Good afternoon, hive.
I’m ready to buy a new bike, live in Keswick and only ride locally. I enjoy typical Lakes riding- hike a bike, long mountain descents (at relatively slow speeds)typical riding being in areas like Grisedale Pike / Blencathra /Skiddaw / Borrowdale. Wheels generally on the ground.
Current bike is 8 years old, tall, short reach 5 inch full sus (Chumba VF2). The new one will be a hardtail, that’s all I know.

I’m 6’3″, was thinking 29er but easily swayed to 27.5. Currently averse to plus size wheels, for no logical reason other than aesthetics.

Please share your experiences of suitable bikes- I have a few in mind but interested in gathering as much info as possible.

Cheers!

Tom

Lots of choice, my first two thoughts would be a Bird Zero or a Cotic – either Soul or BFE. Both UK companies with fantastic customer service. Both make brilliant bikes. Both do a good sized XL…

Definitely a 29er for rolling over those rocks!

Probably steel for a smidge of comfort and durability.

I’d lean towards whichever brands do an XL frame, as some only seem to do S, M and L.

Cotic Solaris maybe?

Kona Honzo carbon if money is no object?

Stanton?

The Lakes is my local and my Cotic Solaris handles it nicely. Fine for all day rides, or just a quick blast round Whinlatter.

Stanton Sherpa looks good too.

Nukeproof Scout 290 looks aggressive, don’t know what it would be like on longer days out.

I thought Sherpa or Solaris (I own the latter) as soon as I read your post OP.

Orange – Crush, P7 or Clockwork EVO.

I’ve just spent a week in the Lakes with a Trek Stache 29+ It was Immensely good fun. Easily as much fun as my old Chameleon and much more plush/comfortable. It felt truly unstopable, especially as I’ve managed to get it down below 24lbs.

I’d be using an FS for my riding if I was a lakes rider. It would be tough, with big robust tyres and simple to maintain. That much rocky trail riding is tough on one’s body.

As it is, I go there twice a year and STILL take the FS. Sure, it’s doable on a hardtail, but it becomes a much more rattly, rough, pick your way down type of riding.

I assume thats what you’re looking for?

I ride a hardtail in the Shires, ride the Lakes on it once a blue moon. If I lived in the Lakes I’d be on full suspension. Whyte T130, Orange Four/5 kinda bike.

Any budget restraints?

In typical recommend what you ride fashion how about a Niner ROS9? I believe they do an XL.

For Peak District riding, admittedly probably a few notches below Lakes riding, it’s always a toss up between my ROS9 and the full suss.

Riding the Lakes on a hardtail would require a big for for me, 170mm Lyrik or the like, to keep the front end up a bit on steep stuff, to compensate for back end not compressing or kicking you about.

That would be my dictating factor, so it would probably rule out a 29er (I’ve tried my 29er a few times in the Lakes, and don’t really think it’s cut out for it, god knows why, supposed to roll over everything as folk say, but it doesn’t really..)

Something like a PP Shan that takes a big fork…

Also in classic ‘suggest what you own’ style I was about to say you should look at the Transition TransAM in 27.5, but went on to the Transition site to see if they do an XL and found that the bike no longer exists!!

I have a mate who brought his Shan to the lakes with us. He rode the whole weekend, but it wasn’t pretty TBH.

I’m a similar size to OP and looking for a new XL hardtail to replace my snapped 456Ti. Would love to try a hardcore 29-er but haven’t seen anything remotely comparable to what I’d recognise as ‘ardcore (eg 65 deg H/A, loads of tyre space and can take a 150mm fork). What does the equivalent 29-er look like?

bloke lives in lakes, bloke rides in lakes on a susser. bloke wants a hardtail. idiots tell him a susser is best. ace. 😆

140mm forked ragley bigwig. perfect.

Hmm.

Old guy who barely off roads anymore regards regular riders as idiots for offering alternative and helpful perspectives. Confirms poor comprehension of written English and understanding of subtext by stupid response. satisfies STW sarcastic comment quotient. 🙄

Thanks so far. Budget is driving the hardtail decision, along with the fact I don’t ride that often or that long, happy to pick a line and go a bit slower in the nadgery stuff. Food for thought. Cheers.

Hmm.

Old guy who barely off roads anymore regards regular riders as idiots for offering alternative and helpful perspectives. Confirms poor comprehension of written English and understanding of subtext by stupid response. satisfies STW sarcastic comment quotient.

oof harsh… but TomB does say…’the new on will be a HARDTAIL, that’s all i know.

