Looking for a 29er HT to cover my riding needs. Trails (not really in to jumps and drops) and also longer distance XC stuff and 50m + rides over the South Downs etc.

Can get the 2019 crush 29 comp for 1125 at Sunset cycles which seems like a good deal?

Open to suggestions new or used.

Or would I be more suited to a short travel FS?

With 150mm forks the Crush is overkill for that kind of riding. If most of your riding is longer xc it’s be looking for a short travel FS or something like a trek procaliber.

Giant anthem/ trance 29 might be a good to have a look at. Pretty light for price and efficient suspension

An Orange Clockwork 29 would be better for your needs if you wanted to go down the Orange route.

P7 29. 130/140 forks. I got one last year from sunset. Great shop. Got an absolute steel😀. As it was 2018 model. Great for pretty much everything bar xc racing.

Bird Zero 29 with 130/140mm fork. Don’t get put off by the slack head angle , very good climber and a load of fun on trails .

I’f your lucky enough to be a medium then Sunset have the 29er Clockwork on sale https://www.sunsetmtb.co.uk/shop/index.php?product_id=8359&10816=51537&10896=51853&10817=51540&10818=51542&10819=51547&11421=54016

I have the Evo 650b and it’s excellent on the trails, the 29er will be better for the long runs you suggest.

Got an Anthem Advanced for sale in large. Carbon mainframe, carbon rims etc. Looking for 1600 or thereabouts.

Rode my clockwork over the South Downs way over two days. It was perfect for it 🙂

If I was buying an orange for that area it would be a clockwork evo 29

Santa Cruz chameleon with 120mm fork is a good all rounder.

Sonder Signal?

The new OnOne Scandal sounds like what you’re after

I’ve got a Sonder Signal Ti. It’s a great all rounder. I use it for XC and days out at places like Leeds Urban Bike Park. It’s a very capable bike, comfortable on the technical trails and happy churning out the miles on the XC rides.

Carbon Voodoo Bizango?

https://www.planetx.co.uk/c/q/bikes/mountain-bikes/titus-fireline

I love my Bird Zero 29, it makes me actively seek out jumps and drops though so may not be the bike for you. Despite 2.6/2.5″ tyres it is quicker up hill than I thought it would be, similar Strava times to my old Ti456, although I’m probably a little fitter as I’ve been riding more since I got the Zero. And it’s a much more capable bike downhill.

Scandal or Big Dog.

I’ve just got the Big Dog and I like it.

More spendy bikes I looked at:
SC Chameleon
Stanton Sherpa
Sonder Broken road
Orange P7

Would have got the Sherpa if I could justify the money, but I couldn’t.

Sonder Signal ti would tick those boxes. Geometry is confidence inspiring without being too LLS and making it boring on XC. Love mine.

Cotic Solaris?

I have an Orange Clockwork 29er frame for sale. I’ve got all the original paperwork from when I bought it.

Size xl. Will be nice and cheap. Could provide wheels, dropper, headset and a few other bits too.

For something XC-focussed then look at the Scott Scale.

You could pick up a carbon 940 for £1.5k

If you ride a medium/17″ frame I have this excellent condition Procaliber for sale:

https://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/2664267/

Orange Clockwork Evo can be had for under a grand online, fits the bill nicely I’d say.

Nukeproof Scout 290

They do a few different specs and a frame only option. Looks like a good all rounder to me….

SC Chameleon is what I got to tick those boxes. You can mix it up between 27.5 and 29 wheels, or go singlespeed with a change of dropouts.

Nukeproof Scout 290 Expert. Just got mine and I love it. Climbs really well and the Fox 36 Rhythm is awesome.

Cotic Solaris. Mines a mk 2,  but imo it’s probably the perfect HT.

Trails (not really in to jumps and drops) and also longer distance XC stuff and 50m + rides over the South Downs etc.

Sounds like you’d might be best off on a proper XC bike, rather than the sort of thing that’s called a “Trail bike” these days. It’s going to be more comfortable and efficient over longer distances, without the extra weight, burliness, fork girth and geometry tweaks that “trail” bikes have to tackle the kind of downhill tracks that have jumps and drops in them. I’ve read reviews of bikes like the Solaris that say it gets up stuff well and goes along fine, but where it really comes to life is above a certain speed, hammering downhill.

Do you want that sort of bike, or something that’s lively and engaging up and along as well?

And/or how much enthusiasm do you have for pushing your riding, seeking out harder, steeper stuff and riding it faster?

Well if we are doing stealth adds, I have my 100mm Carbon XC in the Ads.   It has a 68.5HA to is pretty good for “Trail” an not “race steep”.

Its not a hucking bike or a LLS Solaris/Clockwork/Scout type bike though so if Neds brief of:

pushing your riding, seeking out harder, steeper stuff and riding it faster

Its probably not the one.   It is however a fast and efficient trail bike, I’ve used it loads with a dropper on local single track and without to race on.

Really glad to hear that, I have been looking at them for the last couple of months, and finally pulled the trigger last week after riding their demo bike. I ordered an Sonder Signal Ti NX Eagle Revelation with a dropper post.

Depending on your budget, my Onza payoff is awesome & you can pick up a new one now for £700, which seams very cheap for what you get to me.
Payoff 29" Mountian Bike – Orange

Thanks for all the suggestions! It definitely needs to be able to handle the trails so not a pure XC machine. The Sonder looks nice as well as the P7.

I’m going to go used so if I don’t get on with it I won’t lose too much money!

I’m 5ft 11ish so more a large than a medium. If anyone had anything in the South East area feel free to PM. I’m looking to spend a grand or under if possible.

Sonder my currently available in large. Bit of a risk not trying one first too but not local.

Will have a look at the Bird offerings too.