Right now I have a steel gravel bike that i’ve built with a SRAM Rival 1 group, Hunt aluminium wheels, 622-43 tyres etc. I love it but I started to ride more offroad, and while I can go anywhere with this bike I can’t always do it comfortably. It just can’t deal with the bigger bumps for example on a dirt road that only tractors and 4x4s use.

I like to head out for about 3-4 hours, ride some asphalt, dirt roads, some singletrack in the woods, climb a few hills. Where I live we don’t have big mountains sadly.

I was thinking about getting a hardtail, I think it would suit my riding the best. I love how these newer, more aggressive hardtails look, but I can’t find good deals on them. I see bikes that cost around €2000 and have crappy brakes, crappy wheels, and an NX groupset or something.

I think I would like a 29er, with a GX Eagle groupset, a decent fork, decent wheels. Two water bottle mounts would be great. I don’t need top of the line stuff, but I don’t want the cheapest crap either.

I’ve found the best deals on direct to consumer XC MTBs, like the Radon Jealous AL 9.0. The only thing I don’t like on this bike is the press fit bottom bracket and the not so brilliant brakes, although the latter can be fixed pretty easily. Canyon has some hardtails too but I would really like a 1×12 and only their most expensive Grand Canyon comes with it, and it costs a bit more than what I would like to spend on an alu hardtail.

Any other ideas? I checked sites like bike24, bike-discount, Evans, but I can’t find enough good options in my price range.

Not a 29er but these get very good reviews and seemed highly regarded on here:

Zero TR – GX Eagle 12 Speed

https://www.alpkit.com/sonder/bikes/sonder-transmitter-carbon-gx-eagle-pike

Never heard of Bird, but wow their hardtails look great! Don’t want to start another 29 vs 27.5 argument, I have no experience but based on what i’ve read for mile munching a 29er would be better but still that Zero TR is a really really good option.

The Sonder looks great but it’s a “bit” out of my price range. 😀

Buy the next one down…

Sonder Transmitter GX Eagle

Saw a couple of these a while ago, looked like really nice bikes – https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Orbea-Laufey-27-H10-27-5-Mountain-Bike-2018-Hardtail-MTB_109790.htm

P7 if you can find a deal, or a Crush.  I ride a P7 (650b) and it’s mint. The specs aren’t great for the money, but the money goes where it’s most needed – good frame, forks, wheels.  Cheaper build kits are solid, reliable and functional, just not very flash. Depends on your priorities. Why anyone buys Eagle is beyond me – all I ever hear is horror stories from bike shops. Great when it’s new, crap in the real world if you ride anything rough or muddy.

Solid options, thanks everyone!

I would love a P7, maybe the 29er version but yeah the specs for the money… The P7 29 S is 1800 pounds, you get SLX, mediocre brakes, and a mediocre wheelset.

I’ve been really really enjoying 1x ever since I built my first 1×10. A 12spd 10-50 sounds perfect  to me. I’ve heard issues about Eagle too, I don’t have any experience with it, but I have a feeling most of those problems come from setup issues. But I could be completely wrong.

https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBTIFLGXEAGLE/titus-fireline-evo-sram-gx-eagle-mountain-bike

If you don’t like the build then you could buy frame only, they’re very capable frames with a 120mm fork.

Vote for a whyte 905, chubby tyres and looks cracking.

only thing I don’t like on this bike is the press fit bottom bracket

Had the same opinion. But have a press fit on my all mountain bike. It’s a BB 92 bracket (picked the XTR version for 25 bucks). No issues installing it. No issues so far.

Wouldn’t be afraid of press fit!

Sonder. Get up there and have a look. Multiple builds available.

+ 1 for the titanium Titus Fireline. Great frame – really well made, incredibly light and very cheap for what it is.

I have one and do everything from commuting to gravel racing to trail centres on it.

It just feels “right”. Top tip is to buy a size up and use a short stem. I am 5′ 10″ and have an XL with a 30mm stem and it’s just right.

I’m also using 140mm Pikes on it.

I don’t think you can do better than On-one, now they’ve sorted their chainstay issue out.

