2019 (I think?) SC Blur CC with a 2-degree angle adjust headset for me, absolutely flies along and with the HA slackened out a bit really nice and confident on the downhills too. It's only brought it back to ~66-deg static HA so nothing super slack.
I've got a Sonder Signal ST and, in hindsight, a rowdy hardtail wasn't the kind of bike I think I really wanted/needed. However, at the time there weren't really many 'modern' XC bikes
I keep idly looking at the Light Carbon Chinese frames, with the idea of just swapping all my bits onto it.
Just ordered a Blur 4 C. I eventually realised my hardtail was making things tougher than they had to be after getting a shot of a friends Tallboy. Hoping it will suit my type of riding, which isn’t racing more longer days with little bits of tech.
I was a diehard steel hardtail fan (I still have a Cotic Solaris, it's great) but having the 120/100 Blur above forced me to admit it's faster and comfier for long rides and I really like it. But I still ride my hardtail more because it looks good 😆
I want a Blur; but first, I have to get a job 🙁
Yet another Epic Evo 7, fantastic apart from the brakes, guide RS, which are not up to the job of stopping my 92 kg.
I've got a Sonder Signal ST and, in hindsight, a rowdy hardtail wasn't the kind of bike I think I really wanted/needed. However, at the time there weren't really many 'modern' XC bikes
I keep idly looking at the Light Carbon Chinese frames, with the idea of just swapping all my bits onto it.
This is an interesting point (and I've been looking at the Signal over the last couple of days). The marketing plays with the whole needing a slacker, longer, bigger forked bike.
I ride mostly in the South Downs and I like out in the hills riding and technical/twisty singletrack. I don't do more airtime than a flight to New York.
I have a very well worn 456 and it's starting to get very long in the tooth and it could do with replacement.
I thought I wanted a 140mm slack FS and now I'm thinking that I don't because it's too much bike too much of the time.
My FS (an old Camber Evo) is a 120/130 FS with radical for it's day, conservative for now, geometry of 69/74. It actually works really, really well for my local riding. It'll handle the blacks at CYB and the easier end of the BPW trails and that's me covered.
I could happily lose a degree or two off the head angle for when things get proper steep and chattery but I'm not convinced I want anything significantly slacker or longer travel than that or heavier.
What I do want is stiff/ tough forks (liking my current Pikes for example) and well built light wheels, decent pedalling / climbing and a modest overall weight.
Maybe I need a cheap Chinese Carbon hardtail and wheels, some Pikes and a build project 🤔
Trek Supercaliber. I treated myself to this a year ago and have two other bikes (ebike & a hardtail) that have sat unntouched since. This is the best, and fastest, MTB I have ever owned.
The only downside is that my skills on the techier stuff have faded slightly as I drift off into the more long distance and endurance side of things. On the plus side it has done wonders for my fitness.
The bike is almost a stock build (XT spec). The only change I have made is to swap the foam race grips for some Ergon ones more comfortable for long duration rides.
Scott spark - fast bike - love the lock out at your finger tips. Much faster bike than me.
I have an image of olddonald running around trying to keep up with his bike.
Yeti ARC, sort of XC/Trail bike
I bought my Highball off an older guy who was just using it for towpath type riding and he told me that he wanted to try an Arc... I almost asked him to give me a call in a couple of years when he wants to get rid of it.
Anyone tried the Scott Scale 925, any good? Can't find many reviews for it. I'm looking at the al frame version with Sid SL fork.
Got my C2W renewal coming up soon and thinking about something more pedal-friendly, but I don't want to go full gravel as I prefer flat bar. I actually quite liked the look of the fully rigid Gravel 20 version, but for a bit extra the 925 gets you XT drivetrain, dropper and a Sid SL fork.
I've been trying to find an RM Element carbon with no success. ... so the Orbea Oiz caught my eye. Quick ask of ChatGPT says they are similar. Anyone know the ballpark weight of an Oiz? (sorry, I'm from the 90s)
I can tell you I had a carbon Scale 930 and loved that bike, best I've owned. Can't tell you about the Al frame but how much more for the carbon frame?
i will be getting a specialized epic comp ht in black next week (i was planning on getting a gravel bike but had a change of mind). it will be the lightest mountain bike i will have ever owned (and i do plan on upgrading it once i have paid it off). i also have a chisel fs base model that i have upgraded a bit (but plan on swapping over the roval sl carbon wheels that i have on my chisel to my epic.
i cannot bloody wait to get it and start riding it (nothing against my chisel fs i must add as i love that bike too).
