[Closed] New HT bike advice - up to £1500

I recently got an Orbea laufey and really enjoying it. 140mm so may be a little much and you'll have to wait as I don't think there's much stock in UK so it has to come direct from Spain. Can't really say where it sits on the hardtail frame spectrum as I've not owned one in years, but the frame is lovely, the own brand bits are all fine and it's great fun to ride.

thanks for the response - had a look at Orbea Laufey and it looks quite nice as well - thats the problem, there seems to be so many so similar bikes...

Any thoughts on Radon Cragger anyone? Or on Canyon if its not too XC for trails?

On One Scandal, plenty of info on them on this forum.

Saracen Zenith elite can be had for about that. Looks decent.

In the spirit of recommending what you've got...

On-One Big Dog, steel version of the Scandal (ish). I'll be taking mine on long distance trips as soon as we're allowed.

I've taken it on all day blasts through the North Downs, it handles ups and downs equally well.

How about a Zero 29?

Zero29

Ive read the Zero29 is a bit harsh over longer distances. Maybe too radical for op requirements too.

I've had a Laufey since October and it is a great hardtail. I bought the base spec model as a winter bike to save my Rallon from the winter grind, and I've barely touched the Rallon since.

Really fun pointed down hill and decent enough on the climbs. The base spec (£1100) is a bit on the heavy side and the mid spec (£1400) may only be a touch lighter but the geometry is well sorted. The own-brand components have been flawless including the dropper seat post but upgrades at point of sale or afterwards here would almost certainly save weight if needed. It has Anything Cage mounts on the downtube which would probably be handy for bikepacking.

you might want to try out a few newer bikes (might not be easy in lockdown) if moving from 26" trad geo - I've gone from that to a modern XC and they are far more capable than you would expect

I also used to do red trail centre on my old 26" bikes, unless you're really hitting the blacks hard are you going to be overbiked most of the time?

Voodoo Bizango carbon (halfords) has more modern angles so might be a compromise?

I'm watching with interest as I'm hankering for something similar (but don't tell the wife)

The £1800 Laufy looks nice especially in the gulf blue. Bit over the OP's budget though.

Although it's only a couple of hundred less than a Santa Cruz Chameleon. Wonder if you could build a Chameleon for £1500?

Frame £669 in sparkly poo brown (actually quite like this colour).

Deore groupset inc. brakes £365 (from wiggle).

Fox 34 rhythm for £300 (from wiggle), or fit a budget fork or go second hand.

£200 for wheels and bars, saddle etc.
(Could get basic stuff for this but would probably get decent second hand for a bit more minus a dropper post).

Now this has got me thinking 🤔

sparkly poo brown

You're really selling it! 😉😁

I think On-one had a bike in that colour before, from memory it was called the 'Barry White' or something like that.

I was in the same boat recently. My 2004 Rock Lobster Tig Team Sl was a lovely bike but I didnt have the skillset to control the skinny tires and race orientated geometry - Having kids meant my biking was more trail focussed, not a pull out map from MBR and all day to try and get from a to b without getting lost.

The Rock Lobster was not a trail bike, I would quite often Fred Flintstone it on tricky trail sections. I wasn't getting better. It wasn't fun.

I had a budget of 1500 and no idea of modern biking.

I looked at the On One Big Dog but found On One uncontactable. The carbon Sonder Transmitter - sold out - but the ah-loo-min-um version looks great - guy kesteven has a nice review on youtube.
The NS eccentric looked good, but over the 1500 but might be available in closeout sales soon. The Trek Roscoe was promising but a bit bland. The Stanton Slackline gets a great write up but slightly over budget. I liked the pipedream sirus (frame on sale for 350) but full build is 1600 PLUS frame AND fork - very odd.

Merlin has a tempting Kinesis maxlight but DONT buy this, it is designed for 100mm fork but Merlin has a 130mm on it - I asked Kinesis because it looked iffy and good job too - they said that invalidates the frame warranty.

A 2019 Genesis Tarn was in my basket at one point. 2200 new but on sale for 1600 - biketart. Another bike with great write ups.

The Ragley Piglet is worth looking at. I would have gone for a Jamis Dragonslayer but Evans dont appear to like stocking Jamis despite having exclusive rights to them.

