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

Because it’s quicker? Or is this a race bike that isn’t used for racing?

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

Because it’s quicker? Or is this a race bike that isn’t used for racing?

i much prefer hardtails

Well, this is what is confusing. If you want an XC race bike, you want whatever is faster. The reason everyone switched to 29ers was because they are faster. They may be slightly heavier, but weight isn’t the only consideration in speed.

Same goes for suspension bikes. Hardtails sprint well on smooth surfaces, but suspension bikes let you stay seated and keep pedaling over rougher terrain. Hardtails feel fast, but the only thing that matters if you are racing is the stopwatch and good XC suspension bikes are faster on rougher courses.

Is a bike used in a race just for fun still a race bike? I remember the guy doing the Malvern Classic on the butcher’s bike for example

The reason everyone switched to 29ers was because they are faster.

I’ve looked for actual evidence of this, and all I can find are a couple of not particularly scientific ‘tests’, and loads of people shouting ‘it just is!’. And then there are arguments for smaller wheels being faster in certain situations. So it surely comes down to type of terrain, riding style, size of rider etc. As a smaller person, I feel more comfortable off road on a smaller wheeled bike (yes, I have tried 29ers, before anyone starts screaming at me…). I haven’t tried all bikes though, so perhaps there’s one that’s designed that would suit me better than others. Some manufacturers seem to offer smaller frame sizes with 27.5″ wheels, so there must be something in that. I know I’m not the only person wanting to at least have smaller wheeled options available.

Some interesting opinion here (from the beginning to about 3’50”):

In the last few weeks, my research has led me to conclude that trying some bikes out is probably the best way forward, and that fashion still plays as much a part of defining MTBing as it did when I was last properly involved. 😉 Marketing spiel is as virulent as ever, and there are many more things to spend your money on now. Carbon rims, electronic gears, seatposts that go up and down! Marvellous.

Have a look at the first couple of minutes of this. It does a pretty solid job of explaining 29 dominance in xc bikes without being preachy.

I haven’t tried all bikes though, so perhaps there’s one that’s designed that would suit me better than others.

That’s exactly what people were trying to tell you on your thread … except you are more into bimbling (which also describes me on XC type terrain) so something more comfortable than an XC race bike might be better. As I mentioned in the other thread “climb better” is a vague request. For XC racing it means faster regardless of the effort used.. for bimbling or endurance then slightly slower but less energy can be defined as better.

SSS
Hence why different bikes are appropriate.

What year did Scott stop doing 27.5 xc race stuff? A friend is a local Scott dealer, and Scott hq (Netherlands?) keeps a stock of frames for warranty replacement which get sold off after something like 3-4yrs. That is probably your best bet if they did something suitable but newer. Any Scott dealer should be able to get one in.

XC courses don’t need to be full gnar for suspension – they also offer a big advantage on bumpy rooty tussocky stuff that is a slog to pedal on a hardtail.

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.

This is an interesting comment and different from my experience. Both my current hardtail and last hardtail had 45mm bb drops and 27.5” wheels. 170mm cranks. Ran one on 2.4” front / 2.25” rear tyres and the current one is on 2.5” front / 2.6” rear tyres.

I can’t say I really have many pedal strikes despite riding all sorts of terrain on them.

Maybe on a full suss bike with that sort of bb drop it might be more of an issue. My 27.5” full suss bike has less of a drop – I want to say about 25mm but I might be wrong.

And as I’ve said; so far, I prefer smaller wheels off road, for their advantage in certain situations, and the ‘feel’ of the bike. I really want to try some current bikes out, to see if there is indeed any significant improvement in that regard, with 29ers.

There isn’t. I know bigger wheels are faster but that doesn’t mean I like them. I enjoy riding a 26″ wheeled bike more and always will but I am not entering races. If I was I would use 29″ as if I am entering a race I may as well try and do the best I can.

Yeah I’m intimitely familiar with the Aspect and Contessa frames – the shop got buried in orders during lockdown 1 and the only way he could offer half-decent low-mid range mtbs was to build up from frames. I was badgered into helping out at weekends so put plenty of them together…..

Any full sus xc options to go with a refresh of the current hardtail? What year did Nino swap to 29?

SSS

whats it like and price range?

Its 2015 so a few what I’d class as cosmetic scratches
Price would be some fair non-Covid tax price… its currently 11sp XT and as Advanced 1 except wheels… wheels are some Raceface (something or other) and tyres might be in need of a change.

Currently has a 85mm brand-X dropper but original carbon seatpost.

Fox factory 32’s not serviced for a while but feel OK… but probably need doing due to time rather than riding hours

I had a mate who’d buy bikesuse them for the year, trolley them round the Puffer then sell them on eBay as nearly new, knowing it’d been bathing in a grinding paste bath for 24hrs…. you dont do that do you? And would you have to change your forum name?

Nah I’m good at buying but crap at selling them …

Sadly it has more maintenance hours than riding hours over the last couple of years (hence why if its what you are looking for sounds like a good reason to let go) .. I did the 100km loop last year and a few local rides but otherwise used more by the now 11yr old in the last 2 years..

You’re more than welcome to look it over and give it a try and pick and choose what you would want… (all my bikes have Shimano 11sp and 1/2 are 2v pot SLX/XT so groupset etc are all optional.

I’ll check with my mate 1st if he wants it for his son (it’s still too big but if he’s racing XC next year he might want 1st dibs) but otherwise you can view at Woking (home when I’m back next week) or somewhere rideable of a weekend.. (where are you??)

Only one?

I’ve been pleasantly surprised with all the ones I’ve tried not that many but from a 160mm Enduro to 120mm XC… and at 5’10” I’d have one myself if it didn’t mean buying new rims and building wheels and wheels not being usable on other bikes. (Main reasons I stick with 27.5)