[Closed] long travel 29ers?

The Turner Sultan is 125mm travel. I've seen longer forks on them.

Lenz do a couple of bikes.

Intense do the Carbine and the Spider.

Transition covert 29, 140 front and rear, though I've gone 150 up front. Could easily take 160.

Mates got a Norco Shinobi, 140 front, 120 rear. I don't think they continued it into 2014, but an awesome bike too.

Both great climbers as superb descenders.

SJ Evo C. Better in every way than a TB LTC.

Also Remedy, E29.

Specialized Enduro 29?

The [url= http://salsacycles.com/culture/2015_horsethief_goes_carbon ]carbon Salsa Horsethief[/url] is due out sometime too..

Rip 9 RDO?

Alu Horsethief is 130/120

On-one Codeine

loads more

Yeti SB95. I have one, I like it.

In the spirit of suggesting what you own, Commençal meta am 29? Definitely on the solid side of well built but I'll never break it and nice and stiff to ride

Bmc trailfox 29er had a decent write up in mbr, 150 at both ends, had a look at one at lunch, looks good in an understated way.

In the spirit of recommending the bike you're selling, may I add my tuppence to the Turner Sultan?

[url= http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/the-sultan-of-swing-and-the-pink-lady-here-for-your-purchasing-pleasure ]Here's[/url] a link to my ad just in case!

Orange Alpine Five.

Was Five29.

140mm rear, 150mm front.

Absolutely stonking fun.

Banshee prime. Don't dismiss the short travel, more hardcore 29ers like the banshee phantom or kona process 111 either. Unless you are doing 6ft drops the longer travel bikes don't stack up in my opinion, certainly for 99% of UK riding.

Five 29er is really impressive, best Orange I've ever ridden. But for me it'd be a Remedy.

(I'd want to try an Enduro and a Covert, mind)

+1 for a banshee prime

Just dismantled my solaris and built a Turner Sultan, its lovely.

Turner sultan with revs at 140mm here. Also had a Solaris run as a 1x9 trail bike until a few months ago running revs at 120mm. Currently waiting for my quarter horse to be built and shipped.

The sultan is fine with 140mm revs, but there's no getting away from its weight if you build it with a spec to suit the travel. I built the sultan to be my go anywhere, do anything bike, so it has a slight bias to the big mountain chunk end of things ( dropper post, Hans dampf's, 35mm rims, big bars, brakes, etc...), although it's still perfectly rideable all day as a trail bike, I won't be winning any races on it any time soon.

I ride with candodavid on this forum, who has a SC Tallboy Ltc. He's built it a great deal lighter than my sultan (5lbs!), but it is a dream build by anyone's standards, whereas mine is sort of XT spec trail workhorse build. I know from riding it that the tallboy is stiffer, although the flex in the sultan isn't huge, and it seems to give some extra grip, unlike some bikes where flex seems to create more handling issues, the Sultan seems to sort of flex around and hold the ground. It's difficult to describe, as you can probably tell.

If I had budget, I'd probably get the tallboy, but I got my sultan new for 995 in the last crc turner sale, which was a no brainer.

I had a chance to use a Specialized carbon SJ 29er Evo for trip and loved it. It was my first taste of 29" wheels and I'm converted. Climbed very well and the downs were so much fun. I think I described it as "cheating" after doing Porcupine Rim on it. (Normally guide on a 120 - 150 mm travel 26" wheeled bike of some description).
The other one I tried was a Trek Rumblefish. Again, a very fun and fast bike to ride but the Specialized had it for me.

Five 29er is really impressive, best Orange I've ever ridden. But for me it'd be a Remedy.

I'm the other way around 😉 The Remedy felt like an XC bike, whereas the Five29 just feels like a monster truck - it's still massively connected to the trail, but eats up everything you throw at it.

It is the XC bike which is going to win the enduro world series 😉

I am kind of leaning towards the spesh s-works enduro, it has the angles I want.

Gosh this is going to get expensive.

Nicolai ION 15

[URL= http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v492/pablo16v/IMG_00000286_zpseda562a6.jp g" target="_blank">http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v492/pablo16v/IMG_00000286_zpseda562a6.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]

Banshee prime.

