Due to back problems making a Hardtail pretty much a no go for the forseeable, I’m looking for a short-ish travel full sus bike, the kind of thing that gets labelled “marathon” these days, but primary requisites are that it’s fun to ride on a short blast round the local woods rather than being super efficient grinding out miles for hours and hours (though it may do a little of that too)… This is to compliment the Evil Offering I already have (setup 140R/150F travel) that I use for bigger/burlier terrain, so must be suitably different… Some ideas I’ve had so far…

-Yeti SB100… Looks ideal, but all the money!
-Whyte S-120… Great bike, but ironically perhaps a little too long/slack/agressive for what I want, and certainly I would prefer something a bit lighter.
-Cube AMS100 C:68 TM29… On paper looks ideal (if a little garish), but hard to find any real world feedback on the bike. Superb VFM though.
-Rocky Mountain Element… Also looks spot on, if a little expensive for what you get.
-Scott Spark/Spark RC…
-SC Blur… Not especially a fan of SC’s VPP setup, but not ruling it out cos it does look good.
-Orange Stage 4… A friend loves his Stage 5! Dunno if it could build into the lightweight XC/trail bike I want though.

Any more I should add to the list? I have specifically ruled out Trek/Spesh here (yes I know the Epic EVO and Top Fuel would fit the bill but I have a thing against the brands, sorry!), I really don’t like the look of the current Giants that would fit the bill possibly (Anthem or Trance X).

I’m open to suggestions… Only real requirements are…

-No more than 120mm travel, preferably 100-110.
-29er wheels
-Capable of being built into 25lb XC bike (albeit with very light tyres and wheels) if required.
-Fun to ride!
-UK tyre clearances (so 2.3’s should fit with mud room)

Happy to consider a frame only, or full build… Price wise? Going on RRP, probably no more than £4k for a full bike or £2500 for frame only. Though I’d rather spend less if I’m honest, but will stretch the budget if the bike really is worth it (SB100 C Series full build at £5k is tempting me I’ll admit!).

Thoughts?

Intense Sniper looks fun :

Sniper

or NS Synonym

Synonym

Ibis Ripley V4
Just about to build my new frame up which has replaced the Smuggler

yeah SC blur. I am no Sc fanboi but they are awesome. with a fox 34 stepcast too. swoon. #somarathon

Swarf Contour?

Swarf Contour Review – is steel still real?

Pivot Mach4 SL or 429 trail?

(Stealth ad, I’m about to sell a 2017 Mach429 SL frame and fork, if that’s of interest)

I notice that the CC carbon tallboy was down to £1400 on LTM racing (ebay). Just large left which having met you once is probably about right. I have had one off them and really like it. Certainly a decent deal, whether its the bike for you I dont know?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Santa-Cruz-Tallboy-CC-Fox-Factory-Kashima-MY18/283665165314?hash=item420bc2ec02:m:mhojNq_Y_Lok9y8mVc94zPA

I would have recommended a Canyon Neuron, but it’s 130 travel these days. The Lux is probably too XC-ey for you.

When I replace my Canyon Nerve, I’ll probably get something like a Blur. It’s a long way away yet mind.

Sonder Cortex

Depends to a degree on whether you’re a bit of a brand snob or not (Aint judging…plenty guilty of it but i am a fan of a lot of Decathlon kit) but this ticks the boxes for travel, wheel size & weight etc…
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/xc-900s-full-suspension-carbon-mountain-bike-29-id_8545706.html?wgu=13517_54264_15731446402727_d2c866b970&wgexpiry=1580920640&utm_source=webgains&siteid=54264&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=22278

Orbea Oiz? There is version with 120mm fork. Or previous version of Occam.

Intense Sniper looks fun :

It does. However I’ve never seen an Intense with decent tyre clearance, and their carbon frames don’t have the best reputation! I’d also prefer a steeper seat angle too.

or NS Synonym

Looks good, but NS are now charging premium prices for sure! They’re not the bargain brand they once were…

Ibis Ripley V4

Just not a fan sadly, and it’s more “trail” than XC/Marathon.

yeah SC blur.

I like it, but I think if I was gonna spend that much on it, I’d just spend a tiny bit more and get the Yeti SB100.

Swarf Contour?

Lovely frame, seen some of his earlier work in the flesh @ Bespoked. But for what I want, it’s just way too heavy. It’s 7lb exlcuding the shock, so its giving away more than 2lb to most Carbon XC frames sadly.

Pivot Mach4 SL or 429 trail?

Just not a Pivot fan… The Mach 4SL arguably looks nicer than the rest of the range, but it’s also a bit too XC. They’re also pretty expensive too, which leads me back to previous comments about “if I’m spending that much I’d just get the Yeti SB100″…

I notice that the CC carbon tallboy was down to £1400 on LTM racing (ebay). Just large left which having met you once is probably about right. I have had one off them and really like it. Certainly a decent deal, whether its the bike for you I dont know?

Hmmmmm… It appeals for sure! I ruled out the latest version cos it’s gone too long/low/slack (and if I wanted a 120/130 bike that was L/L/S, I’d just get an Evil Following again), the last Tallboy is definitely closer to what I’m after. At that price, I’m only some forks short of a great bike for under £2500 (I have almost everything else ready to go for a build).

I would have recommended a Canyon Neuron, but it’s 130 travel these days. The Lux is probably too XC-ey for you.

I had a look, yeah the Neuron is too long travel, the Lux is incredibly racy (read old school jey!). They’re both overtly “Euro” in their look too, they make the Cube AMS look almost organic by contrast! 😉

Sonder Cortex

Looks brilliant (and a bargain!) but a bit more travel and burlier than I want. I won’t be getting rid of my Evil so it’s probably just a bit close in travel and attitude, but does look a real contender for the one bike to do everything on a budget to be fair!

