One do-it-all bike - too many options?!

[FLV]

Creaked, Yes. Untill I fixed it.

Mine was cured by using metal bb spacers instead of plastic ones. Simple as that for me. Took some tracking down and experimenting though.

[Charliecres]

What about a Kinesis FF29? Will take B+ and works well with a rigid or 100/120 fork.

[benp1]

When choosing my Solaris the FF29 was also on my list. I wanted something steel ideally and the nearest Cotic dealer was near my office and we're going to build me one just to demo

I've just picked up a second hand El mariachi that i'll be using for a few random things, likely to stay rigid though

[d45yth]

FLV - it wasn't that with mine, as I already had metal bb spacers. I think it was something to do with the dropouts.

Anyway, I wasn't aware of the Kinesis. It looks interesting - I can't believe the fork option for it has 160mm travel!?

Like benp, I think I'd prefer steel, although I'm not sure why?! Obviously with some of my options having 4130 tubes and/or +tyres, any comfort won't really be coming from the give in the frame. I suppose it's easier to get a steel frame painted if needed, but now I'm just being a tart.

[Solo]

If you wanted steel and B+ and save some money then this might be an option:

http://www.charliethebikemonger.com/mar ... 9675-p.asp

The old schooler in me just loves Marin.

[johnnystorm]

That Marin Pine Mountain 1 looks great for the money. I picked up a Krampus yesterday morning and took it for 144 miles along the Icknield Way, Peddars Way both ways and back along the Harling Drove. Knards are a bit dangerous in mud but the drag/inertia was much lower than my Full-Fat. A mate is looking for a 29er and I've pointed him at the Marin, plus tyres are excellent over washboard type trails and the lumps of flint gravel tracks I was on.

[d45yth]

Aye, that Pine Mountain does look nice, and a bit cheaper than any other plus options. Maybe I could to stretch to buying something like that and keeping my current bike. I do have quite a few spares laying about too, so could soon upgrade any heavy, own-brand parts - although I'm guessing the wheels will weigh a ton.

tyres are excellent over washboard type trails and the lumps of flint gravel tracks I was on.

This is what's starting to make me think twice about these bigger tyres - as I'm wanting to do more riding from my house I'm going to be covering quite a few road miles. It also looks like I'll get more for my money with a standard 29er or can save quite a bit - which I guess goes back to possibly keeping what I've got and getting another!

[Solo]

I have to admit (apart for really liking the way the 29ers I've tried ride) the thing that would put me off any plus sized tyre would be the number of road miles and/or flat towpath miles my mtb covers.

[DrMekon]

For what it's worth, my Stache 9 has been relentlessly good fun wherever I've ridden it. The 29+ format has such a large footprint, you can get away with really quite slick tyres and still climb most anything. Jacking up the psi for road sections means the bike is decent for dull transfers. It's not a Tripster though, so I guess it depends where your priorities lie. I think 29+, slack-ish angles and short chainstays is a recipe that works for me.

Don't have buyers remorse, but I do think I spent too much getting the 9. The 7 looks like a steal in comparison, and I didn't need the dropper (swapped for carbon post in the shed) or the 150g carbon bars (swapped for Jones bars).

The only disappointment is the degree of faff involved in adjusting the sliding dropouts. Unless you routinely carry a 21mm spanner, it's not a trail side tweak. Also, Boost hubs mean carbon forks and dynohub options are a pain.

I've gone tubeless, ditched the 30t & spider for a 28T direct mount ring. That and losing the dropper more than offset the swap from uber light carbon bar to Jones setup. Unloaded, I guess it's still around 26lbs.

[d45yth]

DrMekon - How do you find the fork on your bike? I know the cartridge in the 9 is supposed to be better than what's in the 7's fork, but what little info I've heard hasn't been great. Anyway, after riding the 7, I called in at a different shop on my way home - they had a 9 that had been the owner's with £800 off! It was a 20.5" though, so no good for me even if I want one.

[DrMekon]

It's from the Dorado on the 9, and in my experience, it's iplush, but only once you give up on the recommended settings. People on MTBR seem to be going as far as 20psi below recommended minimum air spring. I'm going 15psi below, and 2 clicks on fast compression, 1, 2 or 3 on slow compression depending on terrain, 2 on rebound.I think I've gone for 1 click on the bottom out thing. Set like that (so way under the recommended settings), I've only once bottomed them out, and that was on an unexpected 3ft drop off to flat at low speed. IMO, if feels wooden at the recommended settings, but really supple once you fiddle. The chassis feels at least as stiff as fox 34s. The downsides are that the thru-axle setup is fiddly, and that the rebound dial is prone to go missing (mine came off a while ago, and the distributor has a list of stache owners waiting for them to come in from the US according to my LBS).

I have ridden it a fair bit with my sleeping bag etc on the front, and it felt great then too, even without putting more air in. If you want to read more, the 27+-29+ forum on MTBR has a load of info.