Jealous carbon 9.0

https://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/radon-jealous-9.0-713613?currency=3&delivery_country=190

but over 3 k

1×12 Eagle

Racing machine. Less than 10 kg …

(Not my type of bike so. I love my trail bikes and allmountain bike. All around 15 kg …)

Thanks again everyone!

I think I still like the Bird best, maybe even the Zero AM boost.

The titanium Titus is pretty ballin although the build kit is a bit meh.

I didn’t even know half of these brands existed, awesome info.

 love how these newer, more aggressive hardtails look, but I can’t find good deals on them.

so why do you want a 29er?

with the deals on at CRC you should be able to build a pretty decent hardtail for under 2k.

frame  http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ns-bikes-eccentric-alu-evo-27-5-frame-2018/rp-prod165875

fork http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/fox-suspension-34-float-performance-forks-2016/rp-prod172922

groupset http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/sram-gx-eagle-12sp-groupset-gxp/rp-prod161511

wheels http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/stans-no-tubes-flow-mk3-mtb-wheelset/rp-prod152391

also added bar, stem, SLX brakes with 180 rotors, brand X dropper, saddle, grips, GXP BB,tyres  all sort of mid range prices and it came to £1840.  if you use someone BC code that will drop £184 off it.

I think a 29 would be a bit better for my use, to be honest a “standard” XC hardtail would probably do everything I want… But i’m really really curious about these super slack hardtails, but they’re usually 27.5. My dream would be a Santa Cruz Chameleon or a Kona Honzo but they’re sooooo overpriced compared to direct to consumer stuff.

I don’t want to build again, I have zero MTB stuff, it would come out more expensive for sure.

Don’t just focus on 29, try a couple of each wheelsize, there’s so many things that are as influential on a bike as that number.

Not for a minute would i say they represent great value, but orange hardtails are looking very capable bikes at present, I really like the look of the clockwork 137… 1350 at sunset bikes.

I don’t live in the UK, and at my one and only LBS they only work on grocery getter level bikes. So sadly trying bikes is out of the question.

Cotic Solaris/soul? You can spec it however you like on their website, great customer service and build quality.

i had a 29er FS and moved to a flat area in a tiny house so needed a do it all bike, 27.5 soul is great for local XC rides, commuting and the trail centres/peaks/rivvy. Amazing all rounder, strava times floor the 29er I had on everything.

Not just because I want one but genuinely, ride a Trek Stache. I would have thought it would make a huge amount of sense for what you are describing.

I checked Cotic, they look great, but compared to some other brands the bang for buck ratio is not that good. The website Says the Solaris is no longer in production.

I think Bird wins. The Zero AM Boost 2018 looks awesome, and the one with GX Eagle costs 1612 pounds.

You get a RockShox Revelation RC, GX Eagle groupset, Guide R brakes, DT M1900 wheels, a few different options for nice Maxxis tyres, and a not bad RaceFace finishing kit. You can upgrade or change things like bigger rotors or a dropper.

The “Sonder Transmitter GX Eagle Revelation” looks great too but I have a feeling 650b+ would be a bit overkill for my needs.

In terms of geometry the Bird Zero AM is a bit overkill too. 😀

Plus bikes are great! On a hardtail they make a lot of sense. If you like to spend all day out in the saddle then it will massively take the sting out of the back end. I’m my eyes there isn’t much of a downside. Have you not ant demo days coming round at a local trail centre?

John

Clockwork 137 in the sales?

https://www.rutlandcycling.com/bikes/mountain-bikes/orange-clockwork-137-s-2018-275-inch-hardtail-mountain-bike_460007

Damn I need to test more stuff. Sadly no local trail centre or demo days.

I’m just not sure if 650b+ would be ideal on stuff like hardpack or asphalt segments. I need to ride these too, sadly I don’t have a car yet to get to the nice offroad segments. 🙂 I’m not racing anyone tho.

3-4 hours, ride some asphalt, dirt roads, some singletrack in the woods, climb a few hills.

