The other week I asked for some advice on a new frame and I was pretty much decided on a specialized stumpy FSR.

Turns out they don’t do frame only which I find a bit strange as surely that’s a lot of the market they are opting out of.
I have always bought frames and built them up.
The bike price is £2500 for the 2013 and I’m not paying that just to get hold of the frame.

So I’ve had to turn my attention else where.

Looked at The intense Tracer 2 which I really like
Possibly an orange alpine 160.
Just checked out the mojo HD but the price puts me off. Another £500-£600 more than the intense!

Has anyone got a Tracer 2? I want to IDE it up as well as down so want to make sure it can climb reasonably well for what it is.

Anything better for the money than the alpine or tracer?

What bike are you swapping components off, and what bits are you keeping? Fork, wheels, etc.

Both the tracer and the alpine are lovely bikes, but both are a bit more aggro than the stumpjumper. The specialized equivalent is an enduro, which might be sold as a frame only option (might be carbon only, I don’t remember).

You need to give some more details about what you have and the kind of riding that you do in order to get a specific answer.

Thanks., well I looked at the enduro but again no frame for the UK.
Tracer is adjustable I believe from about 145-160mm and stumpy is 150 so didn’t think there would be a huge difference.

I currently have a chameleon but getting bored with how stiff it is. Must be cause I’m getting old my back can’t take it no more. Don’t get me wrong I love a good hard tail and will keep the chameleon then eventually build it back up with spare parts.

As it is I will use the parts off the chameleon.

Hope pro 2 on mavic 321 rims. Hope tech 2’s, race face atlas cranks.
The chameleon is actually a pretty heavy build I could do with saving some weight really.
Everything is heavy duty-ish and it all adds up. Race face steel dh headset etc.

Forks are 32 vanilla r 140mm. I know this isn’t really ideal for an alpine or tracer but they will only be on it short term.

Have you seen these?
http://www.bikescene.co.uk/Specialized-SWorks-Stumpjumper-FSR-Carbon-Frame-2199-18-0.html
http://www.bikescene.co.uk/Specialized-Stumpjumper-FSR-EVO-Frame-4491-92-0.html

http://www.bikescene.co.uk/SPECIALIZEDCLEARANCEFRAMES-92.html

Sworks FSRs and Epic FSRs in most sizes, Stumpy Evo in XL

Thanks for the links guys, I hadn’t seem those. I did phone bike scene the other day but missed these because I had my heart set on a 2013 model.

Looking at it though the 2011 models look pretty much the same frame as the 2013 so i’m sure I could live with the old livery. Quite a saving too. I’m not fussed about carbon but the stumpy Evo is only available in XL which I guess will be huge.

I have also just been looking at the Santa cruz blur and nomad. Not sure why I didn’t lol at these in the first place.
I already have 2 santa cruz frames so I could be a fan boy and go for a 3rd.

I have an alpine 160, my Dad a Tracer 2, both are great bikes climb really well and go down even better. With the Tracer 2 having the VPP it doesn’t bob when climbing and I find it nice and stiff even with the qr rear end my Dad has.

Both have dropper posts and a fairly robust build, the Tracer is around 31lb, Alpine 33lb. I love the Alpine, but I’m a fan of going down rather than up, I’m 6’1″ and ride an 18″ which is on the limit.

To be honest either will be great and could be built up below 30lb with some choice part selection. What is it you want to use it for?

I will be doing the odd bit of light DH but mainly riding my local off road trails so need something I can ride 1-2 miles on the road then do a loop of 5-10 miles off road ranging from xc to technical rocky descents.

Currently have a hard tail and a dh bike and neither fit for what riding I do so I need something in between.

I used to own an Orange 5, but then i realised they sucked (my opinion) and instead I brought a Tracer 2, relatively recently.

In my opinion, Orange bikes are so expensive for what they are. They are old technology at new tech prices. And because they are a single pivot they suffer pedal feedback and brake jack. I haven’t ridden an Apline but i would guess it is quite similar. What also puts my off is they are so popular, every man and his dog has one and i like my bikes to be unique, because I am a massive bike snob.

The intense blew me away, it is so much faster on the downs and it climbs better too and i thought the Orange climed well. In every way it is better. As an all mountain bike I cant see how you can improve on this bike.

I think it is also one of the best looking bikes available, esp in red 🙂

Cheers Edward, almost sold on it.

Having 2 Santa cruz frames I fancy something different which is maybe why I never considered the blur or nomad.

Never had an Intense so that also appeals and I’ve not seen any Tracers out and about so has that unique factor.

Why not buy the Stumpy bike? It’s by far the best bike. The Spec is good enough to start with so just change out stuff when it wears. The Alpine is a boat anchor and the Tracer probably has the usual Intense bizarro leverage rate.

Here’s a pic of my Tracer 2 🙂

Because buying a full bike when I only need a frame is overkill.

One think putting me off the stumpy frame is the PF30 BB. What is that all about, annoys me how they have to change thinks for the worse. I have only heard bad reviews about it.

