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I'm aiming for something in between a race XC bike and a full-rigid TD rig. So, weekend warrior XC trails but then maybe swap fork for rigid and ride TD on it. I didn't want superlight race oriented XC bike and I didn't want super slack jump bike.
hippy-
Yeah thats pretty much what I shuffle around the Chilterns on - Sherpa and Broken Road and I will happily take either the next time I do a GDMBR pub crawl (2022/3 when retire).
I also quite happily use both at Swinley or Surrey Hills and for rougher bikepacking rides in Lake District, Scotland and Wales. I have a 2013 Turner Sultan for trail centres and more rough stuff which is more bike than I could ever ride and see no need to replace.
Personally I'd go for something thats designed for 120mm forks max, slack but not super slack, quite a light frame with a good reputation for all day riding. There arent many frames that fit that criteria these days as most seem to be winch and plummet LLS longer travel bikes with more burly frames designed for longer forks.
velosaurus
Solaris Max is a big bike for the divide. Cy is only saying that as Cotic dont have a lightish mile muncher anymore (it was the old Solaris). I think they will being back the Soul in 29 as a light XC bike at some point. Rode with a couple of Blackburn sponsered riders on Niner ROS' and they really suffered on the flat and road bits
I would happily use a Sherpa on the divide with rigid forks in whatever steel Leggy says you can have.
No experience of the Pace
Aside from availibility think comes down to which geo is best and what you are genuinely going to use it for as I am still not clear on that.