I’ve got pretty much an entire 29er of groupset/100mm forks/wheels/controls sitting around, and since I’m loath to sell anything at the moment in case I find myself need to replace it in the current parts drought…I’m thinking I may as well find a frame and build it up. It will mostly be used by Mrs B who is a tiny bit shorter than me…more of a runner/road rider/odd cross race person, so this doesn’t need to be too gnar, so basically some kind of XC with a 600mm TT (100mm tapered SID also mandates this really).
Wheels are 142 thru, easily convertible to 135QR, and at a stretch I could lash on one of those boost converter ebay kits and/or build a 148 rear.
So…obviously the parts drought extends to frames and I’m struggling a bit. Order of preference is Alu 142, Alu 148/Alu 135QR, Chinese CF 142.
Unsurprisingly there seems to be very little anywhere. Keeping my eye on ebay, but slim pickings there. The main options at the moment seem to be just these new:
– Sonder Frontier Bit heavy, and needs a 148 rear end lash up. But also gives a few more options for camping too and slightly different to the other bikes in the stable.
– Something Chinese, loads on ebay of course but of unknown quality. I’ve got an ICAN fork that’s OK, so probably something like this.
Neither of them particularly cheap, but not ruinously expensive either.
Am I missing anything else that’s available? Cheap £100ish Alu is what I really want, but willing to go a bit higher for something nice/different, although deffo no more than £500.
