More bikes than rides

Don't follow these sheep. Go for the crabon full sus!

your taste in mountain bikes is dead

That's the plan. Just waiting for end of season sales.

You're right. It died last weekend in Exmoor. Light, stiff, strong. Don't really care about the looks anymore.

Officially down to zero bikes.
Now I'm thinking rigid/120mm Trek Stache cr for bikepacking, winter single speed, and all other general bike duties.
Orbea Oiz TR for xc/long days/marathon/learning how to ride.

Officially down to zero bikes

Doing it wrong

But get a boost Ti Fargo. And then sell it to me in a couple of years

Yes but actually no. Space age materials only.

I would take a pimped out Kona Honzo in Carbon for both of those things. Or add a Spesh Epic Evo if you really think FS is necessary.
After long conversations with forumers it’s true 3.0” tyres aren’t needed in UK conditions

Your N-1 divestment is impressive!

My hardail requirements :
Over 650 stack
Reach in range of 460 to 490
Sliding dropouts
Will run tyres from 2.0 to 2.8
Short chainstays
Conservative geometry
120-140 fork compatible
Carbon
2x compatibility a bonus
That comes down to salsa woodsmoke and trek stache. Stache has better reviews and I should be able to run 2x with a bb mounted mech.

Orbea oiz offers biggest vfm in xc trail category. For just over 3k it comes in full carbon, fox sc 34, carbon cranks, dropper, and life time warranty. I see it as a perfect entry tool for xc marathon riding.

Tin foil and aluminium then?

What about a Cutthroat? Only 2.4" and 100mm tho

Exactly. If I hate the bike I can always use it to wrap my sandwiches.

Drop bars offroad do not work.

Drop bars offroad do not work.

I hope they do, for my sake this morning.

Those Orbeas are well nice though.

I hope they do, for my sake this morning

They can be fun of short rides, but I wouldn't take them bikepacking.

They can be fun of short rides, but I wouldn't take them bikepacking.

A bit like other people then?

That explains a lot.

I had an XL Stache briefly. Reach came up much shorter than on paper. Couldnt get it to fit. Same issue with a Why Wayward

Was it ALU stache? Cr has longer reach.

Yes Alu. The tiny headtube, which the reach is based on, meant that as soon as any headset spacers were fitted the reach shrank. 90mm stem and layback post and was still too short. Now riding xl Broken Road with inline post and 70mm stem and fits perfectly. Takes a 2.6 tyre on i30 rim easily as well.

woah, quite a list
I don't see any reason for 2x or any tyre over 2.6 - you're not going near snow are you?
the rest sound pretty standard.
i'd take a woodsmoke personally, especially if you set it up like this

p.s. the oiz seems like your kind of bike! can see you hammering on it

2.6 is the sweet spot, all of the benefits of 3" without the weight penalty. So I'm thinking three wheelsets: g one speed 2.35 for road/gravel, 2.25 fast rolling for xc/bikepacking , 2.6/8 for rigid winter SS trashing.
2x cos I'm weak and old. And I like the idea of 14-110 gear inches range.
I have an ebay alert for both frames. It's down to which one comes up first in my size. Woodsmoke is super spendy for a hardtail when new.

With 650 stack I wouldn't need any spacers. I'll probably put sqlab 50mm risers on it.

Should be comfy enough for 10+ hours rides.