The Soul is ace but sometimes I fancy something a little more comfortable (I’m 41 and a quarter, so be nice!)

I used to have a Five, which complemented the Soul well, but I’d rather have something with a little less travel and lots of chuckability for twisty singletrack, rather than something which just deals with the difficulties by ploughing through them…

I have a soul – had 3 of them – and much as it pains me to say it, if I only had one bike, it’d be my SB66. I’m a year younger, and thinking along similar lines to you matey!.

I would buy a FS to complement the Soul.
Can’t decide what to get though, so will watch for suggestions.

I find my old Santa Cruz Blur a great compliment to my BFe. It’s 115mm travel feels sprightly, but also very cushy when needed.I’m sure there are plenty of short travel sussers which would do the same kind of thing well, but the Blur feels totally magic IMO.

I don’t know if the soul has a FS to complement it, when my yeti has been out of action I’ve ridden the soul in the lakes etc, and it’s never found wanting, but as OP says, a FS is a more comfy option for a big bastard day in the mountains.

Not ridden it yet so can’t give a complete review…

But I’ve just sold my dialled alpine (LT steel hard tail similar to a soul) to buy a whyte T130 seems to fit the bill nicely, 130mm travel front and rear 650b and relatively light.

+1 SB66

Yeti ASR 5 is what I am thinking of, to replace a steel hardtail. Nice and light, not too long travel but enough to make all day rides a bit comfier.

I was having similar thoughts a couple of years back and was convinced the Transition Bandit would fit the bill perfectly.. I never took the plunge though so I may well be talking out my arse 🙂

+1 for a Blur.

Going from a 456ti and an Enduro to the LTc Blur was a bit of a gamble but I’m glad to say it’s been a terrific move.

It’s first Alp trip went brilliantly and it even made it down the 11Km long Pila red DH route to Aosta without it making me feel it was lacking in the suspension department.

Same trip, we had an SB66 with us, to me it felt flimsy compared to the Blur. We also had a new carbon Nomad, it felt very similar the blur.

New giant Reign, seems to tick all the boxes

I used to have a Five, which complemented the Soul well, but I’d rather have something with a little less travel

New giant Reign, seems to tick all the boxes

with it’s 160mm of travel seems to be quite a bit more travel than a 5…

Personal thoughts SC Tallboy or Solo, I know someone who picked up a Solo on the back of a 3hr demo ride, another mate just got one and plenty on the trails.

Yunki -I did take the plunge and got a bandit to compliment the soul…been pretty good so far but I run mine with 150mm up front so may not be ideal for the OP. I reckon the T130 would be a good shout like already mentioned…and in orange too!

Quite clearly my medium rocket that’s for sale with 140mm forks up front.

Not quite up with the newer bikes on the block, but I find my 2007 SC Superlight with 120mm forks is a good FS option compared with a Soul.

I have mine set up quick rigid at the back as I like the hardtail feel, just not the everlasting jarring when I get tired.

Aged 42 and a bit (11 months 😆 )

SB66 flimsy? Better tell Jared Graves that too. 😆

I have just done exactly this. I was hanging on waiting for the ‘pocket Rocket’ but as it looked like years before it might be available and I don’t have as much time as you 40 yr old nippers, I bought a TranceX 29er frame which I have only ridden once so far and really like. I can’t, however, see me selling the Soul, it is just so good in a wide range of situations e.g. Last week I did Cut Gate one day and a pootle down the Manifold trail with the wife another. I could have course done both with a Fullsus but bit of overkill on a bike path,!

I’ve been asking myself the same question lately, but in the context of having a Soul, Mukluk, fat front Jones and rigid Scandal 29er. The Jones can do everything the Soul does, but benefits from masses of grip up front, so my Soul has been sat in bits whilst I figure out what to do.

A 26″ FS would cover off rougher stuff where the limitations of the other frames becomes apparent and allow me to swap my fork and wheels over. I planned ahead when I bought my fork by getting a 120-150 TALAS, thinking the Rocket would be the eventual upgrade path, but that seems unlikely the way things have gone for Cotic, and I just can’t see me buying a new 26″ frame now. A Banshee Spitfire that could take both 26″ and 27.5″ appeals, not sure if 150 up front is enough though.

Saracen Kili Flyer??

I’d look at the Kona Process range. The 134 (27.5) or 111 (29) are shorter travel ‘chuckable’ trail bikes.

150 – 160mm ‘enduro’ bikes are going to be significantly less fun to ride uphill than your Soul. Not saying it’s not impossible (I do it!) but I think if your requirement is ‘more comfortable than my Soul, but otherwise the same..’ then they’re not what you’re looking for.

Replace the Soul 😯

Norco Sight? 140mm at both ends, good climbers, good descenders and great for chucking about. They’re relatively cheap compared to the Santa Cruzes of this world and the frames are very well made. I got one on the back of selling my 2010 5.Spot (it was too small) and it has been superb.

You might also want to consider the new Turner Flux (if it’s available over here).

I’m currently replacing my Solaris with a Saracen Kili flyer. Had a quick spin on one and really liked it. I’m 38 but thinking along the same lines as you. Really good deals around in the Kili 12x frame at the minute too.

I’ve got a soul, I just “complimented” it with a new bandit. Seems exactly what I wanted, a FS version of the soul, still flickable, is fast and very fun downhill and climbs anything other than fire road at least as quickly. VERY impressed.

I also looked at a solo although didn’t get to demo one, the bandit had such great reviews and was so fun when I demoed it, I just couldn’t see the solo being better to be worth the extra £300 on the frame…

I got a Norco Fluid from Evans for £1500, it rides great, has a good spec & looks pretty nice too imo.

I use it for trails that knock me around too much when i ride them on my rigid bike.

What’s your budget OP?

Hijack – sorry

No beer, how long have you had the sb66? Toying with building one but a lot more bits to worry about than I do on the alpine..

I’ve not had it long, got it on Christmas Eve last.