As much as I love several bikes its time to realistically consolidate them all into one after the latest crash.

I know there is no such thing as the perfect do it all, but what have others had and consolidated too?

I’m after something at least 140mm front and rear and no doubt be looking at 650b for a mixture of trail and big mountain adventures from time to time.

Giant Trance, 140mm platform, 650b, lightweight as a frame only buy, will take 160mm forks for bigger stuff, lovely DW/Maestro link suspension, good tyre clearance, can take a longer stroke shock to become a 158mm frame for the odd Alps trip….I have one as you may have guessed!

Also had the 140mm Saracen Ariel a few years back which was great but I don’t think they make them any more?

I’m loving my transition bandit 26 , take a look at this years transitions for 650b . Very nice bikes.

Deviant – I have been looking at the trance. Do you know what the e2e is on the shock?

hambl90 – I have a bandit…but has always felt just a tad too compact.

200 x 51 as standard….people on Pinkbike have been fitting 200 x 57 for more rear travel, have to be careful with the longer stroke as reservoirs on some shocks then foul the frame.
I think a coil shock fits in standard 200 x 51 guise if that’s your thing.

Mine is built up with Pikes, SS Tactic/Tesla wheels, Shimano 2 x 10 running gear and brakes,….Charge, Spank, Renthal, RaceFace cockpit and sitting arrangement….I need to get some scales as it’s beautifully light, I don’t normally get excited by that kind of nonsense (it’s a MTB after all) and everybody seems to carry rucksacks these days so a pound here or there is irrelevant…but I was surprised once built up, it’s lighter than my hardtail for sure.

Did you get the silver frame only? I’m really tempted as the c2c would make it about £750.

Would just need to sell my other bikes first

Yes, frame only. Giant threw in their own brand dropper post too.

I think silver is the only colour as frame only, it looks great contrasted against all the black of the forks, shock, wheels, sestpost etc on mine.

From a cost vs performance perspective, I don’t think you’ll do much better than a trance personally. Brilliant bikes (no, I don’t own one…)

Where exactly where you be riding?

My interpretation of trail with a dash of big mountain would translate to a 120mmish 29er.

Camber evo, that new evil, orange segment etc etc.

I really do think in terms of capability a 120ish 29er does translate to 140mm capability in a 650b/26″ format. But that little less travel makes it cover flatter boring stuff quicker, and more engaging making it a lot more fun, makes climbing better too. All that and my experience says they’re better on the way down on the fun stuff too (my interpretation of fun is turning natural terrain into a BMX/pump track).

Generally midlands and Wales, but visiting family in France this year so hopefully the Alps at some point.

29ers are a definite no. Tried a few and just don’t get on with them. Great speed, but just feel less nimble on the twisty stuff.

PYGA do a rather sexy 140mm frame. The Pascoe IIRC.

Nice colour too 8)

Canyon Spectral if looking at complete bikes.

Pascoe frame’s nice…but not £1800 nice!!!

In the tradition of recommend what you ride, I am enjoying my canyon spectral. Rides really composed and is a properly rapid bike. 140mm rear, 140/150mm front.

I have an older26 anthem that has been “trailed up” longer fork, wider bars and dropper. Great for my do anything bike as I do more longer xc stuff to bigger gnar.
Wish I had bought a trance though…..

Go grab a ride of a Pivot Mach 6. Had mine for about 9 months now and of course I’ll say it’s the best bike I’ve had, expected of course. But it is! Weighs in at 27-28lbs, 650b, 160mm up front, stiff frame and my fav DW link. Raced it at King and Queen of the hill, rattled it round the Alps last September, climbs brillantly and is such a hoot at bouncing back down again. Superb bike and can’t reccomend it enough. I’ve not had a loads of bikes, but it’s the first one I’ve had where I just don’t want to stop riding it, never sems to tire me out. Which is good.

