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So, turning 50 next year, trying to rustle up the funds to treat myself to something new ...
I've a HT which has done all my MTB duties for years, a FS being built from bits I've gathered over the past few months (which will pick up most of my MTB duties going forwards), and a Saracen Hack which does my road/commuting/light trail use ... Which I love thrashing about (it recently served admirably on the 3PCX), but is getting rather long in the tooth (like me!) and I feel it would be kinder to retire it to proper commuting/road use ...
So, I've decided I want a gravel/monster cross bike with clearance for big rubber ... 700c X 40-48c and 650b X 2".
Current contenders are On One Space Chicken, Nukeproof Digger, Sonder Camino (either Al or Ti, depending what I can get the budget to), and though I'm not a fan of the big brands, the Giant TCX seems to tick the 'shed-loads if clearance' box too.
What am I missing? Have ruled out the Open UP due to price. Guess I'm looking at around the £1500 ish range (but hoping to get a deal or find something lightly used)
Go ...
Salsa Cutthroat, 2018 model being officially imported: http://salsacycles.com/bikes/cutthroat/2018_cutthroat_force_1
Ti Salsa Fargo ? (COI: I've got a Large frameset for sale)
£1500 frame and fork or complete build?
The cutthroat is a thing of beauty but I think they are £2k for the frameset.
A steel Fargo would be an obvious choice. It is designed as a drop bar 29er. I understand the new models can go plus too. I very much like mine although I wouldn't bother going 650b as there is no need too as the clearance is there for a 2 inch tyre.
The ones you have listed are more gravel in the en vogue sense where they look closer to a cross bike than a mountain bike.
Hope this helps?
Cheers
Sanny
I don't know much about drop bar bikes, gravel or monster cross, but that fargo is a sweet looking bike and can take 29+ (they used to do a 29+ deadwood drop bar for a couple years but the new fargo made that version redundant and the deadwood is now a 29+ full sus bike).
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I converted my Yeti Big Top and its been my most used bike this year.
Hylex hydro brakes with Gevenalle micro shifters
Salsa Cowchipper bars are great
Tyres can be racy xc for a bit of grip or recently put on Schwalbe Big Ones for max speed
an option if you want bigger tyres:
there's a gap in the big slick market around 2, 2.1in, and another lot around 2.35. It's nice to have options!
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Titanium loveliness from Reilly. Slightly above price range, but I was pleasantly surprised how 'cheap' complete bikes were. Fwiw I'd have the U.P. If I could afford it.
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When I can donate parts to it, I'm going to build up my 29er Inbred into a Hybred - rigid, 1x, 2" rubber, flat bars and bar ends. I think I'll be doing everything on it.
Mon the Rondo! 'dropping'in a week ish..
http://pedalsbikecare.co.uk/shop/rondo-ruut-al/
http://pedalsbikecare.co.uk/shop/rondo-ruut-cf2/
Alu £1599
Steel £1999
Carbon £2599
I am waiting on a carbon CF2 😀
The Fargo is really nice as well if you want a bit more monster than cross, I have done a few really nice builds on them this year, some have travelled a very long way since!
Genesis Vagabond or Fugio?
Whyte glencoe 650bx50 iirc
Genesis Vagabond if steel is an option
Pinnacle Arkose if 700x45 is enough for you
@pigyn ... Are the prices for the Ruut full builds or framesets only?
That, and the NS Rag+ looks like the kind of thing.
Some of the other suggestions look a bit too burly and big-tyred ... Steel frames and 29x2.0"+ is probably a bit more bike than I want, guess I want it to cover most bases from 3PCX (so needs to be bike-shouldering friendly) through Dirty Reiver, Turin-Nice rally as well as just generally hooning about on local trails.
Carbon would be nice, but prepared to accept Alu. Wouldn't rule out steel,but if I'm doing that, I may as well convert my OnOne 45650B to a rigid-forked drop-bar Gravel-MTB lovechild and save myself some cash!
There's a £1500 Space Chicken Build up currently, Apex and Force mix. And a couple of Ti builds just landed for testing.
Saw one of these in Leisure Lakes at the weekend - looks better in the flesh than on the web images - really liked the look of it:
https://www.whyte.bike/glencoe
Hardtailonly - the Rondo are priced for full bikes, and are a little cheaper than they should be as a pre order special.
The Alu Ruut is the same frame as the RAG+, same owners. I have been riding the RAG for a few months but sold it on to fund the carbon cf2. Didn't find the ride harsh at all, including some 100k+ very mixed terrain rides.
