Because I can’t bloody well find one.

29in wheels
Short or mid-travel
460mm reach
450mm-ish seat tube
430mm chainstays
67deg-ish head angle

Transition Smuggler in large or my current Process 111 are the only options I’ve found.

Large jeffsy?
445 reach
480 seat tube
67 HA
440 seat stays

I think we have very similar requirements and the smuggler or 111 are on my short list too, however I’m unable to see past the high price for the minimal gain on buying anything right now.

I did look at MDE bikes, they offer a custom service for 120 euro extra and their prices are fairly competitive already, not the nicest looking bike though.

transporter13 – Member
Large jeffsy?

Well you matched one of the requirements I suppose

If the XL Jeffsy had a saw-off-able seatmast it would be a contender.

Whyte T129 fits the bill, haven’t ridden one for a few years but thought it as a great bike and liking my T130 at the minute. Have just seen a YT Jeffsy in the flesh and while very nice it looks very, very short.

I think we have very similar requirements and the smuggler or 111 are on my short list too, however I’m unable to see past the high price for the minimal gain on buying anything right now.

Yeah I can’t afford a Smuggler, which would be a slightly better all rounder than my 111 but not really worth the cost to change.

The MDE looks interesting but they’d probably struggle to get the CS shorter, and the seatpost is the wrong diameter.

I should have added…

31.6mm seatpost
142×12 rear & 100mm front axles

Chakaping…i did exactly that with my wicked..bought a large off here because of the geo with a view to modifying the seat tube length…turns out that its the best bike ive ever had.
Seat tube was 19″…..i had it shortened to 16″ and had the top to seat brace cut off and re fitted more suitably.
Although i doubt you’d want to do it to a new bike

legend
Well you matched one of the requirements I suppose

Be fair, it was 2 😀

put me on the list too…

New Scott Spark
460mm Reach
490mm Seat Tube
438mm Chainstay
67.2° HA

Pole EvoLink 110

https://www.polebicycles.com/framesets/evolink-110-frameset/?v=f0aa03aaca95

Fairly close to your list… great bikes & great company. And, no i don’t own one (yet).

The frustrating thing is that some bikes get sooooo close – like that Spark – but then ruin it with a silly high seatpost.

I did look at the Pole, but 455mm chainstays!

Love the Pole. “70% XC” it says 😆 66 degree head angle, 8lb frame, sounds like 70% XC to me. The XS has the same wheelbase as my large Trek. Pretty awesome, also you can make childish jokes about riding a massive pole and how it’s better once it’s slacker, etc, etc.

Orbea Occam TR – https://www.orbea.com/gb-en/bicycles/occam-tr-m10

Get it with the 34mm fork upgrade, stick in a 130mm air shaft giving 67.5 HA. Seat tube is 20mm longer than you ask for but at least you can slam even long droppers. Think a 150mm Fox goes right down to the collar, and they are long posts.

Put though the radification engine it looks like this:

Posted by Pedals – Eco Conscious Bike Care on Friday, September 30, 2016

Light as a light thing as well.

Sorry about the facebook link!

chakaping – its all relative as I’m sure you’ll appreciate. Bit like the geo’tron, you really have to have a go on it. The reach massively effects the way the thing feals, and perception for shorter stays’.

Northwind, same deal really. It’s their version of an xc bike. I’m in for that.

its all relative as I’m sure you’ll appreciate. Bit like the geo’tron, you really have to have a go on it. The reach massively effects the way the thing feals, and perception for shorter stays’.

I haven’t tried anything longer than 470mm reach, to be fair.

But the combination of 460mm reach & 430mm chainstay just feels so right for my body shape and riding style.

Orbea Occam TR

Thanks. This is a contender actually. 470mm seat tube is my absolute limit, but I prefer 450mm.

Would it take offset bushings?

I wasn’t making fun of the bike btw! just that their “XC” bike is more full on than most enduro bikes. I’d love a go on the 140 (even if it is only 50% enduro…)

Not another one lad? 😀
Why not just hold off on one bike change, about 6 weeks?? And then go full custom!

Assume you’re after a susser OP?

Not another one lad?
Why not just hold off on one bike change, about 6 weeks??

Just trying to stay one step ahead. If you’re not moving forward you’re going backwards, eh?

Assume you’re after a susser OP?

Oh yes.

