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Looking for a frame to swap bits between my hardtail (Nukeproof Scout) to build a fun local thrashing about bike.
Needs to be 650b, ideally non-boost, 120-140mm travel but take a bigger fork, and ideally geometry towards enduro rather than xc but happy to mess around with angle/reach adjusting headsets and offset bushes etc.
So far Orange Four and Transition Scout are all I can come up with remotely along the right lines. Any better ideas?
V3 Banshee Spitfire?
Early Santa Cruz 5010?
When did 140mm become short travel
Will have a look at the Banshee, 5010 probably a bit on the expensive side.
120-140mm for me is short travel compared to my current bikes (both bikes I’ve mentioned here are 120mm I think) this may not be the case for you and that’s cool too.
1st Gen Bird Aeris?
When did 140mm become short travel
When 150mm became average.
Early Santa Cruz 5010?
Came here to suggest that.
Used Bird 120?
Gives you a 66.5 head angle with a 140 fork. Suitably enduro/long in a given size.
Get one that’s less than two years old and the warranty transfers over.
Will need a hub conversion kit, as it’s 148 spacing though
Calibre Bossnut
Have a look at the old Kona process 134.
It'll be heavy and it won't pedal very well, but they were long for their time with low seat tubes, so you could probably size up and stick a -2deg headset in.
Definitely meets the "abusable" bit of your brief and they are great fun to ride (well, my old p111 and p153 were anyway).
Also, did Whyte do a non boost t130? There are millions of those about, aren't there?
Transition scout? It's boost but then so are a couple of the others mentioned. I've got one and am running it with boost adapters on the back.
With almost exactly the same brief I bought an Aeris 120 from Bird (they may still have some)
Feels pretty good so far, but a bit like it could do with a degree or so off the HA and a few degrees on the seat. Which I think is basically what the Aether 7 is.
But with the seat slammed right forward, and an angleset I reckon it'll be pretty close. I haven't given it enough rides to really'get' it yet, but I'm quite liking it so far.
It is boost though, but 20 quid for a conversion kit for my pro4 and I haven't given it a second thought since.
If be wary of an older Whyte, one of the main reasons I got the Aeris is because I was sick to the back teeth of the woeful tyre clearance on my 901!