Don’t do it. I got a couple of rides old 9-50 oil slick xd ztto cassette off eBay…lasted 3 rides. Shifted well, nice and light, looked pretty. I was riding a new trail with a surprise punchy climb at the end, shifted a handful of gears in a one’r, obviously not the smoothest but it literally peeled 1/4 of the 3rd sprocket off!!! Ride over. Fortunately I didn’t spend the £120 ish it would’ve been new. £40 for 3 rides wasn’t the best value though!

Managed to get a pair of my old go to raji’s from wiggle for £8 in the slightly less offensive green. https://www.wiggle.co.uk/sixsixone-raji-glove-1 They now have velcro which i would prefer them not to but for the price I’ll live with that.
These ones are more like the rajis of old and are a bargain if they have your size (and you can handle the daft writing on the knuckles!) https://www.wiggle.co.uk/sixsixone-comp-cycling-gloves

The ohlins edition privateer 141 looks a pretty sweet bike for the money (and is currently still available I believe). I have a couple of mates on 161’s who love them. Congrats btw, a great problem to have!

The charger damper isn’t the vfm upgrade solution it once was – when I killed the charger rc damper in my Pikes, I priced up a charger 2.1 rc2 damper……… the price has jumped up from £300 to £415!!! Fwiw I have a zeb ultimate on my other bike that I’m very happy with, not on your list but worth a mention.

Killed damper number 2 on the Pikes on my Dave at the weekend at Gawton. Can’t afford a Zeb but managed to find a new Domain for £395 so I’ve gone for that. Hopefully it’s ok, not expecting the same damper performance as my Zeb ultimate but I’m looking forward to some extra stiffness. Amazes me every time I take it to a proper dh venue just how capable it is (I’ve just found the limits of the forks).

Assegai maxxgrip DD front, Dhr2 DH rear is my most of the time tyre combo on my sentinel. Works almost everywhere. It doesn’t clear that well in all out mud as it struggles to clear if it’s proper low speed stuff. I managed most of the winter though, resorting to a gen 2 shorty for a few weeks in feb. Another class tyre, wanted to try a DH22 but couldn’t get one and was pleasantly surprised by the new shorty. Also run a dh assegai up front on the hardtail with a knackered former front magic Mary on the rear.

Sweet build that. Looks nice with those grey Zebs 😎 enjoy giving it a good beating!

Nice 😎 black on black is the way forward, hides the fact it’s an On One perfectly 😂 Mine is back in the game after a damper change in the Pikes yesterday.

Sticking within your budget I’d go for something like that airdrop filter if you’re stuck on 27.5, looks a decent bike and spec. If you’re willing to go 29 the privateer 141 is what I would buy, not quite as good value as they were a few months back but still decent in comparison to the bigger brands and a well sorted spec.

I have seen a couple of Daves online built up with 27.5 – not sure how well it works but it has been done. The zeb is the perfect fork for this bike, I’ve been tempted to put mine on it from the sentinel but I resisted and put a smashpot in the pike.

I really like my dakine hot laps 5L pack when i really need to use a pack (which I hate doing). But imo the bladder was terrible, the hose popped off so easily that I didn’t even bother taking it for a test ride. Luckily I had an old camelbak bladder that fit in perfectly from an old camelbak charge.

Yes. It’s a pain in the arse to do one of the bolts up on the adaptor (need a ball ended Allen key) but it goes. Only the first batch of frames were 160mm only as they messed up the build spec. I’m on 200 front and rear. That’s on guide re brakes (so older spec code callipers).

Head tube gusset – also reassured by that, especially when I upped the Pike to 160mm when I put the smashpot coil conversion in, putting it to a bonkers 61.5 deg!

When I changed the dropper out a few weeks back there was a bit of corrosion in there, as in the post was a bit orange where it had been inserted but internally the seat tube looked fine, just a bit of surface corrosion. No fancy treatments though. I also have a transition sentinel, great bike but it wasn’t getting a look in until I blew the fork up on the Dave! Add yourself to the mailing list for 10% off and for £270 it’s a bargain. £800, not a chance it’s worth that but for sub £300 it’s a no brainer. If I wrote mine off tomorrow I would replace like for like.

