Long story short, I picked up a cheap clockwork orange from to build up into a try out 29er experiment.

That was over a year ago, and im convinced.

In fact I really like my clockwork orange, this is despite it not being steel, having too big wheels, or built in Halifax.

Only downside is it has really tight chainstay clearance for tires, and I would buzz the stays with a OO Smorgasbord, so had to fit smaller rubber.

So thinking of replacing it with a new frame and trying to build a short list,
It Will be ridden down rocky descents in the peak as if it was my FS…
so able to cope with some rough an tumble, until DCC ruin it all 🙂

criteria…
Must be available in “xl” size current frame is 21″ (and the FS 22″)
Must be able to take a front Mech
Must be able to run at least a 2.25 Smorg/2.25 ardent
~120mm travel
on the XC side of things

Any suggestions what I should be looking for? now cotic don’t do the solaris in XL?

Sanderson Town Crier. Ticks all those boxes and I love mine.

Was going to say Solaris – when did they stop XL?
Ace for what you want – 2.3 Hans Dampf/Spesh Purgs on mine easily and more capable than me on Lakeland rocks.

New swift easily swallows a 2.4 ardent in the rear

Cotic had XL in the last batch, and were selling the last few XL’s off a while back reduced, I nearly bought one then, and now regret not doing it.

They tell me the demand wasn’t there so didn’t order any in the latest batch 🙁

If you can get hold of a cube, they’ve got bridgeless chain stays, well at least on my entry level aim, and they come in a 21″ size.

Bike discount have some cube 29er 2014 frames on offer, but…

The frames have the mount for shimanos direct mount front der. So I guess you can’t fit regular clamp on front mechs?

The head tube is a straight 1 1/8 . No tapered head tube, so I guess that limits suspension fork options in da future.

Rather strangely their website states that for ‘legal reasons’ the frames are not available to buy in the UK.

Sorry if this sounds like a sting in the tail, but if they’re witholding them from sale in the UK, surely they are contravening some major part of EU legislation.
Maybe it’s a small error on their part, but if you are really interested, you could always contact them….

Hope it works out for you.

Take a look at the Stanton Sherpa.

On paper it fits all your criteria, the 21″ is also very long, so long that you may be ok with the 19″ and a long seatpost. Also, despite 5mm shorter stays than yhe Solaris, it has quite a bit more mud clearance round the tyres and ample room for a front mech.