Hi all,

Thinking of a project. I’ve never owned a full suss bike, or ridden one, but fancy building one up. I have some pretty decent parts already, and 26″ would be my preferred choice.

Looking out for frames, just wondering what is considered a good used buy. Must:

1) be readily available at a reasonable price used
2) be suitable for trail centre use, I think more light weight and XC biased rather than DH though
3) be cheap to maintain (i.e. easily replaceable bearings, cheap/available shocks, easily available parts)
4) needs to be at the lighter end of the scale as I hate pushing uphill 😉
5) tapered headset

Not sure what travel, I suspect 120mm would be plenty (currently riding rigid, was riding 80mm HT just fine).

I’m one of these people who, if I was happy when I bought the bike 10 years ago, I’d still have it now.

Specialized FSR Stumpjumpers come up a bit on ebay I’ve noticed and I fancied one back in the day. Would love an Orange 5, for simplicity, but they fetch a premium.

Any unsung bargains that could be had, anything to avoid like the plague (because of reliability or total lack of spares/odd size shocks etc)?

Just after some pointers for my ebay search to be honest 😀

I got a s/h 26″ Cube Stereo off here just before Xmas, the one before the 650B version. I bit of an odd child with the shock behind the seat post but it works well. Carbon too.

The reviews from 2011 criticised it for been too slack and too low a BB…

I have a 2000 Orange Sub5 frame with Fox Vanilla Air shock (medium size – about 17/18″) gathering dust, fits your criteria other than tapered headset. Good used condition, no play in bearings.

Wouldn’t want a huge amount for it. PM me if you’re interested.

Spooky!
I was just going to post almost the exact same question. Only difference being I’m swapping frame for my son who is outgrowing his size small Cherry Bomb:)

Specialized Pitch is on top of my shortlist atm but I’ll be following this thread with great interest. (Need a match for his 140 mm Pike 454)

I’m also considering the Commencal Meta 55 (short steep chainstay snapper?), Heckler, Prophet, Giant Trance/Reign

Cheers from Sweden
/Johan

26 and tapered headset would imply 2011-2013-ish at a guess. I may be wrong but most bikes around then would probably have been closer to 140 upfront.

LaPierre Zesty ? Giant Anthem or Trance ?

A Giant trance would be a good choice. A good all rounder that can be had for peanuts. Well designed and spares are readily available.
I have a x0 frame that is worthless. I ended up building a bike for the wife as it’s not worth selling.

Stumpjumper, trance, transition bandit.

Owned the first two, great bikes. The transition is also supposed to be good.

i recently bought two saracens 14x and 16x

Old but worthy, C’dale prophet fits all of your requirements.. “SL” if you really want only 120mm (same frame shorter shock)

Trance / Anthem

140 travel, but a later Turner 5 spot with the bigger head tube can be picked up for decent money, is pretty bomb proof, versatile, agile and a fantastic ride.

Orange ST4

Canyon Nerves occasionally pop up as used frames. Given the price they made good donor bikes, but the frames were great.

The Specialized Camber and Ghost AMR ranges could be suitable as I believe both were 120mm travel in 26 format and relatively XC oriented. I have a 2010/11 (can’t entirely remember offhand) AMR 7500 which served me well until I bought a Spitfire last year.

Transition bandit.

I have a size medium giant trance I’m about to put up for sale

How important is the tapered headtube/fork? There are bargains to be had with straight headtubes!

Keep an eye out for a Maverick Ml7, fantastic but obsolete bike. Tim at Sideways can still service them.

Yeti ASR 5 😉

Anyone who nterested in my Santa Cruz Blur 4X? Owned by me from new, in vgc with no dings or dents, bearings in great condition, spare mech hanger.

How important is the tapered headtube/fork? There are bargains to be had with straight headtubes!

The only reason I suggested that is the availability of 1″1/8th forks seems to be getting harder to come by. If I’m wrong then great, add straight steerers to the options 8)

Will have a look at the above options and reply later. Wasn’t looking to buy this month but may be tempted by one of the options above 😉

Canyon Nerves occasionally pop up as used frames. Given the price they made good donor bikes, but the frames were great.

