Which ast 29r hardtail

To replace my giant anthem. I’m looking for something fast which i can race, put in the miles on, but also something that I can chuck round a trail centre if required.

So far options are –

Giant XTC Advanced SL
Grand Canyon CF SL
Scott Scale

All come in around the 22 lb mark, but the Scott looks to be a little slacker and less of a pure racer. Any thoughhs (other than get a test ride!)

Also, slightly daft gearing question, but im going to be going 1×10 with a 36 rear sprocket. No need for anything more where I ride currently on my 26 inch bike, am i right in thinking that ratio will be even easier with the bigger wheels?

Gearing will be about 10% harder on 29 vs 26 because the wheels you are turning are larger

Was looking at this recently and the best option I could come up with is a Pivot Les. Light but, by all accounts, pretty beefy carbon frame with clearance for 2.4 rubber in the rear for trail centres. 69.5 degree head angle with 100mm fork but pivot say you can also stick a 120mm on there which will slacken it off another degree. Chainstays are also pretty short which should keep things fun. As for xc racing; think there are a few teams racing them and I suspect the frame isn’t going to be the limiting factor.

There is also the Stumpjumper Evo (hardtail variant) which comes with a 120mm pike but it looks like it is US only 🙁

I’m looking for something fast which i can race, put in the miles on, but also something that I can chuck round a trail centre if required.

A Giant Anthem would be perfect. Oh, wait….

Yeti arc carbon

I’m building one at the mo. New xtr 11 speed cranks causing a delay 🙁

this is what I ride, setup with 1 x 10 (34t front for summer, 32t front for winter). very fast and great handling

Along with the Pivot LES you could also consider the Whyte 29C which is similar in that it’s 69.5, not stupidly light but does have less rubber clearance at the rear (2.25 with good space)and is limited to 100mm fork.

Merida Big Nine Team.
If you get anything else you’re doing it wrong.

BIG NINE TEAM

All come in around the 22 lb mark, but the Scott looks to be a little slacker and less of a pure racer. Any thoughhs (other than get a test ride!)

Budget? Obviously some models of each come in significantly under that, and significantly over that!

In true ‘STW recommending what you own’ fashion I’d add a Trek Superfly to that list. Really impressed with mine. 69.6 head angle, so not particularly steep. Different offset on the fork too. 19lbs with a fairly light build, but it’s the heavier frame.

I’d not go bigger than a 32t ring for 1×10 on a 29er. I run mine 1×11 with a 32, and find it just about spot on.

How’s about a KTM Aera or Myroon, my Aera comp was 11.15kg as stock and then I dropped to 1×10 with XT cassette instead of Deore, tubless was it up and slung done Stans wheels on it and carbon bars / different saddle and its under that now.

The Myroon is spendier but lighter and they come with 1×11 XTR in either mechanical or electric too

Njee – does the carbon frame change as you go up through the models then?

Was having a look at the superfly as a second bike to the wibblywobbly fat tyre after seeing yours the other week. After something a bit more suited to faster 40 mile type rides.

Njee – does the carbon frame change as you go up through the models then?

There are two, a ‘standard’ Superfly, and an SL. The only overlap is the 9.8, where the SL is £1100 more expensive than the standard one, but also has slightly different parts. The cheaper models are the heavier frame, the more expensive ones are the lighter one.

Mine was 1311g (actual weighed) including seat clamp, mech hanger etc etc. The SL frame is <900g. A bigger difference than I expected I must say, but I’ve not actually weighed an SL, so unsure if they did all the usual ’15” frame, no paint, no guides’ etc. The SL frame has internal cable routing as well.

The only one you can buy frame only is the standard one (for £1000), which is slightly daft!

Welcome to have a spin on mine if we meet up again, I really like it!

Interesting. That said given my weight I think the standard one would be fine for me, especially given the price difference.

Didn’t realise you could get them frame only. That could suit my purposes better than having to buy a full bike.

May well take you up on that, ta.

Like I say, mine’s 19.2lbs as it was on the ride, so it still builds up plenty light enough!

I fear I’ve misled you though – looks like they’ve dropped the frame only option for 2015. May still find someone with a 2014 one, much nicer colour too!

Price difference between the 9.8/9.8 SL is now £1400 too, although forks and wheels are different, so it’s not all in the frame. Wouldn’t bother myself.

