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Following my question last week about mile munching hardtails, I took @p20’s Soul out last night and realised I like fun hard tails that have the comfort and geometry that means I could also ride 30-50 miles of bikepacking in a day. And, steel is of course real!
Simple answer to my Soul replacement (due to a knackered 26” fork and the reality it is too small for me) would be a Solaris but I just can’t make the MAX geometry add up for a women’s body/leg length ratio.
So been looking at the Stanton Sherpa and the Niner SIR-9. Looking for fun round my local (Chevin/Baildon trails)/Yorkshire Dales mile muncher/bikepacker i.e. slightly do it all bike that climbs as well as it descends.
Know there are a lot of these on here but normally the comparison is Solaris v Sherpa.
I’d probably go frame only and build it with 120 mm Pikes, XT and Hope.
The 3rd gen Sherpa? Geo on that looks more current than my one, which is a 1st gen but still great.
Not the most helpful answer but when cotic get their demos going again it might be worth a Solaris demo? Based on the numbers I was expecting the geometry to feel ‘different’ in some way as far as sizing went when I demoed but it turned out to feel remarkably normal for the hop on and ride around test.
(Once you get riding that’s a different matter).
I had a similar quandry and have pre-ordered a Sherpa gen 3. I wanted something to complement my Banshee Prime made from steel in the 120-130mm fork category with 29" wheels.
SolarisMAX seemed too similar (long reach, long front and rear centre). In the smaller sizes the rear centre would be very long compared to the front centre as the chainstays don't change between sizes.
SIR9 seemed too short and steep (rather dated) and too big a departure from the L(ish)L(ish)S(ish) geo that I've become used to on the Prime.
Sherpa seemed a nice middle ground, still progressive but not freight train crazy like Solaris. Partly the decision was swayed by reusing existing forks with 51mm offset which would suit the Sherpa with a 50mm stem more than the Solaris with a 35mm stem (both give similar BB to bars distance) but the Sherpa should be more nimble than the solaris and more stable downhill than the SIR9.
The oneone scandal is similar to the Sherpa, if you can wait for the next silly price drop you may be able to test the idea for cheap (or just ride it!).
@Shackleton - haha, I am looking for something to go alongside my Banshee Spitfire 🙂 Thanks for your thoughts. I see they are still waiting for the 853 frames - have they given you any idea of a delivery date now you have ordered? (Not that I am in a rush tbh)
@swanny853 - I am just struggling to get excited by the MAX geometery - though you are right, always worth a try. I would look at picking up a previous gen version though.
I went for the taiwanese version (frame cost limited by what I had managed to sell so couldn't afford 853 and not sure I could justify the cost to myself anyway given intended use!). I'm assured by Stanton that the Taiwanese frames are as close to the 853 in feel as they could get. Delivery is likely to be end of September at the earliest but no fixed date given so far. 🙁 I suspect that it is all a bit up in the air given all the CV19 issues in supply chains.
But that is earlier than SolarisMAX I think 🙂
That's interesting as I did slightly baulk at the 853 price, and with only old 26" kit to sell it is going to require dipping into my savings...
Hummmm...Blazing Bikes still have the Sherpa Next Gen frames (which I am guessing is the old model?) in the awesome green for £699
https://www.blazingbikes.co.uk/index.php/bikes/frames/stanton-sherpa-853-next-gen.html
Tempting...
Anyone input on this versus the Gen 3? Seems the biggest difference is the shift from 72 to 75.5 seat tube angle, with the reach being 2 cm longer on the Gen 3, but the virtual top tube ending up the same at 600 mm (in the 17"). Chainstay length and head tube angles are very similar.
Ht angle on the new one is 67 with 120 fork, old is 67.5 with 100 fork both measured at 25%sag. So the new one is slightly slacker and slightly longer but with a seat tube angle designed for longer forks and reach. If you put a longer fork on the old one to match the reach will shorter, BB higher and STA slacker. New one will be more stable down, slightly less nimble in twistys and more planted on climbs. Probably.
After much reading, speaking to other mtb ladies and a moment of madness, I’ve clicked buy on a 853 Sherpa plus fork combo 🙂 Looks like I’ve be joining the Banshee and Stanton combo owners club with you @Shackleton
Hopefully we have made the right choice!