+1 for Spec SJ EVO, have one it rocks

I'm 3 rides into an Enduro Comp 29 and loving it. I also rode a Five 29 and thought that was really good but went with the Enduro as I managed to get several hundred quid off it as it is a 2014 model.

It climbs well enough, but isn't exactly a whippet but on the way back down it's flippin' awesome. Pretty much no discernible difference with any other burly-ish 26 wheel bike i.e. you can manual it and its as happy in the air as it is thundering across the ground.

I imagine the carbon frame version would be epic with its lighter weight, but the comp frame is hard as nails. I've stuck a reverb on mine, and will probably look in the future at putting some carbon wheels on it, some carbon bars and maybe go 1 x 10 when the drivetrain has worn out.

If you "get" 29ers they are great. I didn't after my first ride, but having tried a Tallboy, Yeti SB95 and Five 29 I realised a 29er was definitely going to be my next bike.

Pivot 429C.

Amazing climber and great descender.

... long travel 29ers?? yep, loads of fun!! 😀 😀

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not to forget the Niner WFO, 150mm rear, 160mm Pike front, very sweet

Rocky Mountain Instinct
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Lots of places doing £500 off a Spesh's Stumpy or Enduro carbon comp 29 right now.

In the spirit of recommending what you own I suggest the Nicolai Helius AC 29er, though the Ion does look nice 🙂

Thread hijack, anyone running 160mm forks on the AC 29er? Looking at a set of pikes to replace my 140 revs...

It is the XC bike which is going to win the enduro world series

You know it's nothing to do with Jared's ridings skill 😉

Any news on the Cotic Rocket 29 moving into production? Given the news over on the 2015 Transition thread it might be a possible bike to tempt me off my Covert.

rickon - Member

You know it's nothing to do with Jared's ridings skill

It's probably not, no, unless he's going to change team. And gender 😉

I loved the Banshee Prime I rode - it was heavy mind

wobbliscott - Member

Any news on the Cotic Rocket 29 moving into production? Given the news over on the 2015 Transition thread it might be a possible bike to tempt me off my Covert.

+1 for the On One Codeine. Just does everything 😀
[img][URL= http://i482.photobucket.com/albums/rr188/GamerRiley/de11697b-bbc8-4bc1-88c9-af140d2105fe.jp g" target="_blank">http://i482.photobucket.com/albums/rr188/GamerRiley/de11697b-bbc8-4bc1-88c9-af140d2105fe.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL][/img]

If you're not a giant and you want a bike that does everything then, after test riding tall boy, and the enduro, you'll end up like me on the bike you didnt think you'll choose a 29 stumpy but 150/120 Pikes on the front. It weighs in at 26lbs in this form and i ride swinley/ Surrey hills plus 4 excursions a year to the Pyrenees and so far i cant faze the stumpy and it hasnt fazed me either.

Pics of build:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/60180530@N03/14837447316/

[img][url= https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5553/14837447316_e20ce15f5a_z.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5553/14837447316_e20ce15f5a_z.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/oB8Nab ]Specialized StumpJumper SN WSBC6040924941_11[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/60180530@N03/ ]bob bob 23[/url], on Flickr[/img]

All I know is I have an original Kona Satori and I love it. I got it when most of the others were still running less rear travel and the Prime was but a prototype. Perfect for the all mountain types trails up here in BC.

Another sb95 owner, awesome machine.
Saying that, I've ridden a couple of mates stumpy evos, also amazing bikes.

Could it be that no bike is the wrong bike? Seems to me that there has been a real convergence on bike design over the past few years and you're probably just as well choosing on the basis of subjective things like brand preference, aesthetics, geometry, budget etc. Is there such thing as a properly crap bike these days?

I bet most of them are even manufactured in the same factories by the same people.

wobbliscott - Member
Could it be that no bike is the wrong bike? Seems to me that there has been a real convergence on bike design over the past few years and you're probably just as well choosing on the basis of subjective things like brand preference, aesthetics, geometry, budget etc. Is there such thing as a properly crap bike these days?

I bet most of them are even manufactured in the same factories by the same people.

