Having been over the handlebars three times now I have decided my Stanton Slackline isn't for me. Nothing to do with the bike I think, just me not getting on very well with long travel hardtails (I had a fully rigids for 10 years and never went over the bars once!). Having had a quick go on a 29er hardtail I couldn't believe how quick and easy it felt (I am 6ft 2) and now that I am getting on a bit I have decided this is the way to go.
I had my heart set on a Salsa El Mariachi, but am now wondering if I should consider others - Trek Superfly Alu being among these - I seem to see a lot of good things about them. I don't want a super rigid XC machine, I want to be able to do moderate jumps/ downhills but I don't want a long travel 'aggro' bike. Something in-between would be nice. No demos available near me so would like some input if possible guys? Thanks.
Saracen do a 29er 120mm carbon frame / full build
Whyte - even the 'race' bike doesn't feel like a race bike to me. Bit of choice to suit all budgets too.
Curveball...
Stache 29+?
Parkwood? I've also been eyeing up the pinnacle ramin.
Other than that the new Cotic Solaris looks very nice, but is a bit steep.
I'm currently riding a voodoo bizango, and I'm very sold on the 120mm forked hardtail now.
Highball C or Litespeed Cohutta.
Guess which one I chose
Check out the Whyte range for sure. The 729 is a brilliant bit of kit for under £1500, light fast and well specced. Carbon HT's start at £2k with similar trail friendly geometry, though they're more than light enough to race.
The Stanton Sherpa is another obvious suggestion. Better suited to 100-110mm travel forks than longer, usefully long ETT, short back end and a very fun bike to ride indeed!
Also check out the Kona Kahuna range. Often overlooked because of being poor VFM at full price, but pick up an end of season bargain and you'll love it as Kona's always have brilliant geometry! Loved my old Kahuna Deluxe, was sad to see it go even though it was only ever purchased as a stop gap til I could afford something nicer.
I had my heart set on a Salsa El Mariachi, but am now wondering if I should consider others
I have a 2014 El Mar and love it. As of more-or-less any time now, Salsa have a new UK distributor too.
Only thing I'd watch is that it wants a 51mm offset fork (though I have a 46mm offset Reba on mine, and have no idea what difference this might make).
Solaris should be on your shortlist IMHO.
i bought a cube ltd 29er a month or so ago. just a bike to ride to work on, to tour on, to do long steady miles on. so far it is proving perfect.
Cube rs-1 is £1499 at wheelbase, seems a relative bargain I guess.
seems pretty future proof too.
Don't know what size it is but there's a Sherpa in the classifieds now.
So I don't look too biased, I'll add that if rigid is an option then the Stooge looks great fun.
Also the 29er versions of those new Orbea Loki's look great too.
Love the Whyte range.
My middle kid has been bombing around very happily today on their Orange Clockwork 'S' 29er. Very capable bike IMO
Mr Hopey..... did you choose the Litespeed Cohutta? I see Wiggle have these cheap at the moment.
Cotic Solaris for the win
I think most / all of the bikes mentioned would be fine, I went for the Highball myself and love it... so much I then got a second in carbon! 120mm forks that can lock out at 88mm for climbing, it seems the best compromise mountain bike for me.
I'd say just figure out your budget then see what available then follow your heart.
Is a Surly Krampus a possible?
29+, rigid, but now Trek are going 29+ there'll be forks available if you decided that was where you wanted to go.
🙂
Also, (and sorry if this comes across as patronising), why are you going over the bars? Does your fork just need some more low-speed compression damping?
@ Andykirk the op - Why yes, yes I did.
I actually got it for £600 in the end with a £50 voucher which represents an absolute bargain as it was either that which I wanted for a long time (yrs now) or a Highball C which is like £1600 for frame.
Both am sure are very good 29er frames indeed.
Build day imminent.
Saracen do a 29er 120mm carbon frame / full build
They do a carbon 650b hardtail but not 29er, I think?
Transition TransAm and Genesis High Latitude (recommend what you ride) would be on my list.
Cannondale trail over on pauls cycles often a bargain and a nice ride.
Thanks for all the input chaps. Some bikes I had never thought of. But.... today I ventured to the bike shop and took out a Pinnacle 29er and a Whyte 805 650b for a quick spin, just to make sure I was set on a 29er. My amateurish thoughts below:
Pinnacle 29er - wow... amazing... on the road and small section of track I went along. Super fast and efficient feeling. I could really eat up the miles on this thing. Next, a few jumps off angled kerbs and speed humps.... not so great... was a bit like launch and wait and see where the bike goes. It sort of irons these features out rather than allowing you to make the most of them. Next was some bunny hops and attempted front wheelies. Now I am no Andy Ruffell but it was all rather difficult and a bit too much exertion. Not what it is designed for though I am sure.
