29er Frames for 120mm forks? Current geometry?

So Ive decided that when I get back in September Im going to strip the Parkwood and sell the frame as Im just not liking it, I feel on the bike instead of in the bike if that makes sense.

So Im looking to replace it with a current geometry 29er frame suitable for 120mm forks.

Budget will be upto £400 so what sort of thing should i be looking at?

It will be sued for a split between commuting and general riding about the area.

This assumes you want another HT:
Whyte 2016 (geo change for this years bikes) 5/629 2nd hand, with a proper sized TT/reach for tall ppl, t’is what I’m looking for. £400 should easily get you a frame 2nd hand (only sold as complete bikes) but finding someone to split one seems an issue.
Nukeproof’s 290 HT, is a viable option f/o but the 120mm fork might be a bit short.

Genuine question.

Do you simply enjoy the buying of bikes and parts more than riding them?

You seem to be addicted

Stanton Sherpa and Cotic Solaris are both worthy shouts, but you’ll have to up your budget slightly.

Does seem there’s a glut of 29er HT’s all designed around 140mm travel forks now with incredibly burly tube profiles, and there’s still a number of nice frames designed around a 100mm fork with racier angles and shorter reaches. There’s almost nothing I can find with what most people now refer to as “trail” geometry (for want of a better term for it) with slacker head angles, longer reaches etc. But designed around a mid travel fork (ie. 120mm or so) and not stupidly burly…

It’s why, as z1ppy suggests above, I bought a Whyte 629 and upgraded it, couldn’t find anything else with the correct combination of geometry and weight that I wanted. There’s a definite market out there for someone to bring out a sub £500 29er frame only, sub 2kg frame weight, designed around a 120mm fork with short(ish) stays, slack(ish) head angle, but with proper reach figures to allow the use of 50mm stems and seat tubes short enough (with internal routing) to take advantage of the new breed of 150mm drop posts on the market. Stanton and Cotic come admirably close, but IMO the BB height on both is 10-15mm taller than ideal and being steel they’re giving away 1lb or so against an equivalent ally frame.

FWIW my heavily upgraded Whyte 629 is damned good. The only thing I’d have preferred is to be able to buy it as a frame only. Well that and 5-10mm off the chainstays and stealth dropper routing would be rather nice too!

Scandal….. Why not, it’s a hobby I enjoy. They do get ridden more than it seems.

Z1ppy yep after a haedtail, I have a stumpy 29er full suss already.

Looking to transfer the kit off the parkwood frame.

Park wood frame is a bit to short of I’m honest.

I like the look of the Orange Clockwork 29er but it’s max fork travel is 100mm.

Mboy… I looked at the Sherpa but is doesn’t seem to have much more reach than my parkwood frame ?

When has anyone seriously taken any notice of the frame max fork travel?

Run a touch more sag
Run an offset headset
Reduce the fork travel
Care less

Or just run a 100mm fork with the orange. BTR recommend that with a 29er Ranger and they probably ride a damn sight harder than you do – no offence intended.

I’d just buy a bigger Parkwood frame

But I already have a brand new 120mm fork.

Already have the largest parkwood frame.

In the STW spirit of recommend what you’ve got, I’m running a second hand Santa Cruz Highball which was in your price range, and have had no issues running it at both 100 & 120mm travel. I think its an awesome frame – Stiff, light, racey when it needs to be…

It’s not exactly hard to change fork travel.

I think the Last Fast Forward frames can be run 120mm and are pretty close to your budget. Back wheel will need dishing though.

As much as I love the progressive nature of the Last FF I’m not sure could be called “current geometry”, futuristic maybe.

Not too keen on that to be honest, it looks to slack at the front.

Quite like the Genesis High Latitude 29 frame too

I would have said Solaris but as mentioned by mboy, you’d need to up the budget a bit.

