I just piked up a stache 8 last week. I took it for its first outing this morning on Hexham Common and it was great. Being up to this point a 29er virgin I don’t have much to compare it to but it flew round.
I managed to find one reduced also which helped somewhat. The 120mm fork and tighter frame means it is a bit more do it all. The only limitation is my skill.
Happy with my Yelli Screamy, I don’t think I’d sacrifice the fun it is for a bit more straight line speed, and it’s no slouch anyhoo. It would do if I had to only have 1 bike.
IMO one has to give the Buzzard serious consideration, near identical geo to the Yelli but less than half the cost.
I had a Swift, very competent, versatile and VFM but it didn’t release my inner grom in the same way.
Because they look a little different to me, I have trouble telling the frame size from those pics. Any in L/XL?
If i *had* to have one (nothing against the idea, but have no need for one yet) it might as well be the right size and that’s a big large. Something playful and versatile that didn’t feel awkward like some big bikes can.
That QH with it’s low standover looks playful, with a touch of butch lesbian shopping bicycle 😀 Would something like that be the equivalent of an Evil Sov’d styled bike?
If you *had* to have a 29er, as a do it all bike, what would you go with?
In what sort of twisted, unsustainable, gutless world would you *have* to have a 29er as a do it all bike? I would rather take up ballet. Or go to yoga classes. Or get a degree in crochet. HTH.
I keep thinking of getting an XCAD titanium version of my yelli made.Optimised for 140mm fork (lower bb slightly and steepen the seat angle a smidge),room to fit a 34/36t chainring (xx1 😀 ),chainstay mounted brake and reverb stealth routing.
But the short chainstays are very tricky to achieve and I can’t afford to do it twice (or just buy a vertigo).
Run with or without suspension
SS or Rohloff
I can swap ss for the rohloff hub in less than 15 minutes. And maybe 20-30mins for the forks. But only if I really need to have a geared HT – say for a trip to the Pyrenees etc.
The A-C varies between 450mm (Rigid) and 495mm (@80mm) to 535mm (@120mm) and so the bike has very different handling. I prefer it down at 450mm but Ive thrown it down the Pyrenees at 120mm on the 20mm axle rebas and it’s been fine – but probably not as good handling as the current crop of 120mm travel frames out there.
I’m getting a shiney 29er to use for everything it falls into the racey side of things but ill use it for popping to the shops and doing wheelies down the park aswell.
my take:
* if you’re seriously racing with a shot at podium, get a proper race bike. I have no idea what.
* if you’re into chewing up miles, maybe a Swift, or a steel Niner
* for everything else, those 2-3 hour rides with your mates when the last 2% in pace isn’t relevant, get something along the lines of a Yelli, Buzzard etc. The key numbers are 120mm fork, 68 degree head angle, 425mm chainstay.
The ‘trailsy’ HTs such as Solaris, FF29, (Fireline) come out as a bit of a compromise in my mind, the Yelli (et al) has the balls to be what it wants not what it thinks the market demands. It’s still a perfectly good XC bike, I’d happily race it too as I’m not a podium contender, I enjoy riding it and I’m as quick on it as any other bike.
SSStu – When are you going to bring that QH down to Devon then (or your Yelli for that matter). I’m beginning to get a bit 29er curious now there are some proper ones.