Like a 5010.. but not a 5010

Transition Scout? I have no idea really, but that was my old bike.

Aether 7?

if its the VPP that you like

Intense Primer 27.5

https://uk.intensecycles.com/products/primer-275

VPP suspension like an SC (although closer to the old SC design than the new lower linkage bikes) bit longer travel (140/150) than a 5010(130/140) but less than a Bronson(150/160)

Diamond Back Release 5C

https://www.diamondback.com/bikes/mountain-1-bikes/full-suspension-bikes/release-5c-4679

VPPish suspension (DB call it level link) (130/150mm travel)

Can't see frame only options for the intense.. although interesting
Diamndback dont seem to be a thing in the UK anymore
Aether 7 is on pre order
Scout, good shout.. seems to be unavailable

Discovered, Banshee prime however, although the CS is very long, it's an interesting bike at a good price locally....

Airdrop Filter

now then, the filter does sound exactly what i want...

Yeah the filter or perhaps a Nukeproof Reactor if they still do 27.5”

i looked at the reactor.. lots of people were not positive about how it climbed..although it is a relative bargain
jsut discovered the pivot shadowcraft.. that's.. very nice..... with pricing to boot

I thought about the reactor and aether 9 but neither had stock at the time so got a Transition Sentinel instead. Surprised how trail bike it feels - although it’s 29er. I don’t think I’d be buying a full 27.5” wheeled bike now personally - I’d want a 29er fork on there for future compatibility.

You could look at a mullet - although a lot of them are a bit longer travel. There might be an alloy 5010 coming that could be cheaper than the very expensive carbon version?

I'd try and sell my 5010 mk 2 frame, but it is an XL, so too big gir you really. Ah well.

The Banshee Spitfire and Prime are both great options - the KS Link suspension is so well designed, pedals well, sensitive on small bumps, pumps well and let’s you use the travel without bottoming out badly, stable under braking but not harsh. I had two previous generation Spitfires and if I still had a normal full-sus I’d probably have a Prime (I now ride a singlespeed hardtail or a Levo).

Officially the Spitfire is the 27.5 one and the Prime the 29 and they’re both 135mm at the back. But both will work as mullets, 130-140mm 29” fork on the Spitfire, 140-160mm 29” on the Prime.

Well apart from the 27.5 rear wheel my initial impression when I read the review of the new 5010 was aether9C and save a chunk of money 🤷🏼‍♂️. The geometry seems really similar.

Ah yes.. Spitfire has a shorter rear end.. For the same price as the 29 er, and the airdrop..

Being 5'8 on a medium Aether 9c I can confirm it's easy to throw around (light wheels help).

The Bashees look gorgrous but sadly not for my stumpy legs. I may hit myhself in the arse sometimes, but at least I can fit a decent dropper.

A mullet 5010 would appeal to me too if I had the ££ (and if I was keen to change). I was surprised to see the 9c has slightly shorter stays than the same size 5010.

Aether 7 is a good option if you want to carry as much over as you can. The frames come up for sale every so often in the Bird FB group, often with a shock.

Five Evo frame? I’ve been thinking about this myself for Autumn / Winter riding:

https://www.orangebikes.com/shop/factory/new/2022_five_evo_frame_large

Although that Airdrop looks amazing value albeit my SE trail mincing about would may be awfully underutilising it

orange five, i had meant to mention yes...
although, im having a slight hard time with the pricing on that too, the spiel on the airdrop is really selling it to me

Just to say I’m my above comments I’m 5’9 and had an ML Aeros 145 that I ran with the normal link and the LT one. Always found it monstrous on straight line gnar but always struggled to get it round tight bends and also on fast / flat turns where I lost the front wheel a few times.

I swapped to an M Aether 7 and was immediately more comfortable. On straight tech it was slightly slower but everywhere else I was faster and more confident. Was an ace bike.

The Sentinel has a very similar reach but longer chain stays and is slacker / has a very short seat tube and I run a 210mm dropper on it. It feels quite similar to turn but just goes a bit faster everywhere.

