Short Travel Bike Choices?

I’m thinking about changing my current SolarisMax for a full sus. The Solaris is currently running 120mm Pikes and that seems to be plenty of travel for the riding I do.

I’m looking for a full survey bike to replace it. In an ideal world, I’d like something that climbs like my old S-Works Epic but goes down like the Solaris. I’ve maniky had XC bikes in the past but I’m liking the LLS geometry but that doesn’t lend itself to great climbing.
I was looking for something with 120mm travel but the Trek Supercaliber caught my eye, possibly the best of both worlds but possibly not!

Any suggestions?
Budget is around £4k.

SC Blur (the trail-y version), Epic Evo, maybe Transition Spur?

Izzo, Spur.

Search for those two on the forum and you’ll find a few other suggestions too.

Transition spur is the standard answer isn’t it? Not for £4K though I don’t think
YT Izzo?

Edit… too slow!

Orbea Oiz TR

Izzo is a good shout.

Or Orange Stage Evo?

I sold my SolarisMax and got a Stage 4, it’s been a really positive change – better at everything and around the same weight.

I sold my SolarisMax and got a Stage 4, it’s been a really positive change – better at everything and around the same weight.

I have sold my original Solaris (Mk1) and selling my Transition Smuggler and have bought a Stage Evo, I’m glad to hear you like you stage 4 chakaping, as your blog was one of the review that convince me to buy it.

Have yet to try it in anger as I only finished building it on Sunday, must admit it wasn’t cheap for the frameset, but C2W helped that 😉

Could be another option for you OP?

I have sold my original Solaris (Mk1) and selling my Transition Smuggler and have bought a Stage Evo, I’m glad to hear you like you stage 4 chakaping, as your blog was one of the review that convince me to buy it.

Hi, I used to have a Smuggler as well – dunno if I was on that when we rode together a few years ago?

The Orange keeps most of the good stuff from the Smuggler but is far more lively – I reckon the Evo will be slightly better still in a few ways.

🙂

I want a Cross Country version of the Oiz.

I’ve kind of fallen in love with it. I want a frame, to build it how I like though – and that looks like it could take me years to get one.

As above though, the TR version would suit you well. 3 position lockout on the bars.

The Orange keeps most of the good stuff from the Smuggler but is far more lively – I reckon the Evo will be slightly better still in a few ways.

That’s what I’m hoping for (fingers crossed)

So i changed from an older Epic to an Epic Evo 2020 – it’s such a blast. If you want some epic climbing but with extra descending – this is awesome. Rejuventated my riding

+1 Epic evo

I’ve maniky had XC bikes in the past but I’m liking the LLS geometry but that doesn’t lend itself to great climbing.

You’re doing something wrong then.

My Cotic Flaremax will outclimb any other bike I’ve had, whether it’s steep, long or both – see a previous post on the subject (by Roverpig).

And to recommend what you ride, a Cotic Flaremax.

I recently picked up a Gen 1 Flaremax as a longer travel, more capable bike which would handle similarly to my 2012 Epic and Solaris. My thinking was more comfortable and better descending than both and I’d take the hit on the climbs. I didn’t want the latest LLS version as I don’t need the technical descending abilities and wanted something that would handle similarly to other bikes, plus I can’t afford new!

In fact it climbs better than both. and it’s just ridiculously capable on the fast rocky descents which I seek out. It’s left me wondering if the Epic, which I used for long (60km+) days is now redundant.

If as others have said there is no climbing penalty for LLS, then I’d go for a new Flaremax. Phenomenal bikes from an excellent company that really looks after its customers.

I looked in to the Flaremax when they released it recently but the weight puts me off a bit.

Even with a fairly lightweight build you’d be looking at 30-31 lbs for the Cotic but something like the Epic Evo would be closer to 25lb. That’s a fair difference to be lugging around on a long day out.

