A fab all day multiday bike?

[BreninBeener]

Im a serial bike and frame buyer and have plenty of bikes geared towards a couple of hrs fun at trail centres or steep trails.

I really want to do some multiday adventures on trails in Europe. Im thinking of the French Divide stuff or Transpyr type riding, but travelling light with my bikepacking gear. My kit weighs about 7kg.

I am looking for a recommendation for a bike that is efficient for lots of all day pedalling. Im thinking HT as i really dont want the hassle of a broken/impaired rear shock. So im also thinking steel as its tough and compliant. 29er seems a given, and i already have 29er wheels and tyres. I was thinking a 27.2 mm seatpost may provide some more saddle comfort...

In an attempt to reduce my fleet, if the bike would take a short travel susp fork or a carbon rigid for adventure trips then that will prove ideal for me.

Ive been lusting after Travers Russ ti but its 2k for a frameset with a fork. How much better or worse would a Solaris or Sherpa be? 2k isnt out if the question, but it means i have to eat roadkill for a while. I appreciate i some of the stuff im asking is really subjective, but if i had one bike that was really ace and did most everything i wanted then i would be really happy.

Thanks

Ian

[whitestone]

I can't comment on the Travers but I've a Solaris which was originally in HT configuration but is now fully rigid with a Travers Prong carbon fork. Very much my favourite bike, hoots of fun. I've used it on all the ITTs I've done, including the HT550, so it's definitely a mile muncher as well. Seatpost isn't 27.2mm though.

[Solo]

Older Karate Monkey if you can find one?

[Teetosugars]

Surly Krampus?

Love mine..

[BreninBeener]

The 27.2 thing was just me thinking out loud. I have a v nice stiff Carbon road bike which has a Syntace hiflex 27.2 seatpost which seems to work well getting rid of discomfort. I thought this may carry over onto a HT. (This may be nonsense and i may have fallen for marketing guff)!

[benp1]

I have 2 29ers
- El Marachi, run rigid (fargo fork) and SS with jones loops. Was going to be my bikepacking bike but I use it for local stuff. Has a 27.2mm seat post
- Solaris, run as a 120mm hardtail. Use this for my bikepacking (mostly) and for other fun stuff

I think the Sherpa is slightly slacker? My Solaris is more slack than my El Mar, plus they don't make the El Mar anymore

I'd go for a Solaris for that reason. If you have lots of trail type bikes already then makes sense to go for a carbon fork for weight and to have something different

[Bearbonesnorm]

The 29er that Pipedream produce looks good value at present - 853 too but limited sizes available.

Stooge would likely be a good choice and fits in well with what you're after.

[fatbikephil]

Surly ECR
Surly Karate monkey
Stooge
Cotic
2nd hand salsa el mariachi (no longer made sadly)
Jones

In no particular order

[In Reverse]

The Titus Fireline from Planet X is a worthy Ti substitute for the Travers, should be able to get a frame for around £700 if you keep an eye on their weird sales. Not a 27.2 seat tube but if you're not averse to spending a bit on a titanium seatpost in 31.6 then you won't have any comfort worries.

I've done most of my big rides this year on mine, either rigid or hardtail. Nice and light, a fun ride and likes to be ridden fast.

[BreninBeener]

Thank you, im loving these suggestions!

[ZeroDarkBivi]

Have you considered 650+ hoops & rubber? I suppose it all depends what you want to ride, but I wouldn't want to ride rigid on trails for multi-day trips without some fatter tyre comfort. It is not fast, and neither is the Rohloff hub, but for a touring bike, it should be reliable... I hope!

Or, you could use a Lauf fork; more comfort on long rough trails without the weight and servicing penalty of a proper damped fork - quite like mine, but it can get a bit out of hand on fast bumpy descents!

[ianfitz]

Worth looking at alpkit Sonser offerings. No personal experience but review well and they generally produce good stuff

Nothing in steel but bikes that are designed to what you want them to do.

[gairym]

I'm on my second Solaris (sold the MK1 as I wanted something more racey, didn't like it and so bought a MK2 Solaris).

In short, I love it!

A great, chuck-around-able, comfy for long days frame (I use mine either with a 120mm fox fork for all-round Alpine fun or a rigid carbon fork for long-distance bikepacking stuff).

Not ridden the Travers 29er but have a Bat Fastard fatbike from Michael and it's a piece of engineering art so I'm sure it's a beauty as the geometry looks good and the build quality is second to none.

Plenty of other options out there but if I had the money I'd get a Travers.....but I haven't so I ride a Solaris :)

[metalheart]

Another on a second Solaris (a MAX this time).

It works for me (I have both B+ and 29er wheelsets).

I'm running s'penshin at present but looking at a set of Prongs (Bob keeps posting pics and mentioning them and Steven Shand never got back to me) for B+ 'packing. I could probably do with them this coming week but, you know, hey ho.

[metalheart]

Another on a second Solaris (a MAX this time).

It works for me (I have both B+ and 29er wheelsets).

I'm running s'penshin at present but looking at a set of Prongs (Bob keeps posting pics and mentioning them and Steven Shand never got back to me) for B+ 'packing. I could probably do with them this coming week but, you know, hey ho.

I've put in a couple of long days on the new bike and it's my legs that give out first, find it pretty comfy (went up a size from my mk1 though).

Next week will see me push the time on it well beyond previous trips, so if the threads still running I might give an update...

[Alpinum]

Kona Honzo.
I can't think of a more fun HT and just as distance capable as any other.

Also Kona Unit if you're after a steel frame.

Kona has as really hit the sweet spot geometry wise imo.

[BreninBeener]

This enquiryhas highlighted my bike buying problems. I talk myself into buying bikes and kit for every circumstance, rather than making one bike do a multitude of functions.

It seems as though a Solaris or equivalent bike would be almost ideal. I saw a Stanton HT being ridden every bit as fast as my DH bikes in Morzine this summer. This may be a reflection in my riding however....

Im hoping to do these long multiday rides with my GF. Sadly she is younger and fitter than me so i really need something to flatter me and be efficient with my fitness level. She has just done the French Divide on a gravel bike and now wants to do more mtb....she has just bought a Solaris!

My eye has also been taken by the Kinesis Sync Ti which appears at a good price at the mo.

Thanks for the suggestions, im open to more ideas and busy looking at frames and geometry.

[stevenshand]

I'm running s'penshin at present but looking at a set of Prongs (Bob keeps posting pics and mentioning them and Steven Shand never got back to me) for B+ 'packing.

Hey, did I miss something from you?

[Cheeky Monkey]

The Titus Fireline from Planet X is a worthy Ti substitute for the Travers, should be able to get a frame for around £700 if you keep an eye on their weird sales. Not a 27.2 seat tube but if you're not averse to spending a bit on a titanium seatpost in 31.6 then you won't have any comfort worries.

I've done most of my big rides this year on mine, either rigid or hardtail. Nice and light, a fun ride and likes to be ridden fast.

Beware QC/QA issues, particularly with seat tube diameter, particularly deeper where the internal sleeving / reaming can get baggy (consequently doesn't provide enough support to post).

They changed my first frame and second is still going.