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I'm all for jumping on bandwagons so I'm thinking about mixing up two common ones and getting a 29er trail/hardcore (or whatever best describes it) hardtail.
I'm thinking of a relatively slack front end, 120 - 140mm fork travel, reasonably short chainstays...that kind of thing.
I want it to be a magic bike that is suitable for all things, so riding from home around the boring East Midlands (including a fair bit of road), day trips to the Peaks and more technical riding in the Lakes (and I might even use it later in the year in the Alps).
Obviously I've never ridden one or even a 29er but this is the internet so that's ok. So bikes I have noticed recently:
Kona Honzo
Canfield Yelli Screamy
2Souls slim Jim
What else might fit the description? Or would I be better of with a more 'standard' 29er such as the highball or Solaris?
Singular are bringing out the Buzzard soon which seems to tick all your boxes
The Buzzard prototype was ace fun and perfectly capable of going up as well as down.
Honzo owner here and very happy with it although to be fair i've not been out riding much since i got it last month.
Not particularly light (that's an understatement!) but seems to handle really well and is far more chuckable than my other 29ers (XC HT, FS).
Mine weighs 30lbs with pedals in the XL size (20L) built up with 1x10 XT and Reba Team 120's. Lots of fun on the downs and i'm looking forward to riding it through the summer.
There's 2 or 3 people on here with one now as well.
Oh, and i believe On-One are working on something that'll no doubt be cheaper than the competition seeing as all the frames you list (and no doubt the Buzzard too) seem to be around £500-£600 per frame.
How about a frame only - Kinesis FF29 - just a thought as I posted their new paintjobs up ^^^^ 🙂
Canfield Brothers Yelli Screamy looks sweet.
Worth considering a Solaris. I wouldn't start thinking about a 140mm forks on a hardtail 29er until you've ridden one with 100s.
I've an One One Scandal, new shape with tapered headtube with 120mm Rebas with 20mm thru axle and an angleset in to slacken the front one degree. I find that with 2.35 rubber back and front I can tackle most things with confidence. Reasonable price too at £299 for frame.
What about a LTHT steel 26er with a shorter travel (120) fork and 29" wheel?
I've not seen many long travel 29ers, I don't think you need 140mm with a big wheel on a hardtail. It's debatable whether you need 140 with 26" wheels (but fun!) as the head angle shifts a lot when the fork compresses.
I'm taking every opportunity to sing the praises of my rigid PA 69er! Short and snappy in the back, confident and precise up front. Other than really chattery descents I can point it up and down most things and I like that the frame clearance is low for body movement.
Ok, ok, you've twisted my arm. Here's a photo:
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If he had a bit of cush in the front (not too much, 100-120) I think it would fit the bill you describe. The 26" wheel accelerates well and the stays are short by default, the 29" wheel rolls easily and gives great traction.
I'm not into how the tyre lugs hide behind the chainring on the bikes you listed. That looks like hell for the drivetrain in mud season (11 months of the year).
Good comments and will fuel an evening of web surfing and further development of my ability to not hear what my wife is saying to me.
120mm is probably what I should be lokoing at.
kingdom brigante looks oh so nice
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also doing a carbon 120mm version of it.
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http://www.kingdombike.com/TheKingdom/?p=1492
That's a very nice looking bike (both of them)
wouldn't start thinking about a 140mm forks on a hardtail 29er until you've ridden one with 100s.
I have and I would. 🙂
My vote goes for the Yelli with whatever flavour of 140 fork you like best.
But Stu, did you go straight for 140, or did you ride other 29ers first? And is your 140mm 29er hardtail your only 'do it all' bike?
The point I was trying to make was that for a bit of everything 140 forks might be a bit restrictive. I know I'd miss out on a lot from my local riding if I had a Yelli as my only bike.
I've been rolling the waggon wheels for a few years now. If something like the Yelli with a 140 fork would have been available back then i wouldn't have though twice about buying one.
It's not my only bike but if i could only have one bike this would be in the running for it.
I can't see how a 140 fork would be restrictive in any way though
It is possible that I'm talking out of my arse. Perhaps what I should have said is that I'm happy with 100/120. I should just buy a set and find out for myself - I've been looking out for deals on Revelations for my RIP.
Canfield Brothers Yelli Screamy is sweet.
Been running mine with 120mm for a while and a 120mm Paradox before that. just ordered the 140mm fork.
I should just buy a set and find out for myself
Sounds like a good idea. 🙂
I fitted the 140 fork thinking i might have to drop it down to 120/130. Thought i'd just give it a couple of rides at 140 to see what it was like. Turns out it seemed the same as my 120 fork on climbs but much better on steep downs.
Just brought a canfield nimble 9 from Charlie the bike monger, similar geometry to the yeli but steel rather than alu, it going to be run as a 1x10 with 120mm fox float up front. Did originally want the yeli but they rant available at the moment, think the next batch of yeli frames are due in a few months. Nimble has short chain stays for a 29er with reasonably slack geometry, should be a hoot on the trails?
Chumba hx2, £299, and I'll stick my neck out and say that there isn't a better finished 29er frame around at that price and more 🙂
anything better in the last 8 months?
i know about the on-one x5 for £800, looks ok but not really exciting.
chumba price seems to have gone way up unless i'm looking in wrong place.
x5 29er frame is £140 which is pretty good frame only?