I finally got lucky with a Cannondale Beast of the East 1 with 27.5x3 - The smile factor is insane. That bike is making up for my lack skill. It climbs like a goat, is chuffing smooth and the lefty fork is amazing. I am a plus size convert! Xc heroes ride 29ers but I wanted fun trail factor. My research suggested that was best with a plus 27.5 bike. Definitely not wrong!

Best of luck with the search.

I like 27.5+ tyres on a bike (that beast of east looks nice) but it does (imo) make for a lazier ride, you don't get the snap out of corners as you do with 29ers (or even more so on 27.5 and 26 etc). They can be a bit of a handful on mud and wet roots, which I like at times as it can be fun but could become tiresome on a longer ride as fatigue sets in and reaction times are reduced.

I'd be more inclined to go for a modern geometry xc type 29er that is a real all-rounder. One bike that has really caught my eye (and traditionally I'm no Specialized fanboy) is the 29er Rockhopper, it's a real beauty and is even better looking than the more expensive epic which is in itself is a good looking bike. Shame you can't actually buy one as they seem to have sold out.

I’d look at nukeproof scout or what Ragley has to offer. I have got a steel Marino frame set up with 29x2.6” tyres and it fine Welsh trail centres to 50mile xc rides. The 29er wheels definitely help to cover ground. Geometry is key over spec in my opinion.

Just looking on the specialized website and didn't realise the difference between the 2021 bike (that I like) and the 2020 one that looks a bit of a gate and looks like a Rockhopper my pal had ten years ago.

I'll be on the look out for a cheap immaculate second hand one of these in the coming months once the shite weather is back.

'lazier ride'! Absolutely! After a strict 26er xc ride I was mentally fatigued as much as anything. Constantly picking lines to avoid pebbles!

I have done one long ride on the beast (only had it two weeks) and it was perfectly comfortable - heavier of course but not energy sapping because it is wonderfully lazier. Backpacking bikes, Jamis Dragonslayer for example, have big wheels for all day comfort.

I am comparing a 27.5+ with an old school 26er. I havent ridden a 29er so I can't compare - I just wanted to get away from that serious xc side of things to something more fun without going full sus.

I guess it depends what you want, 27.5+ for all day lazyness or 29er for more serious xc with an eye on strava times...(that said, youtube has a fair amount of vids of people proving 27.5+ are quicker than 29ers in many circumstances - but since world cup champs ride 29ers, I thinks its fair to say that 29ers are where you need to be if you are getting serious)

Its nice to finally have a clear distinction to choose from though without getting 'on one big dave' kind of radical.

That Scout is lovely, just needs Shimano instead of Sram gears.

Thanks for all the comments and thoughts - keep them coming. Issue is pretty much all of the bikes are currently out of stock (more so for my size - XL).
Reason I'm looking at 29ers is more due to my height - 6"3 more than anything else but I do like the fact that they cover the ground quicker than 27.5+ bikes.
Maybe I shouldn't discount 27.5+ if the overall circumference of the wheel is similar??

Maybe I shouldn’t discount 27.5+ if the overall circumference of the wheel is similar??

I think you should discount them.

They are fun but no substitute for 29er wheels (preferably with a 2.5 or 2.6in tyre on front).

Would it be an option to pick up something secondhand to tide you over until new stocks arrive?

Also, Shimano's 12sp Deore groupsets were revealed recently and will hopefully be on a lot more bikes around that price point next year.

I've got 27.5+ on my Stooge and love it, it's a bit of a hooligan and makes me giggle (as it's nearly slammed me into a tree or some other trail side obstacle), can't see me changing back to 29er wheels anytime soon, it was good with 29er wheels just a bit more fun with the 27.5+.

I've also got a 29 Scalpel which is a very competent bike and can cover the ground seriously quickly (up down and along). Bought to do longer distance routes in the highlands but haven't got round to actually doing this yet 😬

I've still got a 26er Soul which is noticeably twitchier than both of the above, only really keep it as I've had it so long and am a bit attached to it and it still rides well and if selling it I don't think I'd get much for it. The way my 7 year old is growing he could be riding it in a couple of years.

Also... you could build a very decent HT with a mix of new and used parts for £1.5k.

