[Closed] What short travel 29er trail bike?

Might be worthwhile throwing your leg over a 29er Stumpjumper ST.

The Fuel is a bloody good 29" trail bike IMO. But I would try one for sure, as they are a bit lower and slacker than Trek advertise.

I still really like mine, now it's back in its light weight trail bike setup, it's just a really good MTB.

But I do have a bigger, long travel bike for racing on now, to make life easier 🙂

Carbon 2018 Transition Smuggler i reckon

Which Cotic did you try? The FlareMax was a hoot in the Surrey Hills.

If I was in your shoes I'd be having a very goods look at the new 29 Giant Trance.

I have the no not available 650b Anthem with 130mm forks and find it a perfect trail bike for similar riding that you describe and I think the new Trance is just a grown up version of it.

Have a look at the whyte s120👀

I rally enjoy my alloy Transition Smuggler.
What about the 120mm forked version of the Canyon Lux - takes two water bottles.

So many fantastic choices here. Scott Spark has to be on your list as well.... The Merida 120 too. Me? I love my Evil Following MB. I really recommend demoing them though. Some bikes I thought I'd love didn't connect when I actually rode them, others were a very pleasant surprise. They all feel different.

I much prefer my longshot flaremax to the smuggler I had before. But if you found the cotic too long then the smuggler might be ideal for you. It’s a great bike and at least the previous versions weren’t as extreme 8n terms of length as many of the newer offerings.

I had a 26” trance back in the day, which was a great XC/trail bike. The new 29er does indeed look great, but I think it’s getting as long and slack as all the others now.

Evil Following v1 - fantastic short travel XC and trail bike.

I'm mid way through a similar search at the moment and the Whyte S-120 is probably leading the pack at the moment.  But I still a few yet to try - Aeris 120, Trance, Stumpy ST, Canyon Neuron...

Just ordered a Marin Rift Zone 3. It's 'only' 2k but with a wheel upgrade it should be all the bike I need. I also considered a Cannondale Habit and Giant Trance 29 but the Marin got great reviews and looked better value.

This Merida just got a decent review - https://www.pinkbike.com/news/merida-one-twenty-8000-review.html

I've got a alu smuggler, it's a little heavy with poor rear tyre clearance but it's good fun.

The lack of bottle cage mounts is, your quite right, annoying, but I'm putting up with it (back bottles are a good solution).

However I am super pleased with my Stage 4, which I built up considerably cheaper than Oranges off the peg bikes.

I've got Fox Performance Series 34s with the Grip Damper, GX 1x11, Hope brakes, Mavic Trail Elite wheels etc. I love it.

My size Large frame fits me just right with a 125mm dropper, and is reasonably long in the TT without being quite Cotic long.

A Flaremax would have been my other favourite contender but the Orange was a lot cheaper with a Fox Shock.

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I recently bought a complete 2017 SC Tallboy C from my LBS for roughly 2,500 GBP. Its a mk3 so has the current geometry but has the 2017 color scheme so a bargain to be had. Even after upgrading the forks to MRP Ribbon Air (set to 130mm) and Flow Mk3 wheels it still falls under your 3.5k target.
Its an absolute blast, so much so I'm considering selling my Firebird as it now hardly gets ridden.

Intense primer or sniper worth a look. Have demo'd the primer and a mate has one - goes like a scalded cat for a bike with that much travel, up and down.

Sniper meant to be fantastic too if speed important, although not ridden one yet...

2 mates have Primers and love them. I have an Orbea Occam 29er which is 120 rear, 130 front - great bike and light.

Tallboy 3 would get my vote - some great deals about, perhaps because a new Tallboy/Hightower might be on the way this year. They are a lot of fun.

Cannondale Habit 3 carbon great looking bike and good spec for £3300

I'm tempted by one of them rift zone 3s too. They're on £1500 from Pauls. That's mental.

My £900 budget for a full suss is swelling somewhat...

Thanks for all the suggestions folks, much appreciated.

I've considered the Smuggler but it sounds like weight could be a bit of an issue? I want to do the SDW in a day and I'd be wary of something heavy and draggy - of course this said I want to ride it in wales and the peaks too, so basically I'm looking at 'moon on a stick' type stuff.

I do really want a Stage 4, it's just the lack of bottle that puts me off. And obviously I like Santa Cruz because...well, because it's a Santa Cruz so still considering a Tall boy.

Snotrag - can I ask how tall you are? I sat on a large Stage 6 and it felt pretty long (I'm 6'2 with long arms and legs).

Hadn't considered an intense - will mooch over to their website now and have a look.

I want to do the SDW in a day and I’d be wary of something heavy and draggy – of course this said I want to ride it in wales and the peaks too, so basically I’m looking at ‘moon on a stick’ type stuff.

Nope. Carbon Tallboy, Intense Primer, Orbea Occam will all do both types of riding. Modern bikes are great.

Smuggler isn't what you're after, not a good enough pedaler.
If not the stage 4 then probably something carbon like the intense.
Or the new Trance as suggested above.
Not ridden one but it looks very Smuggler-esque geo-wise.

Definitely worth a demo on an intense - even the primer pedals and climbs like a rocket, despite being pretty handy downhill. (Think one of their mechanics does easier enduros on one at times).

Lot of bike for the money now they are direct sale. And no I don't work for/with them!!

