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So I bought a frame, fork and wheels off a mate for a bargain price, and built it up into a trail bike. Unfortunately, despite trying to work with it, I'm having to face facts: it's too small, specifically the reach on it. There's nothing wrong with the bike otherwise, so I think the least costly way around this is to try and find a second hand frame that takes as many of my current parts as possible. That's where I'm hoping the forum can help. I've not bought a bike magazine for years and slightly overwhelmed by the amount of choice, even within the relatively limited second hand market.
Requirements would be:
- 26" frame, with a normal QR rear wheel set up
- Takes a 140mm fork with tapered steerer
- Comes in a size with a reach of roughly 450mm +/- 10 m, without being a garden gate
- I'm from a DH background, so whilst I know a 140mm-ish travel frame is unlikely to be a heavy beast, the more towards the grind up, hammer it down the better.
- 68 or 73mm BB (not sure anything other than DH bikes use bigger mind you)
That's about all I can think of, without getting extremely picky about buying a new seatpost! Any suggestions of frames that I might find on the second hand market would be much appreciated. Budget, well, the cheaper the better as this wasn't a planned purchase, but I'd say max about £5-600.
Bandit if you can find one.
Hi Jam bo, thanks for the suggestion. I think the concept of the Bandit is what I'm after, but if the specs are the same as this one:
http://www.pinkbike.com/news/Transition-Bandit-26-Tested-2012.html
then there's the 12mm rear axle which I don't have a wheel for, and also the sizing; I'd be looking at the X-Large for reach, but the stack is pretty high and the seat tube looks like a long one. I'm actually only 5'9-10 ish so not overly tall, I just like long top tubes, possibly from riding lengthier DH bikes.
Apologies, feel like a d*ck for shooting down a good suggestion, but it illustrates the trouble of a frame transplant. :-/
my bandit is a 135mm/QR back end. must be a 2011.
If you can go -14mm on the reach, the large Santa Cruz TRc I'm selling 😀
Interesting question. Not many 140mm frames old enough to have a qr rear will be that long - or even have reach figures quoted.
Is the bandit really that long in reach?
Maybe a big orange five, mondraker foxy or zesty?