If you have a moxie I doubt it would be worth swapping out unless the moxie is the wrong size. The Dave does go well, it doesn’t have that old school skinny tubed 853 compliant ride, I never expected it to either, but I’ve hammered mine, I’ve raced dh on it at Gawton down here in the south west and ridden all the local big stuff, double blacks etc plus big jumps and steep natural tech. It’s taken it all in it’s stride, rides best when you’re wringing it’s neck. I blew the damper on the pikes on mine last week – that’s an indication of how hard a life mine gets!

Love mine. Had a full build for a couple of years, got some stronger wheels and a smashpot in the pike and changed the shite Planet X parts bin contact points but it’s doing alright. Is not really a trail bike. I ride mine mainly on dh tracks and steep techy woods and the local jumpy stuff. Looks like it’s been in an accident, weighs probably as much as my full suss due to the coil fork, hope wheels, dh tyres, insert etc but it’s one hell of a fun bike.
Steep steady ups, steep downs. If you’re considering one for anything else then I wouldn’t bother, £300 only makes it a bargain if it’s what you’re after. There are always plenty for sale on pinkbike for this very reason.

GBH – Grogley, Bishops, Hustyns. 3 woods all in very close proximity. As above, worth a look. Poldice is you like big jumps etc, old mining landscape is pretty unique. Unity woods is close by to poldice, also worth a look.

My mate has the newer version and runs a 140 fork with a -2deg headset. If I was in your position I’d run the 130mm fork with a -2deg headset and an offset bush and see how you get on. Take it up to 140 after that if you feel like you need it.

Yeah I have gx shifters and shimano mechs on both bikes. Slx on one, deore on the other. GX shifters because both bikes were full GX to begin with. Now on shimano due to price and availability. No issues to report.

cnud – I’ve sent you an email. Cheers.

I’m in the process of swapping the smashpot over from my zeb on my sentinel to the pike on the hardtail. I am looking for a 55lbs and will have a 40 and 45 going if anyone needs one? Love the smashpot, the zeb ultimate is a better fork stock than the pike select is so I’m swapping it across seems as I can’t afford one for both forks!

Spectral 125 and reactor are both good shouts. Similar to the smuggler in intended use as a capable short travel bike, with the smuggler being no longer available new and the ‘sort of’ replacement spur rare as hens teeth. That sort of bike would be my one bike.

I indirectly bought a ztto xd 9-50t oil slick cassette 2nd hand but brand new from a U.K. seller on eBay who had struggled to set it up with his xx1 drivetrain, I had fancied trying one from aliexpress but didn’t fancy a £100+ gamble. Got this one for £40 from eBay, set it up no dramas with my gx shifter, deore mech and kmc chain (proper mongrel set up!), worked great for a total of 3 rides until a heavy shift up the cassette literally peeled about 1/4 of the 3rd cog off!!!! Luckily a relatively inexpensive lesson, now back on a sram gx cassette!

I’ve got a RS super deluxe coil on my V1 with cascade link so fairly similar to the V2, can’t fault it. Way better than the custom tuned dpx2 for grip and plenty of support. I’ve got an ext coil for it to lighten it up a bit, j tech do a spacer to allow you to run the shorter spring.

I’m 5’10 and the large is perfect for me. Hardtail dh bike is a good description although it jumps fairly well, manualling takes a bit more body language with the mega long chainstays but it feels super balanced. XL should be spot on for you I think.

Yeah having had a new set of hope v4’s for a few months now I can safely say I won’t be using anything other than hopes own pads. On sintered on the back and the stock organics on the front. Quiet and predictable. Even through the sloppiest conditions. Mega impressed. Always been a tight arse in the past but the codes on my hardtail with Uber bike pads are crap and noisy in comparison. Cheap pads are for sure a false economy.

I’m on a large Dave with a 200mm rotor on the rear with a +40mm random mount off eBay – running the stock guide re (old code calliper). It’s tight doing one of the bolts up but it goes.

