Steel 29er choices

[FLV]

Can anyone suggest a few steel frames worth a look at. Usual riding uses. Bikepacking, day to day riding in the peak, trips here there and everywhere.

Ideally working with anything from a rigid fork to a 120mm travel fork.

I'd like to use my existing wheels which are 29 and 100mm front and either QR or 142x12 rear.
Don't need a front mech mount.

I know of lots of frames but nothing is quite hitting the spot.
Looked at shand, lovely but with a geometry tweek it gets very expensive.
I know of the well known ones of course such as surly, cotic, etc.

Any suggestions?

Ta

[Solo]

Brother cycles Big Bro?

[FLV]

Looks nice. I'll have a poke around the website and look at the geometry.

[Bearbonesnorm]

What kind of numbers are you wanting Dave?

[FLV]

Evening.
Geometry wise?

Something like a 480 seat tube. Around 620 stack and 430 reach give or take. 68 or 69 head angle I guess.

Modern stuff the reach seems to be getting longer and longer. And the seat tube shorter. I can go a bit shorter in the seat tube but I already have to buy 400mm posts.

[Solo]

Other option could be seeing if I part with my KM OPS

Edit: HA steeper than you want.

[ton]

steel 29er's used to be my bike of choice.

previous one's i have owned

2 x halo mary
2 x karate monkey
2 x singular swift
1x vassago jabberwoky
1 x cotic solaris max
2 x on one inbred
and current bike is a surly ecr

the singulars were both fantastic. ran them both with 100mm rebas
the comfiest by far is the surly ecr
and i was never fit/healthy enough to give the cotic a proper good offroad ride.

[FLV]

Cheers Ton.

You say used to be? What is now?

I've had a couple myself. I currently have a carbon framed hardtail. It's very nice and light too but it's harsh and has poor tyre clearance.

[ton]

the surly is my ideal bike at present
comfy, steady, carries what i need, and i rode 100 miles on it a month after getting it. i wont ever need to ride any further in a day.

oh and i also had a Jones plus for a year. didnt like or get on with it.

[Hamish]

Hey Ton. What do you like about the ECR over the Jones Plus?

I have a Troll that I quite like but is nothing like as comfortable as my Pugsley despite similar geometry. I was thinking of swapping the Troll for and ECR or Ogre so was interested to hear you thought the ECR was comfy...

[ton]

Hamish
to start with, the surly is half the price, but obviously that dont matter if you want a jones.
the surly carries luggage far better and feels more stable when doing so.
it also rides offroad as well, with the moloko bars giving a very controlable front end.
one of my biggest problems with the jones was that it was crap in mud with a chronicle and a single chainring. the chain acted like knife slicing mud off the rear tyre.
not good for winter.

[Mart]

Singular Swift is worth considering

[Hamish]

Cheers Ton

That's useful. As I still use racks... I was wondering about the Jones and loads.

[Dyffers]

My current do it all steel hardtail is a 2Souls Quarterhorse. Weighs a ton but works as a trail bike with a 140 fork and 50mm stem, or has done Charlie's Gravel Dash and some of a BB300 with a 490mm rigid carbon fork and a 100mm stem.

My XL is pretty short in the reach though (I'm 6'2").

[metalheart]

Stanton Sherpa?

Modular dropouts so you can get qr, 142 or boost...

Or cheap though...

Not sure of geo but 67.5 HA (iirc).

Ahem, quite often available 2ndhand I believe....

[FLV]

Thanks again guys.

Stanton is interesting. I was semi interested in the sherpa from when it came available. I had one of thier first frames (26er switch back?) It was a good bike.

[wriggles]

I have owned a few.
Best by far the Sherpa based on geo and ride.
Swift was good and still have one for town duties. Very similar to a Salsa El Mariachi.
Had a Solaris but felt stiffer and more lifeless than the Sherpa.
Also an Inbred and Sir9 which didn't like.
Also have a Singular Rooster which is great as well.

[stevenshand]

Looked at shand, lovely but with a geometry tweek it gets very expensive.

Drop me an email with what you need/want.

Might be able to sort something out.

Steven

[metalheart]

I have both Solaris (multiple) and a Sherpa.

The Sherpa is more fun than the older ‘solari’ but the longshot geo knocks all that into a cocket hat. The new SolarisMAX is a confidence inspiring (and comfortable) ride.

My bikepacking bike is a mk1 SolarisMAX (old geo) bought and built for its express purpose. The Sherpa gives me aches and pains (lower back & shoulders) after any length of time, probably in need of a longer stem I guess. It helps that LS puts me in the right size (instead of the middle of 2 previous).

[Moder-dye]

Charge Cooker are going to be going back to steel framed hard tails. You'd have to look up the geometry.
https://www.mbr.co.uk/news/bike_news/st ... ker-363511


I have 2012 cooker 3 as a rigid drop bar MX.

[Solo]

I have both Solaris (multiple) and a Sherpa.

The Sherpa is more fun than the older ‘solari’ but the longshot geo knocks all that into a cocket hat. The new SolarisMAX is a confidence inspiring (and comfortable) ride.

My bikepacking bike is a mk1 SolarisMAX (old geo) bought and built for its express purpose. The Sherpa gives me aches and pains (lower back & shoulders) after any length of time, probably in need of a longer stem I guess. It helps that LS puts me in the right size (instead of the middle of 2 previous).

What size LS geo did you get?

Sorry for going OT slightly OP.

[AlasdairMc]

Stooge? 29er, QR, 69/72 geometry, ideal for bikepacking.

[Fat tyre kicker]

Nearly new Vagabond in the classified section ? .....God loves a tryer

[Moder-dye]

Nearly new Vagabond in the classified section ? .....God loves a tryer

Ooo...goes to look...

[ton]

that green charge cooker in the ad looks very nice.

might see if i need a new bike..........