I got offered a second hand Commencal 29er hardtail by a friend. It was in need of some TLC to say the least with every bearing shot, the brakes not working and the paint work looking a bit ropey.
I’ve never wanted a 29er as I am a short arse and to be honest I had never gave it too much thought. My initial thought was to buy it and, service it and turn swift a profit. The trouble is it’s just the right size for my wee legs and once serviced it rides like a dream, it just feels right for my local riding. Bugger.! So now I have another bike for the collection and some explaining to do to the “bank manager”.

Only twice and both were cheap. A Fisher rig 29er ss in the sale for less than 500 and a Calibre dune fatty for 420.

Pivot Mach 6. First rode 2 years ago, took me till back end of last year to save up and get one.

Love it.

My mates Kona explosif (1992) and a scott spark i had on loan for a weekend in the peaks.

Yeah I was expecting my Big Jon fat bike to be like riding into a headwind through treacle while towing a boat anchor but one turn of the pedal and I was hooked

Similarly I was expecting my Voltage FR to be a downhill-only dragfest but it wasn’t

my Bronson just felt perfect from the first pedal, i was amazed at how much better it climbed vs my stumpy evo.

Yes, my Dialled Prince Albert. Why did I ever sell it!?

My transition bandit (I loved that bike), I tweaked things and it got better but I just clicked with how it rode from day one. It needed a whole load of work doing imminently just before it got stolen.

My Whyte T129 SCR- bought it without a test ride.
When I got it home and took it out it just felt perfect.

My Nomad mk3. I ordered it blind after hating the bronson so I was worried I wouldn’t like the nomad either. But as soon as I sat on it I knew it was perfect. Every bike I have had before has had little bits I didn’t like but this one is as perfect as I’m ever likely to find. Its almost too good though and means I don’t use my other bikes as much.

O-O Inbred 853 and Cotic Soul both came close, minor tweaks to bars and stem required though.
Ironically, the closest I came to perfect was a darkside purchase, PX SL Pro carbon – felt spot on during first ride and ended up riding it further than any bike ive ever owned with none of the usual back pain. Have been chasing the same fit on other road bikes since.

Rose CRS Di2 road bike. Admittedly I had done a homebrew bike fit based on my old road bike so everything was right when I got on it the first time. First pedal strokes were warming up for a hill climb. Felt like I was cheating. Maybe I was because I went on to win it!

It is a joy to ride, so much so that my next CX bike will be a Rose and they have made it on to the shortlist for all future bike purchases.

My current bike, a scott scale, though to be fair it was only a new frame and fork so all contact points were the same as before, just in a bit more of a racy stance. Absolutely love it 🙂

My transition bandit

still loving mine. gonna ride it until it dies.

My Solaris, just tried out Stu’s bike at Dales Bike Centre and I was hooked! Almost two years later and I still can’t justify getting another MTB 😆

cotic soul, it was perfect, 9 yrs later still love it, so much so I built up a Simple (26).

On One Fatty.

Independent Fabrication Steel Deluxe.
Maverick ML7/5

Ibis mojo HD3 – just works perfectly

Charge cooker 29er singlespeed, the 2013 one with the short fork, was a tank of a bike but on some local trails in Belfast it just felt like the perfect bike.

Canondale rush carbon, wish they would make a genuine replacement with 29er wheels but the new 29 rush just didn’t do it for me

Yeti ASR5c.
Traveled a bit to do a weekend’s testing as I was in the market.
Had a few on the short list but the Yeti wasn’t one of them.
Found it perfect from the start. Got one about 6 months later and has been on long XC days out, to uplifts holidays in the alps & NZ.
It still lives in garage but it has recently been joined by a SB5.

Yep had it a few times. Ellsworth epiphany, just such a good riding bike, and both jones bikes diamond and space frame, just absolutely outstanding and grin inducing from the first ride. My new rooster has also been added to the list as well. Just feels “right”

O-O 456. 40th birthday gift from Mrs PF. Climbed up things in the Peak that had seemed impossible the week before on it’s predecessor.
Still riding it.
APF

2004 turner 5 spot.
My Bronson.

Both instantly felt “right”

It has to be my present Bike a Whyte E120 I bought it after my Stumpjumper gave up the ghost. I wasn’t too sure what bike I would go for but after reading a good few articles about the E120 & how good it was at Climbing & Descending I decided to get one; it is by far the best bike I have owned for riding both up & down trails also it has to be the most comfy ride on a MTB I have had so far. Unfortunately I am not doing it justice at the moment just 1 ride a week due to work commitments 🙁 but hope to get back to 3 plus as soon as work allows. 😀 😀

For me its my Genesis Fortitude.

Yes its undergone some post build fettling but its the frame I love.

Now to find Race frame on 20.5″!

on one codeine.

no.

but I love the search.

My 2009 Zesty 314 – a shop loaned me one for a test ride, I only adjusted the saddle height and shocks (for my weight not any special tuning) then did a couple of laps of Cwmcarn, everything just felt right. Ordered one when I returned it to the shop.

Yip.. my newly built up tallboy Ltc.. loving it. 😀

Love that answer Ton. a Like button would come in handy here!

For me its Salsa Vaya and Krampus….

None of my MTB’s, I’ve always had to work at it/swap out parts…

My road bike – DeRosa Milanino just seems to fit me perfectly, and accelerates like shit off a shovel. Hardly ever ride it mind, cos, well, it’s a road bike, innit? 😀

Horst link 5 Spot – still got it, still feels just right.

Camber evo (guess what?)

Last year I gave up my love affair with my 15 yearold Scott Boulder which I never thought I would replace, but I’m definitely keeping my new mistress – a Giant XTC composite, although there’s some jealousy with my recently acquired Whyte Saxon Cross!

Kinda opened my eyse as to how much frame geometry and technology has changed and can really change the enjoyment of the ride.

My SC Superlight – rode the demo one, and bought one. 2004 model, eventually died after many changes of kit. Just knew it was right for me. Gutted when it died, still trying to find a suitable replacement.

I’ve had many.. mind I’ve been riding for years so it’s bound to happen.

1st real “shite, this is good” feeling was my Klein Attitude.. sublime bike from the first time I raised the saddle and sat on it, arse up, head down XC racer..

A string of roadies, my Colnago Master form the mid 90’s was ace, zingy and lovely to look at too… handed that back when I left the team, sad day that.

Both my current bikes, the TCX CX’er and my R5ca.. both setup from the get go and only two very small tweeks to the seat height on the CX (up not down) means they’re both ace.

I got a s/h Kilauea from a good friend a good few years back, £75 for SS converted 1995 one.

Got on it and just felt ‘right’. Could be because it was just like my old steel Stumpjumper that I mourned when it died… Still riding it, too.

Horst link Turner 5 Spot
TNT Turner Flux
Cotic Soul

Own none of them now 🙁

Dialled Love/Hate as a rigid single speed, had two at different times and sold them both for reasons I now don’t understand. Also my Cotic Roadrat as a single speed commuter. Maybe I just don’t like gears, really.