looking to replace my old pitch frame as bearing seats are becoming a problem

would like to try a VPP type frame as always had Horst link but not totally fixed. just not horst link
135-150mm travel to go with a 150mm fork

budget under 600, ideally 400…

i’ve seen a few Blur LTs. grease port good, 1 1/8 headtube ok but not future proof. geo a bit old school? no idea.
Mondraker Foxy
Banshee Spitfire be great but for 160 forks. Swap-outs for 27.5 good.
seen a Pivot Mach 5.7 for buttons in france.
Could consider a trek…

Any opinions / ideas?

Intense spider 2 or carbine, make sure the frame is straight though as it’s easy to find repots of people with wonky frames.

The last lt was tapered. Angles are deceptive it doesn’t ride like the numbers. 160mm up front and it balances well. Ridden my carbon all over the world and not thinking of swapping yet.

i have a few frames i am selling
the one that fits your description most is

nicolai afr, horst link in green with ccdb coil
in great condition with some new bearings in m/l

£500 you arrange shipping or collection
i also have ibis mojo hd dw link
and some nukeproof mega frames ( single pivot though)

Here you go;
http://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/1847734/
Not strictly VPP but designed to behave similarly.

thanks mike, i’ve seen two LTs with straight steerer so far, for 400.
not the end of the world. my forks are straight steere and not planning on replacing any time soon.
seems not a bad option being on a budget as grease ports promise longevity.
was previous ower who messed-up bearing seats in the pitch tho, i’d be more on the case.
so with 150 fork could be nice too?

Lester, is AFR not 177m travel? and horst link?
thought i was looking for non-horst 140 ish. unless it’s a diff one from the one o found googling?

What size frame are you after?

I have a small BLT2 without shock that I need to strip down and rebuild into the medium frame I’ve now acquired

medium on a santa cruz.
what you suggesting sorry? a small without a shock.
or a medium with a shock?
if med i could be interested

james, im sorry i misread your original post, my only excuse is that i didnt have much sleep.
and i appreciate the way you pointed it out to me,
Lester

Sorry should’ve been clearer, I’ve ridden my small for 4 years and while I love the thing(and nothing else about better for the money) I’ve always wondered that being 5’8″ if a medium would suit me more.

I bought a medium frame without a shock a while back but not had chance to change everything over yet. But I’ve had the shock valved for me so was going to move it to the medium frame. Hence small frame no shock.

Dunno how much you wanna offer for medium frame and shock? Email in profile if you want.

thanks dutch.
i’m 5’8″ and a bit and looking at a medium i reckon. and that’s still a bit short for some folk, but that’s how i like it.

Yeah I was told go medium but sat on a small before I bought mine and decided it’d be ok with some fiddling.

Its only due to medium frame coming up without shock I thought sod it I’ll try it…..I bought the frame 6 months ago and still haven’t made the change. Possibly down to my frame being mint and the medium is well used.

Second hand Stumpjumper or Evo can be had for that price and you can get a crown race adapter to fit the fork

thanks tracey but that’s HORST link fram elike i have already. want to try something different. stumpjumper evo is not far off a pitch. thay stopped making one ad started making the other…

and i know about fork, clearly

Bit rude…

VPP beats FSR…
Also the nickle? Best quotes about SC doing APP, the butcher was the devil sat on your shoulder going faster faster and backing it up, the nickle was doing the same then laughing when you stacked it

Try and find a tracer 2 or a spider 2, well worth having and can be had for cheap compared to new price.

Both my Intense frames came straight and true and none of this shoddy workmanship rubbish some queer folk throw out there even though they’ve never owned one.

Intense truly are very good frames and a good alternative to the common SC offerings in wicked painted colours and have come a long way especially with their new line up.
Plus their warranty (not that I know) has been improving big time so I read on PinkBike.

So all in all, ya gotta try vpp as fsr horstlink etc are dead feeling compared to vpp. Traction in a word!

Giant Reign 2013 was 150mm.

Also had external BB I think.

The drawback is the custom size overdrive headtube, but maybe Works do a slackset to go in there anyway – two birds with one stone if so.

Bit Rude
well only a bit. but i get frustrated. people don’t seem to read original posts
ok, thanks for other recommendations.
i’ll look into when i get some geek time.

not into the nickle. not into single pivot and want a bit more travel, thou i’m sure it’s a blast etc etc

Pretty narrow criteria buddy. To my eyes you are limited to a Blur Lt or a a Spider if you want VPP. A recent LT has fine geometry and as mike says, tapered Head tubes. Great bikes to ride.

I’m a Yorkshire lass so didn’t take it as been rude. I threw the Stumpjumper in as to class all the HORST links the same as a Pitch without trying them isn’t doing them justice. Its like considering chalk and cheese. Having ridden a 2008 Pitch, 2013 Stumpjumpers, many Enduros and a Camber Evo in my view there is no comparison between any of them.

Since you mentioned VPP and Mondraker in the OP I assumed you were considering any dual-link, virtual pivot, DW-link kind of system?

Pivots seem to go for reasonable money yeah, maybe look at BMC and the Mojo HD at 140mm too?

Not sure I’d get a mondy secondhand, they were very light frames and I’d worry about cracking – I know the new owner of my Dune broke it.

thanks tracey. good to know. but i’ll write them all off anyways!

yes chakaping. i meant any virtual pivot/dual link/DW like you said.
i was (possibly wrongly?) using VPP to stand for all virtual pivot

and yes, good to know about mondrakers. i’d be in danger of getting myself into the same situation as with my pitch.

i’d consider an older reign for sure, whoever said that.

Ah, I get you now.
If I were you, I’d find a 2011 or later Turner 5 spot.

I’ll have a 2013 (mk 2) medium Spitfire for sale soon, with both 26 and 650b dropouts.

thanks al2000
tempted, but with 150mm forks would it work?

I ran it 26″ with 160, it would be great with 150 (either 26 or 650b).

Drop me a mail if you’re interested – derby DOT al AT gmail DOT com

what about Saceren Ariel?

Re: Horst Link frames…there’s a world of difference in how two Horst Link frames ride, I know as I own three of them.

But the OP has made it clear he’s looking for other frames, preferably VPP (which leaves only Santa Cruz and Intense), or there may be some other left-field choices.

Turner with DW-Link? FWIW, I was looking at a Banshee Rune a while back too.