Pick one that can be converted easily to electric.

Bikes are ace

Spot on with stack height.
Why should the rider of an XL bike have to be more bent over than the rider on a medium?

The large size XT pedals are great and the shape allows your foot more places to sit than the square shaped pedals.

What crank are you running? For example, Shimano do 3 widths of XT cranks if you were using the narrowest then you could try the middle size, which would move the cranks out a few extra mm.

I’ve got a 190mm Zeb airshaft you can try if you want to go the whole hog :-)

I have a Hydra on an Ibis Ripmo AF and I don’t get any kick back. I think it depends on the suspension design.

I still have a shimano silent clutch hub on a Cannondale I rebuilt. Its in the classified if anyone want to buy it for the hub. :-)

To answer @multi21, the engagement is average but silent.

I’ve been riding an Onyx Vesper rear hub recently. I’m not going back to pawls anytime soon. I have found the silent, drag free spragg clutch to be amazing, and my other wheels are I9 Hydras and Bonty 104 point engagement.

I recommend you never try fast engaging hubs because if you do, that Hope hub will feel like going back in time.

Ive been using copper slip. I just thought I’d make sure because all these chaps building bikes on the internet don’t seem to bother.

I loved 2.8s (DHF and DHR2)for some a smooth ride and the grip was immense.

OP, If you’ve been riding the Maxxis 2.8s you’ll find the Scwalbe 2.6s almost the same size.

I have now moved to 29 x 2.5 Assegai up front and 2.4 DHR2 at the back. The main reasons being, better role over and less rolling resistance. I also prefer the stability, and lack of squirm in high speed corners.

Try Whyte, they sell loads of rubber grommets. I found one that fitted my seattube on my RSD.

Torque caps already in place on the Lyrik and the Zeb :-)

@kelvin good point the Zeb is 6mm longer than the Lyrik at 150mm.

I think i’ll have to rule out some frames.

I’m looking at these but the bb is super low. What crank length are you guys running?

I have these on my bikes and they feel great.

https://www.deitycomponents.com/racepoint_handlebar_38mm.html

I have a lyrik set to 150mm on one bike and a Zeb set to 150mm on another. The difference is noticeable, especially when turning under force and squirm in landings.

I’m not doing crankworks stuff, but I am large and strong. I can feel how vague the lyrik is in comparison to the Zeb.

The lyrik is still great, its just that the Zeb feels better to me.

The new Chameleon for example, tops out at 140mm so this limits the fork choice. I’m not bothered about loosing 10mm travel from 150mm but I would like super precise steering.

I like the Industry Nine A35 stem, it’s brilliant.

https://industrynine.com/stems

Middlechild V2 Chromoly

Although the Aliuminium one looks a good option

Weight?

I ride a Banshee Paradox V3 in XL a d I’m 6’2” – it’s ace but you are correct 2.6s are a stretch. I had a 2.5 Aggressor on a 35mm inner width rim on for the summer but thats as big as you can go. The geo is brilliant and great fun.

I can also recommend checking out the RSD Middlechild Ti – mine is set up single speed at the moment. 2.6 Tires fit fine on 29er wheels.

The new Chameleon looks great but can only take up to 140mm forks so you can’t fit Zebs or 38s – madness.

Cotics are always ace. I’ve had 4. The back end is a good 20mm longer than the banshee though so its a very different ride. Not bad, just different.

I like the look of the Bird Forge and the Stif Squatch.

My RC627 was 31.6mm

Spank do a 60mm rise 820mm wide bar

Surly do the Sunrise bar at 85mm rise and 820mm width

Deity do an 80mm rise 800mm width bar

I have Oury V2 lock ons on all my bikes.

https://www.lizardskins.com/personalized-lock-on-handlebar-grips?h=single-sided-lock-on-oury-v2-jet-black&c=lock-on_handlebar_grips&t=oury_v2_grip&v=0

It’s a shame DT Swiss don’t make a 35mm inner EX511 in 29.

@Barney

The issues were –

Dropouts cracked in the 2019 green ones due to not enough material. This was fixed in the blue and poo orange ones that followed.

When they switch manufacturers for the blue or orange ones they screwed up the seat tube bend. I could drop a 150mm fox transfer all the way into my XL green frame no problem. When I got the orange coloured frame as a warranty replacement I lost a load of insertion depth. This was because the bend in the seat tube started much sooner than on the green frame. This meant I had to change to a 125mm dropper because I couldn’t fit my 150mm in an xl frame and still fit on it, and I’m 6’2”!. They have shortened the seat tube so hopefully this issue is fixed.

Head tube length on the xl green frame was 110mm
Headtube on the orange and blue xl frames was 120mm
Headtube on the 2022 yellow xl frame is 130mm

I like a tall stack so this is good, but I would still prefer a 140-150mm head tube to get the bars higher on an XL. My Banshee Paradox v3 has a great stack with a 140mm headtube. I am running 40mm rise bars and all the full 30mm of stem spacers as well.

Head angle has been slackened which is nice.

It’s a shame they haven’t kept the short 415mm chainstay though, that was ace.

I have had excellent service from Pace with regards to a warranty. I think they struggle with comms occasionally. However, I have had the same issue with several small uk brands, which is understandable.

Seriously though, I’ve been using the Magura royal blood in my shimano brakes for the last 4 years with no issues.

I’m moving to putoline now I’ve used all my Royal blood up.

Baby oil was for fun :-)

Baby oil. You can get it anywhere.

I wouldn’t even contemplate a Solaris Max because the chainstays are comically long. You’ll never be able to get the front wheel up.

Waits for STW flaming… :-)

The new SC Chameleon would be a good call if you can stomach the price.

My Banshee Paradox V3 feels very similar to my Ibis Ripmo AF if thats any help.

I’ve had 2 Pace RC627s and they were brilliant except for the dropouts which are made from cheese.

I was more interested in how the reach changed with suspension movement on a hardtail vs a full sus.

I’m 6’2” and ride XLs

Great explanation of why the reach should be different on a hardtail.

I like 35mm bars and stems. For the more Wookie sized amongst us they work great. I’m running an 810mm Deity bar and an I9 A35 stem which feels excellent to me, especially for big drops. I found 31.8 was way too noodley and vague. It’s the same reason I prefer the Zeb to the Lyrik, it goes where I point it :-)

I just received an Exo+ DHR2 29er tire and Onyx hub from the states in under a week with no duty. Forget Europe and go west.

When you talk about hubs you have to ignore front hubs because they all pretty much do the job brilliantly (I’m happy with Hope here). It’s the rear hub where you need to spend some cash.

I’ve had lots of Hope wheels over the years. The rear hubs are good agricultural grade work horses, but the engagment is poor. Its time Hope upped their game because there are a whole load of faster engaging modern hubs out there now, Spank, Bonty, Hunt, Nukeproof etc.

I have an I9 Hydra rear on one wheelset which is amazing but a little draggy, and I am building up another rear wheel with an Onyx Vesper this weekend to see if silence is the way to go.

@Scienceofficer I’m a big fan of Hardtail Party but I’m not Steve :-)

Weirdly though I have just ordered an Onyx Vesper rear hub for a wheel build.

I was thinking more like lego.

I can recommend the Banshee Paradox V3 with a 150mm Zeb up front. Very capable and fun.

I can also recommend the RSD Middlechild Ti which is amazing. It manages to smooth the trail out beautifully but shoot forward when you drop the hammer.

Wheel choice is very important with a hardtail. You need softer wheels.

I’m running the bigger Mudhugger on 2 29ers with 2.5 Assegais or 2.6 MMs at the front. There is plenty of clearance on a Lyrik and a Zeb.