Let's offroad / mountain bike / mtb / ride dirt

Pace have the rc627 hardtail frame on sale atm

Just add rigid fork and singlespeed and it's perfect

Drive and get it?
Surely something second hand will be way more cost effective. Then use CS on buying parts?

I was going to suggest a spectral 125 but the HA is 64 on looking.

Yeti Arc?

@colm I wouldn't worry too much about the head angle unless you're doing some very slow tight turns. I've got a FM in a mullet set up, works well aside from the pedal strike 😉.

Looks nice but I’m all in for 29er

Ah with the current cost of ferries, the drive to the uk would cost as much as a bike! Funny enough, the spectral was of interest. What’s wrong with a 64 degree ha?

Trés expensive

Fair enough. I've never ridden anything that slack, could be lovely. But could be a bit slow steering to do XC. Having not ridden couldn't comment. But thought it was worth noting.

I don’t find slack to be slow, although I might well do if I went back and forth.

Also if slack aim for a low SHO measurement?

https://m.pinkbike.com/u/leelikesbikes/blog/dialing-in-your-steeringhands-offset.html

Mine is 0 on a 50mm stem, which is worth bearing in mind if you like the bars rolled back, with a 35mm stem it felt a bit odd.

At the risk of becoming predictable I'd probably consider a YT Izzo if I didn't own an MTB at the moment... my 180mm Capra is far too much bike for most of what's around over here in Dublin/ Wicklow area even and the Izzo looks like it would be super capable for what you're descibing!

However I'm not particularly mad for cf so I'd probably go for a Commencal... the Meta Tr 29 looks great in terms of travel but I do like a 27.5 wheel so maybe the Clash or Meta SX?

From what I understand from Lee Mcormack 0 or close to it is ideal for downhill orientated set up, 15-20mm for trail and possibly longer for xc.

downhill orientated

Yep that's me.

I suppose as XC bikes become more slack the stems will shorten, where as they've been long to provide stability to the steep HTA.

My RC295 and RC529 both have 32mm reach stems. 529 is a 65 degree HTA but as it's a hard tail that will steepen up with sag - or stay roughly the same with an MX wheel setup (I run it as a 29er).

I've never thought to myself "steering's a bit slow".

295 is 64.5 - but that's with a 140mm fork, I run it with a 150mm which brings the HTA back to 64.

Again, I've never thought to myself "steerings a bit slow", and when I moved to a 27.5" rear wheel it turned in more willingly than with the previous 29" rear.

The Madonna is slightly longer than my 295 (very slightly - 2mm) and actually steeper - 64.5 HTA with a 170mm fork (same as the 295 as a 29er with a 140mm fork).

It's quite a lot of fun - even when not on downhill tracks:

Look at that face!

Looks like you're having a great time!

32mm reach stems

What position are your bars in from neutral?

Not Euro but Transition Spur sounds like it would fit the bill nicely?

Aforementioned YT Izzo really does look very good...

Lovely but way outta my budget, probably aiming for about €4k all in ideally. Unless I go with aluminium then everything points to a canyon spectral 125.

Yeh these are nice, could probably stretch to the full carbon core 3, definitely something I’ve looked at more than once!

Commencal Meta Tr Race would be about budget but possibly more suspension than you're after?

The only downside to the Izzo seems to be the terrible wait times some people are experiencing with YT which isn't anything new but then if you're not in a rush I wouldn't see it as a reason not to go for one?

Also have you had a chance to get over to Dublin area for a spin? Could be fun to set up some Ireland based group rides as I haven't been over to Coolaney yet and Ticknock and GAP are both well worth a trip over. I've been meaning to do Rostrevor and Ballyhoura too.
cc; @cheekysnaker

What position are your bars in from neutral?

I'll see if I have a photo, I roll mine quite forward.

EDIT not sure if these help really:

@Colm89 summary of above: can you not drive to South Africa to test a £10k DH bike?

Looks pretty close to SHO of less than 10mm

Interesting, my SHO is pretty much zero on the Stooge. Perhaps slightly negative as I tend to hang off the ends of the bars.