ok so I have ridden full suss all mountain type bikes for a while, but I’ve suddenly had this huge urge to build a light race spec{ish} hardtail.{I ride in the rockies and its a slog going up and more xc than anything else}
so I fancy a Yeti Arc as thats the bike I wanted when I 1st started riding{we all have one}, but I’m open to suggestions, it must be fairly light but also comfyish, I’ve noticed a lot of people with racey hardtails have 29ers so whats the pro’s cons with them also as my 2nd favourite at mthe mo is a Niner Air

thanks in advance
Lee

A word of warning.

I too thought the same and felt it would compliment my (then) S-Works Enduro. Bought a carbon XTC HT. Raced it once, swapped the flat bar for a riser. Raced it a second time, swapped the 80mm forks for 100mm ones.

Sold it not much later, just too ‘committed’ for me with its head-down, arse-up position, and no mud-room.

I’ve got a big bouncy bike and a lightweight whippet. Enjoy riding both, because they’re so different. Certainly, on big long rides with less technical terrain, the whippet is much more enjoyable. I like to swap between carbon rigid forks and sus forks just to mix it up a bit sometime, but the rigids usually for commuting and/or rides that are really easy terrain.
I haven’t got any specifics to recommend, half the fun is researching everything, but I’d say look for a frame of 1500gms or less, wheels of 1500gms or less and buy a headset that has a split crown race (ie Hope), that way you can swap between carbon rigid and sus forks easily. I aimed for sub 20lbs with carbon rigids, which meant about 22lbs with sus forks.

a 3 hour ride here is usually a 2.5 hour climb straight from the carpark so I think I would definately use it{I’m more concerned that the full suss will get left in the garage actually} I’m more wondering whether in such a light bike that the 29er route is the one to go but don’t like comments like sluggish and gear ratios different etc, also like for like a 29er would be heavier would it not? but nearly every lycra clad rider I’ve seen this Summer has been on a 29er hardtail so it got me thinking….{never even looked at them funny bikes before you see}

I ride 26ers myself (so far)but having seen them left behind in a video on this vet forum by 29ers, I think that I’m gonna try them myself. They look the future of speed in the xc type race environment.

I’ve done some reading about them the last couple of days and it seems you just have to do the gearing a bit different than a 26er which is no prob if you cutom build one I suppose, for those who race how much of the field is made up of 29ers?

I always hated hardtails, always felt really beaten up after a ride & gave me a saw back, then last autumn I tried a Voodoo Wanga steel frame & loved it, thought a 29er might be better but I found this very dull to ride.
Then a mate sold me a Merlin XLM Ti frame & its just perfect. Built up to 21lb & very comfy.

As is a stock answer for this forum have a look at on-one. They do acatbon race bikes (whippet) and aluminium race bikes (scandal) there are also 29er versions available.

What might be interesting for general riding and not racing is the carbon 456. You could put some good forks on there and light weight wheels and it will fly up hills yet still be very capable on the way down. IT is versatile in that you could run 4″ racy forks or if the mood takes you put some 6″ ones instead.

I ride the steel version and have used both 4 and 6″ forks and it does work well. The steel one is heavy though so no good for racing.

Then a mate sold me a Merlin XLM Ti frame & its just perfect. Built up to 21lb & very comfy

you lucky man

What size are you looking for ?

sorry not been on here for a few days I want a large, but I don’t live in the UK…..

I’ve a Litespeed that can be shipped anywhere.

You want a Santa Cruz Highball, mine comes in at 20.5lbs and more weight could be saved if I sacrificed the bits that make it an awesome trail bike like 2.2″ tyres, bolt through stiff front hub, XO bits could be XTR or XX, Thonpson seatpost (strong, not too heavt but not featherweight), risers could be flats etc.

More details HERE