So, i’ve decided to get a full sus’ 29er and have drawn up a shortlist but i can’t decide! Its nearly impossible to get test rides on all of these, especially as i usually need a smaller size.

Anyone ridden any of these and offer any advice / insight into what to get?

– Turner Sultan – Good deals on these and i like the back up from Turner. Worried they may be a touch short in the top tube.
– Santa Cruz Tallboy – Ride well, but is it a bit heavy? Not sure on the longevity of Santa Cruz frames.
– Nicolai Helius AC 29er – Lovely, but HOW MUCH!!! 😯 and is the head angle a little steep?
– Trek Rumblefish – looks good, but how long is that ABP rear end going to last..?

Anything else anyone thinks i should try? I’d prefer frame only as i have a load of bits in the garage but i’m not against the idea of a full bike.

Thanks for any help!

Orange 4-29er (forgot to ask what it was called on Sunday).Completes only to start off with & only 50 of them in the first run.
Davinci thingy…had a car park spin and liked that a lot .
Salsa spearfish.
Intense spider ….rode one in the peaks .Not the stiffest.
Anthem frames are £1100.
Yeti sb95……HELLO!!!!

I’d seen brief mention of the Orange and it looked good. Anyone have any more information?

Have you ruled out the Niner RIP 9? I like mine a lot.

New Rocky Mountain Element 950 looks great.

Also Rutland cycles are having a 29er demo day soon in a number of full sus 29ers (scott, spec, giant)

I guess i’d ruled out Niner because they never seem that good value to me. Happy to be convinced otherwise. I like the look of that Rocky Mountain.

Just googled Yeti sb95. That goes right to the top of the shortlist!!!

Can I say Ventana before enyone else gets in? El Rey just been redesigned, not sure if the El capitan is still the old model or the new.

Titus Rockstar? Think it has a HA of 70 at 100mm. Only £999…

As metalheart says worth looking at the Titus. In fact, at the London Bike show they had a couple of full sussers, so maybe check their website out….

Transition Bandit 29

Transition Bandit 29

Not had any issues with a short TT on a Sultan. Great build, great bikes.

Salsa Horsethief

Specialized are doing most of their range in 29er these days ……

Norco Revolver’s are looking sweet

Now i’m even more confused!!!

TooTall, goy any pictures of your Sultan?

Coming round to the idea of the Nicolai. After all, if i’m going to treat myself i might as well do it properly!!

really really like the bandit 29er

[video]http://vimeo.com/27448362[/video]

Pictures of my Sultan won’t be relevant to you – it is the Sasquatch frame (23″) so all a bit big for most people! I’ll take a decent one tomorrow if you want.

Why should the rear end of the Trek be any less durable than anything else ? the ABP system is tried and tested on their 26″ full sussers .

I can confirm that TooTall’s frame is BIG, I’m 6’3″ and it’s the only bike I’ve ridden since being a child where I had the saddle below the bars.

I rode a Pivot 429 and it was very nice. I’m tempted.

What about the new El Guapo 29er?

If its anything like the 26″ version it’ll rip 😈

I’ve been testing a dozen bikes over the last month trying to find a new full sus bike and didn’t narrow it down to 29 or 26.. I just tested what I fancied. I managed two 29 full sus.

Tallboy – I enjoyed it a lot nice bike very plush and, well very like a good full sus bike. Felt somewhere between a big bike and a trail bike. Not quite what I like climbing but in joint second out of 12.

Scott Spark 29 – really good bike, lockout makes it good out the saddle and sus makes it feel like a good xc bike but not quite plush enough to be a burley big boys bike. Closer to what I wanted.

Both can be demo’d at mountain Trax near swinley.

I have a Sultan and love it but if I was in the market I would look at one of the Spesh models, the Camber looks fantastic.

+1 on bandit 29er! that’s what i want.

Norco shinobi,
if it’s not against forum rules, review here:
http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/bikes/mountain/product/review-norco-shinobi-1-12-45658
looks good

also Stumpy Evo 29er:
http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/bikes/mountain/product/review-specialized-stumpjumper-fsr-expert-evo-29-12-45394

there’s the kona sartori too. All are longer travel ones. not sure if that’s what yr after.
go on, get the bandit. and post review and photos when you do!

I agree with Bigdug, the Camber looks excellent, and I’ve heard very good things from a couple of mates who’ve got them. It would be my choice if I was buying a full bike. The Niners are a lot of money in comparison, although the detailing is very nice (and mine was a bit of a bargain). I’m not convinced many people would benefit from more than 120mm either end on a 29er if they like going up allong and down. It feels like loads to me.

Specialized Camber. Best handling 29er of the lot. This months Dirt agrees…

D’oh! Double post.

I’m not convinced many people would benefit from more than 120mm either end on a 29er if they like going up allong and down.

at risk of hi-jacking the thread: is the implication that the travel ‘goes’ a lot further on a 29er? ie taking a given drop will use less travel, assuming sags/pre-loads all set correctly, on a 29er than a 26er? makes no sense to me if so.
Or is it more just about general ride character; the combination of the big wheels and lots of travel felling a bit un-weildy?

Maybe it’s ride character. To be honest I haven’t taken my RIP to the Alps yet, and I may be quite wrong. I guess you’re right, big drops will take a lot of travel whatever the bike – I’m just not sure that most of us mincers would often go beyond the capability of a 120mm 29er, and it seems a pretty good compromise for climbing and pedalling.

Test road a 26 camber yesterday (Cwmcarn) and it was good but not great, nicely neutral ride but it didn’t inspire me. Maybe the 29er is better.

I have to confess that these days as nice as building a bike from frame is I am more inclined to the off the shelf route and up grade as needed.

If it was my money, and not having tested one, I’d go for a Gary Fisher ahem, Trek Rumblefish, preferably the Pro. Look great to me. Custom as much as a lot of the others mentioned here look good there is something about that Salsa Spearfish that just looks right to my eyes. Though I think I read somewhere they are a bit “flexi” so probably not right for a porker like me.

just discovered commencal are doing a 140mm travel AM29
looks tasty…

Interbike 2011: Commencal Meta AM29 and SL

I’ve never ridden one but I’ve got a ferocious want for a Camber 29er…

RIP9 for me, I’d offer a test ride but it’s an XL 🙄

Nicolai is V. Nice indeed. If you’re concerned about the (And you shouldn’t be, twentynineinches number one pick from Eurobike 2011) head angle, just spec it with a 1.5″ head tube and run an angleset.

None will be crap, choose the one that will make you ‘feel’ like you want to ride it, which is a combo of looks, how you feel about the brand etc..

Most of us know that Ford Mondeo’s et al are as good as BM/Audi and M3 is as quick as Ferrari etc…you get the picture, we mostly make choices based upon how a brand makes us feel and how we wish others to perceive us if we’re honest.

Had a quick blast on a Sultan the other day, that was nice..

Specialized camber
Check out review in DIRT MAG

i loved the camber i tested; a lovely frame with neutral handling.

But rubbish components for a £1900 bike…

for that money, i’d be i am considering a titus rockstar, and building it up myself.

ahwiles……….hijack…i emailed you re the rim.

ok!

i sort it out asap.