You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
Influenced by having a set of excellent non-boost pikes, and recently acquiring a free set of 29er non-boost carbon wheels, I wanted to update my ageing (and too small, and buggered DBINline) Spider 29.
So far the only 2016/17+ frames that I can find that aren't boost are Evil Following V1's. Everything else non-boost has old-fashioned geometry.
Anything else worth keeping an eye out for?
Note - my wheelset doesn't have boost adapters.
Evil Following V1
Look no further.
Not as long as some modern geo frames but bloody lovely (imo).
Having recently built up a second hand Evil Following V1 frame I would highly recommend getting one. I came off a 26" 160 travel Transition Covert and the Evil is an absolute blast to ride.
I think you will struggle, im looking at something similar albeit a hardtail. New rear hub laced into the rims you have?
Note – my wheelset doesn’t have boost adapters.
Pretty sure there are 'universal' ones.
Having a non-boost fork doesn't mean you need a non-boost frame. And a non-boost rear wheel will fit in a boost frame with spacers. The only issue is, will your particular boost frame take a non-boost chainline or not. As to which, see if your chainset and ring fit, proceed accordingly. Unless your rear wheel has spliney discs, when it becomes problematical.
I think you will struggle, im looking at something similar albeit a hardtail. New rear hub laced into the rims you have?
Have you seen this?
http://www.pipedreamcycles.com/shop/29er-steel-hardtail/?v=79cba1185463
What's your budget? A custom Starling Murmur can be spec'd with boost or non-boost spacing.
I have 2017 Smuggler a great bike & non boost & geometry not bad can run 140mm up front making it a great handling bike. It’s such a good bike thought of changing it to Ripmo frame or Rallon but just kept it, it’s that good. Similar geo to Evil & 2017 frames were lighter than latest ones
If it was me I’d be looking out for a transition smuggler 2017/16 as there 142 rear and your pikes are adjustable (shaft change) depending on what there set to in the first place as the smuggler will take a 140mm fork from memory.
There a bit weighty but meant to be a great and solid 29er all rounder full sus and you should be able to pick one up and a resonable
price now some where in and around £700 age depending etc.
The previous generation Transitions were non-boost and had pretty decent geometry.
I'm just stripping a large 2017 Smuggler to sell the frame (fits medium or large riders), has an angleset and offset bushings to make the geo pretty much the same as the new one (or slacker).
I'd bought it for same reason as you actually, but now gone full-boost anyway.
Message me if interested (is the nice stealth black one).
EDIT - great minds think alike. It really is a terrific bike though.
Yup, I'd also be looking for an early Smuggler frame to hit than spec.
Unless your rear wheel has spliney discs, when it becomes problematical.
https://r2-bike.com/NOW8-Conversion-Kit-Boost-Adapter-Rear-Centerlock-12x148-Boost
The new Last Glen can be had with a 142 conversion kit. I've currently got a Banshee Prime which is great, but the geometry isn't as long/low/slack as some.
Unless your rear wheel has spliney discs, when it becomes problematical.
https://r2-bike.com/NOW8-Conversion-Kit-Boost-Adapter-Rear-Centerlock-12×148-Boost
Indeed, but it is centred, not offset, so if you need a boost chainline because of your frame fatness, your gears will be all to cock.
What about an Orange Segement? Only 120mm up front though
Saracen Traverse?
More 'xc with aggro geometry' than pure trail but its 29" and non Boost.
Older Smuggler as mentioned above, pretty decent geo and a fun bike. You could look for the older Flaremax & Rocketmax frames, though the rear is boost they easily fit a non boost chainring & cranks so it's just a case of converting rear to boost. Plenty of cheap kits available so you can run wheel as it is rather than redishing it.
I used to run a Rocketmax with a kit out back to boost rear wheel and run a non boost fork up front.
What wheels have you got?
XA pro carbons.
I'm set on plastic though, no Alu frames.
I'll look at smugglers. I don't mind an aid shaft change for the pike as I'll just buy the debonair shaft as a bonus.
Bugger, seems all the carbon smugglers are boost.
Carbon only and non-boost REALLY narrows it down.
I'm drawing a blank TBH.
Pole Evolink bikes can be used with 142 axles. The Swarf suspension frame can be specified for 142 as well.
edit: missed the carbon only
Yeah - perhaps it's an unnecessary idiosyncracy, but I have a thing about bike weight. The Following is about 6.3lbs and is a heavy carbon bike; an alu smuggler is a whole pound more, a large evolink 8lbs+.
Hi
I have a Following and it’s a fantastic bike but I also have a Santa Cruz Tallboy LTc with a Fox 36 fork set at 150mm and the same wheels as you.
Not exactly up to the minute geometry but makes a fantastic trail bike and nice light build.
Cheers
Steve
Why you would limit what frame you can choose from for the sake of some boost spacers, re-dishing a wheel slightly and possibly a chain ring that would need to be replaced at some point anyway?
what K said.
I was thinking about this last night, and I guess if you believe the boost stuff, it is the hub spacing that allows them to make 'modern' trail/AM frames. Without boost it's all a bit 2016. 🙂 Therefore i am drawing a blank as well.
I have a 2018 smuggler BTW: God I love that bike. I would boosterise the wheels you have.
As I understand it, the driver for boost frames was the wider chainline enabled by having the cassette 3 mm further out allowing wider big diameter tyres* whilst keeping clearances and avoiding fancy frame designs with high/ thin/ strangely designed chainstays. With a side-order of greater rear wheel strength, but that wasn't the focus. Not all frames, particularly hardtails, with boost rear spacing, take full advantage of this. So, depending on what width tyre you want to fit, you may be able to run a non-boost chainline. I can't see why, if you are looking for a non-boost frame, you wouldn't include this type of boost frame in your considerations. If you space your wheels so they need re-dishing, you get much of the wheel strength advantages of boost amnyway.
Prob is working out what any given frame can take. My hardtail (Genesis Tarn) runs 1x with a non-boost chainline fine with a 30t oval ring, my fs bike (Trek Slash) doesn't.
*ETA I think with genuine semi-skimmed 3.0" tyres the clearance to the chain (leaving aside chainstay issues) was considered too small by the bike companies, although in practice it would probably be fine - Either One-Up or Wolftooth said this in their explanations of boost., CBA to find the link now. So that was the key driver.
There is no way to easily boost a non-boost mavic hub. I mean I could buy a new set of wheels - but then I'd need a new pike as well. Or I could spend £300 on a new rear hub and lacing. Either way I'd still need £150 on crank/chainline adjustment.
It makes a "can i spare £800" into a "can i spare £1500 at the very cheapest" question - and for that I wouldn't even get carbon wheels. I'm also not convinced that I need more than a 2.5" front / 2.4" rear tyre. Every bike check I see on the EWS has people on 2.4's and 2.5's. Rarely on 2.6+'s? Maybe I should be?
Anyway I bought a warranty new evil following v1 in black.
Zoom zoom!