My riding buddy is 6′ 4″ and bought an on one 29er just before lockdown. He doesn’t like it at all and is spending a bomb re doing his 15 year old Trek 26″ xc bike…I would think you need to go s/h or custom….

And why would i replace a perfectly good bike with something ‘inferior’ and more importantly heavier??

Good question
If it ain’t broke dont change it
.
[Edit] What he said ^

Funny that – I’m 6′ and my OH is 5’5.5″ and we’ve both just got Whippet 29ers and both love them..! Be a funny world if we were all the same..

“ Advice please. Who makes good 27.5XC race machines these days??”

No-one. Not for adults anyway.

“why would i replace a perfectly good bike with something ‘inferior’ and more importantly heavier??”

Because 29” bikes are faster so superior for winning XC races. If you’re not bothered about going faster then you have a good point – save your money, save the planet, ride the bike you have!

Maybe you might find a Chinese open mould frame in 27.5” with more old style xc geometry – but you may as well keep what you’ve got if it still works.

If you want new / shiny maybe treat it to new forks (sid ultimates are nice – if they make them in 650b) or a bling new set of carbon wheels / fancy groupset?

Its always the lure of a new one…

Sounds like you are setting yourself up for an empty wallet and disappointment TBH.

I’ve wondered what difference a 27’5″ actually makes in riding. I mean thats only an increase of 3/4″ higher off the ground. Not really that much.

I think you’ll struggle to find a better 27.5 race bike than the scale. I love mine and I only have the alu version. Spend the cash on nice bits for it 👍

I sometimes idly look at new race bikes and they do 100% seem to be 29ers

According to some people on here, if you don’t want a 30lb+ ‘trail’ bike, then you’re a ‘troll’ and an ‘idiot’ for not listening to them. 😉

I’d quite like a nice, light XC type bike, with wheels that aren’t too massive, but they don’t seem to exist. I’m more than willing to try a light 29er, but that’s not possible right now. As soon as European travel is allowed once more, I intend to go on holiday somewhere with plenty of bike shops, and hire/test a few out over a couple of weeks or so, and then buy one there. This may work out cheaper and easier (and a lot more fun) than trying to source something in the UK. I’m aware some might see this as a ‘tax dodge’, but that’s not the intention; if UK suppliers can’t get stuff in, I’m not going to sit around waiting or chance buying something online without having tried it first.

Just pick a 29er/27.5+ frame with a highish bb it will be the same as some 27.5 bikes. There is a massive cross over in geo. Ignore the manufacturer’s stated wheel size and look at the geo.

For example the Santa cruz carbon chameleon with the 27.5+ dropouts has a bottom bracket drop of 47mm. You’d be fine using it with 27.5 wheels.

According to some people on here, if you don’t want a 30lb+ ‘trail’ bike, then you’re a ‘troll’ and an ‘idiot’ for not listening to them.

I think the summary was you’re an idiot because you won’t try a modern geometry bike before you make up your mind AND seem to think weight is the be all and end all for bimbling about Epping Forest.

bridges

A thread on here about the Bird Aether reveals weights ‘start’ at over 28lbs, and go up over 30! My FSR was a little under 26, and that felt ‘heavy’ in comparison to the Trek hardtail I had, which was about 22lbs. I accept this isn’t really a fair comparison as they are very different bike types, but I’m not seeing any real significant weight loss across bikes. I’m 10.5st, so I don’t need anything super tough.

As was pointed out because in our experience they will climb better than your old FSR but you don’t want to try one and keep saying its not possible. Obviously you can’t really test it in Epping Forest as there aren’t any real hills to speak of but I’m sure plenty of people would have offered you a try somewhere you can.

@SSS I’ve found you a few:

Small & mediums available in either flavour of wheel size:

https://www.polygonbikes.com/product/mountain/syncline-c3/

Created for pro cross-country racers climbing to seize a world-cup podium to racers who are enthusiastic about off road riding.

Those size options are available throughout the range of HT & FS.

👌

I think the summary was you’re an idiot because you won’t try a modern geometry bike before you make up your mind AND seem to think weight is the be all and end all for bimbling about Epping Forest.

Er, I think people simply just didn’t understand what I wanted, and suggested something they wanted instead. Which wasn’t the advice I was after. Hence why I chose to ignore those who weren’t understanding. And the bike won’t be just for Epping Forest; if you actually read what I’d posted you’d know this. Oh well.

As was pointed out because in our experience they will climb better than your old FSR but you don’t want to try one and keep saying its not possible.

You really don’t read stuff, do you?

I’m more than willing to try a light 29er, but that’s not possible right now

It’s actually up there, in black and white. Actual words. That you clearly didn’t read. And have you any clue why trying bikes out isn’t possible right now? Right. Let’s move on.

Just pick a 29er/27.5+ frame with a highish bb it will be the same as some 27.5 bikes. There is a massive cross over in geo. Ignore the manufacturer’s stated wheel size and look at the geo.

This is interesting. I was wondering how much putting smaller wheels on, would affect things. Anyone got any experience of this?

Er, I think people simply just didn’t understand what I wanted

I’m pretty sure they did… what you wanted is an old school geometry bike that is dependent on weight to climb

and suggested something they wanted instead.

Pretty sure as I said they were speaking from the experience of trying a new geo bike.. and finding out they were wrong. I certainly was…

Which wasn’t the advice I was after. Hence why I chose to ignore those who weren’t understanding.

I don’t think you wanted advice though did you? Your responses indicated you wanted someone to agree that modern bikes are heavy and shit.

And the bike won’t be just for Epping Forest; if you actually read what I’d posted you’d know this. Oh well.

I did read and as you’d know if you read then most of us buy a bike for the main use… not the once a year trip or odd weekend etc. (or you buy 2 bikes or you rent a bike on holiday)

It’s actually up there, in black and white. Actual words. That you clearly didn’t read. And have you any clue why trying bikes out isn’t possible right now? Right. Let’s move on.

No clue at all, please explain why you can’t borrow a bike from another STWer?
What did I miss?

I regularly ride Epping as my mate and kids can cycle from home….We do a 100 km loop on different bikes from my sub 9lb XC to his FS Enduro. Makes little difference at all except his 120mm travel FS 29er is the comfiest and my lightest XC HT is the least comfy but is more efficient on the road sections but all the modern bikes are comfier and climb better than his old school Epic.

You may be better seeking a frame. I would suspect *somewhere* has a NOS frame suitable kicking around.

You would have to go pick it up, but:

https://www.cyclery.de/en/gt-zaskar-carbon-pro-275-650b-cross-country-bike-2016-2

No clue at all

Clearly. I think that sums up your ‘input’. I have no desire to continue indulging your need for confrontation, and I’m sure everyone else is bored with it too, as it contributes nothing to the discussion. So, if you don’t mind, can we just agree to ignore each other from now on? Thanks.

My wife has an aversion to 29″ wheels so we stuck 27.5×2.4 rubber in her 2018 spark 910 Contessa with a 43mm BB drop.. it did not work. Pedal strikes galore with 165mm cranks.
The Sparks 43mm drop is considered low already.

Interesting, and very useful information there.

Clearly. I think that sums up your ‘input’.

Um yeah… you said some stuff, its lies and you don’t want to go into it … fair enough.