Fairlight Holt Hardtail

@dpfr my wife has the 853 version and it’s lovely. I’ve heard the ti is stiffer/harsher though. Oh and I’m a short arse!!

I think the intent will be a bit more bikepacking. They resigned a rider who does bikepacking with the Holt in mind.

@P20 I’ve an 853 and a Ti but they are set up quite differently so I can’t really tell if the Ti is harsher than the steel one. I find both really good to ride. I guess I’ll just have to find some other sucker to offload the spare frame on then….

https://www.instagram.com/p/CdyRjxVohs3/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Sneak peak at the colours ahead of Monday….

purple for me I think

Yeah, but I’d always go with the dropper on a mountain bike, however XC it might be.

Do prefer the aesthetics of the thin tube, but I’d sacrifice that

It runs a dropper

https://www.instagram.com/p/CdVyUdlMkyc/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

I presume they’ve done the same as Stanton and ran it under the bb and in the back of the seat tube

@P20 – be careful the purple colour looks like a dildo 😜

The other colours are much safer 😉

It’s here, grab a brew. Link to look book

https://fairlightcycles.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Fairlight-Holt-Lookbook.pdf

As expected it’s £999. Angles are too bad, but may be too XC for me. And it’s a 27.2 dropper. Interesting they’ve gone with 110mm fork

Those dropouts are unnecessarily pretty. Lovely thing, not sure I can n+1 another bike in between the gravel bike and my 140mm steel hardtail…. but…

That is just so right in so many ways for the riding that i do, if my premium bond numbers come up then i’ll be putting myself down for a moss one.

Ah and now I want one… Although I do wish the colours were a little punchier. Pretty much a perfect South Downs / Chilterns hardtail.

XL Desert with CK headset and SIS fork ……. yes please 🙂

it’s a very pretty bike. if I had £1k….

I’d probably buy one, ride it for 6 months them sell it. as that seems to be my current thing. :-/

Looks *absolutely* lovely and I like the numbers for a crossing-country bike.

But 27.2 post? I just don’t get it. I’m sure some people are happy with it but it’s such an immediate ‘no’ for me for a mountain bike.

I make it a bit less than 200g lighter than the same size Solaris. Mainly thanks to the shorter forks, lighter intended use or posher tubes?

I think its designed to be a pretty different sort of bike than the newer Solaris. This feels more like a call back to the springy fun steel bikes we used to obsess about that CEN and capability expectations killed a bit. So def lighter use (although to be fair the newer cotics are monstrously capable bikes).

I compared to the Solaris mostly because I weighed mine when it was new- the Solaris seems to be at the lighter end of the steel all rounder scale, so I’d concur with you that its probably the lighter intended use.

Maybe a shorter bike too, few grans saved there.

I don’t think its that short – 470mm reach on the large for a hardtail. With a 70mm stem as per the spec it’ll feel nice and stretched out.

And tonight’s reading in case you’ve missed them, the design notes:

https://2xl04s1drgo93rcv152s9l6q-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Holt-Design-Notes.pdf

The purple frame looks lovely built up. Weight is smidge over 2.4kg for a medium in the build notes.

I literally just paid the balance on a frame that I ordered a few months back today, but I’m still sat here listing the parts I’d need for a Holt…

Oh my.

Pic needed!
[/url]cliker test

@honourablegeorge what the current project?

Beautiful but to my old untrained eyes, it looks a touch too skinny. Unless it has an ovalised top tube like Cotic’s do, it’s hard to see from the pic in the link.

It’s steel, it can be skinny – and with a 120mm fork it’s not aimed at the hardcore DH market therefore can be even skinnier.

And tonight’s reading in case you’ve missed them, the design notes:

Well worth a scan/read – maybe I don’t want a short-travel FS to replace my alloy HT bikepacker, and the XL would give me a huge space for a full frame bag.

Thread resurrection, any buy one? Look good value but hard to find any reviews beyond the initial press release type. I have one of their road bikes which is lovely but looking for some real world experience of the Holt. Does it live up to expectations or any buyers remorse.

I have a frame since April that still not built yet due to stuff…  Bought to replace a Sherpa (which was superb) and fix a few issues I had with that. A lot of details on the frame are impressive.  Have been thinking the last few days I need to pull my finger out on this!

Think @OJOM has his built and liked it

Thanks, I love the detail on my Strael, not the lightest but neither am I. My other  half is looking for a bike packing bike but it is replacing a super light (and super steep). Stumpjumper. Other option is a Scalpel HT, very different but if the Holt rides as well as expected it would probably be a better long term option.

I thought it was a thread from the mid 90s. What we need know is the guy who claims he can see his steel frame flex when he drops the rear end in his garage from a few inches 🙂

@Bigr Id love to try a a Strael.  I had a Secan which was a superb ride but sizing didnt quite work.  The Holt will basically be my new gravel bike. Flexy frame, Flat bars, bigger tyres, maybe rigid forks to suit my more bimbly riding style. Only thing of slight concern is the slightly short headtube, but then I find all of Fairlights bikes a bit on the low side, even the “tall” ones.

@nickfrog why post that? You ok?

@nickfrog why post that? You ok?

Why not? Are you OK?

Pressed order tonight so hopefully give some feedback in due course. Aiming to do the Montanas Vacias bikepacking route in September and might even make an appearance at the Strathpuffer.

I am lucky with my Strael, 6ft 2 and 58T is perfect.

I’ve just had two rides on my Secan…but that’s enough for me to think that I need a Strael, Faran and Holt too! 🤣

Pressed order tonight

Good for you!  Do they still do a small discount for repeat customers?

OOh a mention from @Andy

Yes I got one of the first out the door. Also have a Secan – again had that since the first drop although I’m on my second as I liked the Orange…

The Holt is as textbook am XC steel hardtail as you are going to get – I by no means need something as good but I 100% trust Dom at Fairlight to make a bike that just makes total sense and this doesn’t dissapoint.

It will be my last non electric MTB and you can see a pic here: https://www.instagram.com/p/CqOjAsHMSco/

Ross at Straighcutdesign also borrowed both Fairlights to shoot new bags with, you can see here: https://www.straightcutdesign.com/products/custom-dha-frame-bag

Secan also has a full frame bag now – you may be able to make out here: https://www.instagram.com/p/Ctl3MNfsO9H/

@fatmax I’ve got my Secan, nearly ordered a Strael and really wanted the Holt. They are infectious. I decided the Holt was too compromised for my needs though.

Having said that, one of their sponsored riders is riding it with 130mm pikes.

Andy

Do they still do a small discount for repeat customers?

They what now? Tell me more….

5% I think?