@richmtb, what the hell have you done an alloy S150 to get to that weight? I want the scales you’re using! My new Spur is only 12.4kg with pedals, my T130CRS with a way lighter build than stock was 13.6kg in the same guise. Just curious because the scales are wrong or you’ve thrown some serious money at it!

It’s the one downside of their bikes as a whole, the weight. They’re efficient enough, but just don’t have the zip of a lighter bike. I do rate the T130 and S120 very highly, just be nice if they were more competitive weight wise.

It says 5.5 on the swingarm. It looks tatty but then it is around 12 years old, they changed the swingarm in 2008 so it’s 2007 or earlier. I’d steer well clear at that price!

I’ve only had a few rides on the standard XC Wide but they seem good so far. Build was ok, seem well put together and they’re plenty light enough. Now welsh lockdown is over the real riding will begin, so will see how they hold up. They seem to roll well too with little drag and the free hub is getting louder too, which I like.

Don’t think the extra 10mm spoils the new Sentinel if anything it’s more of an all rounder compared to the V1. Always felt the V1 was a proper sled, V2 feels far more sprightly to me. Not owned either but ridden both briefly and while they share a name they feel quite different. The V2 Sentinel can be dropped to 140mm travel with a spacer in the shock and you can run a 150mm fork too, so do that with a Pike rather than a Lyrik and it’ll be a great all rounder. I went for a Spur though as even at 140mm a sentinel is too much for me!

I’d look a 29er personally with around 120-130mm travel, so something more like the Whyte S120 than T140. I had a T130 and liked it, but 29ers are faster and more efficient. Scott Spark and YT Izzo would be other good shouts.

Had a hatchbag for my Arona for a few months, only used it a few times due to lockdown but it’s ace. I also have one of the rarer than hens teeth Duff Monster bag and evoc wheel bags so I’m fully covered. It’s not a cheap setup, but it keeps the car immaculate, the bike is well protected and with tinted windows as well you have no idea a bike was in there.

Would never have roof bars and roof carriers, as stated they advertise bikes without even having a bike on them and tow bar carriers are as bad for advertising. Granted for some folks with the need to carry 3/4 bikes there’s no alternative outside a van, but for me and the maximum 2 bikes I’ll carry, I’ll take a boot liner every day. I’ve seen too many people forget about their bike on the roof too, one chap bought a bike from the LBS I worked in, put it on the roof of his car and was back within an hour having forgotten it was on there and ripped it off on a low barrier… literally the fastest I’ve ever seen a bike completely written off and it hadn’t even been ridden!

Noticed a new Schwalbe tyre on a Commencal ebike the other day, the Dirt Reynolds. No idea what it’s like, there’s nothing online!

I’ve always gone for a better chain without going super high-end, just find they last longer and shift nicer. I used a GX Eagle chain on the Soul and it wasn’t great. It was ok, shifted fine and lasted ok but then it just started to crack in a number of places. Replaced with X01 and it’s far better. Lasted loads better and shifts feel better too. I do like the XX1 Eagle chains though, purely because they’re available in black! I’ve put one on the Spur but can’t justify the extra for the Soul.

Aside from the Soul, which I just wanted so bought through a combo of finance for frame and C2W for components, my last two complete bikes have been bought with the money from the previous bike/bikes. My T130 cost what I got for my previous Mondraker and the sale of the T130, my road bike and a few other odds and sods have paid for the Spur. Generally though I try and think about what I can justifiably spend on a bike versus what I actually want. I’d have liked an X01 Spur but the GX is fine, likewise the T130, the works would have been nice but the C RS was plenty for me. I’ve done the pretty high end and generally don’t find the benefit is huge. Seems crazy to call the Spur the upper end of mid-range given what it cost but that’s the market these days! For me I’d put on a ceiling on it, I use the full sus bike the most so £3-3.5k is about my lot, hard tail was about £1.5k (I never did the full maths) and I try to justify similar for another bendy bar bike. I generally keep bikes for around 4 years so I feel like I get my money’s worth out of them. Technically speaking in selling bikes and their monetary value terms, the Spur is still funded by the Ibis I sold in 2015 and built in 2011!

Forget it, there’s very little coming into the country between now and March/April and most are sold out already.

I’d go for a large at 5’10, you could ride a medium but may find it a little short. Could always go for 35-40mm stem if you find it a little long. For reference I’m on a 50mm stem.

I’m just over 6ft and went for a large, it’s fits really nicely. Bit longer than my old T130 but not as super stretched as my Cotic Soul.

