Mate of mine is keen on getitng his first full suss bike and has asked me for advice – so I thought I’d turn to you lot!
He is 6’3″ (at least) and has his heart set on a 29er full suss (currently rides an old Marin nail Trail which he makes look like a toy)
So far he is looking at a budget of £2000 or just over and is considering a Cube and a Whyte.
He is based in the Peaks, has been riding half heartedly for years but recently started getting really into it. So he wants something trail/all mountainish that can do it all without being stupidly heavy or stupidly expensive. Reliability very important.
Advice gratefully received!

Get a Giant Trance X29 think they come with dropper too! Hits the mark at £2000! Think it won best of test in What Mtb.Not that i’am biased,currently riding the Anthem X29!
Thanx,
Max

That £2k whyte one looks lovely and has some good kit on it too.

I was drooling over this yesterday, 120mm 29er and £1849

Also looking at the Giant Trance.

I had a Scott Spark 29er on loan and it was a great bike. I had the a carbon version bug I’d imagine you could pick an alloy frame at that price. Came accross as really versatile with good trail geometry as well as being more than light enough for all day xc. Think the alloy version is the Spark 40.

Whyte T129-S 2K new I picked mine up for £1750 cash. Cracking bike, rides and climbs really well, nice slack head angle too. And you ghet a Reverb!

That Whyte there ^^^ looks fantastic in the flesh – and appears to be a great price for what it is.

If Ison distribution have any left, My Salsa Horsethief frame was only £800, and forks are currently cheap at CRC. I’m in Whaley Bridge if he wants to try it for size.

I’ve ridden one of those Whyte T129s pictured above. There really isn’t a bike to touch it for £2k!

If 120mm and a Reverb is a bit hardcore for you, then there’s also the M109…

I have always ridden 3×10, the Whyte is 2×10 so is taking some getting used to. Changed the back tyre and it really does handle well.

Love my Whyte T-129s!

^this^

I found both Whyte 29ers underwhelming. Heavy and not a patch on the 146 I am replacing. Undeniably great value though.
Rode a Spesh Camber tho and loved it.

Nice one, what cranks are they? How did you get on with the stock bars? Too much backsweep for me, had to change them

Raceface turbines!! Was going to put some carbon iodine s on, but can’t decide..

What brakes have you put on? Went for hope m4’s. elixirs went in the bin after second ride..

Camber comp carbon

What brakes have you put on? Went for hope m4’s. elixirs went in the bin after second ride..

The Avids didnt even get out of the door, came straight off and put Hope Evo X2 I also swapped shifters for XO gripshift.

The Avids didnt even get out of the door, came straight off and put Hope Evo X2 I also swapped shifters for XO gripshift.

FairPlay. Was going to put some x0 shifters on, but I like the little bit of green on the x9’s so they will stay for now! What tyres have you had? Was trying not to change as I’ve gone tubeless, but the ikon isn’t upto much in the mud ..

Im impressed with the Ardent up front but like you say, the ikon is crap. I got a cheap mountain King for the rear for now but for I will be changing for a set of Maxxis Ignitors next, they are tried and tested tyres for me and I know they work.

Did you go tubeless on the stock rims?

Yeah, tubeless on the wtb’s! The ikon was a pain to mount, but it went up eventually! Been fine since. I am tempted with some hope/stans arch ex, but will have to wait for now.. I was tempted to get a 2.4 ardent for the front and stick the 2.25 ardent on the back!

I have a Trance on long term test. So far, so good. I’d encourage a test ride at the very least. The Horsethief is another very nice bike I’ve ridden and again, well worth a test ride.

Yeah, tubeless on the wtb’s! The ikon was a pain to mount, but it went up eventually! Been fine since. I am tempted with some hope/stans arch ex, but will have to wait for now.. I was tempted to get a 2.4 ardent for the front and stick the 2.25 ardent on the back!

I will change the wheels in time but not for a while yet. I will probably go for the Flow rims, found the Arch a little flexy.

Did you have to add any rimtape to the WTB’s or are they just throw the valve in and pump up?

Sorry to hijack but, my t-129s lands in mid march, just wondered whether they have a reverb or a Hilo dropper post? The test bikes I rode both had reverbs, but I read they come with hilo’s? Awesome bike for the money though. Seriously fast on technical Lakeland descents for 120mm.

I did a couple of extra wraps of yellow stans rim tape! Mine came with a 2103 reverb!!

Sweet! Fingers crossed mine will come with the same! Are the maxxis tyres, tubeless ready?

Tyres aren’t tubeless but they stay up fine with sealant!

Got mine last week and have to say its an impressive piece of kit for the money, quicker than my genius with much less bob and better traction on ascents. Glad it came with the Reverb