Where I’m riding theres not a huge amount of technical riding but some decent bits of singletrack here and there which makes me think the Cotic could be overkill.
The main issue at the moment seems to be finding stock anywhere!

The Flaremax is on the burly end of the trail bike spectrum, for sure.

It can out-perform the lighter options when descending, but you wouldn’t want to force it into service for an XC race like you might some other bikes in the category.

My Cotic Flaremax will outclimb any other bike I’ve had, whether it’s steep, long or both

Depends what those other bikes were, really. I moved from a Soul to a Cotic Flare to an Orbea Occam, then to an Oiz trail. Each new bike outclimbed the previous one.

+1 for the Oiz, though I was looking for one for ages and ended up buying an Occam instead, which are a bit more common I think. I was looking for something more XC, obviously, but I have no regrets about buying the Occam, love it.

The more I’m reading about the Epic Evo, the better it’s sounding. Sounds like a very capable bike.

Banshee Phantom?

I have a rigid Mk1 Solaris and a 2020 Oiz TR. Hard to compare them as they’re so different. I love the FlareMax but the weight did put me off a bit. Spur was also a good choice but pricing ain’t cheap, although the FlareMax came out similar once specced up. My Oiz weighs 30lb but that includes mudguards and a couple of bits I had attached to the bike when I weighed it. My Solaris (with a carbon front fork) weighs 28lb. The FlareMax, in the real world, would weigh a lot more than a carbon framed short travel bike

Looking for similar myself and adding to those mentioned to have a look at would be Intense Sniper T (or maybe xc) and Vitus Rapide FS. Liked the Norco Revolver FS (100 or 120) but no UK importer last time i looked

I’m in the same boat OP. Looking for something 29er to replace my 27.5 Giant Anthem. I’m currently mulling over the following list;

YT Izzo
Transition Spur
Epic Evo
Trance 29 (short travel version)
SC Tallboy
Merida One-Twenty 7000/8000

I’ve discounted the Trance because the geometry is a bit last gen. The Izzo is top of the list but impossible to buy one at the moment. Also, I’ve never bought a direct mail order bike before and I’m a little nervous of doing so re: warranty issues. The Epic Evo is also a watcher but I don’t find Specialized bikes to be particularly good value component-wise, similar situation with the Tallboy, so I’d probably go down the frame only option with either of those if possible.

I’m hoping Giant bring out a new Anthem 29 with 120/130 travel, as I’m completely sold on their Maestro suspension platform.

The more I’m reading about the Epic Evo, the better it’s sounding. Sounds like a very capable bike.

Looks hard to beat if you want to go full downcountry.

I’m hoping Giant bring out a new Anthem 29 with 120/130 travel, as I’m completely sold on their Maestro suspension platform.

Ibis Ripley might be worth a look, if you like that style of neutral & nice-pedaling suspension.

he Epic Evo is also a watcher but I don’t find Specialized bikes to be particularly good value component-wise, similar situation with the Tallboy, so I’d probably go down the frame only option with either of those if possible.

I was thinking exactly the same about the Epic, £4.5k for a bike with SLX groupset seems a bit much! Only problem with frames is they only do an S-Works and that’s £4k.
I’ve got an X01 AXS groupset to go on whatever I buy but whatever I sell the SLX for it won’t recoup much of the initial cost.

You need another frame to put the SLX on then.

The wheels on that base model Epic Evo might be a bit of a compromise as well.

I’m in the market for something similar. The current supply problems and cycle2work are making things a little tricky.

Top of my list were:
YT Izzo
SC Tallboy
Whyte S120

Can’t get the Izzo on C2W, can’t find a XL Tallboy and the Whyte has been discontinued. Never been a great fan of Specialized

Looking at a Banshee Phantom now… a little porky but does look like a decent bike and they seem to be available.

Ibis Ripley might be worth a look, if you like that style of neutral & nice-pedaling suspension.

The Ripley looks bang on actually, plus the geo numbers in size L are exactly what I’m looking for (I’m 6ft exactly / 183cm). Thanks for the heads up @chakaping. Another one for the list.

