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New 29er frame suggestions

Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2017 12:06 pm
by gairym
Morning all,

First some background - I sold my Cotic 'Solaris' (and RS Reba forks) last year and replaced them with a fully rigid On-one 'Lurcher' frame/forks in order to be faster on the less technically demanding bikepacking trips and routes I had planned.

I liked the ride and idea so much that I decided to go a step further and so am building up a Cotic 'Escapade' CX/gravel thingy.

But.....this has rendered my Lurcher a bit obsolete and so instead of selling it I'm thinking of replacing the frame/forks with something a bit tougher and more trail ready (but also bikepacking friendly)

My problem is that the best option I can think of is to buy another Solaris as I loved to feel and ride of it.

Anyone got anything else they'd recommend along similar lines....?

My requirements are:

- Steel (is real etc...) but not intentionally overweight (Surly etc...)
- Ideally 853 as there's just something about the ride quality I've always loved
- Large
- Not proportionally too long in the top tube
- Plenty of room in the triangle
- Not too bothered about bottle/rack mounts as I always use the same soft luggage setup

I also like nice little brands like Cotic and so no big evil corporations (Specialized, I'm looking at you!).

So far I've been thinking about:

- Another Solaris (which I'm only opposed to because it's what I just sold a year ago)
- Niner EMD
- Stanton Sherpa 853

So what would you recommend?

Ok, answers on a postcard please.....

Cheers, Gairy.

Re: New 29er frame suggestions

Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2017 12:48 pm
by GregMay
Solaris, simple. Nice bike, nice people, versatile too.

Re: New 29er frame suggestions

Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2017 1:43 pm
by evilgoat
shand?

Re: New 29er frame suggestions

Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2017 1:46 pm
by gairym
evilgoat wrote:shand?
Would love one but a tad spendy for a purchase that I was hoping to slide under the spouse radar!

Can't seem to shake the mental image of Ian's thing of beauty now though, thanks!

Re: New 29er frame suggestions

Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2017 1:48 pm
by whitestone
Solaris or a Stooge. Both are very capable and adaptable frames.

Re: New 29er frame suggestions

Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2017 2:19 pm
by Bearbonesnorm
I'd second Bob's suggestion of a Stooge - the new MK3 sounds very interesting and due in spring.

Re: New 29er frame suggestions

Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2017 2:31 pm
by Solo
If you'd said a size 'medium' my reply would have been 'my Solaris that is for sale' :wink:

But I think the answer is Solaris.

Was your old one a mk1? If so, you can always view buying the mk2 as a suitable different version - just to convince yourself :-bd

Re: New 29er frame suggestions

Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2017 3:46 pm
by gairym
I love the look of the Stooge but I'm less than convinced about the one-size-fits-all idea.

Also, they're a little lacking in the main triangle space department too, no?

And yes, my old one was MK1 and so I might just get a new MK2 and pretend that one day I'll want to run it with B+ wheels.

Re: New 29er frame suggestions

Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2017 4:05 pm
by johnnystorm
Niner EMD is alloy and SIR is megabucks, but Stif might have a sale on.

Stick with the Lurcher, it's a great bike. Ask Chris Plesko if he finds his tough enough for bikepacking! :wink:

Re: New 29er frame suggestions

Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2017 4:21 pm
by gairym
johnnystorm wrote:Niner EMD is alloy and SIR is megabucks, but Stif might have a sale on.

Stick with the Lurcher, it's a great bike. Ask Chris Plesko if he finds his tough enough for bikepacking! :wink:
Bugger, you're right - I got the models wrong!

I could just get a bouncy fork for the Lurcher - be a lot less hassle/money???

Re: New 29er frame suggestions

Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2017 4:30 pm
by benp1
I'd say Solaris again, I have a Mk1 - would be a nice excuse to get the Mk2?

Also have an El Mariachi, might be an option? You then have the option to go SS for more niche-filling opportunities

Re: New 29er frame suggestions

Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2017 5:25 pm
by Bearbonesnorm
I love the look of the Stooge but I'm less than convinced about the one-size-fits-all idea.
The new ones will be 2 different sizes, ie a bigger one.
Also, they're a little lacking in the main triangle space department too, no?
You're right - no. Frame triangle is much bigger than it first appears. I'm sure helped by the shape of the head-tube, top-tube and and down-tube junction, it doesn't converge to a single point like most frames, so it really opens up the triangle. My Wildcat frame bag is massive :wink:

Re: New 29er frame suggestions

Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2017 7:08 pm
by Ben98
Surly karate monkey? :grin: :wink:

Re: New 29er frame suggestions

Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2017 7:18 pm
by gairym
Don't get me wrong, I loved that frame but.....

