Looking for a light xc hardtail to fill the gap between my TCX and Scandal
It’s main use will be the HoNC, byways and bridleways of Shropshire and the trans Snowdonia route type rides
Should I go Trek Procaliber or Specialized Chisel is my thinking
What’s the biggest chainring I can fit on each bike 36, 38 or poss 40t? Is the chisel as comfortable as all the hype? Does the de coupler on the lighter Procaliber make a great difference ? Any experience you have would be welcome.

Specialized Chisel is 36 tooth. And yes the Chisel is comfy not as comfy as the alloy Procaliber it replaced but not far off.

Just out of interest what size are you looking at?

I am looking for a large 😁

Shame, mines a small.

My mate likes his Procaliber and reckons the link thing makes a real difference.

Alma, Scale or 2 stroke?

A lightweight second hand good condition short travel FS?

Cutthroat

I was looking for a bike for the same type of riding as you describe, ended up getting a good deal on the base Santa Cruz highball model.

Has external threaded  BB, can fit a 38 tooth chain ring, 3 x bottle mounts and no rider worthy limit on the frame.

Have entered the Wales duro and HONC and doing lots of Cotswold bridleways and byways.

The chisels look really nice and I nearly bought one of them instead.

Thanks for the input, looks like a Chisel is on my shopping list

Meet Nancy (Procaliber 9.6) which I’ve set up for bashing about in the woods, long distance xc mile munching, and all that good fun hardtail stuff that makes me grin from ear to ear.  Effortless to ride, carrying speed and momentum on twisty single track and perhaps unsurprisingly zipping up the climbs.  Built with a SID Ultimate 120 with RD3 damper that is responsive and supple providing a really well connected feel to the trail.  The Magic Coupler Thingy (trademark pending lol) is harder to define exactly what it does; perhaps the best I can describe is feeling like it just rounds the edges off and limits the harshness associated with hardtails.

I’ve a Scandal like the OP and use it for bikepacking and general XC riding, why are you looking at another HT rather than a short-travel FS?

#curious

reckons the link thing makes a real difference.

Until it wears and you can’t replace it rendering the frame defunct.

But the Isospeed is replaceable if it wears, a Trek dealer should get the parts. The only issue I ever had with it on my Procaliber is the bolt came loose once causing it to creak.

But the Isospeed is replaceable if it wears, a Trek dealer should get the parts.

A bit like my Cube FS linkage sub-frame that ‘dissolved’ –  no dealer had the parts and Cube Germany couldn’t/wouldn’t give me a spec so I could get one fabricated locally.

Trek are a bit unreliable with warranty, and all that complexity from isospeed is unnecessary.

Trek are a bit unreliable with warranty,

Not in my experience.  When my 5 year old frame cracked just underneath the seat clamp, Trek replaced the frame no questions asked.  Admittedly this was in 2013 but it was a pretty painless process.

The scandal is set up for big days out with chunky tyres and strong wheels. Last year it went up Helvellyn and similar and gets used around Cannock and Church Stretton. The new lightweight hardtail will be set up with light wheels with fast rolling tyres as a mile muncher. Don’t really want suspension as that’s just one more part to service! I could use the Scandal but just want the simplicity of choosing a bike for the intended terrain. I might even use it to commute the 20 miles to work and back then it would pay for it’s self 😂

Whippet

Recently got a deal on the Specialized epic ht and much to my surprise find it more comfy than my epic evo fs. We’re all different but there’s some bargains on them around.

Done 800 miles on mine in 5 weeks and v happy. Currently running 36t oval.

James

Is the chisel as comfortable as all the hype?

Mine is great (although I’ve got nothing else recent to compare it to). Not sure what the biggest chainring it’ll take is cos I’ve had no cause to change mine, it’s set up perfectly.

The only changes I’ve made to mine since purchase are:
set up the tyres tubeless and with run-flat inserts (Vittoria AirLiner)
fit a dropper post (Brand-X bought S/H from someone on here but perfect condition)
just fitted carbon bars – only because I bought them ridiculously cheap in the dying days of CRC!

Worth keeping an eye out for the Epic HT as well, Specialized had Epics on hefty discount recently. I got my Chisel in the days when they were nearly 50% off, not sure there’s any left at that price though.

Edit – ooh they do, in limited sizes
https://www.specializedconceptstore.co.uk/shop/bikes/mountain/model/chisel/