I’ve sold my current bike (Codeine) and am now looking for a newer geometry long travel 29er to replace it with .

So far I’m considering the following……

Rocket max

Aeris Am9

Whyte S150

Spesh stumpy or enduro.

I have a budget of £3200 ish

Is there any other models I should be considering too.

I took out a S150crs today for a quick spin and it was really good .I’ve a demo on a large and XL rocket max booked in December .

Any help would be appreciated !

In true recommend what you ride.  Orbea Rallon, I got my M10 for around that and it’s awesome.

Trek Slash

Transition Sentinel

I was very recently in a similar positoin to you (had a Transition Bandit 29er, v similar to a Codeine as far as I can tell) and was looking at these.  Ended up getting a secondhand carbon Slash frame and building up from there.

+1 for the RocketMax, Sentinel and S150, all are superb bikes, doubt you’d be disappointed with any of them. Of the 3 it’d be between the S150 and Rocket though, rode the S150 earlier this year and it felt really good and if the RocketMax is anything like my new Soul it’ll be a riot!

ridden all but the whyte of your list, and i’d get the Bird. have also ridden the foxy 29, sentinel, stumpy evo, and i’d still get the bird. good value too.

Nukeproof Mega 290

Cotics, purely from personal experience are a bit bendy. A family member broke two 2018 Rockets within a few weeks of having each, the Alu Nomad has yet to bend – no cracks either – or any Santa Cruz related adverse events like Audi ownership.

Also, if you break  a big companies bike, you are less likely to have said companies snivelling sycophant mates at uplift days ratting you out for riding certain jumps.

I prefer bikes that don’t bend, so the S150.

sentinel would get my vote. 2017 slash was rad but seat tube was too long for a decent length dropper, and i think now they use sucky trunion mount shocks?

Demo the Orange Stage 6 as well, it’s got a really distinct style that’s more lively than a lot of LT 29ers.

You might love it, you might hate it – but it’s worth trying and you can probably get one in budget in the sales.

I could quite fancy a 29er Capra.

Orbea Rallon R5. Just brilliant.

Another vote for the Rallon from me.

@howsyourdad1 – yes 2017 Treks had the Fox X2 shock, 2018s they have a RockShox with some wacky new ideas in it, may be great.  Same frame, and for 2019 as well I think.  If my budget had run to it I would have gone for a carbon Transition Sentinel, but it didn’t and the ali Sentinel frame apeared a bie heavy for my purposes (not particularly looking for that big a bike).  Getting a decent drop in with the Slash frame is an issue because of the interrupted seat tube.  I have a 32″ inside leg and can just get a 125mm travel Reverb to fit the Slash (size large, but it would have been the same with a medium).

I test rode an am9 and an s150, both great but went am9 as a frame only. Both big old bikes that are more enduro than trail in my opinion, but if that is what you want they’d hit the spot. I think the AM9 is great value.

The 2019 radon swoop looks the dogs pods to me. Well cheap also.

I’ve got a Capra 29er and I’m really happy with it. However, if I had a bit more cash if have loved a Orbea Rallon.

Similar scenario a while back and got a Transition Smuggler. I recon it is the ultimate bike for the UK. Don’t let the rear travel dictate what this bike can do as it rides way above it. Yes it isn’t a plow bike but should you choose your line carefully this bike is a hoot at full tilt.

I’ve ridden the S150, Rallon and AM9. All were great- the S150 is a pretty direct/gravity oriented, and the AM9 more so, but even more chuckable. The Rallon seems to hit a sweet spot of weight and playfulness, but still equally capable downhill.

However, I’ll probably go for the AM9- but I’m looking to replace a Banshee Rune, and I have a 110/130mm travel 29er besides, so I’m looking for something at the rowdier end of the scale.

Stumpy evo. Or a stage 5 or 6 are amazing.

I’ve ordered a bergamont trailster 10….

Intense Carbine Pro? Slightly over budget, but great spec and £800 off at £3700 currently.

You could buy an XL Rallon 29 frame (cough cough) and do a great build on it for that budget…

I’m looking at these too, as well as the above I have the following on my not very short list.

Nukeproof Mega

Vitus Escarpe 29

Marin Alpine Trail

Kona Process 153 29

Intense Carbine

Commencal Meta AM 29

Scoot Ransom/Genius

Rocky Mountain Instinct BC Edition

Norco Range (Evans though)

I’m a very happy AM9 owner. I bought mine in Feb as a frame only but a £3K budget would get a pretty decent full build.

Also, if you break  a big companies bike, you are less likely to have said companies snivelling sycophant mates at uplift days ratting you out for riding certain jumps.

ooft

This. I’d buy this

I think if I was on that sort of budget, I would probably be buying the Bird.

I’ve seen a few Sentinel carbon frames for ~£1900, Could build something up around that for around £3k quite nicely. Not quite ‘long travel’ though.

@hobnob Where? (sentinel frames)

I have a smuggler from 2018 and it is the absolute t*ts.  150mm fox 36 and coil on the rear. Love it!

If you don’t mind me asking – How much did you sell your codeine for? I’m about to sell mine (it has the CCDB Air shock) and i have no idea what to ask? Did you ebay it??

I’ve just gone for the Santa Cruz Hightower with 150mm 36s on it that helps? 2018 Model in the sale 20 – 30% off at Stif Cycles.

@hobnob Where? (sentinel frames)

Wildside Cycles. They are 2018 run out frames. Might have to give them a call & I think they only had L’s left when a friend was after one.

Black flag…. sold for £875 in the end. that was with pikes, hope etc etc.

in the spirit of recomending what youve got…….

Kona process 153 29, climbs waay better than my old process & feels like im cheating on descents

CRC have some on sale right now

Budget for an 11-46 casette, posher damper for the fork & lighter wheelset & its so much fun

OP, didn’t you say you didn’t get on with long travel bikes previously? I recall you saying you didn’t ride the terrain to justify it, or often enough. Have you moved/ride a bit more now?.

Hi Nobeer.

Ive moved closer to FOD and wales and ma planning a trip to the alps next year.

I get on fine with long travel. Its hardtail that kills me because Im an old fat knacker.

The Codeine was 150mm upfront and was a good bike but the lack of length (42cm reach) and the fact the seat tube was soooooo long meant I cant get a decent sized dropper post in it.

Superb, sounds good.

I went through something similar and picked up a Transition Sentinel recently.

It’s superb, but it is a lot of bike, and it does seem to need steep/fast., It’s not a just-riding-along bike if that makes sense. I’m very pleased with it – goes very fast indeed!

ooft

Its a great read: https://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/how-strong-should-an-enduro-bike-be/

mmmm…

Je James have a 2018 NX sentinel for £2399

Geometron.

They are selling off the demo frames now. G13 with longer stroke shock or the G15.

https://www.wildsidecycles.co.uk/product/transition-sentinel-carbon-frameset/

FFS hob nob stop it!

brink  have  NX sentinels for 2249

https://brink.uk/transition-sentinel-2018