I’ve yet to get my bandit 650b to feel out of shape, it’s proper quick downhill and pedals uphill great. If anything the new scout looks even better!

As I never stand it, you can rent a pretty decent “gnar” bike in the alps fairly easily these days so maybe buy for what you ride most?

Spectral looks good tho

“What 140mm FS 650B bike?” Too late to edit title?

I’ve got a stumpjumper evo which does pretty much everything. Ideally it would be bigger/longer but apart from that it is amazing.

The 650b one looks like it’s pretty poor though, so I’d recommend something else as I don’t rate 29’ers for do-it-all and the 26″ one (mine) is only available 2nd hand.

Trance is a good shout as is the canyon. My money would probably be on one of the new Konas or a Banshee Spitfire.

Isn’t the Five supposed to be your quintessential do it all British trail bike?

It could be I opt for 150 or even 160 rear if they pedal well enough…just wanted 140 minimum. Norco range looks good for example.

Heard the konas are good…albeit heavy.

It depends. Erg much on the riding that you expect to do in ‘everything’!

XC race to DH will mean compromise somewhere.

I love the interpretation of ‘do it all bike’ on STW. It’s quite a narrow section of the sport of cycling!

Heard the konas are good…albeit heavy.

Yes they are a bit weighty. Annoying they don’t do it as a frame only, as the full bike would need some bits swapped to get it to a decent weight.

Isn’t the Five supposed to be your quintessential do it all British trail bike?

Maybe 7 years ago.

It’s quite a narrow section of the sport of cycling!

It’s a mountain biking website. If you asked a similar question on road cc, do you think they’d be recommending hybrids?

29ers are a definite no. Tried a few and just don’t get on with them. Great speed, but just feel less nimble on the twisty stuff.

Seriously? I bought my 29er precisely because it was better in the twisty stuff than the 150mm 650b bikes I demoed (no stupid slack head angles and is actually has a shorter wheelbase than equivalent 650b bikes). In fact better all round. I have a banshee phantom and it feels like a big wheeled bmx. Might be worth having a read of reviews of the banshee phantom, kona process 111, transition smuggler, Orange segment, pyga110, etc. There are some video reviews of them in the bible of bike tests on YouTube. You really have to ride one to understand what they are about and what they are capable of, you can’t interpolate from riding old style 29ers (which were horrible).

I don’t know what your definition of “all” is but I seriously think a new interpretation 120mm 29er is a better UK do it all bike than a 140mm 650b. 29ers do require a more aggressive riding style but one you have it they ride like bikes. The only exception would be if you are under 5ft 7th as you would probably have trouble fitting everything into the frame and may lack the size to get over the front as is needed.

If you are anywhere near Dundee you are welcome to throw a leg over mine. Although it could be expensive for you. The last 3 people who have done so now ride short travel 29ers.

I can’t stand 29ers either. It’s a personal choice.

I can’t stand 29ers either. It’s a personal choice.

Well, yes, but it is a bit of an irrational one from my perspective. You can more or less make a bike ride in any style with any wheel size so why limit your choice based on one aspect of a single arbitrary component of the entire mix?

I think most XC 29er are awful to ride. But then I think the same about 26 and 650b XC bikes. Largely because they are XC bikes with XC geometry and XC components which by and large don’t suit me or my riding. Wheel size isn’t the issue. The fact my current bike has 29″ wheels was irrelevant to the selection process, the bike did what I wanted it to do best. If the bike that won my demo test had 650b wheels then guess what? My current bike would have 650b wheels. Saying no to a wheel size because you didn’t like the last one or two you rode seems a bit limiting.

Why not decide on the style of riding you want you bike to deal with and then see how bikes in that category ride regardless of what size or shape bits they have hanging off them?

I’m 5’7″…which maybe why I find them a bit unwieldy!

I shall be selling a whole host of good kit in the classifieds over the next wee while so keep an eye out for those that are interested.