Race day damper is effectively just lighter and may be a little more controlled but not a huge difference. I was in the same boat, I looked at few mainly the Tallboy, Ripley and S120 and the Spur won out in the end. I’ve ridden all of them bar the Ripley but glad I went with the Spur, I’m loving it so far!

Thanks, it’s an awesome ride! My hard tail is a Cotic Soul, so you’ll love the Solaris! I am half thinking of changing to a Solaris down the line, am liking the ride of the bigger 29” wheels. I think the Sid would be the perfect fork, if you wanted more travel, the BfeMax would possibly be a better bet.

I’d say it’s about the same as the Pike, I’ve not used full travel on the Sid yet but then I’ve only had 3 rides and not hit anything too big yet. Honestly though they feel super similar just the Sid is way lighter. Unless you specifically wanted more than 120mm travel or loads of adjustment, there’s no way I’d pick a Pike over a Sid.

I have a Sid Select+, it came as standard on a new Transition Spur. I previously had a Pike RC and have a Revelation RC on my hard tail. Sid feels as plush as the pike if not plusher and feels just as stiff as both on first impressions, I’m 170lb kitted up though so not the heaviest. I’m really liking it so far, no obvious downsides but it feels way lighter.

I would go for the Sid personally and slightly narrower rims to go with it too, just to drop the weight down. I’ve only a few rides on my Sid but I’m seriously impressed so far. Been on 26mm wide Stans arch mk3 rims for the last 4 years and now on 25mm Hunt XC wide and never wished for wider, that’s running 2.35/2.4 Maxxis tyres too.

They’ve gone a bit off the boil with the colours as well, but the S120 and T140 still look good. Just shame they’re so damn heavy as it is the main reason I sold my T130C.

@lawman91, I ordered a X01 build, but am asking if I can change to frame only to build up with Shimano XT and my own wheels.

Nice! Hope they have stock due of the frame or the due date could slip back a long way, I’ve heard new orders are close to February/March or even later.

Another awesome race! Chuffed for Lewis on breaking the record, but hoping a few things this year force improvement in other areas. The different tracks this year have been sensational and hopefully will make the bosses realise there is another way to generate venue than just charging the worlds richest all the money to host a race at a boring circuit like Sochi or Abu Dhabi.

Second is the ridiculous situation with pay drivers vs actual talent/skill/pace. The fact Russell, Perez & to an extent Hulkenberg can be without drives yet the likes of Stroll and Latifi are already on the grid, with Mazepin set to them is just a joke. You even have to question whether Vettel will be able to do a better job than Perez at Racing Point. It’s insane. Take Stroll’s daddy out of the equation and no one in any kind of mind, right or otherwise, would take Stroll over Perez, or christ even worse take Mazepin as Haas look likely too.

Transition Spur to replace my old Tallboy 2. Can’t wait for it to arrive.

@Shred, it’ll be worth the wait, you’ll love it! Have you gone full build or frame only?

Just got my Spur so probably done for a while now, I love my Soul, had it two years but I’m no 29er hard tail curious after sampling the bigger wheels of the Spur. Will have to try a Solaris Max I think, though I would still like a proper steel gravel/adventure bike. Think two bikes is my practical limit.

This is the most Singletrack thread ever. I mean really? Ride more, get fitter, don’t let one ride and some tosser of a riding “pal” put you down.

I swap grips a lot. I can’t remember the last time I actually wore out a set of grips, but it’s probably about 10 years ago at least! I buy more 7Mesh clothing than I actually need, but it’s nice gear, it all works and fits amazingly and the guys and girls there are a great bunch of people so don’t mind supporting them.

It’s pricey, but I’ve been using 7Mesh clothing for the last 3 years and it’s worth it’s weight in gold, the fit is awesome, it lasts amazingly well and it performs way better than other stuff I’ve had in the past. It makes Fox look like Primark! I’ve had a pair of the Slab shorts for about 6 months and they’re a nice slim fit, the Glidepath is also really nice, so can recommend both. Long sleeve MTB jersey wise the new Gryphon looks good, slightly thermal too. The Eldorado and Compound are nice too if you can find them (sold out on their own site). For the road I’ve got their Synergy and Mission jerseys. Synergy has Gore Windstopper front and sleeves so keeps the wind off, Mission uses Polartec Powergrid so is nice and warm but not the most windproof. I make no bones about it being pricey kit, but I got so fed up of Fox clothing falling apart after less than a year and Endura/Madison clothing fitting like garbage I made the jump and haven’t looked back since.

