Lightweight Hardtail Recommendations

Looking at replacing an old steel 26in MTB. Looking at buying this through the cycle to work scheme as will save quite a bit of money, so slightly limited on where I can buy from and probably easier a complete bike. Looking for something that is lightweight, easy to maintain so ideally screw in bottom bracket rather than pressfit ideally, but not crucial.
Would be used for 1 to 2 hour rides from home midweek and then all day rides in the Dales at the week. Would want something that is lightweight for all the climbing but not a full on race bike if that makes sense. I am not a fast descender so something that is ok for descents and is not too tricky to handle.
Thoughts were something like a specialized chisel / trek procaliber potentially. Any recommendation would be very much appreciated. Before tax savings looking to spend most £3k, ideally less.

There is so much choice.

I’d go with this, the trail bike geometry will give you confidence on the descents over more XC racer geo.

https://alpkit.com/products/sonder-signal-ti-gx-eagle

Unless you are out and out doing XC as wzzz says, would get something more trail / relaxed.

If you did a lightweight build, a Bird Zero 29 would be a nice option – nice bike for all round riding (and subject to component availability, sure the Bird guys could help do lighter build)

That Sonder looks nice mind.

I’d be looking at this

https://alpkit.com/products/sonder-dial-xt

Sid ultimates for c £2k…have a Sonder gravel bike and they’re a very good company to deal with.

I’ve been riding my Scott Scale for over 6 years now and I absolutely love it for all-day rides and shorter local rides. It’s lightweight, climbs well and is fine for descending too.

You mention the Chisel.

I bought one in January, my first remotely modern bike, previous bikes being 26 inch wheeled.
It is a lovely frame, and the handling is great, lively, confident.

However, the frame deserves a much better spec. It’s a really light frame but the wheels are well over 2kg, as is the pretty awful Judy fork. It was about 29lb as standard (large). I swapped wheels, tyres, fork, a few other bits and it’s now about 23lb.

I considered buying frame-only but didn’t like the colour options and £950 frame or £1600 full bike, the bike seemed better value.

At least in my build, it does not like to go slowly. It’s not ideal for just plodding along and somehow I end up riding everything flat out and often regretting it later. It’s a lot of fun, really good at technical climbs but downhill, it’s still a 100mm travel hardtail, so takes some real concentration to go fast on technical trails. I’m often mentally exhausted after a couple of hours, but on the other hand it makes dull local trails so much fun.

I guess it is really an XC race bike, albeit one that, as standard, is hidden under several pounds of cheaper components.

I’d be inclined to get something more trail related than the Chisel – but at the XC end of things.

Something like the Sonder Dial mentioned above perhaps is good value / should be fast.

Although personally I’d be be thinking maybe a 120mm travel fork – some quick ish tyres like Vitoria Mezcals – Reba or SID fork etc – decent groupset and brakes and lightweight wheelset.

I’m potentially in the same boat, half the budget but looking at the same/similar bikes at lower spec. Hence a few suggestions on this thread:

Help choose MTB for an old rehab MTBer

I’ve also looked at the Chisel, and also the Fuse (Fuse seems a more all-around capable @ 130mm) but seems it’s around the same weight as my Longitude which is 29lb fitted with a rear rack and 2kg Enduro wheelset!

Seems like that’s about the weight for a £1500-£2k doitall hardtail these days? I like the idea of running a Fuse single-speed though, it looks a neat solution. Maybe have a look at the Fuse Expert? Have you looked at BMC 2021 Twostroke 01 Two? Or is that too XC? Procaliber 9.7?

not sure if the Signal TI mentioned is exactly lightweight, but i can vouch it makes an amazing bike
i’ve built mine up as a proper trail bike, but i plan to grab a set of lightweight wheels and tyres for longer xc rides or commutes.
It’s also my second sonder, first was a transmitter, so far im in awe of the company producing such good kit