Just not quite what I'm after right now.

To be fair it's all a bit irrelevant as any of the above (including the Karate Monkey) would do the job more than will enough but I'm a picky bugger!

Re: New 29er frame suggestions

Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2017 7:27 pm
by Pirahna
johnnystorm wrote: SIR is megabucks:
I bought mine for £350 on Ebay :grin:

I wasn't too keen on my Solaris. I ran it with a 100mm fork it might have been better with a 120mm?

That Vassago Jabberwocky thing on Charlie the bikmonger looks interesting

Re: New 29er frame suggestions

Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2017 7:30 pm
by johnnystorm
gairym wrote:
johnnystorm wrote:Niner EMD is alloy and SIR is megabucks, but Stif might have a sale on.

Stick with the Lurcher, it's a great bike. Ask Chris Plesko if he finds his tough enough for bikepacking! :wink:
Bugger, you're right - I got the models wrong!

I could just get a bouncy fork for the Lurcher - be a lot less hassle/money???
I still have the Reba from the Lurcher gathering dust in my garage..... :wink:

Re: New 29er frame suggestions

Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2017 8:09 pm
by cycleofaddiction
+1 for the Lurcher, I keep toying with the idea of a new steel frame bike for bikepacking duties but when it boils down it the Lurch is a great lightweight frame with bags of space for a framebag and the lighter your bike is before you start loading it up the better for me.

Re: New 29er frame suggestions

Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2017 9:25 pm
by Solo
Ben98 wrote:Surly karate monkey? :grin: :wink:
An Ops version is the reason I'm selling my Solaris :o

Re: New 29er frame suggestions

Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2017 11:26 pm
by Charliecres
The new Stooge sounds great. Really versatile and will take a tapered steerer sus fork too.

There's also the Swift.

Re: New 29er frame suggestions

Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2017 10:23 am
by metalheart
Well, I have both a Solaris (mkI) and a Sherpa (new gen).

My Solaris is a medium and feels a bit short for long days (saddle position also makes front end light when climbing on the steep). Bottle mount is bang middle of down tube so interferes with a (non full) frame bag. It's built up 29er/100mm Reba's. It's my bikepacking bike.

Sherpa is 3" B+. Straight pin, so further forward and despite being a large it feels a little short, no light front though. Bottle cage better position. It 'feels' more aggressive than the Cotic. Not sure that's a requirement for b/p though....

Cotic currently only have L frames (in yellow) which are reduced to £399. There has been speculation that as the Soul has gone boost rear that Solaris will follow (presumably with increased clearance as currently max of 2.8" I think). If you aren't B+ oriented then snap up the last frames as no doubt the next shipment will be Soul priced (£550-600).

I'm planning getting a replacement Solaris (in large) to run B+ as my main b/ping bike. So I'm waiting to see if spec is warranted or not.

My biases are (hopefully) clearly stated. :mrgreen:

Re: New 29er frame suggestions

Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2017 10:32 am
by gairym
The text on the Cotic website says that they've got large in yellow in stock but the order form says only medium???

Medium is definitely too wee for me.

Re: New 29er frame suggestions

Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2017 10:39 am
by metalheart
Give em a phone. Always found Cotic very easy to deal with (and I've dealt with them a bit obver the years :lol: ).

Ask em when the next batch is due too...

Re: New 29er frame suggestions

Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2017 10:52 am
by gairym
I emailed yesterday to ask about it (as it's expensive calling from here) and agree, I've had nothing but good experiences dealing with them. This would be my 4th Cotic if I went for it.

Re: New 29er frame suggestions

Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2017 10:57 am
by metalheart
Fair point (only noticed your location after posting :oops: ).

Only 4? Pah, amateur. New Solaris will be #6 for me... :oops:

Re: New 29er frame suggestions

Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2017 11:13 am
by ton
singular swift. I have had 2 of em. 1 rigid, 1 with reba's. lovely ride. lovely bikes.