Another vote for the latest Shimanos. You should be fine with your Avid rotas.

Plumber’s tape? Eh? No need for that and I’m sure it won’t improve things.

It sounds like you’ve got a leak somewhere if the lever pulls back to the bar. Have you used a new olive at the lever end? Have you watched the Hayes bleeding video on YouTube?

Eeeeeeeeew! That Zealous is yucky. May well ride nicely but me no likey

29ers aren’t going away. I suspect 26 is going to get niche-ish

I like a bit of change – it makes things more interesting.

You might get away with 120 but I’m sure it’ll feel like a chopper at 140. You’ll also invalidate your warranty. It sounds like you want something less racy and more trailsy. IMO You’d be better off getting a frame that’s designed for a longer fork.

So why doesn’t a lube manufacturer market a GT85 equivalent specifically as a chain lube?

Also, that extra noise you hear with a GT85’d chain – isn’t that a sign that the chain’s not properly lubed?

Wibble

Great vid, thanks for that. He’s even older than me!

If it was me, I’d buy some 29er slicks and swap them over

@ Gotama – good points re zing. I was thinking of production frames

Matt, I seriously doubt you’ll find a frame that’ll take a dropper and is built for fun that still has much in the way of zing. Someone please prove me wrong.

I’m really getting on with On-One Smorgasbord and Chunky Monkey. Not lightweight though

Our cats have had them this year for the first time. Reckon there must have been a population explosion.

What eats ticks? (That thought makes me feel slightly sick)

Lying in bed on a warm summer night buzzing with nettle stings after a fast, dusty night ride. Ace.

I was worried about the TT length but took a punt on it and I’m glad I did. I started off with a 70mm stem but now have a 50mm on there and it’s comfy despite being at least an inch shorter than any of my other bikes. Don’t ask me why, but it seems to work. That said, I’ve not done any epic rides on it yet. We’ll see.

The Curtis is lovely but I’ve become obsessed with chainstay length and it falls outside my arbitrary threshold. 8)

Lucky really, as there’s no way on earth I’ll ever pay £900 for a steel hardtail frame that’s going to get beaten, abused and covered in mud.

My do-it-all would have to be biased towards dicking about so Buzzard (have), Canfield, Honzo/Taro, Cromag Surface, etc would be on the list.

I like that Taro up there as a sensibly priced option, although, as said above, it looks like you’ve re-specced it pretty thoroughly. Why don’t they do it frame-only or with a decent spec?

One day someone will make a bike with this geo in cheap carbon and that will go to the top of my list. Calling Brant (again)…

Production model has vert dropouts and no EBB. It does have ISCG mounts so a Stinger would be an option for SS tensioning. I may SS mine at some point but I’m enjoying the contrast to my other bikes at the moment.

I have a 160 rotor and Hayes Stroker Trail caliper on mine. No issues whatsoever

Nice! I’m loving my Buzzard. I’ve now had a good few rides on it and finding I like it more and more.

The thing that’s surprised me most is how good a technical climber it is. Despite running 1×9, I’ve consistently cleaned steep rooty climbs that have always been touch and go on other bikes with a full range of gears. Stood up and grunting at near-trackstand speed, it just seems to let you place it where it needs to go.

However, the thing it excels at – and what I bought it for – is just mucking about in the woods. It loves a berm and it’s very happy to get all sidewaysified on the ground or in the air.

It rolls like a 29er but it still knows how to have fun.

Been thinking how much fun it would be in the Alps, although I might want a sturdier fork than the Rev I have on mine.

Only (minuscule) downside is that the clearcoat on the frame seems a wee bit fragile. I already have a few (tiny) areas where it’s chipped but I’m hoping it’s not going to get any worse.

Sofaking – interested that you went for a large. You obviously have longer legs than me. I’m 5ft9 with 31in inside leg and happy on a medium with a 50mm stem and 130mm Rev. If my legs were any shorter I think I’d find the bars too high in relation to the saddle.

Yes, it has definitely been filled with the wrong fluid – black treacle by the look of it!

You could try flushing it through with mineral oil and if you’re lucky it’ll be OK but I suspect it won’t have done the seals much good.

Make some gingerbread?

By a weird coincidence our cat has just fallen 10ft out of a tree in our back garden. He’s not a natural

I have something of a reputation for tequila-fuelled tree climbing at work parties. Also managed to pull down a large section of antique oak panelling while attempting a late night upside down traverse of an arched doorway at a country house hotel on a work ‘strategy day’. 😳

OP – I’d be wary of buying something with too much travel (and therefore weight) than you really need. Lots of people seem to drag big burly bikes around relatively tame trails which IME takes the fun out of the climbs and descents. If you’re going to have one bike then make sure it suits the riding you do, not the riding you aspire to do.

I should declare an interest: I’m a detective inspector in the fun police. 😀

Bargainaciousness!

Very nice – but if I fell off that saddle I’d want a parachute 😀

Singular Buzzard – a truly fun 29er steel hardtail.

And, yes, I’ve got one. 😀

Nice – you’re going to have fun on that. What are the cranks?

The stem looks long and low.

I have similar but rigid with Swift forks. It’s an amazing frame for the money.

Dunno if this is any help – I’m a different height and my experience is with different bikes but anyway…
I’ve recently bought a Buzzard after riding a medium Yelli. The Buzzard also has a shorter reach than the Yelli and I was a little worried it might be too short. It definitely feels shorter but if anything I prefer it for the kind of riding these bikes are intended for.

I’m faster riding XC stuff around the Surrey hills on SS. I can’t really explain why but I am. It’s not that hard but it does encourage you to push yourself

Pah! She’s got gears. And no beard. Amateur.

What are the supposed advantages or reversing them? I have a couple of these in 29er flavour and find them quite drifty, in a good way. No problems with grip for forward traction or braking

Nice bike but I reckon 14lbs is optimistic

Nice! What wheels are you going for?

Why a 7/8 speed mech? Isn’t it quite hard to get decent quality gear in 7/8 speed these days? You should be able to pick up good second hand 9 speed fairly cheap.

If On-One are doing a slot dropout with a hanger then I’d go for that, given your plans. You can always get a BB-mounted chain guide if you need one. They work fine IME.

Hey Clink, were you riding that at SSUK? Saw an identical Inbred/Swift fork combo and meant to say hello.

FWIW the two sets of Superstar wheels I’ve had were both better built than my near identical Hope Hoops

You need a bigger hammer 😀

Evans also do a saddle based on the same blank

Get a singlespeed. It’ll help build core strength and ‘standing up skills’