Whyte 805 650b - Really nice bike. Could see this would not be as good for long distances and uphills but boy it was great fun. Was just reading the concurrent thread about the '650B Underwhelmed' Whyte 905 (which has different geometry to the 805) and also seeing that 650b generally takes a bit of a bashing around here.... but based on today's experience felt just about the right wheel size for me. Not too unlike a 26er but so much more submissive than the 29er.
So.... I am now in that quandry of which wheel size to go for. I wish I had all these bikes in my living room now and could take them all for a spin. With Penelope Cruz setting them up for me...
It may be of course that the Pinnacle (size XL) has particularly gate like geometry and is really an XC machine? Is there such a thing as a chuckable 29er? Or indeed are there any 650B happy hardtail people here who have had a similar experience?
Yes I fitted 650b to my ibis mojo and I love the middle ground for the reasons you say. I also have two 29ers and a fatbike which I guess is also a 29er really .
Is there such a thing as a chuckable 29er?
It's a thriving market! I can assure you that mine is an absolute riot, but then it's what I bought it for, and it's worth a good few quid too!
Problem is that you've been looking at £1k complete builds... The more playful 29ers out there are generally coming in at quite a bit more in the money stakes.
The one exception to note would be the Whyte 629, which shares its geometry with bikes further up the range, albeit with a slightly more modest spec. Slackish Head Angle, low BB, shortish stays, long ETT and short stem make for a fast, fun, confident bike.
Mboy the bikes I took out were just for a check on wheel size generally. My budget is around 2K.
In that case, fill yer boots...
Stanton Sherpa is the most fun HT I've ridden so far this year! You won't be thinking about the wheelsize when you're ripping up your favourite trails on it. Just keep in the 100-110mm fork travel range IMO, I've seen some built with 120mm Pikes and the like and they look a bit slack and tall at the front for my taste.
Talking of budgets I've just been watching 'Wheeler Dealers' and they picked up a Porsche 928 for 1.5K. Makes you think...... Wouldn't be doing bunny hops in that though.
Genesis high latitude or Cotic Solaris have to be prime candidates, might even be some reduced price 'old spec' Solaris frames left in some sizes.
Why buy a Solaris when you can have a Litespeed. mmmmmmmm 😈 
]Why buy a Solaris when you can have a Litespeed. mmmmmmmm
Because everyone knows titanium cracks!
Lmao maybe with your fat ass casing a gap.
Cotic is just far too mainstream and boring, nothing stands out to be anything decent on them.
having said that the geo must be spot on for you mincers out there buying them.
😛
Cotic, mainstream, ok........
Charge Cooker. After 15 years on full sus bikes, this bike got me back into hardtails.
Why buy a Solaris when you can have a Litespeed. mmmmmmmm
2 things (well, 3 things, but I see they're 50% off at Wiggle at the moment so I'll ignore the cost)...
1. HAVE YOU SEEN THE HEAD ANGLE on that Litespeed!?!? 😯
2. You are awre that for the last x number of years (where x is quite a big number) Litespeed have been a byword for poor quality, a lack of backup/warranty, and generally best avoided at all costs...?
Yurp! the HA doesn't put me off as it's going to be an all out helluva machine.
The Pisgah which if the op wanted to venture into 650b territory would suit better.
I wanted something a lot more get up and go than my 67 or less degree HA trail bike.
That's complete nonsense, one guy on here had at trouble getting a frame replaced under warranty yes probably jra 🙄
Strange, NASA must have gone to the wrong titanium tube makers then 🙄
That's complete nonsense, one guy on here had at trouble getting a frame replaced under warranty yes probably jra
I'm not going anecdotally off this forum...
I know several individuals that have fallen foul of Litespeed personally, and the internet is full of hundreds more similar stories!
Ok, I'll take your word for it on this occasion 😉 but am going to be a very happy owner that's all I know.
Andykirk, if you're looking to sell your Slackline frame is be interested. Which version is it?
Have to say the new Orbea loki, in 29er setup, looks interesting, if you can get past the boost axle. For a 'budget' frame it ticks most of my boxes (& cheap!)
I suspect it would fall foul of the Long Travel exclusion but I'm absolutely loving my Chromag Rootdown.
[url= https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3685/19762772029_f6603f7fa4_o.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3685/19762772029_f6603f7fa4_o.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/w7nnAM ]Thursday shred time? Yes, please! #chromagbikes @chromagbikes #mtb[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/danclairelees/ ]Dan and Claire Lees[/url], on Flickr
It is very very quick, climbs well, nimble, chuckable...
It's ace on my my tight twisty local trails and I reckon I'd be happy pedaling it for full days out and chucking it down stuff at BPW.
That Chromag is lovely....
My Slackline is the original 853. Almost mint. I think part of the problem is that i am almost 6 foot 3 and have a size large frame.... should have gone XL I feel.