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Musings over a replacement frame for my 19.5" 29er inbred. (Primarily to be run ridged but nice to have options of suspension forks). I need to save a but want ideas of where I am aiming.
Intended use is bridleway bashing, natural trail riding from Dorset to Scotland, bike packing. An all rounder excluding bike parks and jumping, but still not a xc machine very much trail orientated set up that I would change a few parts if doing a mixed surface bike packing type deal.
What I like about the inbred:
Steel, braze-ons for rack, SS compatible.
What I don't like.
Too short, & too high a top tube. I sized up when I bought it all that time ago but it still could do with being longer.
Too steep a head angle, well it's an old 29er.
27.2 seat post, I have a dropper but being 27.2 it's not the best, but it's an old steel frame so to be expected.
I think in a money no object world a stooge scrambler or dirt bomb would be ideal (I would just get over no suspension options) but this needs to be second hand. I would like to reuse the instigator forks I have.
Hit me with ideas of frames to look for.
I don't like the look of any of the new on one bikes, they seem to have missed the mark IMO.
Sonder frontier maybe?
I love my Pace RC529
https://www.bikeradar.com/reviews/bikes/mountain-bikes/pace-rc529-gx-ultimate-review/
Stooge MK3 has a head tube that will take a tapered sus fork, 27.2mm seat tube though.
There’s a MK2 popped up on the Facebook Stooge owners club group. Also a Scrambler on there and on eBay.
Genesis Longitude or even a Vagabond?
Sonder frontier
Nice, fancy a little more aggressive but its probably ok and would take my set up, which is kind of big BMX / clunker ish but with gears and I tweak for my very occasional backpacking.
Pace is lovely! but looking at the new price I think even a second hand frame will be out of budget! My full sus would have been about £3k brand new (I bought second hand) and I'd like this to be cheaper than my fullsus to setup, which is why I ideally want just the fame and (maybe forks) so I can try and reuse as much as possible.
Stooge MK3 has a head tube that will take a tapered sus fork, 27.2mm seat tube though.
There’s a MK2 popped up on the Facebook Stooge owners club group. Also a Scrambler on there and on eBay.
Genesis Longitude or even a Vagabond?
I didn't know that about the MK3, but the seat post just narrows the dropper situation too much. I'm not yet in a position to purchase yet but maybe a stooge will come along in budget.
Genesis Longitude looks ok and I think one I will add to the list, the vagabond is not my bag but I can see how it could work for others.
The dropper on the Stooge MK3 isn’t an issue. I’m 6’4” and ride the 20” large MK3. I’ve got a BrandX 105mm dropper. There’s only 20mm of seat post showing above the seat clamp before the dropper collar.
I've a Stooge mark 2 and love it, and would recommend one if you're after a bike to mostly run rigid. But can't help think that the Sonder Transmitter would make a better all-rounder.
More likely to get stock over the Stooge.
But if you get the chance to have a shot of a Stooge then definitely do it. It'll be a bit of an eye opener over the Inbred.
This is a belter for the money. Only have it in small and medium though.
https://www.biketart.com/products/genesis-tarn-ti-frameset-2020
A new on-one?
Bootzipper or big dog in steel.
Whippet or scandal.in aluminium.
Vandal or Titus in titanium.
Pick bike/frame to suit?
Personally if buying today I'd go for a whole bike rather than build from parts. With the diversification of "standards" it could end up being loads of hassle to get a bike running properly. Which I guess is the point of said diversification, to move more whole units, rather than have people upgrade piecemeal.
They've a rigid whippet with SRAM GX for £900 at the moment. Can't see seat post diameter (rigid post supplied) but worth a look?
Pick bike/frame to suit?
Second hand due to financial constraints. Not keen on the new on one frames tbh.
Personally if buying today I’d go for a whole bike rather than build from parts
Yeah may end up being a entire new (to me) bike. I had to do that when modernising the full suspension. With a primarly rigid bike it seem wrong to be out done by standards. Change in seat post size or BB maybe but it's sad the trigger broom option is becoming so hard.
There was a large cotic Solaris in the classifieds for £300 or something. If it was a medium I'd have bought it.
Really regret selling mine, as I'd love to build it up rigid now. Reckon it's be great for what you want.
I’ve a Stooge Mk5 and it seems good for what you’re looking for. Trail oriented but good all rounder. It really comes alive when you point it downhill but comfortable for long days. If you’re looking second hand best jump on the FB group as people mainly sell on there. With the new Scrambler and Rambler dropping soon there might be a few more coming up in the near future.
The Instigator is/was a 26" fork designed to replace 100mm sus forks at that wheel size, thus AC c.447mm (I've still got one running on a bike 15 years after I bought it). Tough, no nonsense fork but, unless you got a later model I don't know about, are you not limiting your frame choice if you want to use that fork with anything current that's also sus-compatible?
For comparison, this is an XL V3 Scandal that's awaiting a parts swap from the current MTB when the drivetrain dies. Those forks (with a 483mm AC) put the BB slightly higher than with the old 26" bike but keep the geometry more-or-less as designed.
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While I went from a 26" 456Ti to a 29" Scandal about 18 months ago if I was choosing again I'd probably look for a frame that enabled a bigger frame bag as I use the Scandal for both trail riding & bikepacking. And based on the amount of seatpost I run (a 200 dropper and still a load of post showing) a higher top tube still wouldn't be an issue.
But, at £1k for an entire bike including GX drivetrain I'm still happier enough with it that I'm not tempted to change it. I did get a custom full-frame bag for it.
I wouldn't though get too hung up on the dropper size, Brand X do perfectly decent 27.2 droppers.
Either a Cotic SolarisMax or their new Cascade.
The Instigator is/was a 26″ fork
I must have the name wrong, it's surly and a 29er form rigid suspension corrected.