[Closed] Help me spend my insurance money

Santa Cruz Chameleon.

£2k gives you plenty of hardtail options. I’d be dropping it straight on a new mk5 Soul personally. The straight ‘silver’ level SLX & Hope build comes in just under 2k although I’d probably go frame only and build it myself.

TBH, excluding exotic carbon frames and wheelsets, I reckon £2k for a hardtail will let you have pretty much whatever you want...

Happy shopping!

which I'm way more gutted about, a rigid Salsa el mariachi SS.

Feel bad for you. That's the only bike I'd be properly gutted about cos they don't make them any more. Personally I'd be looking at something else in the Salsa range if I had to. Everything else would represent a handsome upgrade if pinched.

Thanks both.

Vincienup, that's pretty much my question I guess - what do people recommend? I'll definitely check the Soul out. Wasn't aware that it could take 29" wheels too.

Ta,
Jimmy

Yeah I'm pissed about the Salsa.

Cotic Solaris for 29 or semi fat

If you are going to restrict yourself to something singlespeedable without using a tensioner (and I assume that is the case since almost everything is singlespeedable with a tensioner so you wouldn't mention it) then I'd definitely be trying a

davidtaylforth - Member 
Santa Cruz Chameleon.

May not be steel but nor is the Travers

Hmmm. Will check it out. How's it ride? I'm only after steel really because the Salsa rode so nice - though it definitely could've been springier for me as I don't weigh very much.

No the Travers isn't steel but it sure is pretty and light by all accounts. Being light myself I really appreciated the lack of weight on the rigid Salsa.

Anyone been on either a Vassago Verhauen or Soma Valhallen by any chance? Heard that Soma ride very springy.

Chameleon is aluminium now isn’t it rather than steel? So doesn’t fit the OP requirements.

I like the look of the Soul but again don’t think that takes 29”?

Not sure there’s actually that much around that fits your requirements. I like the BTR but that “only” leaves you £1k to build up after cost of the frame.

Know two people with Travers who loved them for what it’s worth

Is the Solaris single-speedable as the OP requires?

It's certainly a lovely bike and a delight to ride. If the forthcoming update follows in the footsteps of the new Soul then it should have a very healthy reach.

Mine in B-plus form...
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For me, the geometry is what makes me love my El Mar. So I'd be looking for something as similar as possible. Not many steep HA hardtails around nowadays.

My usual gripe with alloy is that it can ride harsh - saying that I've heard that the stache alloy is quite bendy.

Anyone on the sonder alloy or carbon on here? Seem great value and nice numbers on the carbon (yeah I know, another frame material...).

Cotic doesn't seem singlespeedable, chakaping - shame as I've wanted a cotic for years. Who knows, maybe 2018 will break the mould - but I can't see it.

True, Molgrips. It was a pretty wonderful machine and I got it for an absolute song. Doubt I'll find one again like that again soon.

It's worth a lot about the Travers, Stu. Trouble is I'd need custom geo spending that much and then it starts to get really silly. Bike for life though. Until it's nicked.

What about the likes of Surly?

Wondered about them - how do they ride? Seem built pretty stout but I could be wrong.

The singular puffin might be an option - though again, the reach is pretty short and my arms and legs are so long that children, independent of one another, often call me King Louis.
Having said that, I found that moving to 29er automatically helped because the stack was that much higher.

Dunno. There are many Surlys. I actually called Charlie TBM for a Karate Monkey Ops but he sold me the Salsa instead on sale. He reckoned the Salsa had better tubing.

Swift too expensive?

Oh wait.. you definitely need to save up another £500 and get a Shand Bahookie Single. My mate has one, looks just as functional as the El Mar but with a bit more s****. I don't drool over bikes as a rule but this pushes my buttons quite pleasurably:

[img] [/img]

Otherwise - Singular Swift, should be able to build that up to budget?

[img] [/img]

If you have problems with long arms what about simply lowering the bars either with flipped stems or wide flared 1900s TdF style drops?