I have a 2011 Nerve AM in medium that I’m thinking of shifting. OP email me if you’re interested, my user name at gmail dot com.

A Camber would be a good choice but only the 2012 Expert model has a tapered head tube and decent straight steerer forks are few and far between now.

Only problem with the Camber is that the linkage design takes 10 or so bearings (some are a pain to remove) so fathom that in if you plan on riding in muddy conditions regularly.

A Santa Cruz Superlight might be another option (single pivot design) if you can track one down at a decent price.

I just built up a 2nd hand 26 inch 2013 Orange Five for the winter. Such a sweet ride. It’s smashing all my “race bike” times too. Exceptional handling up and down. I love it.

I have a large Superlight for sale, leave a message if you’re interested.

I have a large Yeti ASR5a frame I need to sell. Carbon rear end has been helitaped all its life so in good nick for second hand.

Even if you didn’t want mine I would still recommend an ASR5, ticks all your boxes and I loved mine. Full carbon version is a little lighter than the one with the alu front end if you want to go light.

Yeti ASR5 C Review – Point and Shoot

http://singletrackworld.com/reviews/long-termer-review-yeti-asr5/

The are plenty of straight steerer forks still available, I’ve even seen some brand new ones while trawling for forks.

If you like fives but don’t want to spend five money then I’ve a medium morewood shova st which I’m selling. Its a single pivot, 5.2″ travel take 125-150mm forks depending on how you wanted to use it. Light enough to climb but strong enough to be fun going down (just like a five really). My email is in my profile if you want to know more.

Same boat here and my choices were Giant Anthem with a 120mm fork or my preferred option of a Santa Cruz Superlight. The latter gets good reviews and sounds low maintenance. I think only 2013 had tapered head tube though.

Since the arrival of twins 2 years ago, I’ve had a med Heckler frame hanging up and a 19″ Sub5 sitting unused. Drop me a mail if any interest

I went down the Giant Trance X4 route for my full sus 26″ build.

I too am in a similar boat to the OP, ideally looking for something that would take most of the parts from my hardtail, including 120mm reba’s.

If anyone’s got anything suitable (I’m 6ft) I’d be keen to hear from you……

I’ve got a Yeti 575 from 2006 that’s in good condition apart from the DHX Air shock that needs serviced or replaced. It’s a Large, has a straight 1 1/8th headtube, threaded b/bracket. It’s an alloy swingarm with the carbon pivots. Just been lying in a box since last year so would be good to see it moved onto a home where it will see some more dirt.

i have a nerve am frame im selling for a mate if interested. 140mm rear travel.

One of the last two years’ trek fuel ex would be a great choice.

I mean the last two years that they were 26in.

m360 – drop me an email. I have a barely used Genesis Grapil (120mm) I need to sell to make room for another project.. 44 headset with cups to accept tapered forks. I can also do a deal on rolling chassis with forks (little use X-Fusion Velvet 140 DLA) and possibly with hardly used wheels to suit (Superstar hubs & Sentinel rims).

My email is in profile.

Is that one of the non-snappy Grapil’s?

Good to see 26 aint dead.
I am currently without bike, something I am trying to get fixed quick.
I have been seeing some nice 2015 end of year deals, but really finding it hard to look past one of the last 26 inch Orange 5’s for the money.
Good luck with your build.

Thanks for all of the replies, no clear “winner” out there. This turned into a bit of a wanted add, wasn’t supposed to be, but thanks for the offers of frames.

I’ll be doing some more research, but I am swaying towards an Orange 5. Mostly because it’s a bike I would have bought back in the day, and mostly because of the simplicity of it. Might have to save a bit longer though as it’s not “bargain bin cheap”.

Turner Flux – grease ports for bearing, late one with 44mm HT and can be used with 120mm forks. Fast but such great rear sus.

You can’t go wrong with a Marin. The frame on the left cost £25 off here . They ride really well and a doddle to service if the bearings ever wear out.