Hello all,

Lurker, very occasionally posting swiss based scot with a question which I am hoping for some opinions on.

I am in analysis paralysis. Blue Pig or Niner EMD. I am aware these are somewhat different, but let me outline my riding and needs and see what you think.

Current ride: large 08 Stumpy FSR. competent, good for long days out, but not really that good at anything in particular. fits me OK but might be better with XL, would probably keep. Bit flexy though (fork, wheels and back end). Also got a very old Marin Nail trail in 22" or something that is my commuting hack.

Me: Tall and fat. 6'4" 120kg, 35, long suffering bike/ski widow wife, 2 kids (young), get out 2x per week. 1x evening night ride 1-2hrs, 1x weekend rides, normally v early (dark) for a bit longer. Bigger trips in summer.

Want: responsive hard tail, for out of the saddle honking and hooning about in local forest, but also on longer rides, esp in the alps where it needs to climb (hence honking out the saddle), but also manage the bloody ridiculous steep singletrack switchbacks, but also happy to bomb down the bigger, faster, wider trails that are only ridable at a decent clip so the baby head rocks are not so much bother. Not a big air/drop kind of guy.

Consider-ing/ed, Blue Pig, Soul (too flexy i reckon, maybe not slack enough), BFe (bit small perhaps) etc etc. thought cheap-ish steel was the way to go. Blue Pig seems to answer most, but then…. I don't know if I want a gate proportioned 26er, when perhaps I should aim for a 29er which might just all be a bit more in proportion. Really got this in my head!

Also want to get a frame as I really fancy building it all up myself. And I can't test ride, as I am in Schweiz and I have not seen any 29ers nearby, and they are not really into the whole HH HT thing here.

Your opinions hugely valued, especially if you think I am a total muppet!

Any answers will undoubtedly lead to more questions on kit choice.. Thanks!

Kev

hello mate
i am a bit heavier but same height as you.
i ride a couple of 29rs, one being a on one with 100mm forks
and one being a chumba with 130mm forks.
i also owned a blue pig for a month.
it was a fantastic bike to ride.
very comfy with a 130mm fork, but like most 26'' wheeled bikes, it just felt too small, short, cramped.
it is ideal for the type of riding you are talking about tho, i rode it on a 45 mile route which it was fine on, but it was more fun on singletrack at dalby and kielder.
the 130mm forked 29r is a similar riding thing, fun on the downs and a bit more the right size for a 6fy 4'' bloke.
so what i am saying is a 120ishmm forked tough 29r would suit you a bit better.

servus kev,

wo in der scheiss schweiz bist du? was machst du dort?

i've noticed the whole lack of hardtail thing here in germany as well. it seems they like to let people know they can afford suspension.

maybe think about an Alpine, BFe or 456. all 26", though.

Niner EMD is not really a hardcore hardtail at all. It's a lightweight ally XC 29er frame! 😕

Lovely as they are, if you're considering a 29er that you want to give some abuse, think about the following…

Banshee/Mythic Paradox
Chumba HX2

If you want a comfortable hardtail 29er thats a bit more in to hooning about then have a look at the Paradox by Mythic/Banshee. Think its built to take a 120mm fork and although its an alloy frame its supposed to be really comfy.

See if you can contact Bonesetter of this parish as he's got one and really rates it (IIRC). Also have a look at the Singular Swift as although its normally built as a ss by most people I've geared mine up and can do most things on it. When i spoke to Sam who owns Singular he was running it with 120mm Rebas so it will take a longer fork although I've built mine with a set of 100mm Manitou Minutes and it handles really nicely.

Hope that helps 😉

Look at the new Canfield Nimble 9 too; and On-one are looking at bringing out a long travel 29er hardtail in ti and steel, but not sure when.

Gruetzi Alpin, im Nord-West Schweiz, nahe Basel. Mein Deutsch ist sehr sheiss! Und Sie? Been here a couple of years, moved with work. Love it. 😀

Aye, fair point, only cheapy hard tails, or nose down bum up cube 100mm travel numbers. Out on the trails it's fookin wall to wall full sus, and none of your bargain stuff either. Furry-boots ye frae in Germany? (Aberdonian for – where abouts are you from).

Ton, great to have the input! Great run down which has really confirmed my thoughts. I think for wee rides the 26er would be OK, but most stuff is bit longer. Great suggestions that i will explore. CHumba looks sweet. Did you go for the largest size? or largest but 1?

Maverick, thanks for that, I did say it might be ridiculous, thanks for confirming! 😉 See your suggestion matches Bigsi, thanks chaps.

Bigsi, nice tip, will PM.

Clink, Never even heard of that, will give it a butchers!

Lovely stuff folks. Next Q: 29er wheels, stiff but light, thoughts? 😳

Ta!

Kev

CLink, holy-f'ing-moly, that Cranfield looks the muts nuts, but I have a felling based on teh rest of their kit it may be hideously expensive. Beautiful, beautiful stuff though. 😯

They're looking at $550 for frame. E-mail them for pre-orders.

graisdi….

Sie, nah… DU. i'm not the old bill or so analy retentive that i'll get upset with your lack or respect shown to me.

stupid language, isn't it.

nice area around Basel. nice and hilly. I used to lived on the shores of Bodensee last the year before last. origianlly from London/Essex….

viel spaß.

wow that cranfield is gorgeous 😉

Some good recommendations above – Banshee and the Chumba are the obvious choices for a fella of your dimensions. XL Swift would also be fine, though if you are particularly abusive and want to use a long travel fork I'd probably recommend one of the other two first.

Get in touch with twentyniner.ch, The guy Jochen who runs the site is not too far out of Basel, and there are loads of fellas in Zurich with big wheels – I'm sure they could hook you up a test ride on something just to get a feel for it.

Loving that Canfield Nimble 9! Definitely gotta be a candidate for my next frame purchase, if/when I can ever afford one again!

Alpin, my grasp is sooo bad that my 4 year old speaks far more Deutsch than I do! 😳 Aye, nice and hilly about here, lots of nice natural trails, and also good fun to go to alps on the train for something spectacular in the summer.

Sam, great link, will do!

Bigsi, Singular is looking like a lovely option, steel seems to really appeal, will look at also. I think 120mm is a realistic amount of travel for what I want it for, so good to know it can handle it.

Kev

kev, just a heads up.
my chumba frame and forks are up for sale mate…. 8)

PM sent!

Bigsi, re. Singular Swift, I think I read somewhere that you are not exactly a light person. When you are stomping on teh pedals, or wrenching through something a little techy on teh Swift do you find it squirming and flexing all over the place, or is it stiff? Hard question, hope you can answer.

Kev