I think in the next few months I’m gonna be wanting to change my frame so looking for a few recommendations to keep an eye out for on the 2nd hand market.

I currently ride a Scott Voltage as my only MTB, 170mm Lyriks and 160mm rear shock setting. Love it downhill and it jumps effortlessly but isn’t great for anything else as it’s so small and short. I mean it does climb and I’ve done long xc rides on it but I want something that’s actually somewhat enjoyable to pedal and climb on now as I feel really limited in the rides I can do. And buying a 2nd mtb for longer rides isn’t an option so I need an all rounder. Don’t mind lowering the Lyriks a bit and I want to stick to 26″ so I can use all my existing stuff.

I mostly ride at Woburn so it needs to be fun on their DH tracks which means it needs to be great through berms and on jumps. I was thinking maybe a Nukeproof Mega TR or Santa Cruz Blur LT (if they make a tapered head tube version) – anything else I may have missed? And I kinda miss the single pivot on my old Bullit, replacing all the bearings on my Voltage was a pain in the arse.

Spec Enduro? Huge amount of fun and with a bit of tinkering can be made into a great do-it-all bike (sub 30lbs with dh geometry).

Does come up quite short so go for a bigger frame if you want to do all day stuff/xc rides and get a set of light wheels with sensible tyres and a spare set for dh days with dual plys… saying that I rarely bothered changing mine from Stans/Hope wheels with Schwalbe MM/RR and lived with the extra weight.

My 2013 26″ Orange Five with 150mm Pikes is the most fun bike I’ve owned in 20+ years. Most versatile too, by a long way.

Orange Alpine?

Orange Alpine, Transition Covert, Mega AM… there’s loads of really good 160mm 26″ bikes out there that will be more manageable uphill than a Voltage and can be icked up second hand without too much searching

Have a look at a DMR bolt (the longer one), you can pick them up new pretty cheap aswell.

You mention the Blur LT in the original thread, you could do far worse than one of those. I have the LTc and it is awesome on DH stuff, I’m running it with 160 Pikes. I’ve also installed offset bushings to slacken it off a little and the difference was very noticeable. It also pedals extremely well, a superb all rounder

Saracen Ariel too. Great fun bike.

Nukeproof Mega Tr. I have a 26er and its so much fun. Would defo buy another. in fact the 27.5 now on CRC is so cheap for a complete bike and it rocks.
This is the reviiew that convinced me to press buy ion frame last year.
http://www.pinkbike.com/news/Nukeproof-Mega-TR-Review.html

And the new one consistently gets praise.
http://wideopenmag.co.uk/2014/05/tested-nukeproof-mega-tr-275-comp-review

Watch the Tea & Biscuits Trailer Here.

I have a large blur TRC on the classifieds if that is if any interest.

The old style 26 inch Nukeproof Megas always seem good value on eBay.

I had a 26 inch wheeled Ariel that was brilliant but may be tougher to find.

Someone must be selling an older Orange Alpine frame somewhere?!

I think that my Mega TR is great. I run it quite hard with a load of rebound and it’s like a springy hardtail 😀

I had a 26 inch wheeled Ariel that was brilliant but may be tougher to find.

Nah, there were loads and they do not hold their value well.

Not a bike for weight weenies, but the OP has a Voltage now!

cool, in that case get one of those!…mine was bombproof and although it had 140mm at the rear Saracen were happy for people to run the bike with 160mm forks.
The linkage driven single pivot took most of the fabled single pivot bobbing out of climbing on the thing….great bike, sadly stolen and very much missed.

Don’t specialized have funny sized shock mounts and that sort of thing? I don’t want something that’s gonna have different “standards” I just want normal parts with a screw in bb and not a faff to change bearings and look after if if thats not too much to ask?

I’ve always liked the look of the Ariel 16x, can’t see many for sale 2nd hand at the minute though. Even the original one looked quite nice to me.

Btw forgot to mention my budget would be about £500 2nd hand, could these frames be had for that?

have a look for a mk2 nomad. i’ve had mine for 3 years and it’s the best ‘one bike to do it all’ i’ve ridden

for a big bike it climbs well enough, rips along the single track and is a hoot on the downhills. the geo isn’t too long a slack like the mk3’s so in my mind it makes it a bit more versatile / all round

EDIT: just seen your budget and guessing would be a bit tight for getting a nomad

CRC have an offer on Nukeproof frames at the mo

There’s one of the early revamped Saracen Ariels in 17″ for £500 full bike on ebay.

I had the same one with a 160mm fork and it was awesome as a play bike.

If you liked the Bullit, get a Heckler.

Few Ariel frames here that might be worth a look
http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/cycle-gear/m.html?item=121705778511&hash=item1c563acd4f&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&autorefresh=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2562

Yep just saw those! I think a 19″ might be a bit big for me at 5’9″ with a 29″ inside leg though? I’d be after a 16″ or 17″ frame I think.

As Burchy mentioned above – DMR Bolt. Great frame/bike. Happy to be ridden all day, but will take all the abuse you throw at it. Single pivot/BB pivot, so can be run as an SS. Not too many bearings to replace 😉 Will take up to a 160mm fork.

One HERE on Ebay ending today. It’s only at £127 currently, will probably go for £350-400ish I imagine.

They can also be had new at Winstanleys for about £750.

