If you were to buy an XC race hardtail as cheap as possible

What would you get?

May have a dabble in a few XC race events, hardtail, probably carbon being ideal. What bargains are out there? Might even consider a 29er.

I had a C456 but think that would have been too slack. Sold it a few months ago.

My initial thought was a Dirty Harry x9.

What are you currently riding?

a road and cx bike only

Had a five Am, sold that through lack of use then bough a c456 but hardly used it. felt it was too slack for proper xc stuff.

Havent bothered with anything since. Fancy doing some XC racing, i race CX and road so may do a few MTB events too.

On One Scandal if you can manage without carbon or a whippet if you want to get beaten up 😀

Are you happy for a self build?

Scandal 29er frame
Superstar headset
2×10 xt
xt hubs on new superstar 29er rims, DT revolution spokes
racing Ralph 2.1
fizik tundra 2 seat from merlin
on one seatpost
any old stem
bars to suit

Look at a Rose Psycho Path

XC racing on the cheap?

How cheap?

If really cheap, then something ally like an On One Scandal, a Rock Lobster Team Tig SL or a Maxlight of some such probably. It’ll only be about 1lb lighter than a carbon frame but the few hundred quid you’d save will save you more weight if you spend it elsewhere on the bike instead. I’d probably go for a 29er too, if it’s purely as an XC race bike. More often than not a 29er has more plus points than drawbacks for XC racing.

Whippet. Love it.

canyon 29er (pick one based on budget)

Canyon would be my choice on a budget.

Board man carbon pro. Sid forks ,full x9 group set £1300 bargin

Canyon, Whippet or eBay carbon frame. 29er.

Scandal 29er +1

They’re pretty light, comfy, and the cash you save over carbon gets better forks/wheels

I’d buy used from the classifieds.

Knocking up a cheap XC race bike here as a 29er experiment, went with the Scandal frame. Got some hope xc hubs and may build them onto some Stans rims, or maybe those Chinese carbon jobbies.

Any good deals about on forks? Kicking myself a bit for missing out on the 250 quid Rebas in the merlin Xmas sale. Have it in my head that I want SIDs with a 15mm axel though.

Knocking up a cheap XC race bike here as a 29er experiment, went with the Scandal frame. Got some hope xc hubs and may build them onto some Stans rims, or maybe those Chinese carbon jobbies.

Whilst cheap for carbon those Chinese carbon rims aren’t actually cheap. Particularly as they weigh more than Crests, odd choice for a budget build IMO.

If custom building its hard to look beyond Superstar for lightweight, cheap wheel builds.

I’ve got a GT Zaskar im looking to sell, how tall are you? See details here: http://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/1237461/

Blackbox reba’s, Superlight Alloy Frame (just over 3lbs I believe) hope wheels and brakes.

Add on your choice of gears (I’ve got a 1×10/front 3x chainrings I could throw in), a seatpost and saddle, mech, cassette and chain off rosebikes and your looking at a sub £750, pretty much brand new race ready bike!

email rossphelps@gmail.com if you want more info!

Whilst cheap for carbon those Chinese carbon rims aren’t actually cheap. Particularly as they weigh more than Crests, odd choice for a budget build IMO

Thanks njee20. I’d not actually researched this, just remember reading something about them on here. It’ll also be a bit of a wheel building experiment so may go for some cheaper rims and build up a set of wheels for training. Tempted by those Fulcrum wheelsets that were discussed here recently too.

Which superstar wheelset would you go for?

Scandal 29er sounds good. Probably used if i could find one

Thanks njee20. I’d not actually researched this, just remember reading something about them on here. It’ll also be a bit of a wheel building experiment so may go for some cheaper rims and build up a set of wheels for training. Tempted by those Fulcrum wheelsets that were discussed here recently too.

Which superstar wheelset would you go for?

These.

Don’t get me wrong, the Chinese carbon rims look brilliant, I’d like to get a set to try, but they’re still >£100 per rim, so still well out of ‘budget’ territory! I’d definitely have a set before any factory wheels though personally.

I did look at these but really can’t do white rims!

The ones I linked to? You can have black or white rims, loads of combinations – look at the drop down box.

Scandal 29er …………… spend the money on wheels, sensibly light…….rigid forks… psa bargins (currently saddles)..oh describing my build!

Just saw this:

http://www.bike-discount.de/shop/a78476/zr-race-29er-7-0.html

Is it any good?

was about to post a link to the Radon too, the bike discount link, superb value for money and fairly light at 25.5lbs.

Definitely the scandal. It’s stiff but mine was a 26 so a 29 is bound to be more comfy. I hate the idea of carbon rims!

njee20 are you still racing these days?

Same as the OP here, with only a few short XC races that I can do, so I’m on a budget….proper budget.
For 45 minute stuff I was going to get a Scandal and carbon rigids. Keeping the XT stuff I have with the DIY 2 x 9.