So, I own a Blur classic with 130mm Talas forks, and the bike needs some work. I’m thinking of changing the forks (already have 140mm Talas), brakes and wheels. But that’s a lot of dough!

I also own a Marin Rocky Ridge, which I find myself riding all the time, cause I just love the geometry of that bike. The medium RR might be theoretically too small for my 6 ft height, but it just feels perfect.

So back to the Blur. It has aged a bit, and the geometry feels a little steep compared to my hard tail, but it is undoubtedly a great bike. Should I go ahead with the upgrades, or sell the bike/frame as is and shop around for another frame with slightly slacker angles?

Sell it. Buying new bikes is what it’s all about.

Are you sure? For example, would a nickel with a 68 degree head angle be so much better than my Blur with a 140mm fork?

Can’t be “a great bike” if you never ride it.

It used to be a great bike. Until I bought my LTHT. While I had a 100mm hardtail, I rode the Blur all the time.

Used to be a great bike compared to what, purchase justification? You’ve since got a bike you like the fit of and no longer use the blur. Seems pointless upgrading a bike you seem to be admitting doesn’t fit or don’t like the geom of. Sell it, work out what you like about the RR and find a FS replacement that ticks those boxes (be it effective top tube length, angles etc).

Upgrading bits won’t change how it fits and its the fit of the “too small” RR you prefer.

John did you sell your Blur Classic in the end? If so what did you get for it and what kind of condition was it in?

(Yes I have one and have the same dilemma, I’m used to a slacker lighter HT nowawdays, but I want to hang on to a FS for rocky places).

Same here, I have the 1st gen Blur with 140mm Talas on it. Am finally retiring it, but replacing it with a Ti Ragley HT.

My Blur @ That Post by brf, on Flickr

There must be a fair few of these knocking about, they were ‘trail bike of the year’ in their day (which was 2004 I think!).

They’re a bit heavy compared to modern carbon and tight head angled by today’s standard – but still cracking bikes on their own terms. Too good to put in recycling, but probably not worth anything to anybody.

(does this mean I get to gratuitously put up the ‘my Blur at 4300m in Peru’ pic?)

EDIT: oops that was a 3.2Mb jpeg, here it is a bit more reasonably sized

Too good to put in recycling, but probably not worth anything to anybody.

I’ll probably sell the shock on Ebay (as it’s quite new) and send the frame to the local reycling centre.

Seems an ignoble end, think I’d prefer to pass it on to someone who’s going to ride it. I am being over-sentimental perhaps, but I’ve had some good times on that frame.

Bloody hell footflaps if your just going to give the frame away I’m sure you could find somebody that would give you a couple of beers for it. I could think of at least one person that you would be more grateful for it than the recycling centre.

It’s nice in that blue as well.

ps anyone know what the original recommended stem length would have been for a medium frame (and how running 120mm forks generously sagged would change that)?

It is nice, but it’s also a bit tatty and 11 years old (think it was a 2003 frame), so whilst it has many years life left in it, I doubt I can sell it for more than the postage cost!

You could use it as an (off road capable) pub bike…

I’ll probably sell the shock on Ebay (as it’s quite new) and send the frame to the local reycling centre.

What size is it and where are you? I’ll recycle it 😆

I am still running a Classic and love it for tight woods rides etc. I have a 100/120/140 Talas on it but only run it at 100/120 because I thought the original design was for 100 (max 115 to match the rear). I replaced the original 100 fork with the Talas and use the bike as a back up to my main bike which runs a 150. Anyone had any issues running 140 on a Classic- no cracked frames?? I have been wary not to use this setting although I would like to when using it as a back up on slightly more downhill type stuff.

I’ve been running a 140mm fork and 57mm travel rear shock (vs 50mm stock) for years and thumped down all sorts of Alpine / Rockies / Dolomites descents without any problems. Frame is well over engineered.

Gaaaarpirate, I’m open to offers on frame only or frame + shock. If you interested drop me a mail.

Good to know Footflaps cheers. The change from 100 to 120 was a huge improvement – 140 here we come.

Footflaps, what size is the frame? Could be interested as well.

Blur Classic love coming through strong here.

Cool, I am interested away for the weekend but I’ll drop you a line when I get back.

This is madness. Stick a 150mm fork on it. Putting a 130 fork on my old Marin (which was ‘corrected’ for 100mm back in the day) transformed it, now 67 degree head angle and no frame cracking issues (and I weigh 100kg).

So I took my BC out for a bit of trail love last night, we’re reconnected.

Still running at 120mm nicely sagged, won’t going longer mess up the suspension geometry. 150mm?!

(IIRC > 105mm screws the warranty too but I don’t think that’s an issue nowadays…)

If anyone’s looking to offload an XL Blur classic, let me know. My favourite ever bike. Really regret having to sell it when I had to go abroad for work for a few years.