[Closed] Which downcountry bike for ACL recovery? (Following, Druid, Tallboy, Stamina)

For the kind of riding you're talking about, I'd have the Tallyboy or Following. I think the Stamina and possibly Druid will feel like they were meant for gnarlier trails. SCs are common as muck, so I'd have the Evil just as it's more interesting.

In saying that, my GF has loved her Tallboy while we were lockdown riding and couldn't get to the usual trails. It's for sale now though (not your size unfortunately), as we're back to "normal" riding.

Transition spur? If you can find one

Haha the Spur is top of my list but none to be found

Following is probably the logical answer, the seller lista it as cash or bank transfer only though which is a no go for me. I could ask if he’ll take PayPal if I cover fees but I’m not gonna ask unless I decide I want it

Did just come across Nukeproof Reactor frames for 1900 brand new though…

I had a Cotic Soul when I had my ACL torn/repaired.  To be honest, for 6 months post surgery, you can't risk twisting the knee at all, so anything that just gets you out in the fresh-air is what you need.  For the first 2-3 months you will only be allowed on a static bike/turbo.

Don't really have anything to add on the specific bikes, but to wish you best of luck.  Get a good physio/PT and work hard in the gym

my buddy just sold his Druid. It was a shorter travel bike to compliment his SC Megatower... apart from it didnt compliment it. It was probably more capable (although im not sure he would admit that), and he didnt like the extra drag and maintenance of the high pivot.

The latest version of the Tallboy would peak my interest. I hear good things about it.

Thanks ahsat, yes I’m under no illusions of sending jump lines in the first 6-9 months! It’s more the psychological effect of a shiny new bike I’m after than any specific geo. I’ve been seeing a good physio twice a week since the injury 3 months ago. In fact I have probably spent the cost of a frame just on that already 😂

Good feedback on the Druid, I did a similar thing buying a Smuggler to compliment my Patrol, they weighed almost the same and rode very similar so I got rid of both and got the Ripmo.

Flip side of that is that if a Reactor or Druid are super capable I’d probably end up keeping it as I prefer less travel due to my talents lying more in the plough through than the dance around camp

I think if you’ve got a Ripmo and are keeping it I’d go more towards the xc end to keep it different. So that counts out the Druid - those high pivot bikes are very capable but don’t pedal brilliantly.

Out of your list I’d take the Tallboy.

Would never buy a secondhand Evil with no warranty - I hear too many bad things about the frames still etc.

The pole looks too close to the Ripmo for me. Plus it’s gopping.

Maybe also look for a Trek Top Fuel / Spec Epic Evo / Sonder Cortex

I really like the Reactor - but for the travel I’ve read that’s it a stonking descender but could be a livelier pedal.

Ah I realise now it’s not clear in the OP but I’ll be buying frame only to replace the Ripmo so it’ll be an only MTB beside the electric one. Then once I’m back to being allowed to crash I’ll get rid of this and get a new Ripmo-type thing, hence not ruling out the bigger options such as the Druid. Advantage being that I may not even have to go back to an enduro frame if I go for that

Aaahhh I’d forgotten that Evils are a little snappy cracky. A quick google suggests they may have improved but still loads of bad stories. Wouldn’t put me off buying new but dropping £2,000 for a secondhand one with no warranty (it’s non transferrable) is probably not a good investment

Some of those are just as burly as the Ripmo, no?

If you want something on the boundary of trail and downcountry, have a look at the Orange Stage Evo.

Similar weight to a carbon frame, very snappy ride and excellent geometry.

Or consider a secondhand Stage 4 with an angleset like what I've got.

In the absence of the Spur, why not go for a Ripley? The Ripley was top of my list before the Spur came and would fit the bill nicely. Tallboy is very trail-bikey and rides likes a longer travel bike than it is

Ah ok so if you’re after a replacement for the Ripmo that’s nearly as capable but a bit better pedalling then I think I’d look at the following

Tallboy / Hightower
Aether 9a / 9c
Reactor 290
Trek Fuel Ex
Norco Optic
Cotic Flaremax / Jeht
Canyon Spectral 125 (might not be available frame only)

but I’m encouraged to ‘cycle’ as part of this and the ACL rehab

Did they specify what they meant by 'cycling'? Even flow trails and very mild XC gnar might fall into your doc's definition of 'extreme'.