I considered the bolt as I love dmr bikes but I heard they’re really crap for pedalling on? And well heavy..

What’s the biggest forks the orange 5 can take without riding crap, is a Lyrik too much? I think they’re pretty ugly but I do like the idea of simplicity with the single pivot.

I run Fox 36s at 150mm on my 20011 Orange Five and for general use I wouldn’t go any longer although if I where heading to the alps /antur I’d happily run them at 160. 150mm Pikes are around 5mm shorter (a to c) and wouldn’t be far off perfect, imo.

Nukeproof TR. Bargains aplenty. More expensive option would be a 5010,know a couple of guys running bigger forks in the front like the TR or Blur TRc.

Don’t specialized have funny sized shock mounts and that sort of thing?

Not really anything too weird (up to 2012ish at least), rear shocks need to run slightly shortened stroke (8.5×2.125) so need to be spaced accordingly. Fox air shocks can be run on standard yoke and coils on the eve yoke, ccdbs etc need a small mod to fit.

Would avoid Ariels unless you’re a fan of snapping frames.

I considered the bolt as I love dmr bikes but I heard they’re really crap for pedalling on? And well heavy..

I’ve had mine for about 18mths now, and though it’s not my only bike it does get ridden a lot. It is a little bobby with the standard shock, but by no means ‘crap’. The X-fusion has a decent lock-out for going uphill, and I just had the PSI a little higher for normal riding. I have actually upgraded the shock to a CCDB Inline, not necessarily cos the X-fusion wasn’t good, but cos I’m a serial upgrader. The climb switch works very well though!
The frame is a little on the chunky side – but with 160 Marz forks, heavyish wheels/tyres, dropper post, etc. it comes in at 32.2 lbs, so not stupidly heavy.

id be thinking of something with a single pivot (heckler or five) tbh

Ajantom that’s not too bad then, my voltage is probably at least that weight and I managed to get it round a 28 mile long Mynd ride! Would be nice to have something a bit more suited to the job though, ive always had bikes that compromise the climb but I’d much rather an all rounder now I think so I can actually enjoy the climb somewhat 😛

I remember looking at the NS Soda Air before, might keep an eye out for one of those 2nd hand.

+1 for the Orange Five…great bike. It’s evolution over they years has made it as good as it could be. love mine very playful and able to take a fair bit of abuse.

Was running mined with CCDB coil and Fox 36’s at 140mm, was excellent DH butas I’ve been ridding more and more XC/trail I’ve switched to Monarch/Pike combo to lose some lbs!

Not tested the new combo yet but expecting good things…I’ve seen very well build ones go for £1200-£1400 now 26″ is out of fashion so frames should be available for £500!

Five rides well downhill with up to 160mm, but I reckon 150mm Pikes are the sweet spot for everything – big climbs, steep and techie climbs, flat stuff, every type and gradient of downhill (maybe not massive jumps though). That’s on a 2103 frame. Superb all-rounder: accelerates well, very agile and fun, slack enough for silly steep stuff, and smooth/stable enough for the rockiest natural downhills in the Lakes, Pennines etc. Simple and reliable too, and it climbs fine.

Keep your Voltage tom these new bikes are crap 🙂

Don’t specialized have funny sized shock mounts and that sort of thing? I don’t want something that’s gonna have different “standards” I just want normal parts with a screw in bb and not a faff to change bearings and look after if if thats not too much to ask?

I wish all the major bike brands would listen and take heed of comments like this, we’re sick of it.

Re: Saracen Aerials, I wouldn’t buy one, especially not second hand, after reading a fair few stories of frame breakage. Your mention of Heckler is a good idea if you find a nice one, I think generally single pivots are more fun!

Keep your Voltage tom these new bikes are crap

Haha I’m not sure that I’ll sell it straight away unless I’m really smitten with whatever I buy. I love the voltage pointing down hill and on jumps but it’s a bit small for everything else I want to ride. It’s my 2nd one and I did say I wouldn’t sell it this time..

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Santa-Cruz-Heckler-17-150mm-MTB-Frame-inc-Fox-RP23-39262-/301690385975?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item463e25f637

Opinions on the Cannondale Prophet MX? Seen one for sale for a good price. I know they’re a bit old but seems like the kinda bike I’m after? Not too bothered about weight too much so long as the geo is right. Tis a bit ugly though!

Tom….have a look at yt’s wicked
In your price range and like you ive had 2 voltage fr’s….my wicked feels similar but lighter and just as capable.
Give me a shout if you would like to have a go on mine

Single Pivot, 160mm, pedalable, fun and jumpy, DH shredding, tapered headtubed 26″ bike? You sir, need a Covert. Keep the 170mm Lyriks on it and enjoy!

Another vote for the 26″ NP Mega TR here from a CRC sale. I’ve run mine for a year or so now and it’s been a riot. Solo air pikes, tubeless Minions on Easton Haven wheels (CRC bargain), XT/SLX stop n go’s, 780mm carbon bars. It’s light and not too burly whilst still sucking up some big punches. Just remember to check the linkage bolts regularly, I had a few come loose.

Tom….have a look at yt’s wicked
In your price range and like you ive had 2 voltage fr’s….my wicked feels similar but lighter and just as capable.
Give me a shout if you would like to have a go on mine

Can you buy just the frame or do you mean in my price range 2nd hand? Yeah I’d love to have a go on it some time down woburn or something 🙂