Plains. I' had been looking for a new frame for a while and it had come down to a couple of options. In the end it was a toss up between a Hell Stallion and an S&M LTF. I picked the Colony for 2 reasons. Number one being that I think the warranty is a bit more reliable and two obviously being the price.



Geometry wise I think the frame is great. Within 10 minutes at the skatepark I was already feeling comfortable if not more comfortable than my old Superstar. I was a bit worried at first about the steep headtube angle but I think it feels better. Hops feel a bit more snappy and it really helps with spinning off the ground. 3 hops feel easier and I learnt 5 cabs which I thought I'd never be able to do. I also tried a few nosewheelies as apparently a steeper head angle makes them easier but the verdict is they still scare the shit out of me.

The next thing I was worried about was the low standover height. Theres been a fair bit of talk on the internet about frames with lowslung top tubes but that debate can be left for another time. Personally I think it looks sweet. It felt a bit weird at first because on some tricks you're used to feeling your leg push against the frame but I guess this is a good thing.



One of my main motivations for getting a new frame, and this sounds pretty OCD, is for better working brakes. The 990 mounts on my Superstar had a ridiculous amount of flex and it made my brakes feel disgusting. I was a bit concerned about the removable mounts and cable guides but I was overjoyed when I squeezed my lever for the first time. Almost no flex at all. Maybe the thread that the mounts screw into reinforce it a bit more but all I know is that it feels amazing. I know not many people that buy Liam's frame are going to be running brakes so I'm really stoked they work so well. One thing I didn't like about my old Superstar was that I feel like the brakes were overlooked and just thrown on as an option so as not to alienate some of the market. I guess this is why the Hell Stallion comes with removable brake mounts but at least in this case the brakes aren't just an afterthought.

Overall I couldn't be happier with it, the paint feels high quality, unlike my Superstar which started peeling basically straight away, and the graphics are fresh as. Finally a frame I'm not going to peel the stickers off straight away. My only gripe is that I miss running a good old seatpost clamp, but I guess thats what kids want in a frame these days so I can't blame Colony for that.



Overall I'm going to give it a 9 out of 10. If it had of had the option of a seatpost clamps and maybe inbuilt chain tensioners it would have been an easy 10 but I can't go giving out a 10 on my first review can I? Oh I forgot to mention the weight. Who cares?

-Mitch

Liam Fahy-Hampton Q&A

First off the boring bits. Name, age, shoe size, sponsors, sexual orientation....
Liam Fahy Hampton, 23, 13, Colony, Backbone, Orchid, Animal, Profile, Martial, Triple Six, Stowaway, APP.



You seem to be getting a lot of coverage and hype over in the states. How do you feel about that?
Yeah good I guess. Everyone likes attention.

What’s is it like to be on the Colony team?
Awesome. Millar really knows how to hook up his riders and have a good time.

Do you have any signature products in the works with Colony?
Aside from the frame and forks (out soon) you’ll have to wait and see. ; )

Yourself and Mick Bayzand are now on the Profile team. How'd that come about?
I don’t know, I guess we kinda met up with Matt Coplan in Florida and we hit it off. Long walks on the beach, you know, and the rest is history. ;)



I saw your clips in the new FocalPoint dvd not long ago and they blew my mind. Any more video parts coming out in the near future?
Yeah plenty…when, I don’t know.


What's the last thing you did on your bike you were stoked on?
Threw it down some stairs (it seems to help the anger).

Do you have special magic tires that stick to rails?
Sure do. They’re called ASMs.

Where do you draw your inspiration from when you ride?
From the flux capacitor, Marty.



If you were to put a chain back on would you use a coaster or a cassette?
Not sure. Hasn’t crossed my mind yet, but probably a coaster.

What part do you break the most often?
Pedals, headsets, and myself.

Whats your favourite type of cheese?
I don’t mind a vintage ash blue, with a nice glass of shiraz… what, cunt?


As most people know you ride without a sprocket or chain. Do you feel like this helps or hinders your riding?
Yeah, well it definitely doesn’t help. I guess it just makes you hone the tricks you can already do.

How/when did you get into BMX?
The year 2000. Me and a few mates all got BMXs the same day. The rest is history.




What cd is in your stereo?
Right now, Little Birdie ‘Big Love’

What kind of hobbies to you have outside of bmx?
Hanging out at malls, gelling my hair, popping my collar, doing laps in my car, bashing cunts, drinkin’, watching footy at the pub, you know…

Whats your view on internet shit-talking?
What the fuck is the internet?

Ask yourself a question and answer it.

Q. Why you always hurt yourself?

A. Because I convince myself that I’m fine with an injury, ride on it, and crash. Then I’m back to square one. Resulting in time off, that turns into sketchy riding, which turns into injuries.




You've recently spent some time in America. What’s the riding scene like over there compared to over here?
Every kid is x games pro, and it’s scary.

Where do you see Liam Fahy-Hampton in the future?
He’ll probably start referring to himself in third person.

Famous last words?
First of all I’d like to thank CLINT MILLAR at Colony for all his help, now and into the future. And thanks to everyone else who makes my riding possible. And number one thanks to Rhysty at Backbone, without whom I wouldn’t be riding. Thank you and goodnight.

-Questions by Mitch, Photos Courtesy of Colony

DiversityBMX vs Abbs.

Click on any section of this interview to open up the larger images.

Alex Liiv Bike Check