[Closed] Contemplating a bike swap

What about a xc full suspension bike (Spark, Epic, Oiz etc.)? Very fast and great to pedal, but still comfortable on choppier stuff and more capable than you might think!

Really getting along with my Spark RC and it's a very fast bike! It's also still capable of technical descents and stuff 🙂

I currently have the Spark and a Pace RC529. If I had to do down to one bike for everything, I'd put a dropper back on the Spark and replace the fork with a Fox 34 SC.

Just think full suspension is a bit overkill considering the amount of proper off road riding I’m going to be doing. Thinking of simplifying as bike will be used for everything. Less fancy moving parts there are the less expensive it’s likely to be when something goes awry.

I've just bought a new fugio, the white one from 2018. Lovely to look at, I have changed the rear mech and cassette up to a 42. My genetic bars are turning up tomorrow, 480 wide, with new tape. New skinwall tubeless setup. Then I will wait 2 months until my thumb injury is better before I can ride it....... I will tell you what its like then!

If I was to only have one bike for commuting, family bimbling and occasional Mtbing it would be a Hardtail 29er, it certainly wouldn't have drop bars or no suspension, that would just put you off doing anything technical.

My mk2 Cotic Solaris is amazing! Fact.

I do like a Cotic. That’s what the current bike is and I’ve had others before. Never tried a Solaris though. Just not sure that there is much riding near me that wouldn’t be possible (and still fun) on a rigid. Sadly, actual mountain biking is likely to be a very small percentage of my riding for a while. If I had the money I’d love to get a Stanton Sherpa, but that’s not going to happen.

I used to worry about the added expense of bearings and a shock service but really, that would probably be about £200 a year if ridden a lot.

I'm not really familiar on the sort of stuff you like to ride though, but 100mm travel on a full suspension isn't overkill for anything in my experience.

If the stuff is smooth enough for a hardtail though, I see your point 🙂

Problem is, we're really spoiled for choice these days!

Krampus, Ecr, Karate monkey, Bridge club.

rigid steel bikes with a slightly bigger fast rolling tyres are brilliant.

and Surly bikes are just awesome.

In the traditional "recommend what you have" styleeee.

Krampus with 120mm shocks (huge fun when rigid but IMO absolutely brilliant with a bit of front sus) would be my choice. Very capable, fast and comfy for a long day in the saddle.

The only bike I've ever owed which I'd not consider selling.

Ive had a fugio for about 6 months now. Its a great ride, the wheels/tyres are very heavy, so expect an upgrade there.
In one winter, I have destroyed the headset, one chain, one BB, one saddle, and one set of pads. The paint finish is the softest ever and looks terrible with scratches and chips everywhere.
Having said that, its the most used bike in the shed. It never fails to put a smile on my face, has all day levels of comfort and geometry that is spot on for off road rowdiness.

I’m not really familiar on the sort of stuff you like to ride though, but 100mm travel on a full suspension isn’t overkill for anything in my experience.

Local off road is Macc Forest, Marple and Peaks. Used to ride it all on a 100m travel hardtail (more physically ruined now though 😀). Current bike has 140mm fork and 120mm rear. It’s only my second ever go with full suspension. I just don’t think I have the skill or ride the terrain to fully utilise it.

Something relatively simple seems appealing and I’ve not tried the whole rigid thing before 🧐 and it just seems (in my head at least) that it would be better considering the fact actual MTB riding will be a rarity. More just hopping on and blasting down the canal or exploring when time allows. 29er HT could be good too though. I think I have a serious bike swapping problem.

Fugio is not sounding appealing given the description above.

You relise with Johns suggestion of the Spark, you get 3 settings - locked out, 80mm heavy platform and Open (on the 120mm Spark).

He could be right in it being a flexible bike for all your needs.

I’d do 29er short travel forked hardtail I think. Unless you really want to go fully rigid mountain bike but you might get a shock off road unless you maybe go sort of plus tyres (say 2.6”) for a little bit of cushioning. Drop bars off road just aren’t a lot of fun in my opinion (others may disagree).

Why would I want only one bike? That would be ridiculous! 😀

Because you can only afford one 😕

Just not seeing full suspension as an option given anything resembling proper off road is going to make up a very small percentage of my riding. Any bike I theoretically get will also be completely funded by the sale of my current bike. Price is definitely going to play a big part and more squish generally equates to more initial outlay.

Thanks for the input so far though. Lots to mull over

The answer is more than one bike.

I used a fixed gear road bike for commuting, 2 road bikes, and 2 MTB's - one a 90's rigid, the other a 130mm FS.

I've given up road, so 1 road bike sits on the turbo, and I generally just ride the FS now.

Because you can only afford one 😕

Ah! In that case, it would be a toss up between my HT and Vagabond. Living where I do, in the middle of great trails in S Wales the HT would likely win.

