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Ok, my quest for a playful 27.5 hardtail has come to a Transmitter NX Rev, or a Vitus Sentier 27.5 SRAM SX Marzocchi. The former is slacker, the latter is cheaper.
I'm not fond of the Transmitters looks TBH, especially as they've run out of the Tarmac colour. Yet how good is it - the reviews are very good? Brief is Winter / Swinley / epping muddy LLS fun with wide tyres spare bike to help with some tech skills, budget £1500.
Just do a test ride from an Alpkit shop.
It's very good, which is why the reviews are very good. I've had mine for at least a couple of years now. Super confident downhill, climbs fine, very stable, big tyres floaty over chunder and surprisingly quick rolling too.
I'm not sure how well it would cope with mud on plus-sized tyres though. They're brilliant in the Peak, which is mostly rocky and sort of sludgy, but 2.8s have a tendency to floatiness on really gloopy, thick mud in my limited experience. I guess running toothy 2.6s might be better for that, but it's not my usual riding and I'm on 2.8 front and rear - Minion DHF / Rekon+ - so can't really comment on that front.
I think they look better in reality than on the website fwiw. I'm sat here with a Mk1 frame built up and a latest version frame sat in a box waiting, but very tempted to return it and wait for a Pace 627. Decisions etc.
As above, you can test ride for free from an Alpkit shop if you have one handy or they do a paid-for, mail-out test service too, details on website.
Edit: I'm not sure I'd classify the Transmitter as 'playful' fwiw. It's fun for sure, but more of a blunt instrument than something like a Soul or my Ragley Ti.
I don't have time unfortunately, but would like to seek some opinion from here.
Just built this Tarmac V2 frame up last month, having previous thrashed around on a '16 T130. It's a fairly lightweight build (Hope, Mavic XA Pros, 11sp XTR) at a touch over 27lbs - and that's with a 150mm Lyrik and large brakes!
My brief to myself was a winter HT that was nicely spec'd, so that it felt premium, but which i wouldn't hesitate to ride no matter how grim the weather or trail conditions. I'm not running wide + tyres, but the Mary and Quest combo come in at about 2.5 on these 25mm rims.
Only a couple of rides in, but i'm enjoying it and like how it contrasts with my T130 (ie. 3 lbs lighter, more direct power transfer, more forward modern geo) but the harsh back end will take a bit more getting used too.
Looking forward to riding some more flowy pump trails to take advantage of the directness and agility. Should be a good winter!
I had a v1 for 2 years - awesome bike. Tackled everything from Swinley to Peaks to London to Brighton offroad. Plus tyres are very sensitive to tyre pressures so spend some time adjusting them. Get one - it's very good.
Tell me about the Sonder Transmitter...
It might be cheaper on the On One website......