I’ve finally decided to replace my titanium hardtail after 10 years and I’m asking the collective for advice on what’s out there.

I leave in France so no uk trails for me. and i do big days in the Alps but not necessarily Morzine type downhill stuff.
I’m a small girl (5”4) so i was thinking that 27.5 wheels would be a good idea for me.
I like climbing so weight is important and I need something easy on the descent and i’m not after a big travel fork.

any ideas, recommandations on what I should consider ? I’ve got a comfortable budget but not limitless either

thanks for any ideas, there’s a lot of choice out and I dont’ know where to start. I’m not even sure about getting a complete bike or just a frame. building it would be nice but probably more expensive, which is why I was going to buy a complete bike. however I like building my own bikes…

What are you riding now?

I bet you’ll have to spend a lot of money to get something better than you already have.

For big mountains, on a HT, i guess you want something, slack and long, so hows about a Mondraker Vantage?

I’ve got a pastey howler Ti which has been great but I feel that nowadays there’s better out there.
Plus it needs new brakes and although I could buy new brakes, sometimes I think I would have a lot more fun on something else.
I was thinking about a Soul. I don’t want something just for big mountains

you say you like climbing but a limited budget. A budget big enough for carbon?

why not carbon. I was thinking that could be a good idea

I’ve got a Scott Scale – carbon, 650b wheels, and I’m very happy with it.

hows about a Mondraker Vantage?

Could you find nothing more ugly?

hows about a Mondraker Vantage?

Could you find nothing more ugly?

Or anything more overbuilt for a 5ft 4in female?

Not really my area of expertise but a Soul seems like a good bet.

Don’t they do small framed vantages then?

what about a whyte ? the 909 seems nice.

Stanton Switchback or Switchback Ti would fit the bill.

what about a whyte ? the 909 seems nice.

Awesome bikes, but check the fit… At 5ft4 you may even find the small a stretch.

If not then don’t worry, the new 806 is essentially a compact geometry version of the 901, buy one of this and just upgrade it.

Stantons look beautiful but oh so expensive

I have a brand new in a box small Cotic Solaris frame if you are interested in that?

I really want a 29+ carbon hardtail. Does that help?

Canyon Dude CF 9.0

Chromag Samurai

At 5’4″ you may need to take into account the seat tube length & dropper height if you spec one. I’m 5’7″ with a 30″ inside leg, on my 15.5″ frame a 125mm drop Reverb would be slammed down to the collar to give me the correct seat height.

Have a look at the Orange Zest, Clockwork, Clockwork Evo range for 120/130mm travel bikes. My 2015 Orange Clockwork stated 15″ c2t as frame size but was 15.5″ centre BB to top seat tube.

…. or go down the custom route…

Ive just bought a Stif Morf. Its Brilliant loads of fun