[Closed] recommend me a nice playful light 29er hardtail frame

Voodoo bizango, cheap as chips, great reviews & QR. Checkout Kona Taro's, On-one 's Parkwood, Trek Stache as other 2nd hand options or wait till November for Nukeproof's scout 29er HT (142 rear though), expected RRp of £350

Planet X Dirty Harry perhaps even, pretty smart machine too.

Playful? 29er..?

Errr..

I'll get my coat.

The Titus fireline is brilliant, bit out of your price range, but shares the same geometry as the parkwood. Think I'd be hard pushed to look past that for the money

Some good suggestions thanks gys. Anyone riding a ritchey p29 as I like the look of them but all the reviews seem to contradict themselves?

Yep ride a p29 as my hack bike... made it a ss too.. was blown away how well it rides and now looking to try and get some niner carbon forks now budget allows 🙂 Highly rate!! Picked the frame up 2nd hand off a very nice fella on here... they are quite hard to find mind and in the retro colour way...

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Playful? 29er..?

Errr..

I'll get my coat.

There is such a thing, Cotic Solaris. Light (for a steel frame), really good trail bike.

Kenesis FF29

No experience of it but looks like a nice frame

When N+1 has me 29er curious I'll be seriously looking at one

Sir HC - Member

There is such a thing, Cotic Solaris. Light (for a steel frame), really good trail bike.

+1

In fact I'm heading out on mine shortly for a combo of mile munching and play time!

On the list should be the Canfield YellyScreamy, Titus Fireline evo, On One Parkwood, Dartmoor 29er (Phantom??)

The zealous division is 29'r & I would certainly describe it as playful. It reminds me a lot of my old Chameleon, but with 29'r benefits as well. Its not particularly light, but I dont think it really matters when its so much fun to ride.

I'm already on a ff29 which I really enjoy but I have the upgrade/change bug and I know of old that it won't go until I do something about it. I do really like the ritchey and the new one has a 44mm headtube but the colour scheme isn't as striking.

My Niner EMD is nice and playful, depends on what travel you are looking for.

My Whyte 29C is certainly skippy and playful. For a 'race bike' it's a riot.

I'll get my coat.

Please do, we won't miss you.

Sir HC - Member
There is such a thing, Cotic Solaris. Light (for a steel frame), really good trail bike.

+1

In fact I'm heading out on mine shortly for a combo of mile munching and play time!

45miles on mine last week, currently ride the Solaris more than my Trance!

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The Stooge is great too. Simple, robust and with carbon bars and 29er+ front wheel it's pretty forgiving.
Mine comes in around 26lbs. Perfect winter build! Just awaiting a 650+ rear wheel.

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I'd love a chromag as I already own a 26 version but they are next to impossible to find second hand and so expensive new....

I've never heard of the zealous division but it makes for interesting reading. Looks to be a fun ride but the weight and the bb92 is slightly off putting.

xcstu

What length P2's you got on there?

Great Stooge pic ^

I'd get a Parkwood

best bang for the buck

I own a Ritchey P -29. my thoughts are - I bought it to do some bike packing touring and to have a go at the fred whitton on a more sensible bike (my only attempt was on a 29er full suss) I have got several compressed disc in lower back and neck. Last hardtail I had was a Ti Litespeed Kitsuma and I am a full convert to full suspension 26er from the day (turners - xce/rfx I has two/flux/dw flux) Yeti Asr 7/ Titus supermoto/Intense tracer/Nicolai CC/Maverick ml8 and ml7/Santa Cruz Heckler/Bullit/Superlight plus a convert to 29er Turner Sultan and Rocky Element, I am sure in my 25 years of MTB there are some more that I failed to mention) Curretnly a Rocky Element 29 er weighing in at 27lbs with pedals.
SO the ritchey, it has several guises rigid - 100mm - 120 talas forks, dropper post or carbon wheels Industry 9 with stans archs and xt throughout best weight 24lbs through to 28 now all with flat pedals tyres everything from 2.4 to 1.9 mountain bikes to fast freds and big apples...oh spacers say how bad my neck or back was at the time.Handlebars from on one knucklebones to Easton flat with cane creek bar ends.

RIGID
[img][url= https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8746/17262430871_18fd31a3db_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8746/17262430871_18fd31a3db_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/siqtht ]IMG_20150425_095718829[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/50879761@N05/ ]vondally[/url], on Flickr[/img]

100mm
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120 talas and dropper

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It is without doubt one of the most versatile bikes I have had, it is not the lightest nor heaviest BUT it is the most balanced bike, the weight distribution is tremendous, above all it just does without fuss - climbing yes good as expected not much faster than the rocky 29er but descending and I am a real take my time and yes I will not hurt my back the bike is quick, quicker than most of the 26 er and only marginally slower than some of my best times. It is comfy to ride, best with a carbon post, worst with a suspension post. Best forks are 120 with talas drop to 90mm or rigid - carbon on ones. The rigids lend them selves to be very very precise and not to bad on rocky downs. Head angle is 70.5 to 68/9 and so very wonderful stable but is good in singletrack. Dowsnsides, rubbed a patch of paint of with heel rub, straight steerer.....er not really light but that is okay as I am at times between 14 and 15 stone.