@tomtomthepipersson – the supply issue is a right PITA. I’ve resigned myself to the fact that I’ll probably be looking at Spring / Summer 2022 at the earliest to get hold of something decent. However, the upside is that I’ll hopefully have a bit more cash saved by then so might be able to pick up something really nice.

Had a similar dilemma just over a year ago (before supply became a real issue!), this was my thread on the topic…

Another “which bike?” (29er, shortish travel, full sus) thread…

I ended up with a Rocky Mountain Element A50 (full alloy frame), stripped off the SRAM NX/GX combo and replaced with X01 I already had, upgraded the SLX brakes to Guide RS’, Fox Transfer 150mm drop post, 780mm wide Nukeproof carbon bars, short 55mm stem, Mavic XA Elite wheels etc… It’s not super light (carbon frame would help here), but at a little over 12kg (around 27lb) it’s the lightest full sus MTB I’ve had in a very long time still.

Oh, and though I’ve had it over a year, and I still keep toying with the idea, I still haven’t fitted an Angleset yet! Yes, it’s a bit twitchier than I’m used to with a 69deg HA, but the bike is actually still far more capable than you would expect it to be. It’s the perfect “Downcountry” bike still I’d say, it loses nothing to a full on XC bike on the climbs but it just has that little bit more in reserve on the descents. I get where the likes of Transition are going with their Spur and applaud it, but arguably bikes like this and the Whyte S-120 are short travel aggressive trail bikes which isn’t what I wanted really, I was after something that felt distinctly different to the 140-160mm travel LLS bikes I was used to riding not just a shorter travel version of the same… If I could only keep one bike (I have several, including a Geometron and a long travel eBike too), I’d keep the Element! It has made riding my local trails fun again, yet is still far more capable than the bikes I started riding those trails on 20 odd years ago.

If I was after something a little more LLS but still XC/Downcountry capable, then this is what I’d get probably… http://www.carbonda.com/mountain/full-suspension/98.html?fbclid=IwAR3-M0XDu7j87878o4i3soh6jgDW8JICSTuqgoG5FhDgiZOzD75p87IiRIY

I know a couple of people on these now (it’s the same frame as the Vitus Rapide (and NS Synonym), they rave about them. They are enduro bike long though, so a short travel bike that can require weight shifts similar to an Enduro bike potentially. Either a good thing or a bad thing dependant on your viewpoint. I stuck with slightly more conventional geometry cos I didn’t want to have to run overly aggressive tyres and/or ride it like an Enduro bike to be able to get the tyres to grip. Funnily enough, a relative lack of grip from super fast XC rubber yet still managing to get decent amounts of grip from them because my weight is a little bit closer to them, has been an odd revelation and a lot of fun on my RM Element!

The more I’m reading about the Epic Evo, the better it’s sounding. Sounds like a very capable bike.

Looks hard to beat if you want to go full downcountry.

Old school Californian tyre clearance though… First Spesh I lusted after in probably 2 decades, and then I saw one in the flesh and knew I wouldn’t be able to own one. The stock super low profile 2.2’s it comes on don’t have much room in there, modern 2.35-2.4″ XC or “downcountry” rubber would be useless in there.

Old school Californian tyre clearance though… First Spesh I lusted after in probably 2 decades, and then I saw one in the flesh and knew I wouldn’t be able to own one. The stock super low profile 2.2’s it comes on don’t have much room in there, modern 2.35-2.4″ XC or “downcountry” rubber would be useless in there.

Interesting. Just checked the specs on Specialized’s website and they do indeed come fitted with their own brand 2.3 rubber which, if going by past experiences, will size up around 2.2 inches / 54mm.

Old school Californian tyre clearance though

That’s a shame. I’d be looking for something that’ll take 2.4’s so that’ll kind of rule out the Epic.

