Got an urge to build up a 29er hardtail for trail riding, mostly around the Peak. Rode in Basque last year with a couple of guys on 29er hardtails and was impressed with how capable they were.

So, which of the above do I really fancy for my riding? My intention would be a 120 fork up front, a Pike or Fox 34, dropper post (stealth/covert) would be nice but not critical on a medium hardtail. Running 2 x 11.

All are a bit tricky to get test rides on. Your thoughts/experiences please.

Oh yeah, I’m also keen on a bolt through back end Which is one of the reasons for the short list.

Sync ti, without doubt!!!

I do like that but titanium doesn’t seem to have the reputation of longevity that it once did.

Pivot les. Pretty good with demo’s as well I believe.

Highball Carbon ?

dealer map tells you who has what for demo

http://www.santacruzbicycles.co.uk/dealers

Doesn’t the highball have a 27.2 seat tube? That limits the dropper post choices a bit.

ah so it does, i had a ali one which was 30.9mm, didn’t know they had changed it

Thanks for the suggestion though. They seem to be pitching it more as a race bik whereas I’m after more of a lightweight trail capable machine.

What about a Cotic Solaris? They are lovely with a stiff 120mm fork…

I’d get a Yeti ArcC as it takes a ‘normal’ bsa bottom bracket amongst other things 😉

bikeneil – Member
What about a Cotic Solaris? They are lovely with a stiff 120mm fork…

No bolt through back end but otherwise I’d agree.

No bolt through back end but otherwise I’d agree.

That’s a plus in my opinion!

Stanton Sherpa 853? Again no bolt through rear but looks like an absolute cracker….

The yeti is pretty but I’m weary given the short warranty and their track record with plastic bikes. Solaris looks nice again but I’d like to start from a lighter base. Having said that, it has been developed in the very play ground I want to ride it in.

The pf bottom bracket was a concern but after fitting a couple of hope pf bottom brackets that thread together, I don’t see that as that much of an issue now.

Could get a secondhand Stache and stick some nice bits on it.

Awesome frame and might be a bit more suitable for the kind of riding and build you have in mind than some of the other bikes you mention.

The sync is clearly billed for what I’m local king for. I assume it’s the plastic bikes that you think aren’t best suited to trail riding.

The sync is clearly billed for what I’m local king for.

Modest about your abilities eh?

😆

The Sync has a 70deg HA and reviews suggest it’s got an XC bias. But you say you want to use a Pike – which suggests you want something a bit more grrr, and I know there are some steep rocky bits in the Peak District.

You know best of course. I may just have got the wrong end of the stick.

Bloody auto correct!

I meant looking for.

I’ve always been willing to pay a bit of a weight penalty for a fork with a stiffer chassis. My current hardtail is a pace 305 with Fox float 36 dropped to 130mm with an avy cartridge in them. The float 32 I had on before just felt a bit twangy.

You’re right, I do like the Rocky lumpy bits in the Peak (although Derbyshire County council seem to be on a one man mission to flatten them all).

I’d love a 120mm Pike or similar for my Stache, will probably get one when I spot a mega-bargain. But the Rev I’m using is quite adequate for now.

I’ve found the most important thing with 29ers is to get a stiff wheelset, otherwise you’ll be cacking yourself as your wheels twang all over the shop through rocky bits. I confirmed this on the rocky bridleways at Hollinsclough, if you know them?

Personally, if I was starting from scratch, I think I’d get a Pike, decent wheels and an On-One Parkwood frame – but I said Stache ‘cos you want the bolt-through rear.

I love Hollinsclough. But tricky to loop into a ride though. Ever noticed the grid co-ordinates there? I’m planning light bicycle 33mm rims for the wheelset. With salon race or dt comp, that should be a pretty stiff wheel. Still mulling over which hubs to spec. I like the dt but the low flange height doesn’t aid wheel stiffness.

Just spotted the canfield epo which looks like it ticks the boxes, just th cable routing looks a bit messy. Spending this much, I’d like to keep them internal if I could.

Somewhat biased cos I had one (jonny rocky mountain has it now), but the Sync is an awesome bike for everything you describe. The others are hard riding XC bikes (though now you’ve thrown the EPO in there it’s a bit more of a conundrum), the Sync is a hard riding trail bike that can be raced XC, but also kicks ass on the descents too.

Had to sell mine as I couldn’t afford to keep a Ti HT as well as get a new FS bike too. To be honest, I miss it a lot! I’d have another tomorrow if I could afford it.

Oh, and should also mention that the others (forgetting the EPO) are really all designed around a 100mm fork, but can take a 120mm fork. The Sync is designed around a 120mm fork, but to be honest, will still handle fine with a 130 if you were that way inclined.

I do wonder if I’m extreme enough for the Canfield epo but I think the plastic bikes might be over faced in the Peak. The reason for thinking 120mm is because thats as low as the pike goes. I’m sure 100mm would be enough but that would mean a twangy fork which I’d like to avoid.

That Epo does look spot-on in terms of geometry. If you can stomach the price and you like the looks (I’m ambivalent).

Can you get a go on a slack-ish 29er to try to work out which way you want to go?

You’re welcome to try my Stache as a benchmark if you ever venture north of Manc.

Cheers, I appreciate the offer. It takes me a long time to plan these things but I’ll keep that in mind if this looks like it will bear fruit.

Well if you leave it long enough I expect you’ll have a bigger choice of fun 29ers with the new Boost configuration to take 650B-plus as well.

Maybe.

Yay, more standards to choose from! 😕

Sync. It’s the perfect bike for the peaks IMO – I’ve got a FF29 which I batter round the peaks regularly and the Sync is just the FF29 with all the improvements i’d make to it made! (slightly more compliant ride, bolt thru rear, slightly slacker HA) Each to their own, but i’ve broken too much carbon stuff to want to trust an expensive carbon frame in the peaks, bouncing rocks off the downtube.

It’s not going to be overly light frame wise though, i bet it gives away the best part of 500g to the carbon frames you mention. I guess it wouldn’t weigh a lot less than a solaris. My FF29 was 200g over what it should have been.

I bought the FF29 as a way of demoing a sync for a few months before splashing £1500 on a frame when i’d not tried a 29er, and i’m going to be upgrading it!

dropper post (stealth/covert) would be nice but not critical on a medium hardtail.

Dropper post option would be a must for me, i know the eddie is 31.6 but i’d be out on any frame that wouldn’t take a reverb.

Dropper post is a must, I agree. Whether is was stealth/covert is the optional. A loop of hose/cable is only a problem on small or bouncy bikes.

Tempted by the Thomson although my two lev posts have never let me down.

The 27.2 seat tube is the reason Santa Cruz isn’t on my short list. All the ones I’m looked by at will take a dropper but I’m not sure they all have hose/cable guides for it.

I really like my LES, although I have the 27.5 one. Routing for dropper post is possible internally and the geometry is superb on the downs for an 1100g XC race frame. Mine has had 6 months of racing and riding and not showing any issues yet.

I’d say to go for the Niner if you’re willing to spend a bit. As stiff and controlled as you could wish for, and it’ll descend brilliantly with a 120mm fork plugged in (mine feels so much better than my old Canyon on the techy stuff, even with 100m forks and a long dropped stem).
Given that you say you’ll be running 2×11, I think the Niner is the only one of those bikes to come ready for internal routing for the new side swing front mech cable routing.

http://singletrackworld.com/reviews/niner-air-9-carbon-frame/
^ Seems like a very similar build to your plans.

If you do consider a stache, then check out my for sale ad as I’ve got one for sale with various options depending on price (but all a bargain)