What’s actually out there ? Aside from custom .. Non ebbs prefably – From what I can gather it’s all rather thin on the ground …
I got told that the SS ‘niche’ was so that typically enthusiasts leapfrog the mid range market and jump straight from entry level Cro Mo to high end. Custom – All new frames should have swap out dropouts and removable cable guides – I hate cable guides when their not housing cable …

Pipedream do one – cirrus? Salsa el mariachi not 853 but still not bog standard 4130

Does it have to be 853? What about the Ritchey p-29er? Ritchey Logic tubing, heat treated triple butted. Sliding dropouts. I’ve got one. It’s awesome. 100mm fork though and 1 1/8th.

el mariachi not 853 but still not bog standard 4130

I’m pretty sure it is, they refer to it as CrMo manufactured by Sanko, not even heat treated according to the label. Seems about right, mines definitely heavier than the Swift it replaced, if it was nicer steel you’d expect it to be lighter.

I’d not get too hung up on wanting 853, if you want something that feels like a traditional steel frame, get a Swift, the EBB’s no trouble and there’s just enough give to remind you it’s steel.

Niner SIR9

Pipedream Skookum is what you be after.

Ticks a lot of the boxes.

Ride wise IMHO its what the Cotic Solaris should have been e.g. a 29” version of the Soul. Forgiving whilst not feeling noodley.

Belt drive compatible too for those extra nice points.

Cotic simple?

Cotic simple?

not available unless 2nd hand

Don’t forget the Pace, if you can get hold of one!

Feels like SSers get a bum deal on frame choice and thus pay through the nose – tons of really nice affordable hardtails of the vertical drop variety 🙁

Feels like SSers get a bum deal on frame choice and thus pay through the nose – tons of really nice affordable hardtails of the vertical drop variety

And for those of us who will never single speed a lot of otherwise nice 29er frames are compromised with EBBs (Niner Sir 9, Singular etc) or drop outs that add weight, complication and potential unreliablility (Ritchey, Salsa etc).

SS is a bit niche, if you want SS-specific there isn’t a lot of choice. I’d forget about what alloy the frame uses and just look for a good steel SS frame based on whether you want ‘tough’ or ‘flexy/lively’. 853’s got nice properties but there’s cr-mo frames out there that are a more springy/flexible ride than some 853 frames. 853 in itself does not impart any particular qualities to a frame.

I must remind myself more often that the EBB is actually compromising the ride on my SIR.9. 🙂

I must remember to nip up my unreliable Salsa bolts again, it must have been at least three months now.
I also don’t like the complex adjustable chain stay length either, makes my brain ache.

I know I suffer from engineering pedantry but EBBs do tend to creak more and I witnessed a DNF recently from a sliding dropout bolt loss. I’m sure both are fine with correct maintenance but they’re compromises for single speeding, which if you never intend to do is unnecessary.

🙂
Granted.
Shame Niner discontinued the MCR.9, as I can imagine that too was a lovely ride.

I’ve been looking for an MCR for 9 months. Have just given up and ordered a Curtis XC9. 😀