As title ….just in case anyone wants one, i have its great!

Arrgghh

I was reading the STW review just last night. Possible for a 29er rigid shed build do you think?

<fingers in ears> la la la

Does this mean that there is a new batch on the boat though? Maybe I should wait to see if there are any improvements. He says, desperately trying to talk himself out of hitting the button 🙂

not great for a rigid build as designed for 120/140mm forks, get a swift for that. I doubt there’ll be an update anytime soon as singular seem to be concentrating on the swifts/gryphons and 29+ and the new kite but who knows!

I’m not worried about a rigid build. Quite the opposite really.

I’m currently nursing a broken arm (OTB) and looking at a few more weeks off the bike. I’ve already decided that when I get back I’m going to ride the hardtail for a bit. Work on trying to develop a smoother more controlled style and see if I can nail a few of the basic skills (wheelies, manuals etc). However, my FF29 has a steep head angle, which could be a problem as it’s all pretty steep and rocky up here and I’m bound to be nervous about OTBs at first. It’s also a challenge to lift the front wheel. My fork is currently at 120mm, but can easily be extended to 140mm. A long slack 29er with short chainstays could be just the ticket and at £300 minus whatever I can get for an ff29 frame in very good condition, it’s hard to resist. Which is why I was hoping that somebody could convince me that there is something even better coming 🙂

@roverpig, sounds like you should give it a go. Buzzard geo is very similar to my Yelli Screamy, which I find fun and forgiving, it’s certainly what I want if I was somewhere steep and rocky. It’s a different beast to the FF29 for sure. My riding buddy cheezpleez has one and can tell you more, or do a search,.

gws.

If I hadn’t bought a Bigwig…

Well that’s not helping at all now, is it 🙂

Seriously, thanks, it does look as though it could be ideal for working on some skills and building up confidence on the rocky stuff again. To be honest, I’ve been looking at these on and off for the last year or so anyway and even before the latest off I’ve been close to hitting the buy button on a few occasions. A slack 29er HT just seems like an ideal bike for having a bit of fun on the hills for a few hours, which describes most of my riding. The need for a Heath Robinson approach to setting it up 2×10 with a dropper (which is what I’d want) is a bit off putting, but it’s hard to be too picky at that price.

Roverpig…have you tried riding a rigid 29er? If you’re not the smoothest on the brakes and liable to grab them when you get a bit twitchy then you may find the fork diving and bouncing further adds to your issues. As the fork dives it also steepens the headangle. Maybe lock your fork out next time you’re out and give it a go if that is possible, you’ll be surprised how well a 29er with a big chunky tyre on deals with stuff and something like a knard on the front of your FF29 with a rigid fork may work. This is coming from someone with a Jones fat front rigid, Swift rigid and a canfield yelli screamy. The yelli is great for blasting through stuff at pace but on slow, steep, nadgery stuff I would rather be on the Jones.

That’s a good point. Thanks. Although I had pretty much got myself out of the habit of panic braking. The problem last time was hitting a rock at speed and the front wheel not getting over. OK, that’s pretty much all down to bad anticipation and bad body position, but a nice long suspension fork coupled with a nice big wheel still sounds like an attractive proposition right now 🙂

yeah 120mm on my Yelli is enough for me, it’s a fair point that more travel starts to change geometry a lot, quite “dynamically” on a HT. 120mm is masses on a 29er HT for anything I want to do. If I’m in a place where I “need” more, that means I’m in the wrong place! (I’ll try it at 100mm one day too).

Try not to over analyse your accident mr pig, **** happens it just goes with the territory sometimes.

You did say in your thread re the accident you don’t really enjoy steep rocky descents. My advice on that basis would be to not do them!

You seem to be doing OK typing 1 handed.

The need for a Heath Robinson approach to setting it up 2×10 with a dropper

Nothing Heath Robinson about that.

It’s at times like this when the fact that I never learned to touch type properly can be a positive blessing 🙂

Fair point about the travel. I’d probably just leave the fork as it is (120mm) for now, but it’s nice to have the option for an even slacker setup I guess.

I can’t deny that steep with lots of rocks gives me the fear and I doubt that coming back from a broken arm will help, but I’m not prepared to give up just yet as I’m sure those descents could be fun with a bit more ability. Of course, that doesn’t need a new bike and I doubt I’ll do anything until I get a bit closer to returning, but it’s still fun to ponder the options when actual riding is not an option.