Just been out for a night ride and as per title I’ve snapped it.
Gutted because it was just a superb bike.
I’ve done loads of technical ish xc riding locally around Leeds and also taken it all over to the lakes, peaks, Scotland etc. Always really fun to ride and very capable given how little travel it had. It’s taken everything in its stride…up until tonight that is.

So… What next?
I think the short ish travel but long and slack format really suits me for the type of riding I do on it. I wouldn’t be disappointed just finding another second hand one TBH.

But what else is out there?
Ideally I’d be looking for maybe slightly more travel (but not at the expense of agility / fun) and maybe a bit lighter (but not at the expense of durability – I’m hard on bikes as we’ve seen tonight).

Would consider all options from a second hand frame from the last few years rught up to a full new bike.

Any suggestions?

I have a cotic flare max which I upped the travel on the back to 130mm and run 140mm forks and it’s a very good all round mountain bike , I’d probably be looking at the jeht now for the same type of thing .

The tallboy seems to get a lot of love for the  capable short travel thing and the bird aether 9 as well . I seem to remember the norco optic getting good reviews but I’m not sure how easy they are to get hold of or if evans is still the only uk dealers . Have ibis not just released an alloy ripley ? That could suit .

If its out of warranty there’s a crash replacement scheme even if second hand, a new Sentinel 150mm will have a lifetime warranty.

Where has it snapped?

I snapped my 2016 Scout’s swingarm, Transition UK sourced a new one very quickly for me

As said above the warranty is very good

CRASH REPLACEMENT
In addition to our warranty, all Transition Bikes frames are covered for life under our “Crash Replacement Policy” to the original or second hand owner. If for any reason you should find yourself with a damaged frame, you may send us the broken frame section and we will replace it for the best possible price we can, assuming we have the replacement part available. If we do not have the piece available we will attempt to work out a crash replacement price on a replacement frame set. The customer is responsible for all shipping costs to get the frame to and from Transition Bikes.

More info here

https://www.transitionbikes.com/Support.cfm

Transition’s UK distro

https://www.windwave.co.uk/brands/Transition

Norco Optic?

Saracen ariel30? Yt izzo?

https://nsbikes.com/synonym-tr2,430,pl.html

Transition Spur sounds ideal, if you can actually get your hands on one.

+1 Cotic Flare Max

Why not contact Transition & see if they have a crash replacement policy & get a discounted Spur.

Or my Pivot 429 in the classifieds.

If you snapped a Smuggler (presumably alloy?) I’d avoid the Spur. It is NOT a direct replacement for the Smuggler and while I’ve ridden my Spur hard, I doubt it would hold up as well as an alloy Smuggler given how overbuilt they were. As others have said, I’d reach out to Transition for crash replacement parts for your Smuggler or look at a FlareMax.

Depends on the model year if you’re covered or not for a new frame, otherwise its crash replacement, if you punish bikes then Transitions new lifetime warranty can’t be ignored or another brand with lifetime warranty, the new carbon Spur and Sentinel do look stunning and have the all important threaded bb, important to me anyway.

Thanks all, good shout on the crash replacement. It’s a second hand 2016 bike which I acquired in 2018.
I’ll see what transition say.

The frame snapped around the seat mast so terminal 🙁

Browsing around I really like the look of the sentinel of I go the crash replacement route. Might be too much bike though? I was totally happy on 115mm travel smuggler for most of the time, and particularly it was great on more pedally local xc (which has some tech but not all the time).
That i didn’t need to be somewhere all uber-gnar to get the best out of it was one of the best things about it.

I think the spur is probably not enough bike, not sure it would be up for the level of beating it’d get.

The frame snapped around the seat mast so terminal

i’m looking at my similar vintage smuggler and wondering how it did that? how far was your seatpost inserted?

pics?

Sounds like you’re after a short travel 29er but built and with angles like an enduro bike. I’ve got a lot of time for bikes like that. If not transition than maybe the following:

Commencal Meta TR 29

Bird Aether 9 alloy

Cotic Flaremax (with 130mm) or Jeht

Norco Optic

Privateer 141 (might be a bit heavy / too slack possibly)

Evol (on the cheaper end of things)

I think the spur is probably not enough bike, not sure it would be up for the level of beating it’d get.

