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Decided to take advantage of the bike boom and sold on my 27.5 stanton switchback in order to consoldiate into a 29 only household for ease of tyres and because it always felt a little on the small side and tyre clearance was too narrow. So I've got the list whittled down to the final choices, so I don't need any 'I think you should get what I ride even though it's not on your list'.
Cotic BFeMax, love the new sunny yellow but not available until Dec. Has longer reach than my hightower but have heard its a great climber despite the figures.
Orange p7 29 - Different colours cost an extra £100 and I don't want orange! Hits the mark with a 140mm fork.
Nukeproof Scout 290 - only a 130mm fork and the OH has it so don't fancy being a twin.
Commencal Meta HT AM - minimum 150mm forks seems overkill for a hardtail, has internal routing so no mud stuck under the cables. Comes into stock soon.
In reality they're all probably very similar and picking any will result in a nice bike. Although for now it will be local and winter rides in the West Mids, FoD etc. within the next 12 months we'll be moving to the tweed valley somewhere so it'll then have to handle mostly winter riding and easy trail centre stuff around there so looking for something a bit beefier than an XC machine.
Be interested to know which you'd pick and why and if you ride one of them what your experiences of it are.
I’d get a scandal very very underrated for the money. First 29’r I’ve had I really get on with.
Sorry not much help.
Have you considered the Pipedream Moxie?
I think I’d go Cotic but Solaris because it’s a bit lighter with nicer steel and it would be more than hardcore enough for me
You on the other hand should get the
Nukeproof Scout 290 – only a 130mm fork and the OH has it so don’t fancy being a twin
And you should both get matching kit too😀
Ooooof that hot pink is lovely! will compare the numbers with the other frames.
On one is a definite no no for me.
Cotic BFeMax.....Has longer reach than my hightower but have heard its a great climber despite the figures.
Long reach/slack head angle has nothing much to do with climbing, really. More about seat angle than anything else.
BFeMax does climb well.
Yeah sorry i wasn't suggesting that it was a good climber despite the reach, i was just saying I'd heard its a good climber, maybe should have split the sentence up.
Not sure where you are based but you are welcome to have a go on my large BFe max to see if you like it.
I'm based in Worcester but work in West Bromwich.
I have just retired an original 26" BFe for a Pace RC529, which is my first 29er. I got the rolling chassis and am impressed with its climbing and manoeuverability. It also has adjustable dropouts and I'm currently having fun experimenting with changing the wheelbase (if only by tiny amounts).
Sold my mk2 Scandal a few years back to go to something a little bit less industrial with shorter chainstays and more clearance. At the time, I was looking at the greeny Chamleon as Santa Cruz had finally sorted their reach issues, but framers were rarer than hen's teeth at the time. I ended up buying a Trek Stache frame from my local shop and my only regret is that I can't fit a longer dropper in it. I run it with 130mm Fox 34s and 2.4" tyres and it's an absolute hoot.
Suggestions:
* Mk3 Scandal
* Trek Stache
* Santa Chameleon
* Transition Vanquish
@renton thanks for the offer but at 5ft7 I bet the large will be too big for me, you're perfectly located for me to actually try it out though.
Do you ride the wyre forest much?
Oooh, ooh, one other: Kona honzo carbon. I'm the same height as you OP, and size M Stache / Chameleon feels about right, but YMMV. I'm not at all jealous that you're getting to shop for a new HT frame. I hope it's almost as much fun as the first couple of rides on whatever you choose...
Tweed valley, awesome 🙂
Kona honzo carbon - ooo I’m liking the colour, then reads it’s only 120mm travel and has a press fit BB, she can’t close the tab quick enough!
@golfchick : No problems at all.
I'm about to start riding up the wyre again now Ive managed to finish the bike build !
I'm pretty sure it'll be happy with 130. Stache is PF too. Hope or similar insert, maybe?
Also worth checking axle to crown. My Stache was originally supposed to run some quite long 120mm manitous, but it's very happy with the 130mm 34s which come out at the same a-c from memory.
I'd rather get a frame recommended for the 140mm + forks I want and have the specs I want than figure out legit bodges to fix what they've done! I tried a spec enduro twice before ruling it out based on the headset and BB that they wanted to force you into.
@renton how tall are you?
@golfchick I'm 6foot and a bit. Large doesn't feel as big as the figures say.
Why not have something built for you?
It doesn't have to cost a fortune either.
This should be with me soon.
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50094841902_c1ae975799_z.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50094841902_c1ae975799_z.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2jjHadJ ]Marino Custom Frame In 725[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/stu-b/ ]multispeedstu[/url], on Flickr
I was in pretty much the exact same situation as you in terms of what I was looking for, looked long and hard at all the options you listed and ended up with....
An 18 bikes No.9, took delivery of it last week and its utterly lush.
853 and Deda Zero tubing so lighter than most and sensibly priced for a UK made frame ticked every box, love it.
Got any pics Hatter ? They look great on the website .
I'd get the BfeMAX - just based on the fact that you'll be in the Tweed Valley.
But maybe don't take my word for it, I sold my SolarisMAX and replaced it with a short-travel FS because I'm too soft.
I do but I can't for the life of me work out how to post pics from Dropbox onto this forum, I'm on holiday now with only my phone.
Matt from 18 took some of the build and will be putting them up on the 18 insta at some point.