I've decided to get a half decent hardtail to get out and do more stuff on. I'm limited to £1000 AND the Halfords Cycle scheme. I originally wanted a fat bike but a mixture of cost and availability has kicked that idea in the knackers.
I really fancy the Sonder Transmitter as me next bike.
Has anyone got one and uses it for bikepacking? Is it even any use as a 'pack bike?

Advice and experiences welcome.

Dagonny wrote:....half decent AND Halfords....

Is there such a thing?


I believe Evans does the cycle to work scheme, would that be an option?

I'm building my Sonder Transmitter for bikepacking. I reckon it'd make an excellent pack bike and the fact it only has one bottle cage (on the carbon version) mount, means you wont need to think twice about getting a full frame bag and a bladder.

Alpkit are lovely outdoorsy people and so far everything I have seen about them (including their srvice when buying my frame) as well as the reviews shouts: +++bikepacking.

I've put some (well thwy still to go on as money shortages means I am a few parts short) Travers Prongs on mine with the optiin fir 2 upfront Gorilla Cages. I also have some spare Rebas just in case and the frame takes 3 inch boost tires/wheels (or at least 2.8 inch 650Bs)...

Buy it I'd say (in whatever guise!)

Asposium wrote:

Dagonny wrote:....half decent AND Halfords....

Is there such a thing?

Voodoo, Boardman, (some of the) Carreras...
How well they're put together seems to be the variable factor...

Struggling to see how you'd get a Sonder through Halfords though.

Alpkit accept the Halfords vouchers - as do many smaller bike shops (but not Evans).

I've not ridden a Transmitter but did enjoy my time with the Frontier - which is very well suited to bikepacking duties amongst other things.

http://bearbonesbikepacking.blogspot.co ... ested.html

Tom did the Highland Trail on a Transmitter, so I guess that qualifies it as a bikepacking bike. :)

Cracking photo.

Cheers for the replies, now it's Frontier/Transmitter choice..

Get the Transmitter. The Frontiee has some wierd standards (AFAIR) and uograding bits like forks/wheels could turn out to be a bit of a chore. Unless off course ypu just wanna ride as is and want something good for not very much money... = Frontier

Pete McNeil did the HT550 on a transmitter, too. He seemed to be going ok on it. Looks a fun bike.

Mate has one and thinks it's great - the mech hangers are made of (very ripe and soft) cheese though... he has almost stopped riding other bikes at present and it's re-awoken his inner child on the rough stuff

Not used for bikepacking as yet though

Tried to order one yesterday. Despite the website saying they had em in stock, they're outta stock.

FML etc.

I got mine fully built up. Apart from the little glitchy with the crappy Reba forks (were acting wierd) I took for its second fully rigid ride today.

Travis Prongs upfront and it absolutely mind bogglingly lovely. I got mine in green but on hindsight maybe should have gone with a colour that doesnt show the muck that badly!

Its 3.0 Bamboloni tyre upfront and a 2.4 rear... will be swapping the rear to a 2.8 at some point and when I wanna have a different sort of fun, there's some Fox 120mm forks waiting to go on (briefly off course as the Prongs are just that good).

Hopefully bickpack it across the whole of the Penning Bridleway once I find a partner thats slow enough!