29er with rack mounts?

[silentbutdeadly]

I've bent and am continuing to fatigue a hardtail 26 MTB that is being used as a daily fitness bike on the local trails (flat, bumpy singletrack with lots of fallen timber) as well as a warm weather commuter. Chainstays are skewed 2mm to the driveline side. Continued treatment in this manner will turn the bike to scrap but I'd prefer not to.....it makes a good commuter and child carrier and I've more than a few spares for it in the shed too.

Trying to hunt up a new frame for it is difficult because it is a V brake frame.....the only ones I've seen available are in various combinations of cheap, expensive, online and offshore. So making a swap is currently turning a little impractical...

So my thoughts are turning to a new steed. Since I already have one of the ubiquitous Anthem 29ers my preferences are for a 29er. But nothing quite so.....excessive....in terms of capability and budget. Whilst I'd like to ride the Anthem every day, the cost of resultant maintenance gives me shivers and the impracticality of the dual suspension with respect to load carrying is fairly obvious.

But try to find a 29er with rear rack mounts!

So far all I've turned up is the Specialized Hardrock which at $600 RRP is spot on in terms of budget despite being alarmingly cheap in its specification.....re-tooling it from my boxes of bits would be easy enough though. Unfortunately, my town doesn't have a Specialized dealer - nearest one is 250km away.

All the other options I've turned up to date are the many hybrids that run wide 700c wheels and so could be equipped with cyclocross tyres (but not the nice 2.1 29er tyres because of inadequate frame clearance).....but budget versions don't really have the build (in my perception) to cope with the expected use....

Has anyone got any knowledge to add to aid (or further confuse) decision making?

[alchemist]

Salsa Fargo

[silentbutdeadly]

Which was the first thing that came to mind.....except that they seem to be made of unobtainium and are priced accordingly!!

Honestly? Wayyyyyyyyyyyyy out of budget. I'm looking at less than $800.....

[Mugglechops]

Secondhand Haro Mary, possibly? Not real sure if they have rack mounts.

[Ken Ho]

HAve a look at teh new Trek/GAry Fischer range. Not sure about the rear mounts, but nice looking, well-specced bikes.

[silentbutdeadly]

Nada. The Trek 29ers don't help either. I have turned up the fact that the new On-One 29er frames from the UK via Taiwan will have rack mounts on them when they get a release in a (claimed) couple of weeks. The only downside is that a On-One build will stretch the budget quite a bit as I don't have another 29er wheelset or fork. However, they are offering a build set deal at the mo for the 26 version that they've said will be repeated for the 29er....but at roughly $1,200 plus with a Shimano SLX kit (and then some - same kit lets you do single speed) this puts it quite some way above the plain....and well into famous name value brand territory.....



ahhh.......but do they have rack mounts?

[Nobody]

This is likely too expensive for you, but just in case you haven't dismissed it already:
http://surlybikes.com/frames/karate_monkey_frame/

[robo7579]

Had my hardrock 29er sport disc for 9 months now and very happy with it, while its not quite entry level its no race ready rocket but has been great so far. Have thought about putting a rack on it but havent needed to yet as I have a trailer. Defiantly have a look if you can, think I paid 750 which leaves room for improvement, ie, pedals, forks, etc.

[silentbutdeadly]

Thanks, Nobody.....that's already on the list. Except it is a little more than my budget too even when sourced from Wiggle <sigh> which suggests that my budget is on the unrealistic side.


Looks like I might do a frame source then opportunistically stock it over time.....Oh I dream of instant gratification!!!

[singlespeedscott]

Try on-one inbred. Shipped to your door from the UK, frame for less than $400. They also come fitted with rack mounts and can also except V brakes.

http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/FROOIN29V3/ ... -out-frame

[Cinder]

Check out the GT range.

[silentbutdeadly]

The On-one Inbred is the favourite to date. I signed up for On-one some time back so I knew they were coming.....design and price wise they are the go.

However, I may have fixed my frame problem. Or at least delayed it quite a bit. Based on a hunch I swapped out the original Shimano QR for a new pair of BBB skewers I had on another pair of wheels. Lo and behold the shimmy in the rear end diminished dramatically. I still found myself tightening up the bearing cones at the end of the week but the feel was much better. Then the sale at CRC caught my eye and amongst a few other things I scored a pair of Crank Bros QR in the lively shade of orange for under $30. What the hell. These are now fitted and they really do stiffen things up even more.....after a whole week on them the rear end of the bike is still solid for the first time in weeks.

Of course, it is still bent. But the metal fatigue is dramatically slowed and the handling is improved so it is ridiculous to consider a new frame until such time as this one is closer to scrap. So I'll replace a few worn parts with decent ones and if the frame does fail they can always be moved over when the time comes. After all why spend now when you can save more for tomorrow? Or next year.