thebob

Sounds like the bike just needs a bit of TLC from a decent mechanic, not a new groupset

You won’t regret it. Indoor training is great for your fitness 👍🏻

Speak to the guy who sold you the trainer and get the adaptors. Or ask him to pay for them if he said everything was included. Failing that, paying for a set of adaptors so you can use a trainer you have already bought seems like small school fees to pay

If your trainer has the spacers that came with it, you should be able to fit it to the trainer whether your bike is 142mm or 148mm rear spaced. Confirm which spacing your bike has and fit the spacers accordingly. Use your bike’s through axle to do everything up. You might need to play with the limit and b-tension screws to get everything humming nicely.

I would humbly suggest that drilling the frame is an utterly terrible idea. Ride with a Camelbak or similar if you need more fluids and storage space.

Agree with the feedback given regarding the Titan and Scott. Going to throw another name in the hat. The Trek Top Fuel. A bit burlier than the Scott and Titan, but is super capable on everything from a mild trail loop to hitting some proper rowdy trails. There are several nice examples in the classifieds as well

It will work with your setup easy peasy. Use the Zwift Click to change gears for when you do free rides or races. Workout resistance is controlled by the trainer, so gearing is irrelevant

The eye of Sauron had me in his sights at my first 947 going up the mineshaft. Had to put some extra watts to get clear

And yet it gives me great satisfaction riding flats and in my baggies when I out climb and out descend the lycra army. All that without running a lockout on my bike.

Please get the shorts! And matching riding shirts

You can also use Shimano levers with the Magura calipers. Otherwise Merlin Cycles have XT two pots on sale at the moment for a steal

Scalpel hardtail or Scalpel full suspension?

Gen 3 Trek Top Fuel. Ticks all the boxes you mention and will still be relevant in terms of geometry and capability many years from now

Ordered some glasses from them early in January and had them delivered within a couple of days

Lyrik damper will fit in a Yari, not compatible with a 35