Not compatible, the Rival 1 only moves in a horizonal rather than diagonal plain like a normal mech, so is 1x only. Send it back.

I don’t think I’d buy one on looks alone, it is gopping. Same with the new Pace too, they just look a little to unrefined and bulbous to me? I know they’re cheaper but compared to a Santa Cruz/Yeti/Ibis/Transition they don’t look as polished. I was looking at shorter travel 29ers and went with a Spur, Ripley/Tallboy looked good, others like the Nukeproof Reactor & Norco Optic were perhaps a little too burly & heavy for me.

Datum was a great bike, I really liked mine, but it was a little too early to the game; tyre clearance was pretty slim on bigger tyres, 38mm was probably the max, otherwise I may have kept it and ridden it more. I liked the Mantle too and very nearly got one instead of my Soul.

They just seem to be pricing themselves out of the market though, Croix de Fer and Fugio 853 frames and forks are over £1k now, that’s Fairlight/Mason kinda money. I like the look of the new CdF 50 but it’s just crazy expensive.

No sign of 2021 Saracen bikes yet either, despite the Genesis/Ridgeback brands launching their new bikes. Perhaps another year on the WC DH circuit and then they’ll fold the brand up?

Picked up my new Spur on Friday. First impressions are excellent. Had a T130 for 4 years prior so will be on this a while I think!

@lawman91 – Nice, what was the lead time to get a spur. Just found out from Orbea the OIZ TR isn’t available until April

@mudmuncher – I ordered mine before the launch, so 4 months! LBS have 2 in stock now, both GX’s in Black Powder, medium and large. They have another GX same as mine (large Deep Sea Green) due mid-November.

Prefer 7Mesh jackets over Castelli personally. Use the same kind of materials but the fit is much better, they seem slightly better made and are a bit more stylish to my eyes. I’ve got a fair few bits of theirs (both road and MTB) and it just works.

Picked up my new Spur on Friday. First impressions are excellent. Had a T130 for 4 years prior so will be on this a while I think!

Nice! Ibis are making so ace bikes, things have moved on a long way since my Mojo HD but I do still miss it sometimes!

Went for a GX build, I work in the trade but even then I had to wait a while! For reference though a Ripley was going to work out a few hundred quid more, a GX Ripley is £5499 at RRP.

Spur wise though GX build was available a little sooner, X01 builds are hens teeth but there’s a few GXs about for now. The X01 is nice but I already had carbon bars and cranks (yet to install the cranks) so couldn’t really justify the extra. Mines 12.34kg as pictured (minus the water bottle) so it’s only about 300g or so heavier than the X01. I might swap out the damper in the Sids out to the Raceday one, but will see, the shock is actually identical to the Sid Ultimate damper/spring wise, the Ultimate just has a bit more material machined out the eyelet to save a massive 5g!

Early days but the frame seems plenty stout enough.

I was set on a Ripley, but just couldn’t get one and the Transition just piqued my interest. I got a great deal on it too, so couldn’t say no. I haven’t ridden a Ripley, but owned a Mojo HD for 4 years and I loved it. I think I’d be happy with either, but the Transition just edged it for me in the end. Rear brake routing is external for one, seat tube is a little short on the large Ripley and there’s less bearings/bushings to replace on the Transition too.

Definitely the type of bike I will be looking at next, the Spur looks like great fun!

It feels super fun, obviously only had the one ride but it amazed me how nimble and agile it felt. Honestly think for most folks, this kind of bike is all they’ll ever need, especially with more brands going down this route and making their 120mm bikes a lot slacker and longer. Can’t wait to get it on some chunkier terrain and see how it goes.

Finally! Since when did it become so damn hard to post pictures on here?!

Thought I had put pics up, will try again on the PC!

7Mesh’s new Thunder Pant has a super long inseam you can cut to length, I just got mine but having to send them back for a smaller size as they were so long, even if I’d cut them right down they’d be too long! A lot of cash, but worth it, the other kit I have from them is next level and actually lasts more than one winter unlike other brands.

Looks nice for a Specialized, but early reviews suggest it pedals like crap and isn’t that fun to ride, GuyKesTV seemed to slate the pedalling performance but says its comes up short on the downhills too… Shame as it looks good on paper and SWAT is a great idea. Was expecting a bit more from it with all the hype. But then I rode a circa 2010/11 Stumpy years ago and it was (and still is, despite riding a lot more since) one of the biggest heaps of garbage I’ve ever ridden.

+1 for Crank Brothers, I have the M17 and it’s awesome, though the newer M20 looks even better with built in tyre plug tool and storage box