Sunset have some decent Orange 5 deals atm. Just less than 3.5k for one with Pike Ultimates and Hope wheels.

https://www.sunsetmtb.co.uk/shop/index.php?category_id=21

So what’s like a 5010? short to mid travel, takes 27.5, can be bought as frame only, can use my shock? (230×65)
not sold on Carbon, but not ruling it out..

Bird Aether 7 / 120LT. Looks like October for a new one, but second hand within 2 years you get the warranty transferred over.

Orange 5 Evo?

Medium nukeproof reactor frame only on Wiggle

I doubt you'll get a short/mid travel bike that takes a 230x65 shock

yup, still on the table, aether 7 when in stock
Banshee Spitfire
Airdrop Filter

Orange 5 not so much, the best deals on those seem to be complete bikes..
and yer, resigned to the fact that it will be a frame shock package now

Some discounted frames on the official Orange site.

https://www.orangebikes.com/shop/factory

Personally I’d take a reactor over a 5 - would prefer 4 bar Horst link suspension to basic single pivot with no linkage

The Aether 7 is possibly better than both but similar ish to the reactor. I sold my aether 7 frame for well under £1000 with a deluxe rt with Megneg at the end of 2021. If you could find one like that secondhand you could always buy a fancier shock - and it takes coil or large volume air. The RS shock with megneg was decent but it was even better with a Fox DHX2 factory coil shock.

Personally I’d take a reactor over a 5 – would prefer 4 bar Horst link suspension to basic single pivot with no linkage

I wouldn't discount an Orange with a decent shock based on suspension layout alone.

I've just got a Five Evo after spending a few years on a longer travel bike and its absolutely brilliant. Didn't buy it new though and their RRP prices are borderline mental but as has been mentioned above, Sunset etc often have good deals. Seems to tick a fair few of the requirements boxes (which I think sound similar to what mine were).

I love my Reactor, its 29er though so don't know if that alters how it climbs, but mine seems to go ok uphill.  I do tend to run my rear suss pretty hard though. Downhill it just flies, gives me sooo much confidence. Love it!

I'm 5'8.5" and a medium feels pretty perfect.

yes, i cant find the info which suggested the reactor wasnt the best climber 😀
the reactor carbon would definitely be the sort of price range, although i cannot stand the gold of a the fox shock, so that would then put me looking at the reactor aluminium.. but that doesnt seem to offer anything over the Banshee or Airdrop, the Banshee being the cheapest, and best looking out of the options (in stock) although i feel that all of the bikes may have very differnet suspension charactersitics, except the Aether and Reactor which appear similar in design to my own Aeris.
im thinking that the single pivot orange would just be an out and out fun bike, theres a reason why they have so many fans, and i understand they are pretty lightweight too..

I was looking at a 5 Evo as my 2nd bike becuase my trail/social riding tends to happen over Autumn and Winter, so the pivot arrangement helps on low maintenance principles - Sunset also have one in Sale in a similar Blue to the Clockwork Evo it’d replace.

Having said that, I priced up an Aeris 7 for £500 less although that’s Deore rather than SLX/GX.

"accidentally" ordered a banshee Spitfire, medium raw with dpx2 from wetrocknride.co.uk heavily discounted, v3 frame, cant tell the difference between that and the v3.2 except for seat tube diameter and 0.5 degree slacker on the 3.2, and i needed the 31.6 ST of the V3.....

Bravo!

They always look like fun bikes and owners always seem to like them - other than the earlier models often cracking. I think the newer models are meant to be really decent - enjoy!

Ibis Mojo 3

Probably the best bike I've owned for 'do it all' duties. As happy doing xc days as it is shifting down the golfie with appropriate tyres on. A very engaging, energetic and capable ride.

A really great, and seemingly rare trail bike for the uk.

Ibis did appear in my searches briefly, but nothing was easily available, and hte pricing was up there also. i'd need some serious convincing a 3 grand frame is that much better than the alumnium frames i was looking at