Hello all,

Would like to build a Steel 1×10 29er.

Current bikes are 150mm travel 650b and an Inbred SS29er.

Choices narrowed down to

Cotic Solaris (but cool green colour out of stock until March 15)
Pipedreams Skookum (but worried about the ‘frame break’ for belt drive)
Stanton Sherpa

Does anyone have any experience of the geometry of these bikes? I love the ride of my SS inbred, long top tube short stem.

I’d like an all rounder, capable of riding an XC winter series but also penmachno and wales trails.

Budget no more than £500 max for frame.
Will consider 2nd hand.
Am 189cm/ 6’2.5″

If you have alternative suggestions, I’d appreciate some justification for my own education!

Thanks

Rev

Been toying with similar quandary myself… And have a similar current setup, in a Scott Genius 150mm 27.5 (err) er, or whatever you call them.

I want a bike for long distance xc type riding, riding through the winter and also some big, old school, proper mountain biking, epics.

I love simplicity and steel, with a stable of steel road and cross bikes, and sometimes I just want to leave the tech of the bounce and droppy post malarky behind.

I also live in Innerleithen and know full well that I’m not likely to shy away from some nice techy steep singletrack if I end up near some and the mood takes me.

I’ve narrowed it down to the Solaris (beautiful), the Sherpa (purposful) and also the Singular Swift (classy).

I’m leaning toward the swift for classy steel, and thinking fully rigid… seems like well proven, good value. However, the sherpa really looks like a bike that could tackle an awful lot.

Not sure if that helps you any.

Forgive the spelling and poor grammar as I’m typing this out on my phone!

I had a Solaris, I have a Skookum, I’m building a Sherpa 🙂

I’m also about the same height as you.

I originally built my Solaris to replace a Soul that I loved but was a bit big for. I really wanted the Solaris to be a 29er version of my Soul. Sadly I found it a lot stiffer and much more like a 29er Bfe than a Soul.

My Skookum is much closer (IMHO) to a 29er Soul and has more spring in it than the Solaris. The slight concession for me on the Skookum is that its shorter than the Solaris.

On my Solaris I ran a 80mm stem, 761mm bar, Reverb and 100mm Rebas.

My Skookum is currently running a 90mm stem as I’m running a Lefty and you can’t go shorter with a layback Thomson post. The Lefty is a PBR 90.

The Sherpa is hopefully going to give the spring of the Skookum with the length of the Solaris. Plan is to run a 80mm stem, 761mm bars, Reverb, bolt through Cromoto for winter and 120mm SIDS for when its not winter 😉

Fingers crossed it should be finished by the weekend.

Any help?

Forgive the spelling and poor grammar as I’m typing this out on my phone!

I had a Solaris, I have a Skookum, I’m building a Sherpa 🙂

I’m also about the same height as you.

I originally built my Solaris to replace a Soul that I loved but was a bit big for. I really wanted the Solaris to be a 29er version of my Soul. Sadly I found it a lot stiffer and much more like a 29er Bfe than a Soul.

My Skookum is much closer (IMHO) to a 29er Soul and has more spring in it than the Solaris. The slight concession for me on the Skookum is that its shorter than the Solaris.

On my Solaris I ran a 80mm stem, 761mm bar, Reverb and 100mm Rebas.

My Skookum is currently running a 90mm stem as I’m running a Lefty and you can’t go shorter with a layback Thomson post. The Lefty is a PBR 90.

The Sherpa is hopefully going to give the spring of the Skookum with the length of the Solaris. Plan is to run a 80mm stem, 761mm bars, Reverb, bolt through Cromoto for winter and 120mm SIDS for when its not winter 😉

Fingers crossed it should be finished by the weekend.

Any help?

I’ve narrowed it down to the Solaris (purposeful), the Sherpa (beautiful) and also the Singular Swift (classy).

Fixed that for you 😉

fixed that for you

Haha… Yeah, those two are kind of interchangeable. That said, I reckon the Sherpa definitely has more of a ‘purpose’ about it. Still lovely looking, mind.

Helpful responses thank you.

Stoo – I discounted the swift, as after research it seemed the majority suffered creakage from the eccentric BB which would drive me crazy. (Though wiggle had some on discount I noticed if you’re still looking).

letmetalktomark – I saw your comments re the BFE in another post somewhere while doing so research. I like length in a TT I think. I am 189cm (6’3 almost) and really get on well with the 21″ inbred with a 40mm stem.
Perhaps the Skookum will be too short? I’m also put off by the frame break and long chainstays. Will the cromoto affect the geo at all – that is a rigid fork right?

Cheers

Rev

EDIT: mark are you in suffolk? Not near IP31 brandon/thetford at all by any chance?

Rev

I have an XL Solaris in green…..

IP33 – About 15miles from Brandon.

Happy to meet up with the Skookum or the Sherpa when its built if you want a look see/ride etc.

Re the fork … The new Grande Cromoto is 483mm AtoC so closer to a 100mm suspension fork.

I ran it passed Dan @ Stanton and he seemed confident it would be fine. The Sherpa is slacker than the Skookum & Solaris so should work fine (not sure on the logic part of this 😆 😳 )

Few pics:

My XL Solaris

My L Skookum (its the largest on they do)

My Sherpa is also an XL but no pics of that yet.

I would say that if you were to run a stem as short as 40mm then the Skookum would be too short in the TT but I guess thats down to ody proportions.

I need the TT length more than the ST length.

@letmetalktomark, so how does the Sherpa compare to the Solaris and the Skookum?

Surly Karate Monkey (the new 44mm headtubed, cleverer drop outed version) should be on your list too.

I have an old version and it’s a great bike to ride. Nice short chainstays!

@letmetalktomark

I’m leaning toward the swift for classy steel, and thinking fully rigid… seems like well proven, good value.

For the riding you describe the Stooge is a better bet.

hi, I’m also weighing up the same steel frame 29er options to build it SS or 1×10. Favouring the Sherpa on paper but quite tempted by the gate drive on the skookum. I’m also about 189cm, how has the Sherpa worked out, do you prefer it to the others? the XL size seems very long but may be OK with a 60mm stem?

I too was in the same position as you and opted for a Stanton Sherpa in emerald green, in the flesh the frame is stunning with great detail.
My build spec is
Sherpa frame in L
2015 Rockshox Reba rl 120mm
Thomson dropper post
Hope pro II evo hubs on WTB i23 rims
Thomson 70mm stem
Thomson carbon bars
Hutchinson Toro 2.35 tyres
XT transmission
Charge Spoon saddle in Stealth Black.