It would replace a decade old Mount Vision (9 speed XT, 2007 Reba SL forks, 2015 Fox CTD shock).

I’m after relative comfort on 75km+ rides (most of my riding). Also I want to start doing some southern XC races.

Any opinions welcome! Thanks in advance 🙂

got a 9.6 a couple of months back, not the comfiest of things. longest ride on it so far is c90km which was its first outing. did a 80k last weekend, got a c100km ride lined up for this weekend. A few tweaks and it is a smidge under 24lbs.

I have come off of a trek top fuel and this is faster, just a little less comfy, but it is more stable descending.

I’ve got an upgraded 9.8, it’s great, find it comfy enough – done the SDW on it. Nowt really to complain about. Frames are quite heavy.

I’m thinking about a 9.7 too.

My wife’s got a 9.8 and loves it, I’ve got a project 1 SL and think it’s great, you won’t be disappointed if you get one. Wheels might need upgrading as they are a bit heavy if you want to go racing. The 9.8 is under 10kg which is pretty good I think for a not stupid-expensive bike.

I got a 9.7 a few weeks ago. I put on some chunkier rubber and a droper post. Good so far, good for money, although I may transfer the SLX brakes from old bike. Pretty loud colour though , maybe that’s why it’s discounted so much? Better with some yorkshire (and Lancashire) mud on it!

Thanks all.. I’m almost convinced. At £1300 + cycle to work scheme savings it’s almost as cheap as buying the components.

Mrmo- if it’s only “a little” less comfy than a top fuel that’s pretty good 🙂

Njee20- SDW will likely be the swan song for the mount vision!

Iain65- not sure how seriously I’ll take the racing, but yes, wheels will likely get swapped at some point.

Olddog- I don’t actually mind the lime green.. hopefully it wouldn’t look so serious, and might look like a Halfords bike to the casual thief 🙂

I’ve got a 2015 9.6 – the standard tyres (XR2 Expert, IIRC) with tubes were terrible. Really terrible tiny profile and not “comfy” at all over anything remotely bumpy – swap them for some decent tyres and set them up as tubeless and I love the bike. Swapped out quite a lot of kit by now, so probably would have been better going 9.7 or 9.8.. That frame has quite a lot of rear compliance and I really don’t find it uncomfy (for a carbon XC hardtail..).

Just picked up a discounted Superfly 6, couldn’t get over my 4+ year old prejudice against Fox forks so wanted something with Rebas, unfortunately that means an SRAM drivetrain that I’m already getting warnings about from mechanic friends! 😕

Looking forward to destickering the forks a bit, removing all the reflectors and tat and sticking some SPDs on it. How hard are the Bonty wheels to tubeless?

They are TLR so will be really easy. If you’re lucky they may even have Bontrager rim strips already installed on the rim. Ditch those expert tyres though as Trek did something funky with the casing and how the tyre profile sits. The Team Issue versions are miles better

Begs the question: What tyres?

Seem to remember liking the Maxxis Aspens that came on my last hardtail, good fun on anything except the steepest or slimiest climbs, think they came up decent volume too.

Any other recommendations?

Rons/Ralphs/Burts. Depending on where you fall on the longevity/grip/speed curve

2.25″ Rons are my default choice, often with a Thunder Burt on the back.