The World's Fattest Man with no bike! aka - find hippy a new bike aka - Just get ( fill in blank )

Get away with your sensible suggestions.

Swarf is a good call! Lovely bikes

Lol at the newest title change.

I don't know what a P7 or a Geometron is.

Going from bugger all MTBing to trying to walk my ebay Inbred over the TD?

Sounds perfect!

Slack hardtail the P7:
https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/360314

There is only 20 miles of singletrack on the TD, Fleecer is the only technical bit due to ridiculous gradient. Everything else is double track or gravel road- main reason people take an MTB is to get decent volume tyres (2.4) to cope with the brutal washboard and sandy bits in NM.

Fleecer

https://nicksadventurepage.wordpress.com/tour-divide-chapter-7/

I can't find any pics of it to know what it's like.

But remember this is a xc play bike for the most part.

https://youtu.be/cqJqPUdQUrg

Duzer filmed it.

Of our group two rode it, one walked it and one went slow mo OTB, which was me as couldnt get weight back far enough on my drop bar fargo. Think would have been fine on flat/Jones bars. But I was pub touring at an easy pace, I guess if was racing and tired I would walk it.

Rich Seipps boy Tom has the KOM on it I think..

But remember this is a xc play bike for the most part.

Why I wouldnt suggest a Fargo or Cutthroat

Oh, I've watched that. His brakes stop working or heat up or something and the oher guy bails? I'll have to watch it again.

Looks a lot steeper when he pans back...
https://youtu.be/cqJqPUdQUrg?t=329

28-32% I've been up and down stuff like that before but not loaded. I think there were low 20% sections in Badlands. That's probably the closest I've got, loaded, off-road.

Aren’t you meant to be racing, not getting high?

https://youtu.be/Y3ixEzKA4k0

https://www.strava.com/segments/21054866

When 28kph is the KOM speed for a DH segment you gotta worry a bit.

Strava says -38% bits!

64º head angle sounds about right then

I like how the Fleecer DH top 10 is populated with names like: "Graves", "Coffin" and "Goodspeed"!

https://www.strava.com/segments/13483657

Not for the other 2499 miles.

hippy by name..

Too slack.

Aren’t you meant to be racing, not getting high?

Riding mountain bikes achieves both, the clue's in the name. kthxbye

Not for the other 2499 miles.

Which is quite interesting really as a statement, I'm assuming that it's speed of steering response that you're referencing here? I wonder how much slower 65º is than 68º, and whether you'd notice after riding one for a few hours?

Heading back towards carbon XC, did we do this Specialized Epic yet?

Just add dropper

I have no idea. I'm just basing this on the experience of a few people who actually ride this stuff. I'm sure I could finish the TD on a road bike or a DH bike but neither are going to be great. Same as I could buy a big trail bike for XC riding but I don't think that's right. I could buy a XC race bike but that ain't right. So, Stanton, is the current leader, followed by the Cotic (which I think is pretty slack anyway). A bit of cush, some frame space, steel, you know all the stuff I've mentioned. Anyway, I've shot another question or two to Stanton and I'll see what they say.

Now can we start talking about seat tube angles?

Yeah, Sigma had some but I'd rather save the money and buy the cheaper alu stuff.

Oh and no one mentioned Bombtrack?