Used frame, discount or used fork, new SLX groupset, discount wheels, new Brand X dropper and a few bits of used finishing kit.

I'd be building one up on the cheap for the time being and start thinking about what you really want when the new bikes come out in September.

Just a quick look on the web shows you could get the Octane One Prone 29 frame for £200 in large, top tube is pretty long on this one.

£200 for wheels
£400 for deore groupset and brakes
£100 for tyres and tubes (always buy good quality tyres as on complete bikes they often stick on really light weight tyres with a hard compound)
£150 for a dropper post
£100 for bars, stem and grips
£50 for a decent headset
£50 for decent flat pedals
£50 for a decent saddle
£300 for a fox 34 forks

A hundred over budget but I'm sure you could get the bars, stem, saddle and tyres cheaper to get it under budget.

As somebody also coming from a 26, I've had an eye out for something similar.

A good fast bike for big days out, bikepacking, the odd trailcentre: generally something that feels fast and efficient for all-round use.

I started looking more trail oriented, but have progressed to the idea that something XC focused will probably suit me better and the geo likely still as modern as anything I'm used to anyway. Although something just that touch more relaxed would be ideal (I think the term might be down-country?)

And on that idea, there's a couple of requirements I'm stuck on. Preferably 120mm travel. And decent tyre clearance. Most XC bikes it seems allow you to fit no bigger than around 2.25 (including the Canyon). From what I can tell, you can have an XC bike or you can have a trail bike, there is no in between. Or at least it's a niche market with limited (and mainly expensive) options.

Specialized Epic is one option but well over budget. SC Chameleon a highly regarded do-it-all bike but again, over budget. Ibis DV9, over budget. I've been really surprised how difficult it is to find a bike that in my mind would be so well rounded, but I guess it's possibly not easy to market a bike that may be considered so ordinarily boring.

Highly recommended a Bird Zero 29. I'm 6'4" on an XL with 29x2.6 tyres and it's a brilliant all-rounder.

Highly recommended a Bird Zero 29. I’m 6’4″ on an XL with 29×2.6 tyres and it’s a brilliant all-rounder.

how is it for longer distances and climbing?

It's great all-round really. Comfort is not a problem with 2.5/2.6 tyres, happily copes with longer rides, climbs really well, totally confidence inspiring on steep technical descents and is fairly light with a modest build.

had a look at Specialized Fuse Expert 29 and thats an option as well (albeit slightly over budget) but again - no stock.
I might just hang fire until this madness is over and bikes don't sell like hot cakes... might be good stock of little used second hand stuff coming up for sale then as well....

for the time being i've got my trusty old 26" - I've managed so long on it then couple more months won't hurt.

Bird 29 looks nice but again Black Frame out of stock -not convinced on mint green option...

I certainly wouldn't discount 27.5+ but then I am 5ft9 so the thought of being perched on a 29er with big wheels will give me vertigo.

There is also questions over rolling resistance of plus wheels - when I was looking, I came across this on you tube:

(whats fastest)

It was surprising, especially the simple rolling wheel test where 27.5+ rolled quicker from a standing start on firetrail than the 29er. In every test the plus tyres won out.

There are so many variables at play that its far from an exact science but it was surprising and definitely eased my mind about leaping to a 27.5+

You could always get two bikes. If both are below 1500 then with some really really creative thinking, you could argue you are within budget on both bikes. Or say one is to test your eyesight with...

Mac83 - utterly bonkers at the mo. Sonder had some demo bikes that were worth a look - most of them gone. In mid May On one had a wait time until end of July. Stanton had 6 weeks or more for Taiwan sourced frames, the UK ones carry a hefty surcharge but are quicker. Orange had a nice range of 2019 bikes when I started looking but now all gone in hardtail form.

Merlin Cycles has some random bikes of interest from Willier and Sensi (all carbon xc 29ers sub 1500) but everything else seems to have gone. Its bonkers - not a great time to be delving back into the market for a fussy one bike chap like me.

That said, Orange has already released its 2021 bikes - I dont know if thats earlier than normal but you would expect others to follow suit. 2020 closeouts should then be available assuming they dont fly of the racks too!

Can't believe no one has suggested a Whyte hardtail! Great value and they have brought the release date for their new bikes forward so they should be hitting the shops now. 905 is awesome if you can go semi fat.......... MBR award winner!

