Its at least 4 months since I’ve had a project so I’m well overdue. The only style of MTB I’ve not previously owned in all these years is something light, painful, fast, and racy.

It has to be cheap. something like a Kinesis Maxlight, or one of those discontinued Kula’s on Wiggle would have done it. Sub £300, preferably less. New or 2nd hand.

To suit a 100mm fork, good clearance, light and cheap please. No, it doesn’t really have to be strong. Other bikes cover that base. Suggestions please?

ETA – disc specific would be nice too…

can i be the first to say scandal.

something from Merlin?

[edit] just looked. Rock lobster Tig Team SL. Easton Ultralite, 3.25lb, disc only, £300 with a 30% off offer currently. So £210.

Sorted.

Hasa Carbon on eBay, a tiny bit over budget, but an absolute bargain!

Clicky

Another one I’ve thought of – 2009 Giant XTC. Big fan of Giants in the past, and these looks suitably ‘racy’. Anyone ridden one?

Benefit of Giant, and most other normally available brands (Ie not a merlin special or anything) is that I get them at a discounted trade rate. So the Giant would be a good bargain.

Hasa Carbon on eBay, a tiny bit over budget, but an absolute bargain!

Thats lighter then the s-works ht I think..

Does it have to be a HT?

You could pick up a decent Anthem frame s/h for £300 easily.

something from Merlin?

[edit] just looked. Rock lobster Tig Team SL. Easton Ultralite, 3.25lb, disc only, £300 with a 30% off offer currently. So £210.

Sorted.

There was someone selling a Rock Lobster Tig Team 17″ on classified recently?

I love mine, fast and nimble. Climbs great, could be better on rough downhills but still fun. Looks good too!

Yes, it has to be a HT.

It will be for my short evening rides, round flattish woods, bridleways, short steep climbs, bit of road. proper ‘XC’.

I have a Santa Cruz Heckler which I use for away days in the hills. Hardtail Mon-Friday, Heckler on the weekends.

And I might have a bash at some proper XC racing too.

Will that be mid week only proper XC racing?

Scandal, Maxlight seem to be obvious ones. Something like an XTC could* have a better warranty being from a bigger manufacturer?

*purely guessing that giant have a better warranty than on-one or kinesis for some largely baseless reasoning

those XTCs ride awful imho si … if you want painful thats your beast !

Low BB , steep headangle (with 100mm forks on) and harsh rear end.

it was on my list when i bought my merida , cheap frames for a reason 🙁 i test rode a 23lb XTC(for 60k) back to back with a 25lb merida FLX carbon and the difference was incredible , the XTC you felt EVERY bump and vibration through your arse ….

Tires were inflated to 35psi and were similar enough volumes for me to pin point it to the frame. Funnily enough when i commented to the owner of the XTC he fully agreed and was already on the lookout for a new frame !

Not suggesting you buy a merida but i wouldnt buy the XTC. Those kinesis ride pretty well imho , the carbon rear stay ones do anyway.

Nicks suggestion is a little more “out left field” but one i would entertain for one of your projects Si.

But the pick of the bunch suggested so far for me would be a scandal ! if it wasnt for me being unable to get me a scandal at a price id have had one at the drop of a hat.

Hmm – see I’ve ridden an XTC before and actually found it Ok. This is not likely to be a bike I do a lot of miles on – just short blasts. I kind of DO want something that is Stiff, Low and steep. Going away from that leads to having a crossover between bikes, which I dont want. I think I’m at least going to get a price on one, as it should be quite favourable.
I’d also be running it tubeless, which I know from experience makes a difference to ride comfort.

The Scandal is not available for a while anyway at the moment.

Maybe I should try and borrow another XTC…

if you want stiff(in the comfort sence not the power robbing flex sense) , low and steep then go for it

personally i dont believe thats what Race bikes are about these days.

Thats the mid 90s school of thought there in giants design bods head.

I mean my Merida is marketed as a race bike – its none of the above.

from what njee says his spesh is/was none of the above