Truth be told I’d love a kona process DL or transition patrol…but don’t have £4k

For everything from riding the 100mile South Downs Way in a day to getting rad in the Alps and hunting KOMs on the local singletrack, I feel my 140mm rear, 160mm front Blur LTc has looked after me well.

I think you’re limiting your bikes capabilities unnecessary by sticking to 140 on the front. I think the 140mm and 650b hits the nail on the head though.

Sounds fair :D.

I think the front end height becomes an issue making it hard to get over the bars enough.

In terms of 650b bikes I demoed the Banshee Spitfire was the next best for the riding style I like (lots of grip and feedback, easy to move about and pick up, less bothered by the need for a magic carpet ride).

I did try a Santa Cruz Solo once I had bought my 29er and that could have tempted me. Only 125mm travel but so much fun and capable beyond the travel numbers would have you believe (I’m sure there is a Steve Peat video in Torridon that would help!).

Isn’t the Five supposed to be your quintessential do it all British trail bike?
Maybe 7 years ago.

Thats the Alpine Five now. Stonking bike, best kept secret, Im glad tbe industry have pulled the wool over the public’s eye, as if they hadnt been pushing 650b for economies of scale, the Alpine Five would be ridden by all and sundry.

It’s got no DW link, VPP, switch, etc… just a hinge. But with a half decent shock, with good damping, that really doesnt matter.

Spot on geometry, built to last, £20 to replace the bearings, great clearance, and destroys descents.

Put away your predjuices, give a really good 29er a demo, for a do it all bike, they’re ideal.

At one stage i had something like 8 bikes, ive now got one.

Well, yes, but it is a bit of an irrational one from my perspective. You can more or less make a bike ride in any style with any wheel size so why limit your choice based on one aspect of a single arbitrary component of the entire mix?

It’s not arbitrary when you’ve ridden 6 or 7 and not liked a single one. How many do I need to try to say “not for me ta”? They were floppy, sluggish until up to speed and then, whilst steamrollerish, not remotely playful or exciting. The thought of doing an uplift day on one, well I’d rather not thanks.

I feel my 140mm rear, 160mm front Blur LTc has looked after me well.

I have exactly the same set up and it smashes all 29ers I’ve ridden except in an arrow-straight line and I’d be bored senseless riding a straight trail anyway.

How about a Mojo HD? Selling secondhand for nuts in26 flavour. In 140 rear I run mine with a slant which is adjustable between 120 and 160 quite easily, and of course you can run it with 160’rear with the limbo chips and appropriate shock.

Wrecker – I think we’ll just have to disagree on what constitutes arbitrary. I still think wheel size is just one minor factor amongst a whole host of other things that affect how a bike rides.

I’d be interested to know which 29ers you tried? I found the five 29er, banshee prime and remedy 29 to be sluggish in twisty stuff and flattened out the tail to the point of tedium and seemed reluctant to fly. So I can sympathise with what you are saying. Not sure what floppy means in this context though!

Enduro, camber, sultan, yeti 95, tallboy, gyro. I think that’s it.
Just not my cup of tea. I have ridden a sb66, owned a 5 spot and and LTc got on well with all. It’s a live and let live thing. Some people prefer 29ers, and whilst I don’t it’s good that they have that choice.
I have a 650 on order and I’ve never ridden one. I know, I’m stupid.

I’d say it might be worth trying one more 😀

None of those made the cut for me because of the reasons you listed.

So t.here may be one 29er out there I like? Not really a solid basis to invest into the wheelsize.
I get 29ers, but the comments like we’d all be better off on 29ers and 29ers are the ideal uk bike are plainly wrong. It’s not about the terrain, it’s about the individual.

Have you considered a bronson? I was absolutely set on a banshee and then demoed a bronson and was utterly blown away. Climbs very very well but felt really quick on the downs and really encouraged me to try jumps I wouldn’t have considered before! Obviously biased as I own one though!