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Hi all,
As title what full suss 29er frames are there with 140/145mm rear travel that you can buy as a frame only.
Totally not gelling with my Rallon and quite happy to put my hands up and say its far too much bike for me and that I made a mistake buying it.
I have someone interested in the frame and so will transfer the parts over onto a new frame.
What options are there?
Budget up to £2000 for the right frame.
Occam? 😀
Slightly over budget at £2600, but deviate highlander?
Bird Aether 9c?
Orbea Occam?
The Occam is nice but has a long seat tube for the right length.
Deviate is nice but is unfortunately over budget.
Ibis Ripmo. The one you should have waited for 😀
Ibis Ripmo. The one you should have waited for
You could be right !!
Ibis Ripmo. The one you should have waited for
You could be right !!
What is it about the Orbea that you aren’t getting on with?
What is it about the Orbea that you aren’t getting on with?
To be honest its far to much travel 170/160 and I feel like Im sat on the bike rather than in. It seems very tall if that makes sense. Im sure it would be an excellent enduro bike but for Cannock and the Wyre forest etc its just too much bike. I took it to the Wyre forest and it was just totally involving, like a carpet ride over everything.
Ripmo AF then 😀
If you're not good at waiting, then the Ripmo isn't for you. If you ordered one today I'd be surprised if you got it by January.
If you're hanging on that long it may be worth waiting to see if/when the alloy Sentinel is out.
Starling murmur
Pipedream Full Moxie
There's quite a big recent thread on the same theme .
I bloody love my Ripmo AF and would definitely say it’s the right side of the line between trail and enduro. I did 46 mile ride on it yesterday which involved riding 18 miles out on the SDW and then some doing some sweet forest singletrack before heading back the way we came. For me it’s just a brilliant all rounder and exactly what I was after.
The 2 mates I was riding with were both on 130mm bikes and have to say those sort of bikes are very impressive in what they are capable of, but I think I’d still need a bigger travel bike for bike parks/alps trips. If you’re not doing anything like that then I’d definitely be looking at something like the Nukeproof reactor or YT Izzo.
Rocky Mountain Instinct?
Orange Stage 5.
RRP about £2k but can be got cheaper.
Orange Stage 5.
RRP about £2k but can be got cheaper
This is the main contender to be honest along with an intense primer.
Do you have one mate and if so what shock are you running.
I have the S4 and S6, both are great but I'd definitely suggest a demo before buying.
They are very fast and responsive but feel like they skim over the bumps rather than soaking them up - if that makes sense.
X2 on the S6 and DPS on the S4, both fine. I'd probably get a CCDB Air inline for the S5 though.
I think it sounds like a 140-145 29er will be OTT for you. I'd be looking more around the 120/130 region.
They are very fast and responsive but feel like they skim over the bumps rather than soaking them up – if that makes sense.
I used to have a 5 29 and thought that was fantastic so was kind of hoping the S5 would be similar.
Had also considered the s6as that is a similar bike to my previous Whyte S150
I think it sounds like a 140-145 29er will be OTT for you. I’d be looking more around the 120/130 region.
Before the Rallon I had a Whyte S150 and it was perfect for me and I regret selling it now.
I had also considered a SC Hightower.
My S6 rides like a shorter travel bike, but the new one has some pretty radical geometry.
The geometry of the new S5 is very modern too, but a bit more of an all-rounder.
Did I see MBR magazine measured the actual travel of the s150 and it came out more like 135mm?
Did I see MBR magazine measured the actual travel of the s150 and it came out more like 135mm?
I think I've seen 142mm mentioned somewhere.
The only issue with the S150 was the seat tube was slightly too long.
Would being a heavier rider influence your choice between a 5 and 6.
I've heard the 6 is a lot stiffer in the rear.
I've only ridden the S5 about 100m, so I can't offer an opinion unfortunately. The split chainstays are supposed to be lighter and stiffer though.
I have sized up on the old large, so it's similar to the current medium but with "only" 450mm chainstays (new one is 469mm), and mine is more of a long-travel trail bike than a full enduro bike.
It goes fine at trail centres and on mellower stuff, but if I were replacing it I'd probably look at the new S5 instead (as I have a 170mm bike as well).
Brilliant.
Thanks. Appreciate that.
I think in your previous thread the Bird AM9 and Bird Aether 9C were mentioned - both available frame only and at a good price. Pace RC295 also seems good value.
