Having just got rid of my Orange Five, I am now after a bigger rig suited to UK & Alpine Enduro riding and events but also handle UK trail centres (overkill i know) and big mountain days.

I’d be grateful on your thoughts, pro’s & con’s or any other suggestions. Typical build would be Float 160 RLC, 1×10/2×10, Reverb, all mountain type build.

Thanks in advance.

Yeti, cos its new, looks better, its a yeti, it will be welded straight, it wont break or crack like an intense.

it wont break or crack like an intense.

It’s less likely to break or crack than an intense. Plenty of reports of snapped yeti’s about.

Spicy. It’s great.

SC Nomad – I have never ridden one, so I cant comment on how it rides.

or

The new shape cove g-spot?

I should also add I’m after something a bit more special and unique, not so main stream and comes in frame form!

Tracer has no ISCG Tabs – something to consider if you’re 1x10ing it.

The new yeti does look v nice but I’ll stick with my sc nomad thanks.

Tracer has no ISCG Tabs – something to consider if you’re 1x10ing it

but the tracer 2 does.

Ibis HD?
Carbon Nomad?
5 spot?

New intense carbine looks good? Dont think its got ISCG tabs though?

Had bikes from both maufacturers and if i was in the market for a new bike at the moment (Alu) would probably go for the Yeti.
You may well get better after sales from Yeti based on some reports.
If carbon then probably Mojo HD, (been around a little while now and not heard of any horror stories, the carbine looks nice but to early to see if its going to be reliable).

Picture of my mojo HD

Mojo HD is pretty good, once I’d got it broken in and sorted the suspension settings out.

problem_child – Member
Tracer has no ISCG Tabs – something to consider if you’re 1x10ing it
but the tracer 2 does.

You’re right. It was the Carbine I was thinking of.

That massive yeti bearing would worry me in the UK mud\winter

Intense Handbuilt in America, often on a Friday afternoon after a liquid lunch in my opinion!
My first tracer 2 had alignment issues,(not unusual apparently), my second had the top swing link pivots loosen every ride, bearings either siezed or indexed within a month, and to cap it all I bought a CCDB for it, which came with wrong size reducer hardware and rubbed on the swing link when installed in the longer travel setting.
It was a fantastic bike to ride, just not to own!

having a similar quandry at the moment but just gone totally off the tracer 2 due to the many stories of dodgy frame alignment, cracked frames and poor bearings.

Testing an SB-66 in a month and a Foes FXR in a couple of weeks. The only concern with these bikes is that they are likely to be too much bike for general riding and larking about for me so looking forward to the tests to find out for sure.

Tracer 2 was perfect for this years Mega and has been given some serious a abuse this summer. Got the wrong bushing sizes with my CCDB, but once that was corrected i’ve had no bother. Very capable bike going DH and pretty good going up….i prefer it over the nomad on the dh.

Either way I think I’m only going to decide after a test ride of each! Decisions!

when my tracer broke for the third time it was 8 months out of warranty, i was blown out the water by CRC, so i went direct to intense, they gave me a brand new shiny Tracer 2 as a good will gesture, all was turned around in a week.. you cant argue with that, thats pretty dam good customer service if you ask me 😉

Bikes that’d be on my list…

2012 Full-carbon Spicy (dunno if frame only)
Carbon or Alu Enduro
Alpine 160
maybe Canyon Strive

But I’m not making a list ‘cos I’ve recently bought a Mondraker Dune and I’m very pleased with it. Might be one to look at?

SB66…..

Mainly for versatility….

Have a look at the figures (bb height, front centre, HA etc).

Sits well with a 150mm fork and will ride equally well with 160mm and a coil rear (fairly linear).

New tracer is an improvement, but still a tad too steep really.

The 66 is a nice piece of work – clearly we have one sitting on the wall so I’m not being objective enough!!…..

There are some good deals about too on Dunes……still waiting for Mondraker to really get their appropriate praise!!

I was in the same position as you and went for the Canyon Strive. Cracking bike that does it all. Hard as nails too.

My Canyon Strive

Tracer 2 with Anglesets?

Foes FXR Curnutt air with BOS Devilles. Climbs really well, but is amazing downhill. Just a bit heavy….

Knolly chilcotin.
Ticks every box going.
That’s where my money would go.

Sb66 is about 7.5lbs, that would be a deal breaker for me. Nomad, enduro, spicy?

Santa Cruz Nomad – ALL THE WAY!

Love mine 🙂

The new Chumba EVO has just landed. Tapered HT, ISCG, adjustable dropouts, dropper guides, also has different linkage plates to optomised to run coil or air shocks. £1199 with RP23 so good value too.

Chumba EVO G2 by srbwilson, on Flickr

The yeti is the only 26″ to have made me look twice in the last few years.Geometry looks spot on.A set of devilles up front and a vip’r.BOOOSH.

SB-66/Devilles is definitely on my short list to replace my Meta/Pikes for something longer, stiffer, dropper compatible and slacker for all round riding. I’ve had a couple of Yeti mono 9’s and loved them for full on DH riding so tempted to go turquoise again!

The main things to worry me are the durability of the big bearing in UK weather and trying to decide if 66 degrees is too slack for all round blasting and tech climbs.

My mate swears by his Knolly Endorphin. Its his number one bike and he rides it everywhere. Worth a look if you are after something away from the mainstream – top quality construction and no complaints from my mate in nearly 2 years.

^^ It’s very unlikely you’ll be able to get one of those. They have not been produced for a year or more.

They do make the rather lovely Chilcotin instead

One of the UK mags actually gave the SB-66 a poorish review – not the first time I’ve seen it not really impressing a reviewer. They said it was poor on bigger stuff, was more a long travel trail bike than a proper all mountain one.

As for the bearings….. one or two teething problems.

http://forums.mtbr.com/yeti/switch-pivot-bearings-745350.html

It’s changed a bit since that piccy.

142 x 12 rear, formed tubing, more travel, up to 180mm forks (I think).

Overkill.

Want one.

If I had a big pot of dream bike cash, I’d probably wait for the carbon SB66. Meant to be out soon.

Not sure about that Knolly, does it really need that many pivots?

A friend of mine is after the SB66c and they litterally have no idea when its going to be released 🙄 I reckon you’re looking at spring minimum and more likely early summer.

Not sure about that Knolly, does it really need that many pivots?

You need to ride one to find out!
The tolerances and bearing quality result in very rare replacement though.

I also like;

And the Trek slash will be worth a look if they do frame only in th UK.

Sounds like the shock on the Bikeradar SB66 was ****:

It’s not that the suspension doesn’t work – it works too well. Even at shock pressures close to the recommended 300psi maximum we were blowing through the travel on kerb-sized lumps. Anything bigger or higher and it properly walloped out, generally at the expense of yet another pinch ?at at the rear

All reviews I’ve read report it being a firm ride, not at all one that blows through travel. You’d think they would try another shock to check.