Northwind was selling his Ragley Big Wig with a Pike in the classifieds on here. I’ve ridden one and they are a great bike. A bit portly (if you care about that), but utterly bombproof.

How would this spec of bird zero 29 sound? with delivery comes to £1501 so bang on budget...

Select Your Frame Size And Colour:
Zero 29 Frame - Extra Large XL Mint Green
RockShox 35 130mm 29" Diff Black (2272g)
Bird Headset - multiple colours
BIRD REAR AXLE (148X12)
BIRD QUICK RELEASE SEAT CLAMP, QUICK RELEASE, 34.9 (38G)
SRAM SX Eagle 12 Spd Drivetrain with Cranks (2221g)
SRAM SX Eagle 12 Spd Shifter (133g)
SRAM SX Eagle 12 Spd Rear Derailleur (349g)
SRAM NX Eagle 12 Spd 11-50T Cassette (615g)
Dub BSA Bottom Bracket - 73mm (78g)
SRAM X1000 Eagle DUB BOOST Crank 170mm (775g)
SRAM NX Eagle Chain (261g)
Shimano M6100 Deore Brakes
Shimano 180/160 RT66 Disc Rotors
DT Swiss M1900 Spline 30 29" Wheelset - Shimano Freehub (2036g) 148×12 110×15
Maxxis Minion DHF 29" x 2.6" WT 120 3C Maxx Terra EXO TR (995g)
Maxxis Aggressor 29" x 2.5" WT EXO TR Dual Compound (980g)
RaceFace Aeffect R 35 Stem - 40mm Black
BIRD BIG BAW BAR, 20MM RISE 800MM WIDE
Gusset S2 Grip Black
BIRD DOWN DROPPER V2 SEAT POST - 150MM
Fabric Scoop Saddle, Radius Sport - Black top black base (294g)

they don't specify on the website but what would be the weight of that be in XL? sub 14kg?

That is certainly the other end of the spectrum from the xc hard Rock. It's got a lively head angle. Looks like a nice bike though - good spec. It looks more on the side of trail/downhill hardtail than long trail epic. I loved this summing up review (bikeradar):

"An aluminium frame as compact as this is never going to be super-comfortable or the best choice for all-day epics. In fact, it’s pretty stiff and unforgiving.

Fortunately, this is something that you’ll probably only notice once you’ve stopped grinning like an idiot at the bottom of the trail, and noticed that your hands and arms are a bit sore. It really feels like this is as close to a pure-fun bike as a big-wheeler will ever get."

I wouldn't worry about the weight too much; I recall all those MBR reviews of components telling you to trim bars to save weight, or giving a carbon bottle cage 5 stars because it was so light. That all seemed to get a tad silly.

British bike firm too - just check they haven't over extended themselves with orders in these crazy times and also ask nicely if they will do a deal on upgrade parts that are about to be old stock.

It might be worth pinging a separate thread about recent experience with Bird bike builds on the Forum.

Good luck

Another vote for the Zero29.

I'm 6'5". Prefer how it rides to my old Giant Anthemx29.

2.5 rear tyre and 2.6 upfront and 130mm forks.

What would sway someone one way or the other choosing 130 or 140 forks on the Bird Zero 29? I see the frame data sheet and effect on angles and BB height.

The Pinnacle Ramin X might be worth a look. XL currently out of stock though.

I had a look at the Ramin X (see my thread "Trail hardtail £1200-ish). Although the components are great, it weighs 15.5kg in medium and IIRC the standover was pretty high.

130/140mm forks on Zero29.

I picked 130 as was bang in the middle of the suggested 120-140 range.

Just to follow up on this (because I myself dont like threads like this without conclusion) I have bought today Vitus Sentier 29 VRS as it came back in stock.

Was toying with Bird Zero 29 for a long time but certain components were in and out of stock (most recently wheels) so price kept going up to £1700+ and I couldn't quite come to terms with such aggressive geo given I would like my new bike to be fairly universal (so modern rather than radical)...

Will post again after I get it and take it out for a proper spin.

Good stuff. I was looking at that but it didn't have any pedals. I guess it must be some modern setup.

Happy riding.

Has anyone tried the Ribble hardtail?