Please bear with me – a bit of a long one.

I currently have a 2011 Santa Cruz Heckler built burly with EX721 rims, 9×3 XT, Fox 36 Talas Kashima. ‘Tis my dream MTB. Built up over many years replacing broken bits with better bits on my previous bike until I finally bit the bullet and bought the new frame and forks 2 years ago.

I also have an On-One 456 Summer Season. Cracking bike again built quite burly – Oldish set of Pike 110-140 airs. EX721s again.

Both built burly as I am a large Clydesdale rider who breaks a lot of stuff.

Last summer I got myself my first ever road bike. Change in work circumstance – working away a lot more, our first child, means mountain biking has gone out of the window right now. When I work away I take my road bike to commute from my accommodation and for rides in the evenings. Occasionally I’ll take my hardtail away instead of the road bike for commuting and off road evenings.

When I am at home I just get the odd road ride or commute in. And a very occasional short XC blast on the HT, or HT road ride with the little’un on the back in the Hamax. Just maximising bike miles and family time. The half and full days out off road aren’t happening right now.

So my Heckler is sitting in the garage doing now’t. Feeling sorry that I’m not riding it on all day epics and finding the steep rough stuff it enjoys. It’s also depreciating. Especially with all this 29 / 650b nonsense going on…

All my mates I speak to say – don’t sell it. You’ll regret it. But it’s sat there doing nothing. Been out twice this year. Once on the Dyfi Enduro and once the week before for a quick ride to check it was OK!

Current thinking is break up the Heckler and sell the frame. Use the money I make to maybe upgrade the On-one 456 to another steel frame – Bfe perhaps and pair it with the Fox 36 forks? I’ve had some great fun on the HT on some quite rough stuff and wonder if I am overbiked right now with the Heckler. Maybe if I can sell enough stuff put it towards another road bike and use my current as a winter / commuter.

Thoughts appreciated.

PS not a gauging interest thread

I have a similar issue but not overbiked more a duplication, a Cotic Soul and a Solaris. Problems as I see it is the absolute pittance you will get selling the fs frame secondhand. I reckon your’e better keeping it for the occasional use as buying it again in 2yrs time will cost a fortune.

I was bored at EX721

Keep it. You’ll regret it if you flog it.

Keep it.
1. It’s a great bike and will still be a great bike in five years time.
2. You won’t get your monies with selling it.

Enjoy it the few times a year when you ride it and when family/work pressure eases in a few years you can then buy the latest and greatest if that is important to you.

more a duplication

That ^^^ keep the Heckler and swap the 456 for a lighter XC type hardtail for shorter/local/commuting rides where you don’t need a burly bike, or 721 rimmed wheels…
The 456 will be cheaper to replace if you decide it’s a mistake…

keep it. Youv’e lost your MTB mojo and found your road, as its something new. Give it time and/or a decent ride/trip and you’ll get back into the MTB love the Heckler.

Just been through the same thing, spent most of the last 12 months riding road (and loving it) with an Alpine 160 and Dialled Alpine sat gathering dust. Had a couple of weekends away riding welsh trail centres I’ve never been to before and loved it; took 2 minutes to get over thinking the FS was an overweight, energy sapping bouncy tank 😀 . Still loving road but happy to keep the Alpine waiting for its moments to shine.

I was bored at EX721

but persevered long enough to post something fatuous?

Cheers chaps never let it be said that the STW collective doesn’t offer common sense good advice.

The STW collective offers common sense and good advice shocker!

If only we could find it.

The I got bored bit made me chuckle. I needed that. Thanks.

As you were.