I’m sure they change perfectly good working designs so everyone has to buy new stuff.
Leave it alone! Give me a standard threaded BB shell any day.

matlockmeat…in matlock by any chance? fancy showing me around some of the local trails in the new year, I’m new in the area…and that sounds like a massive pick up line. It really isn’t!!!! Then you can have a go on the Orange if you want, may even be able to drag the old man down to try his tracer

Yes that’s the place.

I should be around and hoping to get out on the bike.

Can you send personal messages through this thing?

Nukeproof Mega? Saves you plenty of money and I preferred it to the Alpine, up and down. Only had a demo on the Alpine admittedly but the Mega just felt better. In Matlock also for a test ride or local blast MM/Lank. Email in profile.

Kev.

Labyrinth Agile ….

Cove gspot half price on crc

Stumpjumper – horst link
Tracer – VPP
Alpine – single pivot

May I suggest that you do some test rides to see which sort of setup you actually prefer/like?

Titus El Guapo £600? (were ~ £1700 before on-one bought titus)
though I wouldn’t want to run with a 140mm fox, even with a fat lower cup h/set. 150mm Rockshox is low enough

Titus FTM alu or cabron? Desined around 140mm forks. A little steep HA, not sure if there is an angle slackening h/set to fit them yet.

EDIT: alu version will take an angle slackening h/set. Works components do a (£70-80) number of different angles/stack heights to fit to make it more normal angles

One think putting me off the stumpy frame is the PF30 BB. What is that all about, annoys me how they have to change thinks for the worse. I have only heard bad reviews about it.

I’m sure they change perfectly good working designs so everyone has to buy new stuff.
Leave it alone! Give me a standard threaded BB shell any day.

Would you like headsets to go threaded? It’d be stupid and after you’ve pressed in a PF30 BB you’ll see why. Larger BB shell equals more down tube/main pivot interface strength/stiffness, larger bearings, larger/stiffer BB spindle etc. I’ve done two years on mine and it’s still perfect. I think there probably was an early crap bearing batch but if people are still having problems they are crushing bearings on install.

not to say that pressfit’s inherently a bad idea but PF30 is- yet another pointlessly different standard. Worst thing about Truvativ cranks has always been the BBs, and the second worst is that you’ve got restricted choice in what you replace them with.

Easy to convert to HT2 though so shouldn’t be a dealbreaker.

I wish I hadn’t clicked on that link, I’ve always wanted an Sworks Epic for 26″ wheels – just wish it wan’t quite so spendy!!

Buy the stumpy for the best price you can find online – then sell all the bits on ebay. I bet you wouldn’t be far off breaking even.

Just ordered Kevin the S Works carbon Stumpjumper frame for a late Christmas pressie

ndthornton – Member
Buy the stumpy for the best price you can find online – then sell all the bits on ebay. I bet you wouldn’t be far off breaking even.
POSTED 20 MINUTES AGO # REPORT-POST

I’ve thought about doing this but not sure I want the risk/hassle of it all.
The stumpy Evo 26″ 2013 bike is £2500, what do you think wood be a fair amount to pay for a frame £1500 maybe.
Meaning I would beed to sell all the bits for a £1000.

I’ll look at the spec and see if I think it’s possible.

Cotic Rocket, no question

Cotic Rocket. I looked at these when they first came out.

For some reason I’m just not keen on it. Can’t quite put my finger on it.

Anyone got one?

Buy a whole bike if possible. In the long run you’ll save a whole load of money over buying after-market parts to rebuild the Cham.

i have a rocket. Just back from Tenerife where it was chucked down 2000m ish of descending for four days. It’s a fantastic ‘poppy’ bike. So different to the Orange 5 I tried. It’s more like my old ST4 in terms of how it rides which is what sold it for me. Most of the time it feels like a taut short travel bike you can really hustle about and then when a big rock garden turns up, it just motors through with a super stiff back end and lots of travel 🙂

Mine is a nadge under 30lbs with 2×10, revs, reverb, arch exs and decent sized tyres. Climbs well, I very rarely turn the lockout on.

2012 El Ciclon shop test bike by Alanatriversidecyclecentre, on Flickr

ElGaupo is a hell of a deal, but can I also stick a vote in for NP Mega?

Current version (if you can find) is good at hard hitting stuff, and really goes uphill rather well, what the steep seat angle, bob free pedalling and especially if you have a tallas fork.

I am not a specialised fan, bit too middle of the road for me. Would rather have something that really excells in one area and maybe trades off in others. Mega has a bi fo character.

Kev

I tried the mega but didn’t get on with it, felt too short and stout and very very sat up but this may have been how the guy had it set up. Climbingkev/Matlockmeat how about a new year ride? I’ve been slack all year, not ridden enough or met enough new people! As I said, new to the area, but would be happy to be shown around and talk bikes!

Some very interesting frames here.

Just when I thought I had made my mind up I see the Titus frame.
At £599.99 or £799.99 with a CCDB it looks bargain of the century.

Only slight down side is the rear end is 135 QR.

Although I have seen people saying you can change from 5mm QR to 10mm bolt through.

Can someone explain this to me as I thought QR axles were 9mm?

So how can the frame accept a 10mm bolt through?

Skewers are 5mm, the front axle of standard QR hubs is 9mm, the rear 10mm.