So, if I wanted an AM full-sus 29er…

What should I be looking at?

I’ve been very impressed by my 29er HT (Trek Stache), so much so that I’m considering one for my FS needs as well – for riding everything from local Lancs moors to Lakes, Wales, Scotland and Alps.

The Canyon Spectral 29er looks the closest to what I think I’m after.

Spesh and Trek are off the menu for various reasons. The Zesty 29er looks to have a steeper HA than my Stache, which is no good.

Horsethief looks interesting but a bit pricey, On One Codeine is going to be a bit heavy for my liking and has no FD attachement. Kona Process 29er is a bit short on travel.

I’ve got an Orange 5 29 and think it’s ace. It looks a big old lump but doesn’t ride that way. It handles twisty single track just as well as my old 26″ 5 but is much faster every where else.

ive just ordered a titus Rockstar in carbon from On-One to go with my fireline 29er

“The Zesty 29er looks to have a steeper HA than my Stache, which is no good.”
“Kona Process 29er is a bit short on travel”

Lol
Obviously nico and Alex are struggling and could use your advice.
http://www.pinkbike.com/news/2014-Process-Platform-Big-Massive-Fun-Times-3-video.html

I love my Yeti SB95, it’s easily as agile as the Nicolai Helius CC it replaced. I was sceptical about 29ers before test riding it, but loved it after taking one out on a demo.

turner sultan sorry own one……..
rocky mountain instinct,,,,,,,owned an element

niner rip………..

specialized endure……I would like to try one but ticks the boxes

Budget? Would it be wrong to suggest a Nicolai ION 29er, or an AC if you can still find a frame?

Have you read the reviews of the Process?
http://cog.konaworld.com/archives/18566
http://www.konaworld.com/downloads/MBR-111DL.pdf
http://www.pinkbike.com/news/Kona-Process-111-DL-Review-2013.html

A few others others:

http://www.konaworld.com/satori.cfm
http://www.specialized.com/gb/gb/bikes/mountain/enduro/enduro-comp-29
http://www.lenzsport.com/detail.php?prodID=8

I ride a ’12 Transition Bandit 29, it has 130mm at the rear and 140mm at the front. It is a great bike but it has its limits, yes I can hit trail centre trails hard and it is fantastic but for places like Antur Stingog or for very fast bloulder runs in the Lakes I do fear for the wheels, they simply don’t have the robustness that smaller wheels boast.

On a hardtail the benefit of larger wheels rolling over stuff is a big boon but on a fairly long travel full susser that is reduced, the benefit rather than the actual effect.

One of the main benefits of bigger wheels is not the rolling but rather the BB drop. On a 29er you are placed a long way below the axle line, the same applies for a 650B (I cannot refer to it as 27.5” as it is not) you end up about 10mm further below the axle line than on a similar 26er.

This gives a more stable feeling, better cornering and you still get a noticable improvement in roll over. Add to this the increase in wheelbase and overall the bike feels smoother and more stable yet still good to corner.

I guess what I am saying is try a 650B, you get great geo, plenty of travel and a dropped BB plus better rolling…

If you are set on a 29er then I would be looking at the Nicolai Ion if I had the cash or maybe the Transition Covert but will need a shock tweak.

Couldn’t afford £2k for a frame, which unfortunately rules out Nicolai, Yeti, Santa Cruz.

I’m sure the Kona is an awesome bike but it’s 110mm real travel? I just can’t see how it’d be enough for me in the Lakes etc. But then I’m not as good a rider as Alex Stock.

Should try a 650b first I guess, but it’s a bitter pill to swallow.

Frame then

titus new on one

salsa horsethief te older one are reduced

secondhand

turner

I like the look of those Pyga thingys..

Whtye T129S ? 120 both ends, very very impressed so far can’t see the need for more travel, better off with a skills lesson 😉

I got on well with my RIP9 for those duties. Only circa 115mm travel at the back but felt like more. It takes a 140 fork. I reckon it would have been amazing with a Pike. I think I’d go for a Pivot if I was buying now.

There is a quality JPS Five29 available from a friend of mine for I think £2.4k complete Ono. He’s basically skint tho loves the bike. Mail me if you want his details.

My Turner Sultan has shrugged off anything I cack-handedly throw at it as far as riding and falling off are concerned.

Building a good set of wheels is key. I’ve never feared for my wheels but I’m using strong spokes, a stiff hub and Enve rims.

The Derby’s also build a very strong wheel. Build them up with a set of comps and away you go in my opinion.

The Mavic SX 29s are also very good and strong.

The Revolution 28 wheel set on my Covert 29 is plenty tough enough for anything. I’m not the lightest person, the bike is not the lightest bike around and my riding technique is not super slick and I’ve been riding my bike for the past couple of rides with two broken spokes (the spokes broke due to getting tangled up with the rear mech after me not setting the low limit screw correctly). The wheels are still running perfectly true and have handled a few knarly rocky trails and a few jumps and drops, so a reasonable test fro the robustness for a keen recreational rider. I’m pretty confident they’re plenty strong enough for anything you may want to throw at them.

Banshee Prime or Stumpy EVO 29.

I’d agree with Chainline, reference the wheels. I’m probably about 4 months further down the road than the OP, having tried a 29HT, loved it being over 6ft tall, and got 29AM curious.