What particular impacts are you looking to avoid? I find my 'downcountry' (120mm) bike to be, if anything, generally rougher on my joints than my longer-travel full suss. It's quicker over easier terrain, but the payoff is that you feel a bit more of the trail chatter because it's a Fox 32 vs a Fox 36, and it's lighter and less flexy overall .

If you've been told to minimise the impacts on knees/ankles etc, then the Ripmo might be the right bike for XC duties.

Some nice light xc style wheels for the Ripmo?

Some good suggestions there, Optic and Ripley also on the list but can’t find any

Also a very valid point RE not getting beaten up by a short travel bike, that’s kinda why I excluded proper 100mm bikes, and I’d be using my 30mm internal wheels as well. And of course yes even flow trails will be too much to start with, that’s something I intend to build up to, at the beginning I’ll be on cycletracks only and building up from there.

After that I’m hoping by the summer to be able to join my mates on winch & plummet type rides and I’ll just have to do my plummeting on the same fire road i winched up… but getting back to the social side of riding is going to be pretty important for my state of mind, I won’t get the surgery until May, at which point I’ll have been crippled for 5 months already and I’ll still have another 12 to go before I’m back to normal (hopefully). Being able to get out and having a nice thing to do so on is going to be a lifeline by July/August time

Not mine (I'm after a medium one!) but reckon this would fit the bill...

Vitus Rapide fs 2021 - Classifieds for sale (singletrackworld.com)

The Revel Ranger could be a possibility?

It’s more the psychological effect of a shiny new bike I’m after than any specific geo.

Totally get this - every time I have a major injury I buy a new bike, even if I can't ride it - haha!  After my ACL it was a road bike, which actually was really useful as could get fitter with lower risk (though had to fit flat pedals).  With long covid, I bought a Stanton Sherpa (very recommended, but not carbon!).

… but getting back to the social side of riding is going to be pretty important for my state of mind,

I guessed this was more of the reason. My advice if you go for a shorter travel bike is to get one that will definitely take a slightly bigger tyre front and rear, as my Oiz has a max of 2.3ish at the back. Lockouts also help a lot with the boring winching.

If it’s just to get something new and shiny and you think you’ll get back on the gnar then why not get something long travel trail / enduro light in that case? Save you changing again in short order:

Privateer 141

Transition Sentinel 2022 (I got an alloy one of these frame only in December on impulse - I had intended to get an aether / reactor really - the thing is absolutely mega as an allrounder - absolutely ballistic downhill)

SC Hightower

All 3 of those you can usually pickup frame only.

If you've got the Pole 140 on your list, then take a look at the Nicolai Saturn 14. Nice little comparison here: https://enduro-mtb.com/en/pole-stamina-140-vs-nicolai-saturn-14-review/

I went for a Saturn 14, replacing a SC Tallboy 3 CC last year. More travel than I initially had in mind but I'm not regretting it. Rides very efficiently and far better climber than my Tallboy, yet a lot more composed descending. I found a new frame on PB classifieds and bought a new shock for £2k all-in, they're quite spendy new.

Not answering your question but you sure you definitely want/ need ACL surgery? It's a really tough and long rehab (speaking from personal experience) and there's no guarantee the knee will end up better than doing rehab alone, especially if you're not so bothered about returning to change of direction sports. Current thinking seems to be changing from surgery being the default to trying non surgery rehab first.

More good stuff to start looking for. Revel I'd forgotten about!

Privateer is basically a heavier less refined Ripmo as far as I can tell, Sentinel I demod before getting the Ripmo and despite being a huge TR fan couldn't get along with it. The Vitus Rapide I had seen but it's a bike I'd be a large in instead of the XLs for sale here and on PB, and maybe a bit too much to the XC side, might be a bit rough on that

As to whether I need ACL reconstruction it's not a done deal, just before surgery I'll be going in for a scan to see how my rehab has gone and making a decision there with the consultant. But I've seen several consultants now and it's pretty unanimous that I'll need it, not being a knee specialist I'm not in a position to second guess their recommendations either. Plus I'll not only be going back to a change of direction sport but MMA, where people will actively be trying to kick and/or snap my leg in half!

Right now Tallboy seems to come out on top. Would be the Evil if I wasn't worried about snapping it

No one mentioned the Izzo, a lot like the Tallboy but less spendy and a bit lighter.  Think that might be my next bike thought the Tallboy is there as an option.

