I’ve been looking at switching from hardtail to full suss but it’s really difficult to justify any real expense at the moment.

Anyway, it occurred to me that I could “just” buy a second hand frame and shock and use my existing bike as a donor. It’s a Felt RXC Elite with an ok spec but I’m worried that it might be a bit fragile for the use it gets (carbon seat stays look good though). I suppose the most important part of the spec is the fork which is a Tora 318 air fork (currently 80mm travel but I think it can be adjusted up to 120mm).

Any suggestions for a frame that would work well with the fork. I’m not looking for some downhill behemoth, I’m more interested in XC leaning bikes that I can use at Afan and Penmachno without shaking my fillings out, but will still feel good to pedal and climb with.

Anyway, what do you think? Good/bad Idea? Any suggestions?

Thanks

Just be aware that you may well need new seatpost, seatpost clamp, front mech, cables, brake adaptors, headset, bottom bracket and check your steerer tube will be long enough.

Stumpjumper FSR frame

Funny, I’m more than happy switching components around on road bikes, it never even crossed my mind how much more complicated this might be.

Thanks for the warning.

Santa Cruz Superlight should be reasonably low cost will work well with 100-120mm forks.

As for the swap everything bar the cables and seatpost is usually swappable. Front mechs can be shimmed, HTII BB’s fit anything and unless your felt has a weird seat tube your front mech should fit too. You should budget perhaps 20/30 quid for bits. In fact I think a Superlight even has a 27.2 post so cables and you’re done.

I build a new frame (into my longterm old bits) every month 🙄

If anything its new outer and inners everytime you build (unless you run a fairly lengthy full outer onto your rear mech like I do).