I can tell you I had a carbon Scale 930 and loved that bike, best I've owned. Can't tell you about the Al frame but how much more for the carbon frame?
Unfortunately my C2W scheme tops out at £1500 so the al version is at the limit of the budget!
Any of these proper XC bikes have room for a knobbly 2.4" tyre out back?
I am beginning to like the idea of being XC light most of the time but able to toughen up with some meatier rubber for rougher places/bad weather.
It seems there's not many options for tougher 2.2s left out there now and I've got one narrow back ended bike as it is so got some experience with this.
Interesting question, have been out on my almost forgotten about Orbea Oiz (120mm travel, very xc geometry) for the last 2 spins, doing the same trails as on my Pivot Firebird (170mm travel very Enduro geometry). So much fun on the Oiz, albeit, a lot slower fun on the descents, but soooooo much faster on the climbs.
But first spin was bone dry,so bike was quite composed with the xc tyres (Nobby Nic front, Rocket Ron rear). Today, in the wet and light mud, I thought I was going to die on the natural trails (while grinning ear to ear). So was also thinking about changing rear tyre but I think maybe a significant amount of the climbing gain is down to tire rolling resistance rather than the overall bike weight?
Maybe I'll throw a Nobby Nic (or Magic Mary 🙂 ) on the back for the sake of research and go for a third spin 🙂
Another Epic Evo here bought a Pro (XTR) for 50% off a couple years back. Wifes on a Yeti ASR which was a good price for frame only.
This would make a good starting point
thanks for all the ideas and suggestions on what was a thread intended to give me a shopping list.
just bought myself a nice second hand SC Blur. (and yes, I'm aware there is an updated one comming imminently, but it seems like no major upgrades except for a sandwich box)
first ride last night.
I have an Epic 8. Bought the cheapest one, sold all the bits and replaced with xt groupset fox 34 130 fork, rotor carbon cranks and dt xr1501 wheels I got cheap off Merlin . It’s a speedy but capable thing.
I can tell you I had a carbon Scale 930 and loved that bike, best I've owned. Can't tell you about the Al frame but how much more for the carbon frame?
Unfortunately my C2W scheme tops out at £1500 so the al version is at the limit of the budget!
Balfes have Scales on discount at the moment. The model up as well
Jesus, how is that Scale nearly 12.9kg?? And that's the stated weight so presumably it's actually heavier, and that'll be without pedals? My 10 year old Superfly with Reba forks is 12.5kg with bottle cages, pedals, pump, 2x drivetrain, inner bar-ends AND aero bars.
It maybe answers my other question which was what are the 'new' entry level Rockshox forks like, e.g. the Judys and the Rekons? I saw turnkey lockout mentioned which I remembered being a pretty basic damper?
I keep looking at new hardtails but the spec always seems to let them down...
Jesus, how is that Scale nearly 12.9kg??
Well it's a £1649 bike at full retail so it's not exactly a high end bike.
Scrolling down the spec.
Judy fork - heavy
Wheelset - heavy
Deore - not the lightest
Finishing kit - to hit a price point
I would guess that upgrading all that offers 2kg of weight saving. If I was a gambling man there would be 500g in the wheels (just based on how heavy OEM road wheels are at £2k-£3k price point Vs. any number of pre made alternatives).
Rims seem narrow at 25mm internal too.
I'm a bit out of touch now but I assume 10kg or so would be considered decently light (not super light) for an XC bike now?
Well it's a £1649 bike at full retail so it's not exactly a high end bike
Yeah I guess I'm not factoring for inflation, my bike was £1350 new I think but almost 10 years ago, that would be £1850 in today's money then allow for the increased inflation of bike prices I suppose.
Plus I have a roadie carbon seatpost rather than a dropper so that's probably another 250g at least...
I keep looking at new hardtails but the spec always seems to let them down...
I thought this then realised I was thinking about the spec : price ratio from about 15 years ago.
My late 90s xc bike was £3500 at list (although I only paid £2000 with it on sale). I keep thinking I can get an equivalently light bike for £2000
Posts crossed. Similar thoughts it seems 😂
I'm a bit out of touch now but I assume 10kg or so would be considered decently light (not super light) for an XC bike now?
From last year
money no object but mostly sponsor correct builds
https://www.pinkbike.com/news/how-much-do-pro-xc-bikes-really-weigh-leogang-xc-world-cup-2025.html
only Isla Short's extra small got under 10kg
