Short Travel Bike Choices?

I think I’d be looking at a Spur frame and moving your existing parts over from the Cotic.

No way would I be looking at a Flaremax for your stated need – that would be like me suggesting a Bird Aether because I ride one. Both would be over 30lbs unless you went amazingly bling / light on the build kit.

As above the Izzo / Oiz would be good options if you can find them.

I think the Trek Top Fuel would also be on the list – it’s less long / slack than the sour but still a good allrounder.

In our group of friends one guy has a Too Fuel which he’s riding for everything and it’s taken a lot of abuse including jumping doubles and tables and steep off piste stuff. One guy bought a Flaremax but decided pretty quickly it was too much bike / too heavy and sold it on again – yet are happy with a SC Tallboy.

Swarf Contour. Might weigh a bit but just look at one. It’s the best looking full sus bike by a mile

Just heading back to the Trance 29 – it’s got nigh on the same geo as the Epic Evo (in L at least) – plus shed loads of clearance for 2.4s (talking from experience)…

https://geometrygeeks.bike/compare/giant-trance-29-2-2021-l,specialized-epic-evo-2021-l/

Just heading back to the Trance 29 – it’s got nigh on the same geo as the Epic Evo (in L at least) – plus shed loads of clearance for 2.4s (talking from experience)…

Good shout! Wonder how it compares it terms of pedaling efficiency?

Wonder how it compares it terms of pedaling efficiency?

Not so good I’d guess unless you go for the top end live valve model. No personal experience but Pinkbike have reviewed them all and the results are credible (to me at least)

Seems to get good reviews (STW Will liked it, PinkBike review was positive) – I’ve found it very good. The Live Valve version is the Trance X (135mm rear travel I believe) – they seemed to think that it might have been a better ride without the Live Valve.

Swarf Contour – Thing of beauty. Is he taking orders again yet?

Intense Sniper T and Orange Stage Evo are both good calls IMO, although personally I preferred the Intense VPP suspension.
FWIW, I have a SC Tallboy, and whilst it’s a huge amount of fund descending and on contouring trails, I’d not say it’s a quick climbing bike. On tech climbs it’s great, but if you’ve got a fire road ascent, it feels a little lethargic for its weight (climb switch on shock is a bugger to reach too). From a quick ride on the Intense, I’d say it felt closer to 50:50 bias on ascend/descend, whereas the TB is 70:30 in favour of descending.

Did anyone else think, having seen the XC racing at the olympics, that an XC bike is ridiculously capable and more than I (or most people) will need for the majority of riding!

caveat – I live in the South and don’t have big lakeland passes or gnarly Scottish mountains nearly

Did anyone else think, having seen the XC racing at the olympics, that an XC bike is ridiculously capable and more than I (or most people) will need for the majority of riding!

Yeah, but they’re all sub 60kg whippets. If I did that* on one of their bikes it would crumple under me 🙂

* I probably couldn’t manage half the drops on that course anyway 🙁

Did anyone else think, having seen the XC racing at the olympics, that an XC bike is ridiculously capable

It did inspire me to take my short-travel bike out more… when it’s stopped raining.

Did anyone else think, having seen the XC racing at the olympics, that an XC bike is ridiculously capable and more than I (or most people) will need for the majority of riding!

Yup, totally agree. Modern XC race 29ers with 110/120mm front and 100/110 rear are basically aggro short travel trail bikes from 5 years ago. There’s a couple of manufacturers still hanging on to the steep HT angle / short top tube and reach mantra but most seem to be moving towards long low slack, even for XC.

Swarf Contour

Beautiful bike. I might be able to forgive the extra couple of KG’s simply on style points alone. Great story behind it as well. Apparently he’s not taking any more orders until next year though.

Banshee Phantom is an immensely capable bike for the travel (I’ve got an XL frame for sale) 😉

I wanted a little more travel, but to be honest I’m thinking of building it back up for another go. It’s good job I don’t have the time to do it at the moment I suppose hehe.

It is a bit heavier than some, but it really didn’t ride heavy.