Titus Fireline Ti 29 Evo seems to be the one to be creaming over at the moment
[url= http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/titus-fireline-ti-29-evo ]It even has it's own thread on STW[/url]
yes, but no. its £800 frame only? need whole bike for about that 🙂
DiamondBack Mason... if they bring it to the UK 🙄
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Inbred is quite steep (head angle wise) but if that not a worry to you, then go for it. The OP was after a trail 29er, not a XC bike, so your posting on the wrong thread if you want a XC 29er, lots are available (check out the Canyons).
The Titus is a trail 29, Ti with lots of neat features.
Comparable with Canfield Screamy Yelli, and Paradox Mythic V2, both of which are around the same price...
Widening the field, I myself am considering: those above & cheaper alternatives of: the Genesis High Latitude, Whyte 5/6/729 models (929 sounds perfect, but are in apparent limit supply) & maybe the Kona Taro/honzo (honzo is apparently quite heavy, the Taro low spec'd)
oh. right he wants a trail 29er i guess, so good point on inbred being steep then.
never heard of any of those others, better do some reading.. any frame-onlys around £200 would be ideal.
No idea if Canyon have frame only options, but for full bikes there spec's seemingly make everyone elses seem stupidly expensive
ps I think you'll struggle finding anyone but On-one with frame for £200
Inbred/Scandal should be about 68 degrees static with 120mm fork, surely that's "trail" territory for a 29er? (I've got the impressions that 29ers are generally steeper than equivalent 26ers but I might be talking out of my arse)
On the other hand they are recommended for 100mm max so that might not be a good idea anyway. Feel free to school me - I've started fantising about a trail 29er myself which is why I'm interested.
that my understanding too (I'm taking step towards my current "need"), but shoving an extra 20mm up front will lift the BB and alter the seat post angle too. So it's not so clear cut
thread hijack - Herman Shake - are you saying Mk1 PA with a short travel 29er fork would work......I have a very nice pink mk1 PA frame sat by my desk right now that I was thinking of building back up for the rest of the [s]winter[/s] year...Also how balanced is the PA with rigid 29er up front.....
Scandal with 100mm.
You don't need as much travel with a 29er.
you have to wonder if ppl even bother reading these threads, before posting like a tourettes suffer? 😉
Yeti Big top will happily take a 120mm fork and can be run with a bolt through rear. I think mine is pretty hardcore it will take 3 -4ft drops happily and with a carbon back end takes alot of the buzz out of the trail. local stuff I can hit as hard on that as I do on 160mm all mountain full suss.
Fit some beefy rims though as i have pringled my Stans Crest rear I am 6.3ft and 15 stone mind.
Trail or XC are the same.
yeah right, cause that's why the OP suggested slacker 29er's (68degree)
....whatever 8)
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Waiting on a 2 souls Quarter horse, ordered back in september due in the next 2 weeks, going to run 2x10 with 140mm Revelation fork and KS Lev post.
Looking forward to hitting the trails in Spain next May
that ^ looks lovely (frame, not red bits).
but imho.. just can't justify spending much on a hardtail frame. anything over £300 is pushing it value wise imho.
just can't justify spending much on a hardtail frame. anything over £300 is pushing it value wise imho.
You'll only be getting an On One then!
Some people on the forum have used anglesets with 120mm forks on the newer Scandals, but you'll be paying £150 more for one of them.
Trek Stache?
I'm tempted by a trail 29er... but currently not sure what to make of the 29er trail bike market... I've not ridden any so my view is subjective... yet still I'm interested... or perhaps not... I have the following reservations due to where and how I ride...
[b]Forks[/b] I've found 32mm stantioned forks to be limiting for 26er's so can't imagine such a fork being any good when subjected to the forces applied to bigger wheels! Which means "for me" (gag 😳 ) a 34mm Fox fork is pretty much the only option I would consider for a trail 29er hardtail? I'm also not sure I would want the full 150mm of travel as I've found 130mm is enough on a 26er hardtail if the fork is stiff enough (Fox 36).
[b]Wheels[/b] I don't fancy having a weaker or heavier wheel than the 26er's I curently use... which don't tend to last me that long. 26er Flow's are a fine light trail rim which last me for about a year but by then they are pretty much scrap. I don't want to go heavier.
[b]Tyres[/b] I run 26" Conti Rubber Queens but I know they have a limited life span under me, but I will live with that for the lightness and grip compromise... and when the going gets daft at least with 26er's I can shove on a full DH tyre. I can't see many 29er tyres which even match RQ's for strength never mind maxxis DH.
All that said I'm still tempted to a different wheel size... either 27.5(650b) or 29er's... but I currently think the limiting factor will be the forest where I mostly ride and destroy equipment with stunning regularity.
Sorry to have posted my drivel on someone elses thread... but I can't help wondering if a 29er trail hardtail is realy a viable option for someone like me?
Wheels wise, flows come in 36h in 29er variety which helps
Forks wise, are you considering other manufacturers than the main 2?
Tyres wise, Plenty of knobbly stuff out there, covered by the twentynineinches.com crowd...
Jeebus... ^^ That QH is stunning!! *drawls*
Just had an e-mail to say the QH will be here next week...GET IN!!!!