A simplistic version of yesterday’s thread, no other parameter other than:

A) it needs to be used for my day to day forest singletrack/Surrey hills/Wales/Peaks
B) it must be FS
C) it must be good for occasional Xc races, and 24 hour events

Let a list commence:

Specialized are claiming the new Demobike has been designed to be a race winning machine which is lighter, stronger and faster than previous years Demo bike.

Hows that one?

After that Tallboy or similar

Asr-5?

Asr-5?

ah beat me to it! 😉

Camber evo?
Tallboy with 120mm forks

Specialized Epic

It sounds like you REALLY want a new bike, but your existing one does sound absolutely perfect for what you do, and you’ll not find a similar thing for what you paid for it these days. And if you aren’t going to be getting into the top 3 and winning prizes (which you admitted yesterday) I don’t really see the point in it unless your old one is worn out.

Surrey Hills? Got to be a Santa Cruz then. Tallboy Carbon maybe?

You’ll not like me for this but:

Trek Superfly.

100mm both ends/can be had a bargain bucket £’s in the (upcoming/continuous) sales 😀

You may want to paint it or cover the words TREK out with masking tape/spray can special so no one points at you and falls into hysterics, but it’s a solid Hack bike which is fast enough and light enough for what you do/what you want to do.

How about a carbon Santa cruz Blur XC? you can keep all your stuff from the yeti, but have a new frame which will tear it up and still be very XC. There must be some carbon frames knocking about.

It sounds like you REALLY want a new bike, but your existing one does sound absolutely perfect for what you do, and you’ll not find a similar thing for what you paid for it these days. And if you aren’t going to be getting into the top 3 and winning prizes (which you admitted yesterday) I don’t really see the point in it unless your old one is worn out.

Well quite. I happily do so if I hadn’t found out it’s the wrong size. I do get back pain after 90 mins or so perhaps that’s why. Anyway – I didn’t want to follow yesterday’s tangent, but just get a list of bikes to test/consider.

Pivot Mach 5.7 carbon (will be selling my medium frame)
Mach 429 carbon more XC for you.
Bandit 29er

S-Works Epic.

Back pain could be from bar height, seat position in the rails etc etc.

Ibis Mojo

Just found an epic comp for £1900.

http://flatoutcycles.co.uk/santa-cruz-blur-xc-carbon-20-5-mountain-bike-frame-31497?fee=5&fep=5755&gclid=CP7Y1-aY778CFSvpwgodo50Anw

£799 for a full carbon frame. Nice.

Yikes! Tempted to buy that as soon as my meeting finishes robbonzo…

Had an old alu Blur XC and it was a brilliant bike (despite a hunger for bearing), it was my one mtb and I did everything on it from xc racing to trips to the Alps. If you’re ok with a 26er then the Blur XC carbon would definitely do A, B and C. For that price I’m almost tempted to buy it myself (though I’d go for a size down, weird as I’m probably a bit taller than you.)

Just found this. 2015 Anthem SX. It will be phenomenally fast. Everywhere.

The Blur is used – it’s not cheap IMHO (in fact I think it’s way expensive) and it’s half an inch bigger than what you already rejected.

Flux fits your bill.

Whyte T130……job done. Not a 26, not a 29, not 120mm or 140mm…. perfect inbetweener.

honestly get a 29r something if your that into your XC it seems to work

That Anthem Sx looks as though it might fit the bill. Not liking the colour though. Think I’d rather go for this years models and get £400 free stuff from pedal on.

Mikesmith and vary flex – I’m favouring the Whyte m109cs but keep being told it’s “wrong” but I’ve no idea why! I am tempted by an anthem 29er as a cheaper option.

honestly had a spin on the missus tallboy and tried to follow her and it’s a perfect FS XC option

I’ve been looking at them but they are not cheap.

That Anthem Sx looks the dogs bollocks for UK trail riding. I even quite like the colours, reminds me of this:

Ibis Ripley – not cheap though

29er Camber Comp. Job jobbed