I’ve just upped the travel on the forks on my (Mk1) from 100mm to 120mm. Much prefer the way it rides now, although the BB is a tad higher than ideal if being picky (although it has been useful when riding through some rutted fields recently) and I may be only noticing due to the lower bb on my other (fat)bike.

I have a high latitude built up with 120mm forks. Only been out properly on it a handful of times as only recently finished it but it seems to be ideal for what I’m looking for which sounds to be similar to yourself.

Post some pics up please !!

Not sure if that was a general request or for Gaz6r4 but just in case it was the former:

Although the grips are different as of today!

I’ve got a 2015 Genesis High Latitude frame BNIB, never got round to building it up.
19″ (L) in electric lime green I could let go of if your interested OP?

It was a general request to be honest.

What size is that Solaris normal man ?

Size wise the Solaris sounds ideal as its 2cm longer in both reach and top tube compared to the parkwood which would be ideal.

Mine is a medium.

How much fenred ?

I’ll drop you a mail and we can talk. 😉

Banshee paradox?[/url]

Bit pricey but seen some go second hand for reasonable money. 120mm fork, 29er frame, geo looks like what you are after and great reviews.

Photo here

Zealous Division Mk1 in XL may be an alternative.

Not sure what it would be like for commuting though, guess it depends on your commute.

What size is that genesis ?^^^

How tall are you Renton that the L parkwood is too high.

Duckman…. It’s not to high, it’s to short to be honest and I can’t get comfy over the cranks.

I’ve got a lay back post already and still keep shuffling rearward on it.

Large. Can pick up a HL frame for next to nothing as well.

Gaz….. I’ve just realised where your picture was taken. Top of the red at moray monster trails.

Are you local then ? I’m based in Elgin

Where did you get it from by the way as all the cheap ones seem sold out everywhere.

What size stem are you using Renton?

Saw you built the parkwood after the rear disc trouble, then said that you were liking it more and more that you used it, and now you wanna swap it again. You sure 2cm top tube is going to make that much difference to your enjoyment? Maybe you should try something else, different wheel size or something.

Coomber…. When I started riding the Parkwood I hadn’t rode anything for over 5 months.

At first it felt great but the more I’ve rode it over the past week the more I’ve realised its to short. In fact the reach is the shortest of any bike I’ve ever rode.

I’ve got an 80mm stem on it.

It’s not overly long I will give you that. Don’t want a longer stem than that either, unless it is more commute than off road then it wouldnt bother me.

I’d ditch 29 and go for something long like a bird zero. But that doesn’t help much.

Or genesis/whyte/solaris will pop up eventually for your price bracket.

You may also consider the vitus which is 30 odd mm longer in reach, although you will need a new rear wheel. I’m quite tempted but dont know much about them.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/vitus-bikes-sentier-29-hardtail-frame-2016/rp-prod138756

If you want to feel ‘in’ rather than ‘on’ the bike you want a low BB and a long reach. Do you shuffle back on the Parkwood because you find the seat tube too steep or because the bars aren’t far enough away?

I have a 19 inch high latitude frame that I could be tempted to sell stevie

20150725_175001 by simon gardiner[/url], on Flickr

Aye that’s exactly where it is.

I bought it second hand from the classifieds. I am based in Elgin too.

I might have to pop round and throw a leg over it one day when I get mate of that would be ok.

How much you looking for ssimon.

I have that very Vitus frame! I bought the bike. I am on a large and am 6″ 2″ with a 34″ inside leg.

Chief…..

The problem with the Parkwood is that I’m trying to shuffle back behind the bottom bracket I think.

I know its probably old fashioned but I like my knee to bee sort of over the pedal spindle. And great variation gives me a fair bit of leg pain and I feel as though I don’t get full power through the cranks.

I had the same issues with the 650b trance I had.

parkwood geometry is a bit of a con. It’s the same as an inbred but table is with a longer fork so it looks slacker.

agree i’d like a 120mm ‘trail’ hardtail. not a big burly trail bike but an XC+ type bike. I think the whyte is about the only thing i’ve seen.