Biggest complements well 30 miles on Saturday 20 off and 10 on road 1800 ft of ascent and my 3rd ride following a rotated disc, I walked to the pub on Sat night, rode Sunday and went to work Monday.

Best Bike I have owned, probably not as I look through rose tinted specs on some others, but in the top 5, biggest complement it rides like a bike and you can build it up whatever way you like.

Ohh and it makes me smile

Thanks for that vondally I do appreciate it. I love the colour of yours but also the 44mm headtube of the boring later model. My rigids are on-one carbons and straight steerer but my sus forks are dt swiss 120 with a taper. Decisions decisions ! Yours does look lovely . Prettiest 29er going IMHO.

I have the dt swiss 120 on my rocky and they are a great fork, yes a 44mm head tube is sensible in the climate of industry standards.... if was looking now at a hardtail a 2 souls quarterhorse would be up there,

I had a go on a stooge very intresting but stiff, too stiff for me.

Good luck and do say what you decide on 😀

Earl - The forks are Charge - 511mm axle to crown (equivalent to 29" rockshox fork at 100mm) 45mm offset... Does the job but does look long and now look for a niner fork to replace.. The hunt goes on 🙂

I had a go on a stooge very interesting but stiff, too stiff for me.

The Stooge is a great rigid bike for technical trails, where yo don't want a noodley bike.

It is a good point clink, but I have several compressed discs so for me too stiff whilst I can manage/cope with the Ritchey.

As with all things now what you want, plus the Stooge is not as versatile as the Ritchey in terms of a variety of builds.

Both are great bikes and the Stooge is cheaper.

Choices eh

Choices eh

Tell me about it! 😯

I'd like a slightly older santa cruz highball but they seem difficult to get hold of so at the moment I'm torn between the ritchey in its two guises and the zealous division for its boldness .

yea that is crazy long - I'm currently thinking about the carbon On one forks at 470mm. off to look up the specs on the ninner forks...

Curve ball. Trek Superfly (but current frames 142 rear). I've got the ss frameset. It's a xc frame with fairly slack (for xc ) ha and comfy, despite being alu. You might pick up one 2nd hand?

It's worth a Google and a look Clink thanks.

Canfield yelli. Expensive frame but its such a lively, light, fun bike.

2 years on its still my favourite. Feels like a bmx with big wheels.

Just dropped in some 27.5+ wheels which is an added bit of flexibility.

what it looks like in your head

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what it looks like in reality

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Yelli screamys are hard to find second hand too. Almost every decent 29er hardtail is. Looks like people are holding on to them.

My Stooge doesn't feel stiff

Down to set-up and intended use I would've thought

Great Stooge pic

I can't say that the Stooge feels overily stiff. It's certainly more forgiving than my old Yelli and HX2. The rear wheel flexes a bit and I have buz marks on the seat stay.

Dirtyrider,
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Cokie - you going rear 27.5 only?

Bonesetter- Yes. Would love to go 27.5+ all round but can't afford it at the moment.

What about the Stanton Sherpa? Not that weighty and certainly fits the fun requirement. Little stretch for a new one but not a million miles off.

Thanks Gotama I actually sold mine a few months ago as I liked it but decided to keep the ff29 which in hindsight wasn't the smartest.........

Yelli screamys are hard to find second hand too

There'a couple FS on the Bay isn't there?

I can't find any no. Only new ones around at the moment.

ROS9

Edit: not that light though but damned playful

ROS9 is probably the most pricy too 🙂

If you are talking light - I presume(?) you are thinking Alu or Carbon. I have a Singular Buzzard. A great "fun 29er" but not light since it is steel... I've similarly been thinking of a lighter 29er.

Most of the suggestions I found have already been covered - there's also a commencal but it may no longer be available. I quite fancy a yelli screamy but really nearly a grand for an Alu frame! And the US dollar price stateside is certainly not equivalent. Halfords told me they could order in a Kona Taro if you are interested.

I forgot - Banshee Paradox

Look on pinkbike RRD as a shop is selling them new at 690.

Ah yes, I had a Paradox for a while - very playful, but very harsh

Everyone who jumped on that started ragging it immediately which says a lot

The new yelli is out so you may be able to get a discount on some of the older stock?
Overspoke bikes in bewdley (or cranknuts as online canfield dist) had a couple left.

I've been riding a Parkwood since december. I don't have a bad word to say about it.

i'd buy my orange clockwork i have for sale if i was you, and needed an XL....
😉

My fireline - (Ti original version of Parkwood) is my go-to MTB these days. short chain stays, and slack HA by 29er standards, with that bit of Ti compliance.