I am looking to replace my hardtail with a short travel full suss and looking for suggestions (winter project just planning at the moment) want something more trail bike than xc racer, but max 120mm travel fork as I already have a trek slash for more grind up and plummet down rides.
The new trek top fuel looks great.
I have seen a 2018 transition smuggler frame for a good price, not sure how that would work out with a 120mm fork, as it seems to be intended for 140.
Any other suggestions?
Budget?
You'll probably want to look for a "down-country" bike, basically an XC bike but with trail Geo and longer travel forks.
Cube ams 100 c68 tm
Whyte S-120
Giant Trance 29?
A mite more fork travel than you're considering, but otherwise seems consistent with your theme.
Also, Scott Spark owners generally seem pretty happy.
Spesh Camber (or Stumpy ST more recently) is another a mainstream option, Ibis Ripley or Evil Following for more boutique alternatives.
Scott Spark non RC.
My 2010 Trek Fuel EX9, as seen in the classifieds? 😉
Canyon Neuron
Santa Cruz Blur TR
120 front
100 rear
the whytes look rad. if i could i would.
In the grand old tradition of recommending what you own, Cotic FlareMAX? I have 140's on the front but they work fine with 120 according to Cotic.
SC Tallboy, even a Tallboy 2 with 120mm travel and a 1 degree angleset would be a terrific ride
Giant anthem? Not 120mm (!00mm) but honestly it does incredibly well at "trail" riding although not burly enough for proper enduro tracks. Feels very confidence inspiring though.
Stage 4/segment
I had a Smuggler alongside a longer-travel FS bike.
Only really works if the longer-travel bike pedals poorly, otherwise there's not much between them on the trail. The Smuggler is so capable it can keep up with enduro bikes, but the trade-off is it's not the best-pedaling frame.
Stage 4 in contrast is a super-snappy XC/trail machine but bounces over stuff rather than soaking it up. It's a bit steep for me personally, but I'd still love one.
New Orbea Oiz
I’ve been looking too
My shortlist (head)
Spark
Top fuel
And wild card (heart)
Intense sniper
Likely I will go with best warranty so trek
Hmmm.... bit of a thread hijack... I’m also searching for a short travel (100 - 120) FS that I would like to be sub 30lbs weight AND ( for the moon on a stick bit) 27.5. No plus, just 27.5... i.e. an xc fs 27.5 wheeled one.
Only thing I can find atm is something like a 2016/2017 Anthem, although I’ve yet to look at female gender specific bikes. Any other suggestions welcomed. TIA 😁
@slackalice it looks like there's 2018 Anthems in 27.5 too. Scott Spark, Stumpjumper ST. Seems like plenty of choice still though definitely more 29ers around as far as XC goes.
Cheers @kelron, I didn’t see the Spark when I browsed through the Scott range so will take a look.
I think the spark is 27.5 plus just badly advertised. I'm looking for similar, I just think the industry have decided everyone wants 29.
Stumpy st being the exception, whyte t130. I had a carpark spin on a 5010 but it felt like a bmx
I checked the spec on one 27.5 Spark listing and it had 2.35 tyres, there's a ton of models in the range though.
the whytes look rad. if i could i would.
They are Rad! Staggeringly good bikes in fact... Guy Kesteven even recently went on record to say that though he's ridden a huge number of quality bikes in the last 12 months, if he had to buy one himself he'd buy the Whyte S-120 for sure...
I also know where there's both a medium and a large going a little cheaper than RRP due to a closing down sale! PM me if I can help out... 😉
Kona Hei Hei trail DL - mine was immense. Can be had cheap as Konas no longer cool but their geometry is dialled.
It does rather seem that the industry now views 29 as the short travel xc bike. No matter, models from a year or three back provide a better choice for what I’m looking for.
Loving my scott spark ⚡️
2017 Anthem here, 27.5 with 120 front, 110 rear and weighs 25lb in Medium.
Very able and capable bike and if I was replacing it I’d likely go for a Bird Aeris 120.
@iainc - that's pretty much exactly what I'm looking for and have always kinda fancied an Anthem. A bit of further research indicates that the 27.5 Anthem was re-jigged for 2017/18 with updated geo.
The Bird looks too similar to my current ride - Pyga 120 650B, an outstanding bike, extremely capable and a joy to ride, however, for where Im residing now in the flats of Norfolk, its almost too capable and I feel I'll be better served with a lighter overall package. A 25/26lb Anthem for the riding I'm predominantly doing and that I weigh in just shy of 150lbs with kit on, I'd prefer something lighter, similar to my 2000 SC Superlight.
So, on that basis, does anyone have any suggestions where I might source a NOS 2017/18 Anthem frame, in a medium size? Full bikes are available but pretty much everything i have on the Pyga will transfer over to the Anthem and I need to do this without too much spend.... he says... 😉
It does rather seem that the industry now views 29 as the short travel xc bike
They are just so fun and flattering though, the way they carry speed - closest thing to the mythical Star Wars "speeder bike" feeling on two wheels.