I’m still loving the Enduro29, but that’s out for you as you’ve said. Have you had a look around for a Stumpy Evo 29 frame? Sometimes they pop up for sale. If not, the new Kona Process gets amazing reviews. I wouldn’t be worried about running ‘only’ 110mm travel with the angles that thing has.

But back to the wheels, the standard Roval’s on the Enduro were terrible, if you pushed it hard into berms or squared off corners, I could get the tyre to buzz the chainstays, the wheel was flexing so much.

Now on a wheelset I built around some of the Derby rims, and no more floppy wheels. The bike is so fast, it’s hilarious. I’ve had to learn how to go round corners again, because it doesn’t seem to slow down for anything, and I’m not used to carrying speed the way it does.

Just expecting a massive crash any time soon now 🙂

I’d love a Process – top of my list, but they aren’t available for aaaaages. Horsethief looks next best numbers wise.

Enduro 29 looks good, but they’ll never get my money.

Wheels are key, I agree. I think that for a 29 build they need to be more of the % spend. If not you end up with heavy, weak or both. The mavic 29 st are really impressive. I’m testing a pair just now.

I wouldn’t usually recommend a Five but the 29er is bloody good. The standard build is ropey as you’d expect, and the tyre clearance isn’t as good as you’d want really, and some combination of the flexy swingarm and dirt-cheap wheels meant even with terrible OEM contis I could still push the tyre into the swingarm in corners… But still, it was bloody good fun, and just felt like it wanted to take on the world.

Rocky Mountain
Scott
Cube
Mondraker? Lbs lad has just got his new Dune 650 for doing Scottish Enduro series and managed 13th, only beaten by some “pros” in the Dudes event! Is still grinning from era to ear. He also managed top 20 on a Blue Pig on the one before that!!

Think I will be waiting a while till this wheel size thing settles down, at 6ft and 15st and not able to afford to experiment like a lot of people on here! Will be taking my auld ’05 away again on any holidays 😆 any new bike is likely to be my last due to retirement looming in the next couple of years and pension unlikely to service an expensive hobby + the auld body is slowly falling apart 🙄

Mavic’s EN821 UST rims are available now – means you can lace them up with decent hubs rather than the Mavic toss, and use decent replaceable spokes. 2mm wider than Crossmax ST as well, so better tyre stability and shape.

Just got a set, but not built them yet…

i can concur regarding the wheels.

i was on Arch EX for a coiuple of years and now onto Derby Rims with comps. WHAT A DIFFERENCE !

as mentioned above, fast as f00k and they simply track accurately. like skiing on super-stiffs. incredible 🙂

I should also say worry less about the HA. Whilst I personally like it slacker, the SC lt is 69deg the Ripley similar and I’ve seen people doing daft stuff not hem without worrying. The Ripley is only 120mm.

My bro in law followed me down Antur Stiniog on his 120mm/140mm Norco Shinobi and it didn’t slow him down at all.

The Shinobi is another one to consider. They’ve stopped it now, even tho its a great bike with their 650b onslaught, so it’s massively discounted at Evans again. It’s a bit slacker than some, similar to the Covert.

Kona Process 111

In true stw style I’m going to recommend my own bike – A Kona Satori.

130mm rear travel and 140mm front, with a 68 degree head angle. Can be found 2nd hand at great prices, paid less than £600 for my frame.

Me too, even though I’ve never even seen it, let alone ridden it

Commencal Meta am2 29

Just out interest, what are the “comps” being mentioned?
EDIT: Clocked that they might be the spokes…

DT Comp spokes probably?

😀 I did edit before I saw you post, but cheers.

Have a look at the Canyon Spectral 29. I’m a believer so take my hint with a pinch of salt but the spec is very good for the price.

C

Spesh Enduro 29er, longest travel 29er + shortest chainstays is a brilliant combo

I spent a weekend demoing one recently and it was crazy how fast it went in a straight line, found myself pedaling to go faster in areas where i’d usually be holding on for my life.

Surprisingly corners and jumps well, only area where i felt it was slightly slow was in tight-right angle corners, where it felt a bit of struggle. To be fair though that was compared to my Ragley blue pig, and every 650b/29er has felt slow in tight corners compared to that.

I wanted a long travel 29er it would be the only one i’d consider. (and no i’m not a fanboy, I don’t usually like spesh! 😀 )

Gotta be a Cube Stereo or Spesh Enduro. Love my Stereo.

If you a VIP member at Leisure Lakes they got a 2013 Stereo for less than £2k

I have the privilege of riding with MBnut and earlier in 2013 and after riding his Bandit 29er he pointed me in the direction of the Banshee Prime. I must say that’s it’s brilliant. I don’t ride anywhere as hard as he does but it’s very confidence inspiring and the adjustable drop-outs really do give you a variety of options. I’m more than happy at trail centres on it and it’s great at Surrey Hills and my local trails. If you can find one I fully recommend a try.

Build below is just over 30lb for a medium frame.

As a process 153 owner I’d be very keen to try out a 111 , my reasoning being that on the descents I forget I’m on the 153 and think riding my dh bike

we have process 111’s in stock and 153’s lol and Im riding one 😀

Cube Stereo 140 hpc,amazing value, and a great bike to ride,up down & all around!