Best bike for the Mary Townley Loop? Budget £2000

A friend lives on the loop and wants a new bike, this was a pub debate that divided opinions.

I’m thinking lightweight, prob hardtail based on the budget, more trail focused than XC (Long TT, short stem,)

Short travel full suss.

I thought MTL was an XC ride but what do I know, I was riding bikes before niche was invented.

A submarine that can open gates would be perfect.

God knows, whatever the Singletrack lot are thrapping round the valley.

I’d agree with the short travel full suss with auto-gate function. Although a friend has decided that when she makes a million, she’s going to install cattle grids at every one, so wait a bit, and all will be solved.

I’d say though, the MT isn’t massively representative of the best riding round here though, buying a bike specifically for that would be a waste of the majority of the local trails.

Isn’t there a CX style sportive organised for that loop? Do most people use lightweight XC bikes for that instead?

Trek superfly 29er hardtail. Me in the middle, speaking from experience.