Another edc lite user here, along with a granite tools chain breaker and tyre plug kit in my bar ends. Then a fork cork bung in my steerer where I keep some cable ties and a quick link wrapped in bubble wrap to stop em rattling around. Then I have strapped to the frame a tubulito tube, and co2 + inflator with the granite tools tyre levers that double up as a master link splitter.
All stashed away nice and neat apart from the tube, co2 and levers really.
Maybe a bit OTT but I really dislike riding with a pack on.

I have V4’s with the standard thickness Hope floating rotors and have no issues at all. Really impressed with them to be honest.

I’m 5’10 and felt very much on the correct size on my mates P3 (he is 5’9). I think you would feel massively cramped seated on the P3 (generous reach but the seat tube angle cramps you up for pedalling), reach is bang on for me on the P3 so i think at 6’2 the P4 would be the better option. .

That is a good result, i borrowed my mates Smuggler for a few weeks earlier this year, the most fun bike i have ever ridden. Hoping the 2nd hand Sentinel i am currently building up shares some of its DNA.

I think Unit Cycles in Truro, Cornwall had some stock of Spires so might be worth a look.

Specialized Demo fit similar, nice and subtle, i like the tailored fit. Only negative for me is that the pockets are a bit small and a pain in the arse to get in and out of. Not really comparable to the Decathlons though as i think mine were about £100, but i do rate them.

If i was going new it would be a Transition Patrol for me. Looks a fun bike. As it stands i’m building up an old alloy V1 Sentinel.

Pretty much all of them share the same push up, you won’t be too far away if you take Super Tavi, Egypt, Proper Job etc all the way down.

I had this a few years back, i’m in the military and went from racing regularly and doing ok, with a bit of help from a local bike shop/team to missing a full UKGE season through being deployed to then missing two summers on the bounce. Rolling from one wet winter into another and losing my racing edge got to me and i ended up spending most of my time home trying to get back up to speed (self induced pressure). A bit of time off turned into me selling all of my bikes and kit and having a full 3 years off riding before finally getting a new hardcore hardtail at the end of last year.
The time away from riding was spent mainly training and competing in crossfit but i managed to get back up to speed and find my confidence again on the big stuff in a fairly short period of time with the carryover of fitness from the gym time helping quite a bit.
I’ve loved every minute of being back on the bike and wish i had got another sooner…..but a break did do me the world of good. Saying that i have been deployed again on ship since April and about to roll back into another winter in mid december when i return, only this time i can’t wait to get my waterproofs on, mud tyres and get amongst it!
In summary – Have some time off and don’t beat yourself up about it i say.

I have a set, rate them, stay clear the majority of the time, only ever really start to fog if i’m stationary and have a dab on, even then they clear well. I use Bob Heaths visor spray on my glasses and goggle lens which is pretty decent. Lenses are decent quality too. Fit well with my Fox half shell lid.

I would definitely make a weekend of it, not sure i could just ride that track all weekend but for me you’re missing a trick driving all that way and not having a look down the other tracks – Super Tavi, Mega Tavi, Egypt, Rock n roller, even HSD has had a spruce up. Plus there is a nice jump line (Rattler) at the top if your lad fancies some air time in between runs. Mostly steep tech with the odd jump here and there. 20 min push up, you can ride it, it’s all fairly steep fireroad.

Burgtec Ride High Josh Bryceland Bars, 800MM 50mm rise https://burgtec.co.uk/product/josh-bryceland-signature-alloy-handlebar-ride-high/

Couldn’t agree more with you on the riding style, the Dave definitely rewards an aggressive riding position, riding the fork and keeping your weight on that front wheel, especially in the turns. For a hardtail, the bike is an absolute monster truck if you ride the fork, stay off the brakes and go for it, i love mine, especially on steeper dh tracks. The original wheelset didn’t last all that long on mine (and the original tyres never even saw dirt) even with an insert in the rear but the hope fortus replacement has taken an absolute pasting without flinching. Heavy old beast though!