My Orange Solaris

Spec:

Large frame with hope headset and seat clamp
Fox F29 Fit RLT 15mm
Stans arch ex rims on superstar components Tesla hubs
Hope M4 brakes
1×9 xt/xtr setup and ethirteen 34T chain ring
(1×10 Sram xo with Shimano Zee cranks and Roter Q-ring 34t chain ring coming after the winter)
Kore OCD bars
Nukeproof seatpost
Specialized Phenom saddle

Some lovely bikes on here. Nice to be reminded of the orange ones too. [Massively obvious comment alert] I love that colour.

In answer to the tyres question – For dryish riding, I love Maxxis IKONs, especially the EXO 3C ones. Right now my Solaris is wearing Bontrager XR Muds which are ace winter tyres. Really want to try the 2.2 Conti Mountain King 2 now they’re available in 29″.

Solaris by verrimedia, on Flickr

On the way into work this morning. It’s a bit claggy on the SDW at the moment.

XL Solaris
Exotic carbon Rigids
Hope hoops (Crest)
Conti Mountain kings
Niner flatbar
XT brakes
X9 gears
XT chainset
Spoon
Hope, Thomson
Just great fun.

Lex

Arg, they all look brilliant. 6foot-ers, what size are you all riding? Medium Soul was too small for me, but from riding a mate’s medium Specialised Carve, I think a medium Solaris may do the trick…

I am 5 11.5 and agonised over size. Went for a mwdium in the end ^ with 80mm stem and 710 bars. Feels very chuckable and not too short but I could prob ride a large quite comfortably with a shorter stem. It was tricky to decide as I am used to a 19 seat tube but somehow you need to downsize frame a bit with a 29er provided you’ve got the reach.

Oxy, perfect. I am the same height-a gnats whisker under 6′ and have been trying a few diff 29ers for size. As mentioned a medium Carve was great, but a medium giant was too small. Doesn’t help that I’m coming at this from a large Cannondale Rush that feels too long unless I run 60mm stem & saddle right forward…the proportions of your medium loom lovely btw

Julioflo: I’m pretty much the exact same height (with a ~33″ IL) and ride a medium with 65mm stem. I’d say it was just about perfect…

Metalheart, good stuff, yep I’ve 33″ IL as well. 400mm seatpost needed I guess?

6′ and ride a large…… up there ^^^^

Far too many bouncy forks on here. 🙂

Large frame
Reba RL forks
1×9 XT drive chain
Flow/Hope wheels
BB7 brakes
Thompson bits
Ergon grips

Recently fitted an ICE V8 dropper post which had made an awesome bike even awesomer.

julioflo:

400mm seatpost needed I guess?

Actually its only a 350 (its what I had ‘lying’ about…) and its fine.

If I was buying one specifically, yeah, I’d be getting a 400mm one though…

First outing in the snow………

🙂

Ordered a Frame today but no stock till feb so will have time to collect some kit.
Planning to run current reda forks,70mm stem, niner bars and single speed set up.
May have to re-think rear tyre as have 2.35 Hans Dampf.
Can’t wait now.

Schwables are just really tall. I can get a 2.4″ ardent in my Solaris. 2.2 ikons and smorgasbords have loads of room.

blimey, nice bikes!! i love skinny steel!

havent ridden my moots YBB for ages, but if i were to swap it for one of those id mebbes get me mojo back 😀

No longer mine 🙁 , but rebuilt for a friend in rigid 1*10 form 😀

There are some lovely bikes here. My next purchase will be a 29er, and I’d thought of the aluminium Canyon with XT, decent parts spec and Fox forks – currently £1400 or thereabouts.
Are people willing to say how much it would cost to build up a Solaris with say SLX, decent Rock Shox or Fox forks and half decent kit? Can it be done for £1500 or is it going to be nearer £2k? Obviously Canyon are amazing spec for a reason (volume, direct selling), so just wondering if people have built up a Solaris closer to my anticipated budget.

Fatmax, you could build one cheaper if you keep an eye on the classifieds and aren’t in too much of a rush. I built my wife’s on one inbred 29 by doing this and using my parts bin. We picked up wheels,tyres and a pair of Rebas like this. Others components like discs come up all the time if you’re not too fussy on the exact make and model. My own Solaris has second hand forks, wheels brakes and drivetrain. The only new bits in fact are the headset and seat post I think!

With Ebay bargains and shrewd German imports £1500 may be possible.

Frame inc Hope headset and spacer for 1 and 1/8 fork=£570
Planet X Reba RL=£300
Hope/Flow wheels=£350ish from JRA

The rest I had or Ebayed (XT chainset)

Fatmax : I have the canyon. It’s a great bike but I always look admiringly at a mates Solaris. Canyon is noticeably lighter mind. Geom is very similar. With carefully buying there isn’t much in it price wise. Especially considering that you’ll probably want to change some of the canyon parts saddle, bars and stem.

I’m a bit of a Cotic fanboy, currently got a Solaris, a Soul and a Roadrat in the garage!

The Solaris is the only bike I wouldn’t consider getting rid of, for me it’s the perfect bike. The current spec is:

Hope Hoops w/Flow rims
XT 2×10 groupset
Hope M4 front/X2 rear special edition Tech Evo brakes
100mm Reba’s
Specialized Ground Control/Purgatory tyre running tubeless

The only thing I’d consider changing is the wheels for a set of Hope Hoops with Crest rims to shed a little weight.

Fatmax.
You could always follow the same route as me and buy a cheaper donor bike then upgrade with either new or used.
Ordered my Solaris frame last week. 😀