The answer is more than one bike.

Given the context that’s a really shit answer 😂 if I could I’d have four bikes (MTB, Commuter, Bimblepoon and something retro/klunkerish). Alas I am Cash poor so that’s a non-starter.

So I guess I’m looking for something that hits at least a couple of those things. Jack of all ace of none!

I might be selling my 100mm Carbon HT soon.

Just saying....

26er HT with lockout forks. Cheap and versatile.

I've recently bought a 29er Anthem which is great, however having a go on my brothers Sonder 29er that he's built up for the French Divide, I'll be selling the Anthem and building up one of those - ace bikes.

I have a Stooge mk 2, which has been adopted by my wife, a Stooge MK3 and recently got a steel Speedball. Have ridden the Speedball around Macc and also Scotland (both last week) and it was great. Good for bumbling, blasting, technical trail riding and commuting.

Very easy to build with no weird tolerances to worry about. Using an Aeffect chainset gives good options for playing with chainline as it is non-boost.

Downsides - it is heavy and the rear clearance is tight with a Knard on a 50mm Halo rim, rebuilt onto a halo 35mm rim and is much better.

It was this or a Krampus - I've made the right choice and would buy another (in titanium if I could).

The Speedball does look lovely and seems like it could tick a couple of boxes for me. How much does it weigh? I’ve owned a Trans am 29er before, along with other portly rides, so I’m no stranger to hefty bikes. Never found that it translated badly in to how they ride though. Just made you feel like you could be more dangerous on them without risk of breakage.

I've had all sorts of bikes over 30 years or so riding off road, and although maybe looking through rose glasses admittedly, the most versatile bike so far is my current one - a carbon chameleon built up with plus tyres.

It seems to cope with everything well and feels really planted doing so.

Hard to say why it should but certainly doesn't feel harsh like my only other carbon hardtail from a few years back (456 carbon)

With 29" wheels I'm sure it would be a faster bike (and fit your brief perfectly) but for my aging bones I like a degree of comfort the plus tyres give. Have yet to split one riding through the peaks, Wales and trail centres, although mainly with the wheels on other frames before the Chameleon.

There's no getting away from the fact that it is rather spendy though, especially as a full bike.

If I had the money I’d love to get a Stanton Sherpa, but that’s not going to happen.

What size are you looking for?

Hi metalheart, medium.

Ah, if it was large I might’ve been able to help you out...

I may be in the position now (having a few years back mirrored yours) to describe my findings which may or may not be useful. I feel I got it right/got lucky in the end. Massive ramble ahead.

A Tale of One Bike that became Two Bikes
(Short version - buy two used bikes instead of one new one)

2016 - wanted something more up to date/50th b'day friendly. Cashwise it was the worst of times.

Sold my old 'one bike solution' (an rigid M-Trax tricked with full XT and handbuilt wheels, ti bars and v long, quick-fit bar-ends
Still cash poor? Check
Current riding? (at the time) Mostly bimbling, commuting via minor lanes and farm roads, with occasional MTB trails/farting about in woods, and a little bike-packing, also towpath-touring/bimbletour

Considered 'another one bike solution' to get all my bases covered and be cheap to maintain, simplify life etc etc so considered Spesh AWOL

What happened?

Saw a Genesis Vagabond one day outside a bike shop as walking by, had never heard of one. Curiosity.
Liked it. Offered a three-day demo (!!) - instant like. Couldn't let it go. Bought it on 0% over 24months.
It was so comfortable, deceptively quick and just 'right'. It was also a v good price as I bought the lightly-used shop demo.

Also demoed a Longitude for 20 mins. REALLY liked that too but the Vagabond ultimately won this self-set 'one bike challenge'.

FFWD 6 months

Unforeseen house/location move changed my riding requirements overnight.
Now more hills and trails. Really missing a hardtail MTB. Last decent hardtail I had was a Cannondale F400 with Fatty Ultras.
The Vagabond still being paid for I decided to add a cheap hardtail from ebay. Bought a Giant XTC 2.5 with (mint) Recons for £95. Running gear was knacked but planned to fix up. Ultimately decided couldn't get on with it, completely wrong geo for me. Too tight and perch-y, too XC.

Decided to go sell both Vagabond and XTC and buy a lightly-used Longitude plus extra wheelset for the new Hilly Edition 'one bike solution' - deciding that hardtail requirement could be replaced with a rigid 27.5+
Vagabond didn't sell. Kept Vagabond. Sulked a bit as missing an MTB/hardtail. Was also excited about the Longitude deal I had to let go. It was a good deal with dynohub and XT everything. Tears of gnashing. Poor Vagabond, felt unwanted. But it really wasn't, I just missed a decent MTB that I could winch up hills and fly down on, and couldn't see a way to afford both.