Chakaping how tall are you?
I have just bought and built up an XL Smuggler am only 6ft 1 with short legs, have only had 1 ride so far but it’s an awesome bike, it’s weird don’t even notice the long reach. A mate rode it who has a medium Enduro 29er & is thinking of upsizing on his next bike! Was an XC ride round Bedgebury.

Whyte T129 must be close?

I’m slowly compiling parts for a SC Tallboy 3 with a 140mm fork, which pretty much hits all the numbers, bar 10mm on the reach.

I don’t see any reason why you couldn’t use one offset bushing at the front, the rear uses a wishbone.
In that facebook picture we are using a 2.5 front tyre as well, easily another 10mm of height by eyeball making it theoretically 67deg.

Review from my girlfriend – ‘everything that’s great about my Smuggler but light as ****’ !

We have a couple of options we can hold at pre-brexit pricing as well making them a few hundred cheaper 😀

The T129 would probably be a bit too similar to my P111.

The thinking behind this is that I’d like something a bit more sprightly, that I could do the odd XC race on.

Tallboy & Occam are both slightly shorter than ideal, both boost (I have some nice non-boost wheels) and both out of my price range anyway.

The Occam could be one for the future secondhand or discounted. I’m hoping more brands will come up with fun short-travel 29er frames in the next couple of years too. Canyon should be offering a Spectral Race 29 similar to the Strive.

The Smuggler was actually a serious contender for my short travel 29″ fun machine, but;

1 – I can’t own 2 Transitions, that’s way too fanboi.
2 – Even if I spanked a fortune on it, it would still weigh more than my Patrol which would annoy me.

Northwind – I guessed that a little after typing! For reference, I hear there is a demo fleet turning up in the country soon. I too am hankering for a ride on one and same as you, the 140 is def the winner for me.

Also – as Hob Nob pointed out, the Tallboy would be a good bet. Great bikes.

The Smuggler was actually a serious contender for my short travel 29″ fun machine, but;

1 – I can’t own 2 Transitions, that’s way too fanboi.
2 – Even if I spanked a fortune on it, it would still weigh more than my Patrol which would annoy me.

I had the weight thing with the Process 153 & 111.

The 153 had to go, there just wasn’t much it could do that the 111 couldn’t (and be more fun).

I had the weight thing with the Process 153 & 111.

The 153 had to go, there just wasn’t much it could do that the 111 couldn’t.

That’s the meat of it for me – with longer travel stuff getting lighter & lighter, the lines are more blurred.

If I didn’t race DH & Enduro, i’d probably just have a short travel 29″ fun bike now, as it covers the majority of my riding perfectly.

Large Hightower?

450mm reach
450mm seat tube
435mm stays
140/135 travel
67 head angle?

You could fit and offset headset and probably add 5mm to the reach.

Or a Tallboy. Same as above but with less travel and 68 head angle

The Hightower is so nearly right, but I couldn’t pay that much for a frame that I knew was a compromise from day one.

🙁

Have you tried one?

Salsa Horsethief?
448 reach
508 seat tube
437 chainstays
68 angle

I haven’t tried a hightower as it’s boost, the wrong geometry and too expensive.

The chainstay length is the challenge – not many suspension designs can get down to 430mm with 29″ wheels and decent clearance. Banshee Phantom 2017 is 10mm too long on the chainstays and 0.5 too steep on the head angle but otherwise fits the bill.

The other issue is the reach and seat tube length combo – you need something pretty progressive.

Process 111 is the obvious choice!

Pretty much what I’m looking for (only I’m not a midget)
Devinci Django 29er or Devinci Marshal.The marshal is listed as a 27.5 bike but with 29er wheels and a 120 fork its 66.7/67.2 HA (BB maybe a bit high)
marshal

Process 111 is the obvious choice!

This is the conclusion I’m starting to come to as well.

There are another two options actually, which nobody else has mentioned.

The new Trek Fuel EX in 19.5 (18.5 actual) is almost spot-on for my requirements.

And the Kona Hei Hei DL Trail is an option in both 2016 (non-boost but a bit too short) and 2017 (boost and expensive) forms.

Think I might be waiting a while to afford either of them, but it’s nice to know I’ll have options in future.

How about a Starling 29er? Custom geo, though I have no idea what the lower limit on chainstay length is for a 29.

I can’t imagine it’ll be lighter than the process

Why does it have to be 29? I have a 650b FS and a 29 FS, and don’t reckon the 29er rolls better, like everyone seems to think. I’d rather get the geo right and forsake wheel size.