Izzo would be ideal if it was possible to buy one!

There's quite a few Izzos in stock! I know you wanted a frame only so maybe you could buy a complete build and then sell swap and change parts as a project while you're waiting to ride?

Put faster tyres on/lighter wheels, will make a surprising difference and a lot cheaper than a new bike.

During the first lockdown, i put my fast wheels on the 161 I had, it was no slower round the local xc loop

I don’t think you’d go far wrong with the Tallboy or even a Hightower. Just make sure it’s the latest versions - some of the older ones have very dated geometry with a really short reach / steep head angle

Just got a Stumpy Evo delivered yesterday!

I was looking at reviews etc for ages and found that Enduro mag rated the Ripmo as way poppier and 'playful' than the Stumpy in a grouptest which pretty much made my mind to just get a carbon Ripmo as an upgrade from my AF

I then read another group test testing the Stumpy and Ripmo again and stating the opposite. Then a standalone review of the Stumpy saying it's super agile, and several contradicting reviews from other mags

Basically it confirms what we already know, how a bike feels is very subjective and changes based on the parts bolted to it and how you set it up, where you ride it etc

My final conclusion was buy what you like the look of and the mint/carbon Stumpy looks amazing IMO and has a massively adjustable geo and the SWAT compartment. The above makes more difference to me than the subjective opinion of a reviewer so I bought it. Worse case I don't like it I sell it and get a Ripmo again!

I'm also going to be doing a load of bikepacking while I can't do any aggro riding or train MMA so the light frame, SWAT door and nice open frame design fit that well

nice one.

Enduro mag always seem to have the polar opposite opinions to most... that could be good or bad depending on your view.

My buddy has a stumpy evo, he came from a Ripmo and he absolutely loves it. A bike that seems to be good at so many things with plenty of adjustment.

Enjoy! 👍

Awesome - the main thing is getting out and enjoying riding, whatever bike 🙂

Just keep an eye on your knee bikepacking - pushing the higher load might put it under a lot of strain.  Just see how it goes.

Did you buy as a frame only, like this (£2399)?

https://www.certini.co.uk/bikes/bike-frames/2021-s-works-stumpjumper-full-suspension-mtb-frame--gloss-oak-green-metallicdiamond-dustcarbon__76597

Did you buy as a frame only, like this (£2399)?

That’s a normal (non Evo) Stumpy.

That said, the Evo (and the normal Stumpy) are neither a Downcountry bike 😆

The normal stumpy is a great trail bike, and the Evo, well, as someone who owned one for nearly a year - I still couldn’t tell you what it was good at? I likened it to a Ford Mondeo, just kind of got on with stuff, but bland and not great at anything.

The geo encouraged you to ride it like an idiot, but then the mediocre rear suspension quickly ran out of options, mostly because they didn’t make it progressive enough or put a big enough stroke shock on it 🤦‍♂️

Hence Mondeo - it’s a great one bike solution for doing a bit of everything reasonably competently.

I would add something like the Trek TopFuel to your potentials list

I have a Druid and it’s the best bike I’ve ridden. Good uphill and esp down. I wouldn’t call it downcountry though. I think a Spur or a specialized epic evo would be better for that.

https://www.certini.co.uk/bikes/bike-frames/2021-s-works-stumpjumper-full-suspension-mtb-frame–gloss-oak-green-metallicdiamond-dustcarbon__76597

I bought one, built up at 27lbs with xc wheels/tyres, will be a bit more with proper tyres on.
Pedals well, its a trail/xc bike and for thats what I'm after. Have big bikes for big bike stuff and wanted something that pedalled better than my smuggler and wasn't such a heffalump.

Yeah it's defo not a downcountry bike! I guess I went off topic on my own topic 🙂

I bought the frame secondhand off Pinkbike, that S Works Stumpy would have also been good if they had it in my S5 size, and if it didn't say S Works on the side. Part of what I like about the version I got ('21 Evo Expert) is that you can't see the branding. Not just because it's the big S, mostly because I don't like big logos

Looking forward to riding in 3-4 months, fingers crossed 😐

The sworks is fairly well concealed into the main colour, I'm anti logos and don't like bright colours.

Now I see your pic of one in the flesh you’re right, not that noticeable! The web pic made it look a lot more obvious, maybe that’s what most people look for