OK, I have 1000 squid to spend on fun / play bike, would prefer steel, slack HA and something I can chuck around without worrying about it.
Final choice is:
Commencal Meta HT SX
1 x 9
SRAM X5
XFusion 140mm Velvet
Slack HA
Looks kinda cool (OK it is pink!)
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Whyte 905
Great reviews
Not Steel, so ride may be harsher
Nice components, Reba Fork
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Whyte 901 Steel
Decent 631 steel
Lots of adjustment in the frame
Good SLX spec
Fox F120RL Fork
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Genesis Latitude 10
Deore kit
Recon Gold Fork
Reynolds 520
Maybe not as checkable as I want
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On-One 456 Evo 2
Deore Spec
Sektor RL
4130 Steel
Slack HA
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456 but I am biased already owning one...
Commencal in stealth pink...
I didn't find the 905 that much fun! And quite harsh compared to the bfe and hand job I have had since. From your list I would probably go with the commencal or the 456 evo
No brainer for me, on-one all day long.
Parkwood
Parkwood
Would love it, I think it looks perfect, but have a window of about 3 weeks or so due to C2W scheme 🙁
Think the 456 Evo is the leader at the mo. Best in terms of spec and price. Love the Commencal, looks a lot of fun, can't find that many reviews, plus spec will need upgrading sharpish !
45650b?
Fatty?
Where have you found the whyte 901 for under 1k,I've only seen it for about 1200.
£999 in Winstanleys, only is a large.
kit on the 456 looks best to me. would always take Shimano over Sram, especially X5, and the forks are from a more proven/reliable firm (GF has Sektor fork, it's good).
in fact a mate has just stuck a Sektor on his 456 (previoulsly had a Lyrik) and he is happy.
456 is a very capable frame.
I would get the 45650b as it has 44mm headtube that means it can take tapered forks for some reason on the EVO 2 Brant kept the old straight steerer size.
I know the Sektor is a decent fork, really wanted to try out the X-Fusion Velvet, after it beat the equiv Sektor / Fox etc last year in the MBUK test.
The Commencal just looks LOTS of fun !!! But agree the components look shoddy and I'll prob upgrade the brakes ASAP.
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I would get the 45650b as it has 44mm headtube that means it can take tapered forks for some reason on the EVO 2 Brant kept the old straight steerer size.
Bugger, isn't it? I have shedloads of 26 inch wheels/tyres/tubes/tubeless kit and quite fancied getting a 456 frame but need a frame that takes tapered.
Toyed with the idea of running 26 inch wheels on a 45650b but thought better of it.