Trail / Enduro - 29'rs - choice

[T-Bob]

So I've decided that after much messing about the mid / shortish  travel 29'r is the way forward for me and am ditching the other bikes and combining that cash into that 'one' bike. 

 

I'm currently running a 2015 Transition Smuggler that I do love... a lot. It's set up as 140mm front and 115mm rear and hasn't let me down on anything and has been burly, super fun and awesome on everything from normal trails to DH tracks. I also think 140mm on a 29'r is a perfect front fork. 

 

Why do I want to mix it up if I'm so happy? Well with a young fam', kids, school fees and the rest looming this is a one time upgrade... for a  fair while at least! That and I'm heading to the UK for a month so want to take advantage of that situation and source this 'one' frame. 

I want a fun, poppy, beast that can tackle the realistic trail terrain in SA, a trip to Spain / France for some joy there, throw in an enduro race or two, have a crack at the Lesotho Enduro next year but mainly hit my usual places like Jonkers and Tokai, Cobra @ Hoogies etc with a big grin on my face. Normal Tokai run is up, to Cobra, all the way down, back up to AM, back up to via switchbacks, couple of laps of DH, find something to roll off. Work on my terrible jumping, wobble off home. I don't dirt road and don't do distance to be honest. Only 'race' that interests me is Piket Bo Berg.   

 

I was set on the new Transition Sentinel but initial reviews make it an amazing bike but I don't live and ride in Whistler bombing A lines which is when it comes into it's own and it's a long travel bike at 170 up front / 140 out back. the new Smuggler with the SBG geometry is very tempting but it'll need a new fork with their offset and to be honest I'm not a Fox fan. It's also boost which means new hubs or wheels as well. 

Then I'd finally settled on the Orange Stage 5 - 140mm front, 135mm out back, single pivot, great geo and killer, killer reviews. I love oranges, my old five was great. Yes it's single pivot but Orange have been refining the hinge with a shock in the middle idea day in and day out for nearly 20 years and have put alot of brake jack and bob well behind them. Yeah, it's boost rear so need to factor in new wheels or a new hub / rebuild. Job done... or so I thought. 

 

Until... for some reason I popped onto the Evil site last night and spotted that they are clearing 2017 stock on The Following and at about R28K for a frame, new and it's the same money as the Orange and I'd imagine the new Smuggler. It's carbon, it's got that linkage and it's non boost so it's buy, build across and ride. It's not the new one, it doesn't have the changes (new one is longer, can take metric shocks and coils etc). 

Hell of a nice problem to have but now I need some input and advice. 


 

[T-Bob]

http://singletrackworld.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2017/01/Stage-5-2017-3Q-163-640x400.jpg

[T-Bob]

[T-Bob]

http://p.vitalmtb.com/photos/stories/2017/08/23/fuller_DSC06367_kevinedit_2_869245.jpg

[Iwan Kemp]

Have not ridden some of the bikes you mentiin, but can say that the Evil is AMAZING. It is a beast of a bike.

 

Jeffsy should also be on your list

[dirtypot]

I only have experience with the Evil, and so that's the one I'd recommend.  It's a beast that takes hits like a bigger suspension bike.  It's so sure footed and stable that it makes you (or at least me) into a better rider than I am.  Very confidence inspiring and fun!   

[Skott5]

SC - Hightower

 

/ thread 

[T-Bob]

Jeffsy should also be on your list

 

Thanks, I did think about the Jeffsy and the Spez Enduro and found the YT bit cart like and was expecting 'more'. It felt so neutral and so 'meh' (also quite hard to find a standalone frame).

 

Again with the Enduro, it is a bench mark but didn't gel with it. 

[Meezo]

haha, did i tell what i was getting, i was in the same boat...

 

but can't really afford the bikes above, so bought the enduro!

 

155mm rear travel
i paid tjiep also, won a bid on eBay in the UK

[splat]

SC - Hightower

 

/ thread 

This would have been my starting point if I had a dilemma like this 

[Wolf Lyle]

I have the following , cant go wrong there ! Mine can be for sale if I get a reasonable offer ..

[BarryH]

just for the hell of it, look at the Cannondale Trigger.

 

It seems a very under appreciated bike. I've had one for three years now, and I weigh 120kg's and I am naturally fit going down, and prefer wheels in the air. Now with my weight I understand this is a risk but the trigger (mine is a 2013 model) is a beast and handles all well, it also climbs well, just a little heavy, but so am I.

 

Just saying

[BarryH]

I rode the Trigger for two years on the Tygerberg trails before I came to PE, believe me it is a tough bike.

[Odinson]

Nukeproof Mega 290? Not so sure on frame-only options, but from what I've read, they're hellishly fast. 

 

Perhaps a bit vanilla for your taste, but what about a 29er Stumpy, with lekker 2.8 Maxxis tyres? 

 

I've heard that some of the Evil frames have naff finishing on the rear triangle. 

[Thermophage]

I have the following , cant go wrong there ! Mine can be for sale if I get a reasonable offer ..

It's not quite enough bike for a big mountain trip though unfortunately.

And the Wreck is probably too much bike to be playful.

[Grease_Monkey]

Evil for the win