If I wanted to replace my venerable Patriot on a tight budget what would my options be?

Frames seem rather expensive, is it possible to get a cheap but rideable 160mm ish frame?

If I wanted to save money by keeping my forks to begin with, could I run the 26″ wheels for a while in a 27.5 frame?

The question of ‘why bother?’ is a good one – but I am simply mulling it over. The Patriot is slack and is a hoot at trail centres, but I get the feeling it’s pretty short by modern standards – or perhaps it’s just that my other bikes have migrated towards longer forms over the years.

Tapered steerer?

Forks are straight steerer of course, but I could use an adapter on them.

2nd hand would be the way I would go.

Its doable for sure… I did it a while back. Obviously it depends on the frame but I actually really liked tbe way mine rode with 26 forks and wheels.

Mine was a yt wicked 650b with 26″ lyrik rc2dh and hope wheels with schwalbe mary and dampf fo rwference

Where’d you get the frame? New/used? Am I likely to find a decent used frame?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Whyte-G-160-Medium-Frame-2017/192355151012?hash=item2cc942aca4:g:HnMAAOSwNkJZ~uet

I’d be thinking something like this… but by the time you throw forks at it, wheels, etc… you may as well just buy a new bike.

Unless your frame is something like a Specialized Pitch for £200-300, then i’m not sure there’s any real point as you’ve got 26″ forks and wheels to consider.

Not sure you’re likely to find a cheap second hand 26″ frame with much more ‘modern’geometry – do you know what you’re looking for with regard to a longer frame?

26″ wheels are really not that much smaller than 27.5, especially if you have rims wide enough for tyres 2.3 or larger, but you will lower the BB on any bike designed for 27.5 by a few mm – not necessarily a disaster.

I’ve seen a few older Bird Aeris at a reasonable price on ebay and a couple of bargain Airdrop Edits – might be worth considering. Or a Canyon Strive frame.

Well the point would be to buy it in stages rather than all at once.

The thing is, I modernised my XC bike with a £250 used Trek frame which was mint – ok so it’s a bit heavy but very nice otherwise. All in I spent about £500 on the upgrade including forks and wheels. But it looks like I’d have to spend far more in long travel world.

Not sure you’re likely to find a cheap second hand 26″ frame with much more ‘modern’geometry

No I’d get a 27.5″ frame and then ride it with 26″ forks and wheels for a while whilst saving up for 27.5″ forks.

That’s a lot for a 2nd hame frame imo.
Depending on how tall you are theres a frame in the classifieds which the seller looks to have been doing as i explained above

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/fs-yt-wicked-650b

Look out for a sensibly priced used SB66 – some folks are still asking daft money – still one of the best bikes I ever rode.

I can’t see you getting a frame for less than £600 in the genre you’re thinking. I’d think more likely £800

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F292290759457

Again… This is all dependant how tall the op is and how he like his bikes to feel ie 4bar or single pivot.. Long seat tube or short etc but i also missed a large capra on ebay yesterday 😥 that went for £450 so it shows that it is possible if youre lucky

Geometry-wise you will need to be careful running a 26″ fork in a 27.5″ frame as the crown-axle length will likely be shorter for the same amount of travel (compared to a 27.5″ fork). An angle-changing headset would potentially compensate, but that’s another £70ish. Might be better to get frame & fork together and try and sell the old gear.

You can get a very contemporary enduro frame for about £600 secondhand. The seller probably has a nice set of wheels to go with it too…
https://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/2231958/

One of the guys who rides in Bristol has a Bird Aeris 1.5 that’s he set up with 26″ wheels for the time being. Not sure whether the fork is 26 or 27.5 though.

You might find something like a Nukeproof Mega or Airdrop Edit for not an outrageous amount of money secondhand. Both 27.5 so not sure how they’d go with 26″.

AirDrop often have frame / fork packages on their website which look pretty good value.

chakaping – Member
You can get a very contemporary enduro frame for about £600 secondhand. The seller probably has a nice set of wheels to go with it too…
https://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/2231958/

Are we ignoring the dents ?

What about something that’ll run both wheel sizes?

I bought a 2nd hand 2014 Banshee rune frame with both sets of drop outs and swapped everything over from my last bike, I don’t plan on ever changing to 650b but its nice to have the option there as I keep my bikes for quite a long time.

I couldn’t believe how well something that slack and heavy rode everywhere, even uphill.

Are we ignoring the dents ?

Explain please?

