I think I’m in the market for a 120’ish mm travel 29’er FS as a bit of an alternative to my 100mm carbon HT 29’er.

So far I’ve had a look at a 2014 Camber Evo and a Trek EX8, the only downside to the Camber is the SRAM gearing and on the trek the non-series triple crankset, but they’re both well under £2k and available medium / 18.5″ in the case of the Trek.

Anything else out there worth looking at? Gonna be used for stuff like the peaks and when I want to prat about a bit more than on my HT

Depending on budget I’d take a look at a Transition Smuggler or a Pyga OneTen, too.

I can spend no more than £2k for the full bike and I prefer to buy locally

Cube Stereo

Camber Evo review.

[video]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MykTkA3NTA4[/video]

I’ve seen 2014 medium Camber Evos for £1560 and for that money in don’t think it can be beaten. It’s a great bike by all accounts.

Can’t go wrong with either to be honest. I really like the Trek suspension design personally. It looks like they’ve ditched the DRCV forks which is a good thing in my opinion.

Test them – I loved the evo but couldn’t get on with EX (felt like a wheel barrow to me?)

Will be buying an evo in the new year hopefully

Whyte T-129?

Salsa Horsethief, but out of budget I think.

Horsethief

Can you run an offset bush mount on the Camber’s integrated-y looking lower mounting?

I cannot give my camber evo any more praise.

Fun, fun, fun, dispels any of that rubbish that a 29er can’t jump and are simply road bikes. Even managed a 180 hop on mine including the roll out today, 2nd or 3rd go much to my surprise. The jumped line in the long term review vid above, first proper ride on the bike, all the way through that jump trail first go.

My XC trails are more fun, fun trails are more fun. I have more confidence on this bike than my old 6″ 26″ bike whilst still being fast on XC rides.

The climbs i’ve got it up with ease are ridiculous too.

Can you run an offset bush mount on the Camber’s integrated-y looking lower mounting

No but you could try the front but I think you would get seat tube contact issues.

The bike doesn’t need it though, the BB is so low.

Those evo do sound the shiz. Whereabouts in Surrey is that jump trail in the MBR vid? Up there tomorrow (if this lurgy shifts in time) and would like to have a look

Camber Evo for sure. Ride it until all the SRAM parts go, then replace with a £160 SLX groupset from Merlin / Ribble.

davosaurusrex – it’s in a really obvious place but they’re trying to keep it quiet so email me if you want. Sounds stupid I know but as I didn’t do any of the work on it I don’t want to plaster it all over here.