AM9 and S150 are pretty similar bikes - the Aether is presumably lighter and a bit more playful / shorter travel.
Transition alloy 29er frames seem to frequently be on offer for precious year stuff - might also be worth a look at those.
I don’t think I’d put my money on an orange - I hate the look of them and they seem to have some issues with making swingarms that don’t crack.
I think in your precious thread
Bit harsh.
I don’t think I’d put my money on an orange – I hate the look of them and they seem to have some issues with making swingarms that don’t crack.
Five-year warranty and the spate of crackings seems to be behind them, TBF.
Oh, and they are the best-looking bikes on the market, FYI.
😛
Oh, and they are the best-looking bikes on the market, FYI.
If you like your bike to look like it came out of the late 90’s yes 😝
You can still buy purple anodised chainrings and Hope hubs to finish the look.....
You can still buy purple anodised chainrings and Hope hubs to finish the look…..
It's surprising how many Orange owners seem to be visually impaired, judging by the amount of tasteless coloured bling they bolt to their bikes.
But mine is a thing of beauty...
Oh, and they are the best-looking bikes on the market, FYI.
I think the more recent orange full sus bikes look a lot better than previous years, but let’s be honest they’re a long way short of being considered “best-looking”
Izzo and Mr Spur have just been on a Teams call. They raised a collective eyebrow at your assertions, sir.
In a "function over form" way they're, erm, not abusive to the eye.
But beautiful? The same way an RSJ is beautiful, I suppose...
Different strokes for different folks and all that. 😁
Izzo and Mr Spur have just been on a Teams call. They raised a collective eyebrow at your assertions, sir.
Tell them they look like Treks.
Doesn’t the Orange have the same issue with the long seat tube that first drew you towards the Ripmo. Don’t know the lengths but they look quite long from pictures with that top/seat tube brace.
Tell them they look like Treks
Rude, just as I was about to pass on their message that maybe the Orange wasn't so bad (maybe related to the fact that Geoff McAM9 had just turned their camera on)
Oranges are bikes for radio.
Best looking bikes in the world, beyond dispute.
But seriously Renton - please do try to get a proper demo before you buy, the way they ride is not for everyone.
A matter of mine has a large ripmo af coil in silver frame for sale if you are interested? Pm me
Doesn’t the Orange have the same issue with the long seat tube that first drew you towards the Ripmo
I need an XL frame at 6 foot 1. However I'm a bit weird shaped in the I have a long body and 32" legs. Hence the trend for XL's to have longer dropper posts doesn't work with me.
I can get away with a 480mm seat tube and a 150mm dropper.
Stage 5 XL is 508mm
Stage 6 XL IS 482mm
Hightower XL is 460mm
Ripmo AF XL is 470mm
I think it sounds like a 140-145 29er will be OTT for you. I’d be looking more around the 120/130 region.
This is my first thought too.
It's not just the travel, things like the AM9 are looooong bikes. They'll still feel like a lot of bike.
The Rallon is a pretty conservative bike in geometry, it's not that long, which may be more of your issue - it's a bit small and short, which would make you feel more perched on the bike.
Something like an Evil Following V3, with a burly build might be ideal for you, still poppy and fun on the less challenging stuff, but decent geometry for when it gets more steep.
Thanks for all the advice.
Im still keen to stick with a 130-145mm rear travel as that would be a perfect all rounder for me.
Found a Hightower frame on Pinkbike that was a warranty replacement but it has no follow up warranty for the next owner, would that put you off?
I got one of these at the start of lockdown to replace a ripmo af
Granted it’s not the most modern geometry and the purple might not be to everyone’s taste and there’s only medium left but I like it a lot more than the af it replaced.
Found a Hightower frame on Pinkbike that was a warranty replacement but it has no follow up warranty for the next owner, would that put you off?
Do you have a habit of breaking bikes? The SC bikes are very sturdy construction so personally I wouldn't / didn't worry. Worth enquiring about registering the replacement frame though - one I was looking at earlier in the year was similar and they suggested registration wouldn't be a problem.
Alternatively, go onto the Santa Cruz website and trawl through all of the European dealer websites - I did that a couple of weeks ago (wine may have been involved!) and bagged a HT2 frame with over a third off RRP (unusual at the moment) from a German dealer.