The later 26er bikes were sometimes pretty current on geo anyway, nothing at all wrong with the last gen of Alpine frinstance.

There are a few bikes that’ll do both 26 and 650b- Banshee spring to mind. But tbh I’m not sure it’s a good option unless you have really nice wheels, it tends to add a load to the price

Or you can just stick 26 inch wheels in a lot of 650b frames. It’ll lower the BB but there’s not really that many bikes where that automatically becomes a problem.

Explain please?

Well personally, if i’m spending £600, i’m going to want one without dents myself.

I was in a similar position about 2 years ago. Initially I was on the lookout for a replacement frame but I ended up finding a bike I really liked so bought the whole thing instead. Still stuck with 26″ wheels though yay!

When I was looking I was after a Banshee spitfire, Liteville 301 or a SC Blur TR as they all looked like good all round bikes with modern (at the time geometry). You can pick up a really nice Liteville for around £6-700 and that’s where I’d be looking again.

Geometry-wise you will need to be careful running a 26″ fork in a 27.5″ frame as the crown-axle length will likely be shorter for the same amount of travel

The fork is adjustable, so I can make it longer easily enough.

However, just thought.. the problem with the wheels (besides the diameter) could be spacing – the old rear wheel is 135x12mm.

Bike needs to remain FS.

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/fs-specialized-pitch-pro-fsr-frame

Job done, just get a step down axle for the rear

The limitation on the rear wheel makes it a little more tricky again. When I was looking for a new enduro bike (moving up from a 130mm 650b frame) I concluded it was easier just to sell my old bike as a whole and get a new one.

The issue I found were boost rear axles / press fit vs threaded BB’s mainly.

I also wanted bigger / knarlier forks so I sold my old bike and got a full new build.

Sell all your old kit, buy a new one on 4 years 0% finance, you’ll notice the payments less, and lets face it, if the patriot is owt to go by, you’ll be keeping it 4 years anyway… 😀

Exactly Beer

https://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/product/80777/Whyte_G160_S_275inch_2017_Bike

Job done.

Blimey, you get a lot for £1900!

Lol, I was gonna suggest a S-150 Weeksy, not far off!

I’ve got a 2008 Carbon S-Works Enduro frame sat in the shed doing nowt. 26″ & straight steerer.

Doesn’t exactly fit the modern geo/upgradeability requirements though – but if you fancy a change for not many beer tokens. Same geo as the Pitch that keeps getting mentioned

[url=https://flic.kr/p/zEWiYN]2015-10-12_05-19-07[/url] by davetheblade, on Flickr

Hmm.

Definitely a sidegrade rather than upgrade, since it’s about the same age as my Patriot. Probably not worth it 🙂
The point of changing it would be to modernise.

Patriot’s HA is about 66, I think – only issues are wheel size (I do think this would make a bit of a difference based on experience with 29) and I think the reach is a bit short. I could put the 50mm stem back on but it feels so nice with the 35. Also I think the rear center is pretty short due to smaller wheels and the fact I’ve moved the shock position. This makes it very easy to flick around on twisty things but if I get my weight too far back it can get a bit weird.

Could put the shock back forward but this raises the CoG and steepens the HA again.

What size frames are we looking for? 😉
How tall?

5’11.

The Patriot is a medium which is part of it – should’ve got large.

That’s what I thought, no worries.

Don’t know whether it’s worth fleabaying, or just hanging on the wall

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F122776591601

Any good?

I got an intense tracer 29 comp carbon with a dbir, forks and most of a bike minus wheels and tyres for £700. Can’t see how people can justify £700 for an aluminium enduro frame secondhand.

On-One Codeine 27.5 for £377. No shock included, but you could pick one up for well less than £200 and be quids in.

No idea if geometry suits what you’re after though…

https://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/FROOCO27/on-one-codeine-275-frame

Look for a good Rune, as another poster has already said. Mine is still in 26er mode but next year I’ll be upping the wheel size.

Can’t see how people can justify £700 for an aluminium enduro frame secondhand.

Why exactly? The same could be said for any frame regardless of material.

I’d rather have a secondhand Nicolai and pay for it than a second hand ’boutique’ carbon frame but that might be just me.

Ooh, further to my post above –

Then a set of these for £144
https://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/WBI25EGRS/wtb-st-i25-tcs-rim-on-el-guapo-rattlesnake-hubs

And some 2nd hand Yari forks for around £200 and away you go! Not a bad upgrade and cost.

Sell your rolling chassis for c. £400 (probably more) and for £500 you’ve modernised and got new kit.