Depends to a degree on whether you’re a bit of a brand snob or not (Aint judging…plenty guilty of it but i am a fan of a lot of Decathlon kit) but this ticks the boxes for travel, wheel size & weight etc…

Whilst for the money it looks awesome, I’m afraid I’m going to have to play my brand snob card sadly. But yeah, for the money it looks a steal!

Orbea Oiz? There is version with 120mm fork.

Hmmmm… Forgot about that. Does look very good!

Giant trance advanced

Looks a bargain for 3k. Full carbon, carbon wheels, good spec. Ok I want one but can’t justify it…

What about the newer Kona Hei Hei?

Singletrack liked it.

We picked up a reduced SC Tallboy 3 frame from Stif the day before the new one came out. A relative bargain imho. Turned up in less than 24 hours an has built into a very nice bike.

Bike Outlet

SC Blur or Tallboy, both on sale at bike-components.de

How about a Nicolai Saturn 11?

Just going through by your reactions a Mboy get the Spark RC, KTM Scarp or Orbea.

I demo-ed the Stage 4 last year and loved it, but it wasn’t quite right for me.

Did a write up…

Orange Stage 4 demo – the flyweight filing cabinet

But basically, it was a bit steeper than I’d like. If the geometry looks good for you then I think it’d make a brilliant XC/trail bike and I’d certainly race one.

Did you ever build up the Stanton, mboy?

You’ve forgotten the KTM Scarp (all new frame & geo for 2020) 95mm rear, 100mm from 68.5deg HA etc etc or the slightly longer legged new Scarp MT 115mm rear 120mm front.

You know it makes sense 😉

However I reckon it’d be a brilliant bike for marathon XC kind-of stuff, for old-school big days out in the hills and for UK trail centres.

And who knows in future if I see one secondhand – or indeed if Orange slack things out a bit with the next iteration.

Feel free to take a look in the classified Chapaking… !

But yes, very possible to build a Stage 4 into a nice lightweight, snappy sort of all-day XC/trail kind of build. Big fan of the bike, just been lured by longer travel, rightly or wrongly I am yet to find out.

Have you looked at the Norco Fluid? Evans have 2019 models on sale and leaves you money left to add lighter wheels and drivetrain Take a look here I’ve got one and did the L2B off-road on it so can vouch it’s good for marathon usage

Feel free to take a look in the classified Chapaking… !

Looks very nice and is my size but I’m brassic – and dunno if I could face cabling another Orange frame up.

Curious whether you used any angle-adjusting bits on it?

Feel free to take a look in the classified Chapaking… !

Snotrag, YGM. Didn’t even notice it was the listing above mine!

I demo-ed the Stage 4 last year and loved it, but it wasn’t quite right for me.

Did a write up…

Reading your write up makes it sound exactly what I’m after! I want something that makes me think a bit more, and makes me back off on the wildest of descents, but goes like a scalded cat when you stamp on the pedals due to a high degree of anti squat. Something different enough to my Evil Offering to warrant having both basically.

Have you looked at the Norco Fluid?

I have nothing against Norco, but I have everything against Evans and Mike Ashley. So sadly that’s a no go from me…

You’ve forgotten the KTM Scarp (all new frame & geo for 2020) 95mm rear, 100mm from 68.5deg HA etc etc or the slightly longer legged new Scarp MT 115mm rear 120mm front.

I hadn’t forgotten the Scarp, they’ve just always been incredibly racy. New 2020 model looks good though with slacker HA and more reach I’ll admit. I hadn’t however even heard of the new 2020 Scarp MT! On paper, looks ideal. 120 up front, 115 in the rear, good reach figures without being excessive, 67.5HA, 12.4kg for the XT build. Looks ace! Those stays do look a little on the flimsy side though, and I’m not the most finessed of riders, that would be my biggest concern. That and whatever I get is going to live in the back of a van, and mostly get ridden and receive very little love, so thinking something like the Stage 4 might make more sense. Albeit Stage 4 has no bottle cage mount! DOH!!!

Did you ever build up the Stanton, mboy?

Was about to, then had some pretty incapacitating back problems! Back is OK day to day now, but don’t want to aggravate it. It’s sat there, staring at me, wanting to be built up, and I’m not quite sure what to do… Keep it for when my back is 100%, or just sell it now and minimise my losses.

How about a Nicolai Saturn 11?

Would love one… Still not convinced I need/want to spend that much money on a frame only though…

SC Blur or Tallboy, both on sale at bike-components.de

They’re all small’s though pretty much! Doh!

OP – if you like the Offering, why not a Following MB?  Folk run them with 120 forks and lighter spec for exactly the sort or riding you describe.

goes like a scalded cat when you stamp on the pedals due to a high degree of anti squat. Something different enough to my Evil Offering to warrant having both basically.

I think you may have found the right bike then.

The Stage 6 is much the same but with longer travel – and it offers a great contrast to my other bike, a 170mm four-bar 29er which soaks everything up.

How about a Nicolai Saturn 11?
Would love one… Still not convinced I need/want to spend that much money on a frame only though…

Yeah me too! Looks just lush….ah, one day, maybe. A demo would be hard though.

Have we done/dismissed the mondraker yet? Looked awesome in the world-cup with Rebecca McConnell on it. 120mm fork option too.

OP – if you like the Offering, why not a Following MB? Folk run them with 120 forks and lighter spec for exactly the sort or riding you describe.

I had a V1 Following, it was amazing! Then a Wreckoning… Now the Offering… They’re all subtly different because of their travel and their angles, but there’s a VERY strong family DNA in these bikes.

I want something that’s a fairly strong contrast, quite simply! Something that really makes me appreciate just what the Offering is capable of when I choose to take that out instead.