FFWD 2018. Just browsing here one day and found an old Orange P7 singlespeed in classifieds for peanuts. Sold the XTC for a profit and bought the P7. It's plain and simple with Tora 130mm U-Turn. It's a bit of a hooligan that also goes all day in great comfort. Again, I loved it first ride, if a little front-heavy with those forks.

Now life was very different. The 'one bike' idea was plainly silly. A rigid 29er plus a hardtail makes sense for me. A two-bike solution. (The thiefproof town/utility/pub bike is still in bits)

I (alternately) ride both the Vagabond and the P7 and enjoy them equally in diff ways. Would be ridiculously hard-pressed to have to choose just one. However, I just nearly sold the Vagabond again owing to recurring athletic pubalgia that suffers from seated climbing/road-riding. Now now glad I didn't sell it, as injury seems to be under control for the time being just by lowering the seat and always standing when climbing, basically as per the P7. A close shave. Glad I kept the Vagabond.

Afterthoughts and one-bike thought experiment:

If I really, really had to have just one bike it would probably be a (L) Longitude with two wheelsets, or similar. ie a rigid 650b+ with extra 29er touring set.

Sizing oddities: Vagabond is perfect at a medium for my 5'10" 31 inside, while having tried both M and L Longitudes I preferred the Large Longitude for touring potential. Shorter stem plus swept bars felt perfect on the one Large that I tried.

As it stands now - I have (IMO) two great, fun, mid-range easy-maintenance bikes that only cost me £850 total.

One for touring/bimbling/commuting/towpaths/fitness/panniers etc and another for playing about and tearing down the hills at speed. Why have one bike? Maintenance costs? Not really. In the last 12 months:

£35 new pedals for P7
£6.99 brake pads for Vagabond
£6 ceramic chain lube
£23 for 2x 35c touring tyres for Vagabond
£10 to engineer to remove seized retaining pin from Spyre caliper.

I treat the P7 like an errant servant and it seems to like it. The Vagabond OTOH gets polished a lot and needs to run silently as per mild OCD. As such it so far constantly gives that New Bike Feel. I clean it after every wet ride as it has to live indoors. Maintenance is minimal.

Can already envisage the gnashing of own teeth if-when it comes time to replace the P7 with a modern hardtail 😬

As for the Vagabond, I'll just replace worn out parts with same (or better) as time goes on, and continue to keep it running sweetly. It's a super-versatile and unfussy bike. If I was cash and space-rich I'd also a Longitude or similar to scratch that rigid MTB itch that MTB men of a certain age seem to retain from that Second Summer of Love. The Vagabond does do a more than decent job of that, to be fair, and so may even get some shifters and flat bars to try out. I do like the drops though. Very versatile workaday bike with zero frills. Always draws admiring comments too, oddly IMO as it looks wrong 😂.

At the other end of the scale,if money no object (ie the best of times)- ie musing on my ideal handful:

-Vagabond (insert long list of roles)
-Current P7 singlespeed except with upgraded forks, wheels and respray (hooligan hardtail SS)
-FS e-Bike (trail days and fun times with ageing friends)
-Longitude with hub-generator(solo bikepacking/getaways/snowtime/beachtime)
-Dutch utility/cargo bike (or Tern GSD)

Musing on ideal one bike*:

Still a Longitude, probably. Shame not Ti option.

*There really isn't such a thing unless you only ride road or only ride one type of MTB trail. As an exercise in minimalism or if limited storage then a rigid 29er with versatile dropouts and wheel options is arguably the one most useful/versatile type of frame/bike.

**Edit. Bloody hell. Longest post ever. #notsorry

Long, but great post and makes a lot of sense. Would love two bikes but space is an issue. Always used to have two then had kids. They don't half take up a lot of space considering how small they are 😀

A lot to mull over, but I still think the current bike might have to go and be replaced with a used 29er HT, Stooge (just fancy giving one a go) or gravel / vagabond type bike. Just don't think I really need a full sus bike. No idea what it's worth, so will have a look around and see what they are generally going for. Then see if I can make room for a second bike, start saving and keep my eyes out for a bargain second bike.

Thanks again everyone.

^ Nice! Funnily I thought/dreamt about a Stooge for a while, but ultimately thought that wheelbase looked a tad too short (this is also the only real nitpicky gripe I have with a Vagabond* but it's liveable)

Would still like to try one.

*That, and no retouch paint, eh Genesis/Madison? 😎

All the best with your choice/s, OP. Fun times.

You clearly need a rigid 29er, ideally with a 29+ front. I have both a Stooge and a Swift in that format (Stooge set up as a woodsy hooligan and Swift as a mile-eating bikepacker). Either could be perfect for you but the Stooge would edge it for me if I had to choose because it’s just so amazingly capable and fun.