[Closed] The end of the Plus-size experiment and the return of the Five

1. Spec Butchers (becomes this is STW and you just recommend what you use)
2. No
3. Death Vulture

HR2 2.3 is all you need

3. Death Vulture

Good call. It was damn near the death of me that's for sure. Nearly gave me a heart attack. It was a big bugger whatever it was.

HR2 2.3 is all you need

1). Minions of some 2.5 variety

Funnily enough I was thinking HR2 on the back and Minion DHF on the front, but I don't know much about Maxxis tyres, having always used Schwalbe. Fancy a change though.

1). Minions of some 2.5 variety
2) **** no
3) a honey eagle

Common Buzzard. They're bloody everywhere now. Bad news if you're a kestrel.

[url= https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_buzzard ]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_buzzard[/url]

I also came to a similar conclusion.

Bought one of the first trek Stache 9 bikes in the UK.

Sold it on , as I sort of came to similar conclusions.

Now have a simple single pivot Santa Cruz Bantam that will cope with adverse conditions.
Most bikes now have multiple pivots, and I'm sure they work very well.
For me, I just need a simple full suspension bike that doesn't need too much attention to keep running well.

Glad I tried the plus bike though, variety is the spice of life.

1) +1 for Specialized tyres, especially Butcher and Purgatory. Grid carcass essential.
2) No
3) Baby robin?

Common Buzzard. They're bloody everywhere now. Bad news if you're a kestrel.

Yes, I'm sure you are right. Rarely drive more than a few miles from our house without seeing at least one perched on a post.

Now have a simple single pivot Santa Cruz Bantam that will cope with adverse conditions.
Most bikes now have multiple pivots, and I'm sure they work very well.

Multi pivot vpp here, 2 bearings swapped in 3 years...

Of course I realise that there is no logical reason why I shouldn't just ride my Smuggler through the winter. At worst it would cost me a set of bearings and a shock service, which is a lot less than a second bike, but a second bike is more fun 🙂

I'll probably sell the Five (if I can get a half-decent price for it) and get a "proper" fatbike for next winter, but it was a fun reminder that there really was nothing wrong with those 26" trail bikes that are so out of fashion these days.

I've got a set of DHF/R very good tyres. Go to tyres for say up lift, Alps etc. Tough, superb grip. In tacky conditions I found they didn't clear as well as HR. Both have similar tread patterns, HR is just more open and clears better plus they are a lot lighter.

HR for everything else. I have had a Hans Damf on the back for the last few months. IMHO the highroller is better. Going to try it on the front over the summer, Ardent rear on Brondon.

there really was nothing wrong with those 26" trail bikes that are so out of fashion these days.

😀 indeeed, cos they aren't actually really any different to the new 'in fashion' ones with slightly bigger diameter wheels.....

Minion on the front whatever is a bit big and chunky [ and cheap] on the rear

I still ride my 2010 Zesty. Great bike remains a great bike although it's been converted to 1x11. A fat bike from my short test ride wasn't fun in sketchy mud. In the dry, sand rocks would be just great fun. Typical English moor or forest meh

1) DHF/DHR2 if you want it to work on absolutely anything and don't mind if it drags a bit.
2) Just possible I might be interested in the wheels...
3) Hippogriff

2. Does anybody want a plus-sized Solaris rolling chassis (frame, forks and [b]wheels[/b])?

As previously intimated, I'd be interested in the wheels... (piss off Northwind 😛 ). Went to look at but never did demo the ICT (worried in case I actually liked it!). Plus I'm local(-ish at anyrate) too. No problems with postage, payment methods, etc... if we can agree a reasonable price?

How much is sir asking for the frame only?

Sorry Northwind, metalheart did say a while back that he's be interested in the wheel. I was just hoping somebody might want to take the frame, forks and wheels as a job lot. Bit of a long shot though.

metalheart/duckman: drop me an email at andy2002 AT gmail DOT com if you are interested. I'm sure we can work out a price. The frame is a Large by the way.

PJM1974 - Member

1) +1 for Specialized tyres, especially Butcher and Purgatory. Grid carcass essential.

Not for the Butcher imo. Butcher Control is tougher than a Purgatory Control and the like. Running a Butcher Grid also means dragging a heavier 42a compound tyre around with you, I'll pass on that one (especially running on the rear).

I always enjoy your musings RP.

I've just got back from a 30 mile fatbike ride though so will say, you should have bought that ICT 😆 😉

It has been interesting following your experiment with the Solaris though. Mine has just been changed from 100 to 120mm travel. Will see how that goes (I've only done a couple of short rides since the change).

Thanks NM. If I sell the Solaris I may still go for that ICT 🙂

I should really sell the Five as well in that case as the ICT is the perfect bad weather, crappy trails bike. The market for 26" Fives is so depressed at the moment though and it's such fun that I just hang on to it. It can join my Brompton in that corner of the shed reserved for design classics that I don't really have a use for but can't bring myself to sell.

@rp: YGM.

I'm going the other way.
Just built a Krampus and love 29+
I enjoy my Five also, but I want bigger wheels, so I'm erring towards a Segment running 650+ wheels.
How much do you want for your wheels?

Sorry, metalheart has first refusal on the wheels.

I'm not sure I really get the point of plus-size in a full-suss bike, but I've never tried it so I'll be interested to hear how you get on.

29+ rigid works.....

Plus sized steel hardtail...tick.
Five...tick.

The Five would go before the hardtail though.
Love the hardtail more.

Did you try the Solaris rigid, b+ rear with 29+ front...?
Wasn't too impressed with full 29+, but sticking a b+ at the back made it a lot more lively & chuckable.

Hi, can you tell more re frame and rolling chassis, im mainly interested in the frame as a replacement for an inbred, but if the price is right? Email pics etc would be super.

Did you try the Solaris rigid, b+ rear with 29+ front...?

I didn't, but it's an interesting idea. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed my demo ride on a rigid fatbike. I'm sure most of that was down to the comedy wheels, but there were some advantages to a fully rigid bike that I hadn't considered before. I can see that, with the right fork length and maybe some messing with anglesets a 29+/B+ setup could work well on the Solaris.

Hi, can you tell more re frame and rolling chassis, im mainly interested in the frame as a replacement for an inbred, but if the price is right? Email pics etc would be super.

I think metalheart is taking the wheels and duckman has first refusal on the frame, but I'll drop you an email if he doesn't want it.

Interested in mixing tyre plus sizes experiments. Been enjoying a Ritchey P29er singlespeed bought off someone here. So much so that I'm about to try gears, Chronicle on the front and 650+ 2.8 Nobby Nic on the back as soon as the chicken pox dies down..........

Magic Mary on the Front & New Nobby Nic on the rear = lots of grip and should breathe new life into the old girl.

Yay another Five /Fat rider , likewise not played with my Five as much since going 650fat , but dived on it again lastnight , seriously good bike, Run a Maxxis shorty on the front and HR2 rear and smile all the way down sketchy stuff , ,the shorty is like an anchor on the front brilliant tyre