Withdrawn full suspension frame

[MarinMartin]

Hi all.

Not going to bore you with details about what's been going on but I've been hovering around here still, just haven't felt like I could contribute anything worthy, especially whilst not being able to ride and having to let go of most of my bikes. Fear not.... I still have one retro(ish) project that I will hopefully update you on this weekend so please don't kick me out just yet.

I'm on the road to recovery and have big ambitions for the future - well big for me anyway. The ambition I really want to focus on is to build a very special full suspension mountain bike which will represent how I'm still here because of cycling and to raise money for mental health charities so I can hopefully help others in my position with what helped me. I've got the first challenge planned for April (my friend's memorial weekend seemed a fitting time to do it as I promised him I'd do something in his memory) so now all I have to do is try to remember how to ride a bike , it feels like forever since my accident.

I only have a budget of around £200ish for a frame and rear shock (I need a large frame - ideally 20" if it's for 26" wheels or 19-20" if it takes bigger wheels) so not expecting a lot, I just want something that I can cherish and that will be ok for endurance challenges so ideally not a downhill style bike. I know it won't be anything like my old Marin (RIP) but this is a sentimental build rather than a top spec build so if it makes me happy then I couldn't give a monkeys about how good it is compared to someone's £5000 bike. If I can find the frame then I can build it as I can raise the money for parts and hopefully have it built by the end of the year.

Oh yeah . Does anyone have anything that might possibly suit?

Thanks everyone.

 

[ishaw]

I still have a mount vision pro which I think I messaged you about before. I could do it as a full bike so you'd be up and running and you can ride while looking for upgrades.

It's mostly xt, lx shifters 3x9, hope front hub, DT Swiss rear. Reba u-turns, avid disc brakes etc. I've plenty of stuff to assist with upgrades depending on what you have in mind.

 

[Richey O]

Hi. I have this which you may be able to fit, or perhaps not?
https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads...pen-to-reasonable-offers.453107/#post-3420306

 

[MarinMartin]

Thanks everyone. I've thought long and hard about this and I've decided I'm going to wait and raise a bit more money to get a 29er frame. Then build it as I can afford bits. I miss my Marin too much and after riding my old Trance for the first time in over a year I've realised just how much I miss the 29" wheels.

If I can find a 29er full sus frame for around £300 I should be able to find enough to build it this year. Missed a couple on ebay because my stupid broadband went down this week but fingers crossed I can find something else.

 

[brocklanders023]

Sounds like a plan mate. When you get what you want I might be able to donate some parts for the build. Plenty of decent modern stuff available cheap atm, the market is terrible!

 

[CTK]

You could get a decent hardtail 29er for £300- full bike.

 

[MarinMartin]

I do have a 29er hardtail. My War Horse. The bike helping me through my battles. I built it up from a frame over the space of a year but I had an accident in 2020 which still causes abdominal and lower back pain so I need a full susser for proper offroad trails. It's going to hurt regardless but I'm not giving up on it.

 

[MarinMartin]

Ok I've raised the budget to £300 in the hope of finding a 29er frame. Not holding on to a lot of hope but I want to at least try. I know I could get a complete bike ready to go for the same amount this will end up costing me to build but this will be something really special to me, not just something bought, and I can't find £700 all at once to buy a complete bike so at least I can build this in stages as I can raise the money.