Currently looking at the Trek Top Fuel as another possible option…

Something that’d put me off Spesh is that my previous carbon Camber Evo would eat a set of frame bearings about every 6 months, whereas my Cotic has only just had a new set – at just over 3 years old (and according to Strava, done more miles).

Have been thinking about this myself for a while and have an slx/deore Rapide FS being delivered today. Will let you know how I get on and already considering a spare set of beefier 120mm forks for trail centres as its 100mm as standard. Will keep the 100mm for xc racing as I dont have the space to keep another bike.

Thanks for the heads up @chakaping. Another one for the list.

Happy to help, ’tis a shame Giant don’t really have their act together with their trail bike geometries though. I used to be a huge fan of the Trance/Anthem/Reign bikes with Maestro in the late noughties.

I get where the likes of Transition are going with their Spur and applaud it, but arguably bikes like this and the Whyte S-120 are short travel aggressive trail bikes which isn’t what I wanted really

This is the nub of the issue I suppose, this is exactly the approach I want for my short travel bikes – as I ride them on a lot of the same trails as my enduro bike. My Stage 4 has the same reach as my Stage 6 – just with a 65.5deg HA instead of 63deg and 110mm air rear travel instead of 150mm coil.

It’s surprising how close they are in terms of speed, but obviously excel at different ends of the riding spectrum.

Your RM looks lovely – a rare case where tanwalls get my stamp of approval.

have been running my Epic evo with the stock 2.3 Ground control/Fast trak in the summer, and 2.35 Nobby Nics for the winter gloop. Not had any clearance issues, and plenty of grip with those combinations

Have been thinking about this myself for a while and have an slx/deore Rapide FS being delivered today. Will let you know how I get on and already considering a spare set of beefier 120mm forks for trail centres as its 100mm as standard. Will keep the 100mm for xc racing as I dont have the space to keep another bike.

Who has stock?

YT Izzo – I bought one as I liked it so much. Very capable but stock might be an issue.

Cotic Flare Max – Amazing bike. I rode it with Cy on my local trails and it was incredible. Rear suspension handles bigger stuff a bit better than the Izzo.

SC Tallboy – I just sold my Izzo and have replaced it with a Tallboy. Not ridden it yet (waiting for brake parts). Bought it as it’s meant to be a blast DH and I already have a big travel bike.

Spur – Ross rated the Spur when he reviewed it last year.

Orange Stage Evo – not ridden the 29er myself but the 27.5in version is awesome. Very playful climbs well and handles chunky terrain well too. Just don’t like the bottle position.

Had a stock alert set up with CRC and Wiggle and got in there when I had an email.

Gambled on a large at 5 foot 11 so will see how I get on with the geometry. Seat tube a bit too tall but shorter than the spark at least.

I bought an Intense Sniper T a few months back (I own a Solaris as well). I’d been looking for an Epic Evo last year but couldn’t get one for love nor money and then there was a significant price hike last year which just made me question the value.

Re the Sniper – It’s really good. Light, nippy and a very capable descending bike with 120mm. I’ve raced it too and was impressed. There’s an element of new bike syndrome but I’ve happily pulled it out for 60 mile XC rides, marathon racing and sessioning trails in the Surrey Hills.

Californian rear tyre clearance though and feels like a British winter won’t do it too many favours (I’m not convinced by the weatherproofing, particularly on the E13 wheels!) – which won’t be an issue as the Solaris will be back out for that period of the year.

A lot of my friends have Tallboys in various guises (chunky plus wheels to XC race 29 set ups). They all love them.

And another demoed a Spur at the weekend, loved it, ordered one for when they eventually arrive in the country. Which may well be your problem.

Had a stock alert set up with CRC and Wiggle and got in there when I had an email.

Gambled on a large at 5 foot 11 so will see how I get on with the geometry. Seat tube a bit too tall but shorter than the spark at least.

Ta. Interested in sizing. At 5’10” I’m thinking medium, but prefer ett on large.