If you're a medium:  https://www.merlincycles.com/intense-spider-275c-expert-build-enduro-mountain-bike-2017-103083.html

or

https://www.pedalon.co.uk/acatalog/scott-spark-930.html

or

https://epic-cycles.co.uk/orbea-occam - the Occam Carbon TR M30 on that page

or

this stunning Whyte S120 C RS -  https://whyte.bike/collections/bikes/products/s120crs

In fact, forget the rest just get the Whyte....

Scott spark may be worth a look, good angles, reasonable weight. Thread on here a few days ago about them.

I got my Marin Rift Zone 3 2019 from Biketart sale about month ago and it’s bloody a lot of bike for £1600. So far changed tyres to minions and got longer dropper post and still under £1800. I have clocked 200miles around Cannock Chase in a month and love it.
If I had 3.5k budget I would probably get Santa Cruz tho.

Whyte S120 is a good shout.

Smuggler isn’t what you’re after, not a good enough pedaler.

well that's not true

Smuggler isn’t what you’re after, not a good enough pedaler.

Mine pedals great, I love riding it.

Scott spark 👍⚡️⚡️⚡️

One of my mates loves his Intense Primer - his other bikes are a 26” Ti Slackline (which he now finds annoyingly slow) and a Nomad 3 (which now only comes out for gnarly days). Seems quick up and down and along (on the South Downs as well as elsewhere) and I’ve seen him send the Motherhucker drop in the Surrey Hills which is a good 10’ odd vertical.

Lots of great bikes in the short travel 29er category for that budget.

Trek Fuel. Scott Spark. Giant Trance. Transition Smuggler. Stumpy ST. Pivot Trail 429. Ibis Ripley LS.

Yeti SB4.5? Now discontinued by Yeti so some deals around for C series builds or T series frames. 114mm rear / 140mm front. I like mine. A very versatile bike that's equally as comfortable dispatching xc rides as well as riding more challenging terrain.

I’ve a Smuggler, built up carefully for about £2k all in. It’s certainly not heavy and it pedals just fine. Also goes downhill very well.

Recently got a trek ex.130 travel.

Slightly related, orange Segment ?

Love my factory edition and drakes cycles in leeds have one in your size for 2900.

Hope bits, kashima fox bits and sram x01 and ultimate brakes.

Removes the pricy part of the equation

Another Orbea Occam TR owner here. Very pleased with the bike, climbs really well and great downhill for what I use it for. You can also customise your bike to a degree when you order. Well worth a look in my opinion. I borrowed one of the new stumpjumpers over the summer and it was good but definitely heavy up hill. That was the 150mm stumpy though

Smuggler isn’t what you’re after, not a good enough pedaler.
If not the stage 4

Smuggler pedals fine, the Orange on the other hand is terrible. Had plenty of big days out on the smuggler (5000ft, 30miles). I'd bin the monarch shock that comes on it and stick a double barrel IL on it, monarch holds the bike back.

My Smuggler pedals just fine round Bedgebury.

i love my smuggler

Snotrag – can I ask how tall you are? I sat on a large Stage 6 and it felt pretty long (I’m 6’2 with long arms and legs).

I'm 5ft 10, not that tall but I have quite a long body. 125mm dropped slammed, just fits me right, and a 35mm Stem.

Slightly related, orange Segment ?

The Segment is the predecessor to the Stsge 4, its a few years old. Stage 4 changed quite a bit, Geo, Bigger shock, thin wall sheet etc.
I built my Stage 4 for around that price, so I wouldn't want to pay that for something quite outdated (not that there is anything wrong with it, still a nice bike!).

Smuggler pedals OK, but the Stage 4 goes like a scalded rat by comparison - and is notably lighter too.

I owned a Smuggler with both Monarch and Cane Creek shocks and loved it, but it wouldn't be my choice for flat South East England trails.

The Norco Fluis FS1 looks very good value and has the right geometry.
Here's a thread on it.

Orbea Occam TR would be a good pick.

What about the 120mm forked version of the Canyon Lux – takes two water bottles.

Very efficient, very fast XC full suspension bike.
Don't have a Canyon bike - but the new Lux seems to be fantastic!

The SBG Smuggler should pedal better than the original one - not just from the steeper seat angle but the pivot positions have moved giving it more anti-squat (it's now the same as most good pedalling bikes).

Perhaps, but it's also got heavier at the same time... so I'm not budging on its unsuitability for the OP..

😛

Again - thanks everyone for the suggestions, all welcome and appreciated.

I don't think I've ever deliberated so much over a purchase, I'm normally one of those that just goes in and buys the first thing he sees (and regrets it), maybe it's age catching up with me.

So this morning I've been looking at a cheap Carbon Tallboy 3, a Commencal 29 Tr and a Fuel EX...and I've bought nothing.

Will have a look at the Norco and also revisit the Smuggler. I've looked at Canyon but anything I want has a stupid long lead time on it and frankly I'm just not that patient!

and I’ve bought nothing.

Why not ? What didn't you like ? or just needing a bit more thought ?

I'm trying to ride all of these to see which one(s) just feel "right".  Not easy for a lot of them what with them being direct sales and all that, and potentially expensive for others with places asking 75-90 quid for a demo ride.

Yeah, that's the biggest issue for me.
Most of the bikes listed here require a payment to test ride, other's just aren't available to test ride anywhere. It leaves you in the dark even though you have a potential £3.5k to spend.