Their website is nearly ready, or at least there is a catalog link with nice pictures at www.rondo.cc
Yes @sq225917 ... Saw that Space Chicken deal, just don't have the money to hand at the moment. This'll be a bit of a long term project, partly convincing the missus, saving up and scouting the new deals or good used options once I have the cash to go ... Just trying to pull together a short (long) - list!
I'm pretty sure I'm going for a Bombtrack Hook EXT-Carbon, cheaper steel model available (UK stock in November for both). Had a cheeky testride on a pre-production bike, I felt at home straight away and it gobbled up the cobbles I took it over with ease whilst not feeling sluggish on tarmac. I've been doing lots of gravelly and bridleway stuff on my GT Grade carbon, it's been brilliant for a bike with 30mm tyres but this should be able to handle most of what my hardtail does whilst being quicker on most rides I would take either on. I'm attracted by the practicality and hooligan factor, you can fit a rack guards and slicks or wack on some 2.1 knobblies and rag the crap out of it 😀
I like the look of the Genesis Fugio too.
https://lifecyclemag.de/bombtrackextc2018
Like the look of the Bombtrack ... 
I'll give you some feeback once I've got some miles on mine 😀 ( pretty much a done deal)
My GT kind of killed my Trek Superfly hardtail this year for local riding, I think the Bombtrack will put the final nail in the coffin. I love my Superfly but my Fuel Ex is better for "proper" mountain biking and I find a dropbar bike more fun, practical and faster for bridleways and gravel.
Hmm, hadn't seen that carbon bombtrack before.
Space Chicken only has 38mm clearance for 700c...
Others that seem to fit you criteria include Orro Terra, Orbea Terra, Lauf True Grit, new Norco Search XR, Forme Monsal and Jamis Renegade, oh and the Specialized Diverge with the bouncy steerer
Really digging my new Kona Rove ST.
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Only change I've made is fit Sawtooth 42's, which is about the limit for 700c. The 650b version comes on 47's.
The Sutra Ltd is Kona's true monster cross.
Soma Wolverine?
I bloody love monster cross I do. I bought a Sutra LTD which was great but I wanted more monster, so I Shanded myself.
Nice fat 2.3-inch tyres and drop bars in just the right place - fun, fast and comfy, for as long and far as my legs can carry me. Awesome.
Expensive, yes. But we have credit cards, no?
Slight thread hijack but might help the OP...
Anyone had long term use of 650x50ish vs 700x40ish on the same bike?.
The Bombtrack im after comes with 650x2.1 but I'm considering a 2nd set of wheels with narrower faster tyres, 700x40ish.
I assume when Rondo list
•27.2×2.2
they mean 27.5, or have they just invented another wheel size...
I was ready to part with too much cash once C2W rolls around, then I thought about it.
I've got a 2014 Focus Mares AX2 cross bike which I'd put Conti Grand Sport 28s on and loved it, even though it was a touch harsh on a long ride (40miles plus).
So I changed the tyres to Schwalbe G-ones 40mm , fitted Salsa Woodchipper bars and swapped out the cassette to an XT 32/11.
The bike has been transformed!
Tyres at 60psi are so comfortable yet they roll really well and grip like buggery off road too.
The Woodchippers are absolutely amazing in the way they give you control and your wrists are in a natural position when on the drops.
60 miler today including ragging about in Whinlatter (blue trail and various fire roads). The dreaded Strava doesn't lie, my times are no slower, in fact I'm getting more PRs since the change.
I've saved a ton of cash. Though I might upgrade the wheels (Hope 20fives?)
Happy bunny.
Vagabond? Just the right side of 'sprightly' and 'burly'. Buy last years and have a ton of cash left for backpacking gear/upgrades 😉
(With Nano 2.1s)
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I have been riding the RAG for a few months but sold it on to fund the carbon cf2. Didn't find the ride harsh at all, including some 100k+ very mixed terrain rides.
And I concur that it’s a great bike. I’ve changed the bars to cowchippers and that’s it. It’s fast on and off road and very, very capable. Ridden it around my local MTB route of Macc Forest and just love riding it on any terrain. Doesn’t hurt that it looks great too. I’m going to try it with a set of 650b wheels when funds allow.
That Open Up!
The vagabond is a fantastic bit of kit.
Pigyn
How much for the ronda carbon frame n forks ?
jonathantraverse@hotmail.co.uk
Not sure the Diverge is butch enough but I really like mine (after 1 ride).
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The original Diverge maxed out at 35mm, the new version goes up to 42mm tyres. It’ll also accept 650bx47mm tyres.
So ... On One have just reduced the price of the Pickenflick to £1200.
Seen some earlier threads suggesting that 700x45 c and 650b x 2in tyres will fit ... anyone corroborate that?
And what have people's experiences been of the Pickenflick in terms of a bike to ride, own, and frame longevity?