Bah. *shakes fist and heads back to look at the baby blue full bike*

thanks folks

The budget is a total of 2k, although that includes budgeting 400 for light bike wheels, so around 1600 for the bike itself. For that the bikes i can get hold of come in at 23lbs or so, but the new wheels and going 1×10 should drop a lb or 2 of that.

Looked at the superfly but couldnt see a good deal on one. The Meridia looks interesting, but is it a bit to much of an all out racer akin to the giant i was looking at?

In true ‘STW recommending what you own’ fashion I’d add a Trek Superfly to that list.

I’ve been eyeing these up, the aluminium version though. Not too many reviews about though. As a ‘racer’ how is it on more technical stuff?

Canyon aluminium 29er? Not Carbon but they’re supposed to be pretty light and not uncomfortbale and get good reviews. And I’m not convinced carbon bikes are that light anyway, not once everything’s been downgraded to pay for it, so unless you can get top end forks, goupset and finishing kit and a carbon frame then XTR on an aluminium frame is probably lighter than XT or SLX on a carbon frame.

I’ve been riding my Big Nine for everything, not just racing, though I do prefer light racy bikes. The Team one I linked to is twice your budget, but this one has an rrp of £1800 and is sub 11kg so around the right price and weight.

Big Nine 6000

Cannondale f29 from pauls cycles?

Kinesis FF29

The cannondale looks lovely.

The 71 degree head angle looks a bit scary however. Anyone got any exp of them?

As a ‘racer’ how is it on more technical stuff?

Not really my forte, and I’ve not taken it anywhere vastly technical, but I don’t feel held back by it, and it’s quicker up and down than the 26″ 100mm FS bike that preceded it.

http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m1b0s155p5413/CANNONDALE-F29-CARBON-3-2014
No need to change wheels.

No need to change wheels.

Why not? Seems a rather burly set of wheels for an XC race bike?

105g/rim heavier than my LB rims.

also something that I can chuck round a trail centre if required.

For £400 will struggle to replace them with much betterer (off the shelf…not Novatec,LB,handbuilts)

although that includes budgeting 400 for light bike wheels

I assume he’s investigated. Reckon you could go lighter for £400. Why only look at off the shelf? 😕

f29 c2

I was looking at the model up from that. Looks fast, but head angle is steep and wheels aint particularly light.

I though light bike on novatecs came in at around 1500 for £400 quid?

Can’t rate my new Niner Air 9 RDO and looks sweet in the flesh…just over 20lbs with the build I have

New to the 29r world but enjoying it!

xcstu – like me you missed the £2k budget bit. 🙂

How about whichever Radon Black Sin best fits the budget (like this one)?

Yeti arc carbon

I’d rather like one of these ^^^ though if it wasn’t for the quasi-boutique tax 😕

That Radon does look good!

Shame you can’t buy frame only really. Chuck some light wheels on it’d make a great race bike.

@Gotama

I’m sure the new frame were coming in at £1800 (I know top budget was 1600 for frame only) They do throw in a headset and 12mm maxle lite skewer

Yes but he needs a full bike for £2k!

I’m sure the new frame were coming in at £1800 (I know top budget was 1600 for frame only) They do throw in a headset and 12mm maxle lite skewer

Nah, it was £2000 total, which included £400 set aside for some new wheels. Ie £1600 for the complete bike, I guess minus a bit for the stock wheels!

This is more of a question than a suggestion, but how does the cube elite slt 29 with the rs1 compare at £2200 (and 9.1kg)? Seems good value considering how much the rs1 is retailed at, and the rest of the kit that is included.

http://www.cube.eu/uk/bikes/mtb-hardtail/elite/cube-elite-c68-slt-29-zeroblack-2015/

The one in your link isn’t £2200, that’s the £6000 XTR model.

The £2200 one is the Reaction GTC 29 SL, claimed at 10.3kg, still light. Don’t get the RS1 myself, 250g weight penalty over a SID. Maybe on a trail bike, but can’t see its worth it with 100mm of travel. Good value though for sure.

Oops, oh god yeah. I meant this one… http://www.tweekscycles.com/Product.do?method=view&n=3282&g=685254&p=685255&c=215

So I guess for the cost of rs1 you could get SIDs and have better weight saving elsewhere, and less limited front wheel choice?

You could get the £1600 one and spend £600 upgrading it to end up with a better bike than the £2200 one (IMO) less the RS1