I reckon you're not far off with this post...

....but careful now, you'll upset the [i]'my bike was built by bearded artisans in a hut in British Columbia, there is no other like it, it just rides in a way you couldnt possibly understand'[/i] brigade with statements like that!

There the Ibis Ripley 140mm, I haven't ridden one, but the want is strong 🙂

Trigger 1 with a Lefty...

Lots of great 29ers around now, but my Tallboy Ltc with 150mm Pike and CCDBair is still so much fun that I haven't been tempted by anything else, which after a year or more is unheard of for me!

Bottom line is are you riding somewhere where you need long travel? I see kids here with 6" riding trails that you you can ride easily with 4. And their suspension o rings aren't even half way down type the piston.of course maybe they are running too high a pressures.

As I currently reside in the USA, I'll be interested to see whether any companies come out with a new Horst rear suspension for next year (now that the Specialized patent is expiring).

Transition are TooTall - at least on their 650b bikes. Wouldn't surprise me they all change over.

If you only ever ride a certain type of trail then you can tailor your bike and travel to suit. But if, like me, you want one bike to do everything, then you need a bike that is capable of a variety of trails and terrain. There is no real downside to long travel, within sensible reason. My Covert climbs very well, is more than capable if an all day XC ride, any trail centre and can cope when I take it to the downhill areas and attempt jumps and drops and the more bumpy stuff. It's just good all round fun. And even if I'm riding a tame trail it'll have me looking for little kickers and features I can have a bit of fun with as I go along.

plus 1 for the Orange Five 29er. It's a beast!

Have ridden the 650b version and also my mates Tallboy LT and the Orange Five is far more preferable for me personally.
Climbs well and as soon as you point it downhill it feels unstoppable - can't recommend enough.

Here's a pic of my Apple Green finished pride and joy and joy alongside my mates Black/Gold version...[img] https://flic.kr/p/oBCob1 [/img]

If image doesn't work can be found at https://flic.kr/p/oBCob1

Here you go jedshred:
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That's bizarre, I've seen four other Five29s in the wild - three belong to friends.

Yours is at Spookywood, which is my local haunt 😉

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Black stickers FTW.

@twistedpencil to answer your question, 160mm Pikes is pushing it on the AC 29 in my opinion. It lifts the BB a bit too high and changes the climbing position that bit more with a slacker ST and taller front, also shortening the ETT a touch more, 150mm feels good.
I have a friend running 160's and he wishes it was a touch lower in the BB. It's not loads but noticeable.

Coincidentally, I have a set of 150mm Pikes for sale from my Ion15. They can be changed to 160mm just by replacing the air spring, but I would suggest staying 150mm. It also keeps a good climbing position. Got a set of Enve wheels too:-)

I speak from experience as the production AC was based on my custom AC and I provided input to the production model, I then worked with Nicolai on the Ion15.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/60180530@N03/14837447316/

[img]Specialized StumpJumper SN WSBC6040924941_11 by bob bob 23, on Flickr[/img]

Rocketship but get saving for the Monarch and the Fattie SL wheels for perfection.

Thanks Clink!

nice rickon! There are a fair few kicking about locally then... the other one in my pic also a mates and the real reason I ended up buying the Orange Five having ripped it down a few of our local haunts (GT, Inners etc etc)!

Not such a rare breed north of the border lol

@ twisted pencil. I'm currently running a 160 Pike on my AC 29er, and prior to that i had the 150mm version. The longer fork is great if you ride a lot of big hills with long techy descents, which i do, but if you do a fair bit of mixed riding then i'd agree with chainline as the 150 fork is probably the better option for the reasons he mentions.

@twistedpenci @yetiman I would agree if you value the extra up front and you have a tendency to dh rather than all round. You can of course also add a slackset and reset the front or run a touch more sage to offset the height and a touch more compression to offset the sag...but thats all about playing.
IF you run a Pike you can always change between the two relatively inexpensivly if you don't like it. Not everyone loves low BB's as you inevitably have to manage pedal strike depending on the terrain you ride, thee is a balance. The 29 suffers less than most however due to the Helius linkage characteristics (it ramps up quickly at the end of stroke.