I’m hitting one of those big milestone age birthdays this year. Actually I think it’s hitting me not the other way round.

It seems I have authorisation to make a new purchase to distract me from the impending doom.

Remit of the bike is long distance with soft luggage in the Scottish Highlands. The bigger the ensuing grin the better.

Definitely hard tail, maybe fully rigid, maybe Ti, maybe custom, probably +wheels size

Would likely spec conservatively (slx) and put the money into the frame and forks. Up to around £1500 max for the frame set.

Although I’d spend a lot less for the right bike. Ridden 29+ (Krampus) before but not 27.5+ so can’t compare the two.

What should I have on my short list? I’ve got time to commission a custom option!

Something in steel with 29er/B+ compatibility and two sets of wheels instead of Ti?

I admit that Ti will withstand the tribulations of cairngorm grit and soft luggage rub points better though… 😥

Travers Russ-Ti would fit your brief nicely. I’ve not ridden one, but had a good look over Russ’s and it’s a beauty.

Something in steel with 29er/B+ compatibility and two sets of wheels instead of Ti?

I admit that Ti will withstand the tribulations of cairngorm grit and soft luggage rub points better though…

I’d be hopeful of using adaptors on my 29er Hope wheels to cover one wheel size option.

Agree about the Ti effect on rub points. Part of my thinking, especially with the pish job I do attaching luggage.

Travers Russ-Ti

Second post in and I’m already over budget 😉

Moonmen custom Ti bike. Possibly the best custom mountain bikes around at the moment by a true master – Todd Heath.

Ah, mis-read. Best set the bar high at this stage though. 🙂

I’d be hopeful of using adaptors on my 29er Hope wheel

Unfortunately plus tyres prefer boost (esp on the front). Yeah you can get adaptors but you’ll also need them re dished. I have had a similar dilemma and ended up with a new set of wheels. You can get away with it on the back I guess but less so on the front…

Thank you mods for relocating to the correct forum

@Metalheart

Ahh I see. I’ll be honest at this point in admitting I’ve largely ignored the various “standards” shenanigans of late.

Keep the FF29 for skinny tyre XC duties!

And the pish job you did?

Ahem:

[/url]Headtube… by Metalheart-UK, on Flickr

custom bike for £1500, I think you might need more money.

Ahh I see. I’ll be honest at this point in admitting I’ve largely ignored the various “standards” shenanigans of late.

You’ll need to do some reading/research if you’re looking to drop £1.5k on a frame.

Colin’s is boost F&R I think…

custom bike for £1500, I think you might need more money.

That’s for a frame, not bike. Which the internet suggests is possible. I think.

A friend of mine has just ordered an Alpkit Soner Broken Road:

https://www.alpkit.com/sonder

He very much liked it on a tryout around the Peaks; I think his plan is to do that ridiculous fireroad ride from Canada to Mexico.

The Broken Road is already on the list. Although is 2.8 the max tyre size?

New Krampus will be along soon as well.

Also on the list is Shands Hoolie

Ask Brant to make a (scaled up) copy of mine 🙂 £1,500 would be more than enough for a frame and a set of forks.

Why not a Surly Krampus? I love Surly stuff, it lasts forever and leaves you with a cool grand to spend on other fun stuff (like a Rohloff hub lol 🙂 )

I’m always a bit sniffy about Ti stuff- it costs loads and you seem to hear a lot about Ti frames that have failed. This maybe because they are at the cheaper end of the Ti manufacturing spectrum, I’m not sure and happy to be reassured otherwise! 🙂

I had the same predicament in June this year. But arrival of the little dude means my saved up cash is still in the bank! I think I am going to go RussTi but custom so I can run a double and go for external cables

Was excited by prospect of Moonmen but then saw it’s another crazy priced job along the black sheep line

Ask Brant to make a (adult sized) copy of mine £1,500 would be more than enough for a frame and a set of forks.

Thought Brant has taken, err, strides in another direction (and that Pact was parked atm).

I was going to add Shand as a suggestion, esp if going the custom route… A bit late, but I do like to lag at the back as you know…

These days getting cable routing, bottle mounts, etc., isn’t just the easiest thing.

shermer75 – Member
Why not a Surly Krampus? I love Surly stuff, it lasts forever and leaves you with a cool grand to spend on other fun stuff (like a Rohloff hub lol )

+1

(from the man who is biased and just bought his 2nd Surly)

The Vassago Jabberwocky looks an interesting/versatile machine.

Cheers, Steve

Krampus is definitely on the list. It’s the steam roller option.

copy of mine

It’s also on the cards.

Pact was parked

or maybe not.

Really need to decide whether I want 29+ or 27.5+/29

From a recent thread FYI:

brant – Member
Thanks for the kind words James and Colin.
Trouser work has very much taken over resulting in me giving very slow service to our last customer.
I’m scaling back Pact.

Get a Jones or Jones plus- can run both tyre sizes, loop bars are ace and ride like a dream

Ach well. Pact of the list.

I can see a trip to Livingston happening.

How about a Stooge Ti 29er +.I do not own a Stooge but lots of people on here love them.Also custom spec seems to be available.

Treating myself to a Custom Ti Stooge 27.5 + Andy will hand deliver it soon just need to find the money from somewhere!!
Wheels all built up ready to go and been buying bits and pieces off STW to sort the build looking forward to lots off bike packing miles hence why I went ti because of the damage frame bags do to the frames 😕

Home

I still have a couple years to my 40th, but plan to get someone to build me a 29+ ti with pinion gearbox.

I can see a trip to Livingston happening.

I’d try work out what route you want to down first…

Wheel size, tyre size, axle ‘standard’, no. of chain rings, type of front mech, no. & placement of bottle cages, frame protection….. Oh and colour 😆

£550 gets you all you could want frame wise from Cotic

Best wishes and fwiw 40’s nothing, 50+ is proving a struggle especially injury recovery. Just get out and smash it.

Considering de the size of the Gin I’ve just poured there’s only one form of smashed I’ll see today.

To be fair, I’ll be asleep before I get that far

Wheel size, tyre size, axle ‘standard’, no. of chain rings, type of front mech, no. & placement of bottle cages, frame protection….. Oh and colour

Need to figure out what I want it to do first, then work backwards from there.

Colour interestingly is a reason for not going to Livi. As I’d not want to trash the paint job.

Colour interestingly is a reason for not going to Livi. As I’d not want to trash the paint job.

Yeah, I know what you mean. Helitape/frame pro to mitigate the worst of it and sacrificial electrical tape on a trip per trip basis? Mine looks bad because I never thought to tape up the head tube properly. And I think wildcat harnesses do less damage than my Ortlieb does. I’d certainly be able to help to tell you what needs taped…. 😥

Might be worth a thread on bb (ETA: done) to see what other people do, it surely must be because I’m new to this and a bit of a muppet as a result…

£550 gets you all you could want frame wise from Cotic

I’m keeping an eye on Cotic, although I’m not sure how much clearance the frames are left with when running 2.8 tyres.

* cough *

I’ve a mk1 Solaris and it was tight with trailblazer 2.8″
I believe the mk2 has more clearance and the Cotic website states up to 2.8″
I bought a set of B+ wheels off roverpig of these parts and think he rode a NN 2.8″ in the back of his until he punctured it.
There is a reason (3″ capacity) I also have a Stanton ….