I ride a rigid single speed 29er but ride with a bunch of guys on hardtails and full sussers.

I can for the most part keep up but I struggle over the super rough stuff so would like a short-travel 29er.

I like the look of the Specialized FSR, and would like carbon if possible. Can you recommend anything? Must be sub 2k, second hand is not a problem.

Cheers

Giant anthem x1. £1999, not carbon but a very light frame to begin with.

Brand new id say this http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bikes/model/2014.giant.anthem.x.29er.1/14998/66602/

Edit: Too slow

http://www.billys.co.uk/english/group.php?prod=5SA-2013Horse3

??

Check out pauls cycles – might be “cheap” if they’ve got your size and dont mind 2013 model

Could do FAR worse than the 2013 Ghost AMR 2955 that CRC are selling off cheap right now. Just picked one up myself, swapped a few bits off my old bike onto it, and about to test it out tomorrow. 100mm travel 4bar back end with short 440mm stays, I’ve put a 120mm fork on mine which has slackened the head angle to 68.5 degrees and only raised the BB by about 3mm.

FWIW, I’ve ridden the 26″ version before and it was a very capable, if slightly nervous machine. Stupidly quick though. The 29er version should be a bit more stable looking at the geometry, but not too stable as to be boring.

spesh camber. I picked 1 up off ebay but offered quick sale. cot carbon comp for £1200 2012. had it a year now. love it

Wow that 2013 Ghost AMR 2955 is a bargain!

camber is a good bet. whyte new under 2k

Buy my Camber for a lot less than £2k. 🙂

Canyon?

Bargain: http://www.mailordercycles.com/m1b0s1p2292/SPECIALIZED_Camber_FSR_Comp_Carbon_2013

http://www.santacruzbikes.co.uk/demo_sale

Superlight 29

mboy

Any pics of the Ghost? I’ve got my eye on one as well.

What forks did you go for?

Look will you all shut up about those AMR’s cause I need a bargain…. Mboy’s ugly bike which is not ugly…

Here’s a rubbish pic from just after it was built (I’ll get you a better one tomorrow now it has been ridden)…

Did almost 40k on it today round Cannock (Monkey, FTD, Run & Ride XC course) and so far so good. Feels very nimble for a 29er full sus, in fact more so than many 26″ full sus bikes I’ve ridden. It’s definitely more stable than the 26″ version though (which is a very quick bike, if a little flighty) but without handling like an oil tanker. Very impressed with my first ride on it, it even pedals very well for a 4 bar FS bike (main pivot is higher and further forward than on many bikes), so much so that the Float CTD lever was all but redundant on anything but the longest climbs (where I’d put it into “T”, I didn’t use “C” once!), and kept it in “D” most of the time as it doesn’t really bob at all. Certainly it pedals a LOT better than the Whyte T-129 (though it’s possibly not quite as accomplished at descending I will concede)

Oh and forks are X-Fusion Slide RL2. For a “budget” fork, VERY capable. Need to spend a bit more time getting them totally dialled for my weight and riding style, but damping seems more controlled than cheaper Rockshox for sure (though maybe still not quite as good as the RCT3 damper).

Im liking the look of the camber. Cheers folks

cube sting 120 race will take some topping, fox front and rear plus full XT inc brakes for £1800

what dirtyrider said, SC superlight