Agreed.

I used to own the same Smuggler as you and have ridden quite a few 29ers.

Of all the suggestions here, I think the FlareMax could be the one for you.

Similar pedalling manners to the Smuggler, little bit more capable – and likely to have much better geometry.

Also, not that heavy for a steel frame and I thought I could detect some benefit in the ride feel.

Browsing around I really like the look of the sentinel of I go the crash replacement route.

I have a 2018 Smuggler frame hanging up in the garage. I swapped to a Sentinel and although I really like it, I keep thinking I prefer the Smuggler with a 150mm fork – I’ve kept hold of it thinking I’ll rebuild it (probably never get around to it)…

It rides a lot lighter than the Sentinel. Try and get a go on one if you can…

I have a 2018 Smuggler frame hanging up in the garage. I swapped to a Sentinel and although I really like it, I keep thinking I prefer the Smuggler with a 150mm fork – I’ve kept hold of it thinking I’ll rebuild it (probably never get around to it)…

@iamtheresurrection … Depending on size, where you are, whether you’d consider selling, and how much for … I would be interested in repurposing this frame if you’re not going to use it!

Also at risk of a stealth ad, I have a 2016 Smuggler (large) still in the bike bag since moving to Scotland last year. Would consider selling (and have been meaning to, but procrastination, and knowing once I ride it I’ll want to justify keeping it!)

I’m running 160mm on the front of my (carbon) Smuggler with a piggyback shock outback. It is utterly hilarious going downhills. Super nimble, very light (pretty light build with carbon wheels, bars etc) and lots and lots of fun. Going uphill is still good but obviously night quite as good as when running 140mm.

I call mine a Smugginel. No plans to change it anytime soon as it is spot on for fast frollics in the Slurry Hills.

@jam-bo sorry I described the snappage incorrect. It’s gone on the seat tube below the top tube junction, and also infront of the big curved gusset on the top tube.
The whole top of seatpost/gusset assembly is so stiff it’s fatigued the tubes adjacent under my weight (im not light)

@campfreddie that’s how I was running mine. 160 up front. It was ace.

2018 smuggler had quite a revamp on geometry didn’t it (the whole SBG thing). Just bear it in mind if you pick up a newer one!

I think Joebristol gives most of the contenders. Still don’t think there’s that many shorter travel options. I love my 2018 aluminium smuggler, if it went I’d look again at Transition but also the Sonder or Cotic

Another Smuggler here, which has been a great steed. However, I have a really sick fetish for the current Orange Stage Evo at present. If I could hide dropping 5K from the missus, I’d buy one.

I’ve also looked at the Optic which looks decent, as somebody else mentioned, and is now available without going through Evans Cycles.

Stealth ad – I’ve just popped a Transition Sentinel up in the Classifieds if it’s of interest…

I’ve got a Smuggler as well, and I find they do the same thing, but in a bit more comfort on the Sentinel!

I have a Santa Cruz Tallboy CC frame for sale …..

onwards and upwards – get an Ibis

@whydot thanks your sentinel got pointed out to me by a riding buddy. If it was an XL I’d probably have bitten your hand off. I’m 6’3″ and think the L would be too small unfortunately.

@mmcd – PM sent – thanks

Just to update on this, crash replacement suggestion by @endomick and @escrs was a good one – thanks!
Windwave and Transition have been really good.
I was offered several frames from past model years at heavily discounted rates.
So as a result I’ve got a 2019 carbon transition sentinel frame on its way to me for £1500, which I thought was pretty good… Geometry has only moved on very slightly in the latest model so I’m sure it will ride great.
Just need to work out what other bits I need to buy for it now.

That is a good result, i borrowed my mates Smuggler for a few weeks earlier this year, the most fun bike i have ever ridden. Hoping the 2nd hand Sentinel i am currently building up shares some of its DNA.

Nice result.

Boost wheel time and possibly boost cranks depending on your current ones and chainline, a good excuse for new beefier fork time as well 😀, you’ll probably have a similar wheelbase to a 2022 with your old fork, but I don’t think offset is a big issue, my mate stuck old 27.5 forks on a new frame made for 37mm offset without noticing any issues. What colour they sending you.

Great result. Show some photos when it is built up!