My mate with the Shand has long arms relative to height and he uses either flared drops or Jones bars tilted down - the contact points are a good few inches below the stem.

Oh yes^ I was looking at Shand's at the London Bike show back in Feb and they look fantastic. Over budget I thought but if you can stretch....

I've had a go on a Travers and again if you can stretch to it they are very nice

Geometry on both is more XC/old school, nothing wrong with that if it's what you are after

Well the Salsa is old school too, so I'm thinking that's what he's going for. That's what I love about mine - brilliant for covering ground. It loses out on steep tech (although it can still do it) but I have other bikes for that.

Oh and in case you wonder why I posted up the geared Singular, it comes frame-only with an EBB so you can SS it.

I'll definitely check the Soul out. Wasn't aware that it could take 29" wheels too.

Sorry, I didn't see a 29 requirement.

Nope, the Soul 5 is 27.5 but wide. If 29er is a must then from the Cotics that pretty much cuts to the Solaris. Does it all but isn't the most forward looking geo anymore (probably never was, but worked!) You would need to run a chain tensioner as the frame is x12 as opposed to horizontal/vertical drop. The Simple was really the Cotic you wanted I think, but it's currently out of production.

Chameleon: I'm pretty sure this has always been Alu. My old Mk2 certainly is, although I'm aware that the current model is a completely different bike.

Surly Wednesday? (again, would need a tensioner). Karate Monkey?

Dear Lord that Shand is good looking. Believe they can do custom fit too...
Was looking at Curtis bikes for the custom angle - they look mint in raw finish. Bet they'd do a nice line in springy tubing if I asked.

I will check out the Travers if I can. Though I really shouldn't. Tragically I probably will.

Swift was top of my list until I saw the reach. It is really short. Although, running rigid too long a reach might be painful. Well, more painful.
Really like the look of their Puffin, pretty versatile with the fat, 29er or 29+ capability.

The krampus and the karate monkey look good. Wonder what weight they build up to - the Salsa was nice and light for what it was.

Apologies if this a laughable suggestion(I may be way out in what you’re looking for), but Genesis Longitude? Steel and singlespeed capable. 27.5+ but takes 29” I think.

My Salsa isn't light. 26lbs with carbon Firestarters, old school 3x9 XTR, 1850g wheels and 2.35" tyres.

Give the Bike Monger a call (is it still Charlie?) they basically specialise in this kind of bike.

Get the Shand though. Seriously.

Doesn't seem laughable having looked at it - seems like a good frame, gauss17777. I'd not properly looked at it before.

Do you have one? Or has anyone ridden one?

My Salsa wasn't THAT light for what I imagine a rigid SS could build too but it sure felt light after stepping off my fully (and after a winter of gurning my way up hills).

I really like the look of the Longitude, but it's not in the same class as a Shand. It's like saying hmm, shall I buy a Mondeo or a Morgan? Tough choices..

PS my friend's Shand is about 22lbs I think. Ok so it's SS and (a lot) more bling but still pretty light for a steel bike. Medium Bahookie is 2060g apparently. And custom would help your reach issue.

http://www.chromagbikes.com/bikes/bikes-overview

Chromag Rootdown for 29" wheels or Wideangle for 27.5". Cheaper tubes than their Canadian made frames and built in Taiwan hence cheaper all round but awesome nonetheless. A few lads on here own Chromag, I've got a Samurai. Amazing bike.

Here's a review from STW itself on the Wideangle.

http://singletrackworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/review-chromag-wideangle/

My suggestions would be Karate Monkey or Brother cycles Big Bro.

Onza Payoff

Not steel, apart from the forks but the Pinnacle Ramin 3 might be worth a look. Got the EBB and by all accounts a good frame with decent 650b+ wheels for £800. Gives you £1200 for a set of 29 wheels and an upgraded groupset.

Quick edit - it looks like it's £750 now