4 play in Cockermouth have a second hand 19″ onza payoff in (must stop recommending a bike I’ve never even seen). Might not be big enough for a 6’3″ type, though. Am after one for my 40th but need a 17″.

I have a BFe which I happily ride down anything in the Peaks. As above I’d take a FS in the Lakes just to help the aged bones and body. The various hike a bike I’ve done with BFe vs Covert does show me how much easier it is to carry a HT up, certainly notice the weght difference when the bike is on your back ! I don’t have a view on plus size vs larger normal 275 tyres but may be worth a thought. Two sets of wheels ? Adjustable travel forks ?

Happy hunting, let us know what you decide

Would love to try a hardcore 29-er but haven’t seen anything remotely comparable to what I’d recognise as ‘ardcore (eg 65 deg H/A, loads of tyre space and can take a 150mm fork)

http://www.last-bikes.com/products/frames/fastforward.html

Was going to suggest a Transition HT too….but no longer there!!

Would you consider a short travel F/S? The Smuggler is a riot of a bike.

This

Tom, I am lakes based. I was after a 29er (more racey than trail)and I test rode a Stanton at Whinlatter. The guys were great, maybe worth a call to see what is in their demo fleet that you could try.

A hardtail is fine in the Lakes, you bunch of softies!

Honestly it isn’t the fact I’m on a hardtail that limits my rides, just the rider.

#realmenridehardtails

Orange P7 or Ritchley P29er?

Sorry for my earlier suggestion….didn’t refresh the post prior to posting…. 😳

I’d have a look at the “trail 29er” thread: http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/29er-hardtail-frames-for-trail-riding

Some of the suggestions are hardly budget conscious, but there’s lots in there.

Hmmmmmm, that shan gt in rothmans colours is looking interesting…..

Never ridden one, but it would be hard to see how this couldn’t fir the brief, especially with the option of a chubby rear end.

http://www.last-bikes.com/products/frames/fastforward.html

Riding the Lakes on a hardtail would require a big for for me, 170mm Lyrik or the like, to keep the front end up a bit on steep stuff, to compensate for back end not compressing or kicking you about.

But you’ve still got a hard tail at the end of the day, only with a 170mm fork you’ve got a very heavy weight up front too. You’re unlikely to ever be going fast enough over the kind of terrain that makes real use of a big fork on a hardtail. If you wanted a high front end there’s, stems, spacers and riser bars for that. All horribly unfashionable, but >200g lighter and probably more controllable too (170mm is ~7deg steeper HA just as your weights being pitched forward).

Stanton, Last Fast Forward or Production Privee. I used to ride my Evil Sovereign a lot in the Lakes and these two are its logical successors.

If the budget is really tight I’d go for a Ragley Piglet at £1,050 complete from CRC.

That Shan GT looks to be within a gnats cock of the measurements of a 2souls Quarterhorse. Better paint job by a country mile though. Quarterhorse is 853 if you’re a materials snob mind.

I rode my Cotic Soul for a 2 weeks at Zona Zero in Spain. It was a blast and I didn’t die!
I never think twice about taking it to the Lakes.
Get some big tubeless tyres and apply a bit of technique, ace!

Orange Crush or P7 both absolute monsters when pointing down hill.. The reviews say it all

back in the old days, when i rode offroad 100% of the time…. 🙄
i rode a bike that was THE best i have ever owned for riding downhill in the Lakes or indeed anywhere rocky.
i am ashamed and loathe myself to have to admit that the bike was a 1st gen rs36 forked ORANGE SUB ZERO. it was pretty awesome.

old pissy smelling bloke wonders off back to his shackleton….. 😀

Big fan of 29ers in the Lakes – I have the old (non-plus) Stache and it is superb! That said I am probably going for a plus size bouncer to replace the Whyte T129 as it’s stable mate!

I would be looking hard at the Honzo, you are going to want something a bit burly 😉

Electric fat bike surely ? 😀

You would be daft not to get a 29er at your height and for the lakes… i am same height and run a codeine as a full sus but recently picked up a cheap 2k16 genesis high latitude with near 33 percent off, very long and raggable and also seems to nave a good bit of steel springyness.

Hello, Niner Ros9. i recently got a niner ros9, its a great ride, probably the best bike ive had, i have other bikes but doubt il be using them again any time soon, check out some reviews.

Got an XL clockwork with dropper and 130mm fork I’m thinking of moving on. Great all rounder and perfect size for you!