For what you describe I would be looking at a xc 29er hardtail (old Trek Superfly would be perfect) or that new carbon Genesis.  In current rough and bumpy conditions if you want to ride fast one of the new breed of 29er xc full sus (Epic, Orbea Oiz, Giant Anthem) would be spot on.

But full sus adds a load of cost and maintenance and would be noticeably worse on  the road. Plus wheels add more ability but, you can always put skinny tyres on if you wish, you can go the other round though. Where are you based?

John

If your buying direct then consider the after sales support too. The support Bird offer if second to none, they will look after you and their frames carry a lifetime warranty which can be transferred to the new owner if you were to sell the bike on. I ride a zero TR and am very happy with it.

Stif Morf is great and comes with nice kit hanging off it.

A full suspension would awesome but too expensive with the components I want.

I live in Hungary.

Yup, I kind of ignored after sales support. I work on my own bikes but good warranty is never a bad thing.

The Stif Morf looks great, I would love to try a steel hardtail like that, but I can only find it with one build kit that costs 2200 pounds, bit out of my price range.

I still think the two best options are the Bird and the Sonder, I just need to decide if I want to go with + tyres or not.

And yes, probably an XC would be best for this kind of riding, but for some reason i’m really really interested in these “hardcore hardtails”. 😀

Extend the travel on the Fireline fork to 140mm and you have a hardcore bike but at an XC weight and plenty spare money for upgrading the fork and wheels over time.

I’m not sure about the Titus.

The Bird Zero AM boost 2018 is around 200 pounds more expensive, but I get better forks, better brakes, better wheels, better tyres. It’s also thru axle and uses boost which can’t hurt.

Yeah it’s “just” aluminium and the Titus is Ti and that’s ballin as hell but i’m also a bit afraid of cheap titanium, although that might be really stupid.

I built my last bike from the frameset up with all new components, and while building and customizing is fun it’s also a financial disaster. Right now I really want to go for maximum bang for buck right out of the box.

I wouldn’t touch a Titus ti.

Bird is a great bike.

Think you are bonkers making the bits hanging off it the most important aspect. Start with the frame, then the forks as all other bits are easily replaceable. Would you really notice the difference between groupset nx/gx/slx or above? From my experience Deore brakes work as well as the more expensive options until you get to Hope level.You certainly will notice the difference in a decent frame and fork so at your budget you will need to compromise.

http://www.bikescene.co.uk/Orange-P7-29-S-14601-0-4.html

Good place to start.

A frame or fork is easily replacable too. 😀 I want a GX Eagle groupset for the range, which for me matters a ton, it plays a big part where and how I can ride the bike. Good brakes never hurt. A decent wheelset is very noticeable.

The point is, I don’t want to upgrade, I want to buy a decent complete package the first time. Yes, I can always upgrade and it’s easy, but it also costs money. I could also just save up for longer and get a more expensive bike, but I don’t want to.

Both the Bird Zero AM and the Sonder Transmitter have very nice frames IMO, and on top of that a great build kit for the price. On paper both frames would do everything I need, probably even much more…

If you can find one bike that hits the spot then go for it. I always seem to bump in to compromises.

I think I still like the Bird best, maybe even the Zero AM boost.

If you like the Bird, and why not as they are great bikes (I have two), but prefer the idea of 29″ wheels and can maybe wait a while to see what happens. I don’t have any insider information but a 29er hardtail is conspicuously missing from their line up (now that they have embraced 29″ with the AM9) and they haven’t released a new frame since the AM9. I maybe be completely wrong but I wouldn’t be surprised to see something from Bird that would go up against the Solaris (which is also a good bike).

This season i’m probably going to just ride my current bike, so not buying a new bike right away.

To be honest I don’t know what I would prefer. My mountain biking experience is with an old 26 full suspension 5+ years ago and a 26″ dirt jumper.

I think for my style of riding a 29er would be more ideal, but then in the gravel/big tyre drop bar world you have people riding centuries on 650b x 47-50 tyres so… And then there are the plus tyres i’m very curious about, although the Zero can clear a 2.8 in the back.

I’m also getting a license so that will open up more options where I will ride for sure.

Now at least I know that there are great options, the best would be to somehow test some bikes.