As above, looking to put together a build for around £1K.

Criteria:

26″ wheel
Chuckable/freeride type geometry – but rideable all day
Capable of taking 140/160mm fork

Can you save a bit more / work a bit harder and get to 1,250? if so, Stanton slackline 😀

It must be because I am lusting after one of the carbon 29r race bike bundles from here, but I keep spotting the bargains on the site.
This may fit the bill and its all there and done for you, just the riding left & gives you £100 change (prob £200 as everyone busts the budget) for some kit or toward a weekend riding it somewhere nice.

http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/YBCL197886/on_one_456_evo_x5_sektor_bike___matt_raw_with_orange_decal__16_inch

Yes, £1250 is not out of the question 🙂

I have a pool of money which has to buy a road bike and this bad boy so what I give to one I take from the other.

Was also thinking Dialled Bikes Alpine sort of thing?

+1 Slackline. Blue looks awesome…actually they look good in all colours!

Would buy one of their frames but no tapered head tube and thin seat tube for my forks and dropper. I have a sneaky suspicion they are working on this at the moment though, so may wait and purchase one later.

BFe, I bought mine for just that purpose, it has 150/120 adjustable coil forks which work really well. I did spend quite a bit more than that but I have Hope hoops and top of the range brakes.

I was thinking of a Bfe, just wish the 2012 version came in blue not green.

rgop – add £460 for the slackline frame…so probably a no goer!

Saracen Zen X has got a few decent write ups for £1100 (if you can find one) or you could try a Ragley Pig frame?

go second hand and you can get a cracking hardtail for a grand.

I should add that the seat tube diameter will need to be Reverb compatible as I can’t live without one now

you could build yourself a nice Blue Pig for around a Grand?

I had an Orange Crush a couple of years ago, but not great for all day riding (probably due to frame sizes jumping from 17 to 19 and I needed an inbetween). It was also really harsh on my backside being alu.

All the reviews I have seen indicate the Cotic Bfe is a good bet for what you want. Frames releatively cheap if you run a straight steerer and get the 2011 model (£300 new). Then just pick up cheap parts on here.

Or like float says just try and get a second hand built up hardtail.

Put a ‘wanted’ add here and search the usual other bike selling sites.

A few here:- http://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/list/?q=cotic&category=0&pmin=&pmax=&region=5

Have a look at the NS Core 1 – it’s a complete bike based on the excellent Surge frame – CRC have them cheap at the moment.

There are probably some parts you’d want to swap out in the long term, but they’re really fun to rag around and quite pedalable for longer rides.

Might also be worth having a look at the Ragley blue pig ‘cosmetic damaged’ bikes on CRC.