Have you calculated the total cost of getting the Blur to a standard you can ride? You could then accurately compare your 2nd hand options against upgrading. 26" certainly isn't obsolete yet but options may be limited in comparison to 27.5/29.

Edit ignore double post somehow

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You may be able to clean the rust of your fork legs. Manitou and sun tour still do 26inch straight forks of 100mm and 140mm I think for the manitou
I think there was a German and Chinese site doing them on a previous thread here. I would not worry about the paint too much. Decent brakes can be cheap too.keep it running. Great bikes. I have a 26inch Santa Cruz heckler. Decathlon do decent 26inch wheels as does superstar. I am sure you could just get your wheels tried and they are pretty easy to do yourself with a tool.corroded brakes will probably clean up.

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My main concern is the forks have rusted/pitted on the chrome uppers and it seems difficult to find decent replacements even secondhand due to the old standard 1 1/8. Any advice on options?

If you can’t find anything S/H, I think manitou make one (model name escapes me though) and the Fox 36 831 100mm DJ fork still has a 1 1/8 steerer I think, but is expensive.

The brakes levers have corroded so I am probably due an upgrade if I am honest, are deore my best budget option?

Yeah, but standards haven’t changed much there, so most will work with adaptors.

The wheels are a bit wonky/wobbly and it would be nice to get some straighter ones, the current ones have hope hubs which still pretty good, again options do I just get new rims (26 seems limited)

they haven’t got any wonkier since you stopped riding, so will probably just need a bit more tension or a true up. New ones are still available, as are tyres, if not in latest/greatest spec.

It would be nice to change it from the current double to a single chainring would that mean new grouspet?

It will still work, but you’ll just be losing gears if you don’t increase the sprockets at the back too, which would need a new groupset

A dropper post would be nice.

Go for it. You’ll need an externally routed (lots available) or wireless (expensive) one.

The paintwork is bubbling/rusting in places whilst this is cosmetic if I was to keep upgrading/riding the bike it be nice to address.

Loads of painters/powdercoaters can sort you out, for pretty much any price/quality.

When I look at the above the outlay seems starts to add up then I think is it worth throwing money away on it but it seems a waste getting as its enough bike for me tbh. I don’t mind going the secondhand route I am concerned about just buying worn out tat.

There’s the rub. £1000ish will get you a new, with warranty, Calibre Bossnut, which is, as good as if not better than what you have, and have all current standards. Same for second hand, it will get you a nicer, but 2yr old bike that won’t have any major issues and will be of all the current standards. Depends what you want to do, longer term I guess.

pictures required!

Depends how much you like the bike. Buying decent 2nd hand wheels and forks is going to cost £300+ (LOADS available on eBay etc), new powdercoat £100, dropper £100, 1x setup lets assume you need a new chain/cassette/clutch mech/ring etc £150...

I'd be tempted to cash it in and look for something else, even if its another better condition 26er. I went from a Blur 4X which I absolutely loved and thought it was the best thing ever to one of the last 26er Orange Fives and it was a lot better. Did everything the Blur did but in a more all-day friendly format (the Blur was pretty cramped).

Best format (if it helps) I had my Blur setup with was 140mm Magura Thor forks, 1x drivetrain, RS Reverb and a Hope/Stans wheelset.

https://flic.kr/p/2iW1tn2

simple just buy mine thats sulking in the bike lockup

You might be able to clean up the forks using coca cola or vinegar.just make sure it does not run down the legs.the wheels can be trued.if the brakes work just clean them up.if not just just get something very cheap like clarks hydro brakes.depends how bad it all is. The dark side of tin foil rubbed with coke removes rust.i should imagine the forks will still work even if they are pitted.not really worth spending too much on it.just keep the original drive train.it will also be cheap to replace stuff.

Just touch up the paint with a car touch up pen

Thanks everyone, think I will keep it simple get the thing rolling again and get out there. The main concern was the shocks and maybe the brakes. I will have a decent look at the forks and try and do what people suggest about removing the rust the coca cola / foil / vinegar route is that better than using a v fine emmery cloth? Re the vinegar just normal brown vinegar? What would you treat the affected areas with after.

So after points from tomhowards/daveyboywonders I made the mistake of looking at new bikes to buy 😀

what forks are they? I've got some 150mm 26' bombers (20mm thru axel, 1.1/8th steerer) in the garage, I took them off my bike after about 3 months wear cos they started leaking air, and then promptly left them there for a decade, so the stanchions are immaculate..

Try coke first.it might work.just normal vinigor.make sure nothing gets into the seals.cannot guarantee it will work but worth a try. Nothing else to put on.might take a few attempts.then just wash off. I think you can get the Clark's brakes for about 30 pounds a pair.if you turn the bike upside down no coke will get into the seals.you could try one of those foam washing up scrubbed on the rough side with the liquid too. Something people do use to fix fork Stanction's if they are badly stratched is clear nail vanish.