Think best way is to buy your owns parts and buy a frame?

I wouldn’t even contemplate doing an all-day ride on one. It may actually kill you.

The latest version (alu) I thought was meant to be a comfy place to spend a day?

Trance looks good.
Intense Sniper trail?
Orbea Oiz trail?

Fuse and Timberjack both mentioned already.

https://salsacycles.com/bikes/timberjack/2019_timberjack_frame

No Timberjack frames available until 2021 I believe.

Pinnacle Ramin Plus is another option, although qr f/r. I’ve been after a large frameset for months.

No one mentioned the Brother Big Bro yet?

Think I mentioned it earlier in the thread. Lovely frame, but personally I would prefer boost (as all my wheel sets are boost now) and I want something lighter. Picky I know.

Original al Highball a good shout, difficult to find as you say.

This:

There doesn’t seem to be much choice in XC singlspeed frames out there.

What I want is a something like the Trek Superfly ss from 2016. I’m coming round to the idea of a second Specialised Chisel and running it with a tensioner – how bad can it be?

Chameleon appeals, but too heavy, although arguably it includes the weight of a ‘tensioner’ already as it has the siding dropouts.

Clink thanks for that Brother link, another brand I hadn’t heard of. looks nice, price good, do you know if you can fit suspension forks?

Yep, 100mm I believe.

Forgot this option as well.

https://www.brothercycles.com/shop/frames/big-bro/

@sl2000 – thanks – nice colour!

I wanted a new SS recently and ended up getting a geared frame and a tensioner since I couldn’t find a SS frame that met my other requirements (light, slack, not too expensive).

What did you get and post a pic? :-)

I would also consider buying entire bike rather than frame only. So clink your suggestions where you say Frame only not available in UK, would whole bike be do you know?

Yep – Fuse and Unit. Timberjack I think so, but I don’t think massive stock. Somebody on here brought one recently.

I e-mailed Trek yesterday to see if any plans to do another run of something similar to the Superfly ss frameset from 2015/2016, but it seems highly unlikely. On that note add Trek Stache to your list.

Shand Bahookie and BTR Chaser ss if you want custom.

Trail or xc?

Few to think about:

Stooge Mk4, or any previous Stooges 2nd hand.
Pivot Les ss
Salsa Timberjack (no frames currently available in UK, as far as I’m aware).
Stanton – think all their frames take ss dropout, but it might need a qr rear hub??
Kona Unit – again don’t think frame only available in UK.
Specialized Fuse – again don’t think frame only available in UK.

Nobody had mentioned SC Blur yet – that would be what you describe, rather than Tallboy, which is a trail bike. One of the reviews I read today said the Tallboy was a ‘plough through stuff’ type of bike compared to the new Kona Hei Hei.

My Specialized Chisel is ace for the riding you describe – light, comfy and fast. Definitely more traditional xc angles, but that’s what makes it so good.

Think it was only available as a 29er from about 2018. The 29er Anthem has never been more than 100mm at front, although I think quite a few owners upped the front travel.

I think in Giant’s eyes, current Anthem is their xc bike, if you want a trail bike you go for the Trance 29 (which I think is 115mm travel rear, 130 front).

Ref the weight comment ^, my bottom spec Anthem 29 in alu was lighter than my full carbon Occam Tr (which had full carbon frame, carbon hoops, XT rather than SLX).

Used mine for local xc loops – it’s efficient and fun. I found, at 5’10”, that I wanted a bigger frame – seat post over max extension despite Giant’s sizing chart firmly putting me on a medium. I’d have another like a shot, but size up. It is designed as a xc race bike – 69 degree ha which is steep by modern standards. A dropper would make it more capable, it comes with nice wide bars. I suspect a set of 110/120 forks would make it awesome!

Giant Trance 29 is an effecient short travel trail bike.

This is carbon one, but gives you the idea. I had an Anthem 29 and it was ace for xc stuff, but Trance is more of an all-rounder.

Trance review

Or Giant Trance 29 would be even betterer… ;-)

But what are MPs actually working on at the moment? National crisis, everything closed, people are only concerned about health/money/food etc.

Cheers for that :-)

Here is mine in SS mode.
Rides very well and doesn’t feel out of place at all.
Tempted to go back to 1 x 10 and maybe 27.5+ just to feel how it rides.

Looks nice!! How does the fork ride? Shame it doesn’t have cage mounts.

blockquote>Not steel and maybe not as slack as you’re after, but Orange Clockwork129 possibly?

Anyone got any idea what these weigh?

Salsa Timberjack. Not steel, but ticks the other boxes. If I wasn’t totally loving my Stache, I’d have one of those now they can be purchased over here.

Out of interest, where?

Question from a idiot – I’ve just read that schools may be reopening two weeks after Easter.

You know more than schools do then!!

Where did you read that?

I’m learning that teachers are even shitter at anything IT related than I’d imagined.

What with no training and being asked on a Thursday to be educating all students at home by Monday (I’m only exaggerating slightly, this is more or less what the Government expected)?

I actually think (based on my knowledge of local schools in Somerset) that schools are doing an amazing job. They have adapted to a completely different way of working with no warning and little or no resource.

The feedback we have had from parents and the local community in general has been really positive. With many of our vulnerable families they have not heard from their social workers, Virtual Schools (children looked after) or other external support but they are getting regular contact from us. As above, we are open over Easter for children of key workers and vulnerable children. We have also been warned that we may have to continue staffing school over the summer holiday; which we will do as we have a key role in supporting our community and it is the right thing to do.

Underrated bikes I reckon.

But nobody has any in stock!! 🤯

@Clink – one thing I did was buy an oxygen saturation tester for peace of mind. 20 quid from Argos next day delivery. So I know I’m OK and not to panic.

A colleague with pretty bad asthma has just recovered and is back at work after just over three weeks (pretty sick for 2, resting for the last week) so try not to worry!

Cheers that’s really helpful!

Same worries ^ as you @vicksplace.
Started with fever, cough and banging headache Thursday eve/Friday. Now have minor headache each morning but my concern is shortness of breath and slight tightness across chest. Worried as I have asthma. Funnily worst is if I bend over to pick something up. I’d like to know how long I can expect tight chest etc to last, but presume everybody is different.

Specialized Chisel frame is apparently 1350g (not sure which size); think you can buy frame only from Germany.

They seem to have removed the register option from the site – it still works as I’m registered and get two free articles per week, but I can’t find the registration link while logged out. I even searched their FAQs / help for ‘register’ which gives a link which no longer works.

Sorry about that. I’m not sure what to suggest, I guess they’ve just removed the option.

Thanks for trying, appreciate it :-)

Incidentally, I found this Times article quite interesting. It interviews five different COVID-19 sufferers on their symptoms – I seem to have had most of them, but not a consistent high temperature or complete loss of taste. The article’s behind a paywall, but if you register for a free account, you can read two articles a week gratis:

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/cough-and-fever-are-not-the-only-symptoms-of-coronavirus-look-out-for-these-others-3z2x9klxx

Am I missing something – can’t work out how to register for a free account?

@Scienceofficer

Pretty colour

Priorities ;-)

That would be me.

@malvernrider – thanks for heads up.

I’d be interested in a large fortitude frame if the OP isn’t. Indeed if the OP wants a 17.5 frame mine is available.

Yep have large f&f for sale.

I have a large Genesis Fortitude ss frame and fork for sale, if that would work?

Thanks MalvernRider, I’ll have a look.

I have a size large Genesis Fortitude frame and forks in the garage; bought for a project but not had time to build. Bit tatty but perfectly useable and can do for a good price.

Brother Big Bro?