Looking to get a frame over the summer so I can put all my new bits which are on the current bike (Cape Wrath d27). Obviously I want something better than the Cape Wrath, but I'm not sure how much I should be spending to see a noticable difference.
I like the Merlin frames (friend has a Ltd Edition Malt), specifically the Malt 4 in white, but it's about £400, which is pushing my initial budget a bit.
Primarily I want something that's strong (obviously) but with as little weight as possible to make the climbs easier. I'd like another frame size of about 18" as well to keep the bike nimble for trails. Most of the time the bike is on the road since I commute on the bike, but primarily I'm looking for a XC frame since that's where I tend to head on the weekend and that's where I'll be having fun.
So - some ideas and opinions would be appreciated.
Rest of the bike is something like this:
Rock Shox Reba Team forks,
Mavic 321 rims/Deore hubs/Conti Slash tyres,
Hayes Stroker Ryde brakes 180mm F/R,
Deore gearset and shifters/Raceface Ride XC Chainset/SKF BXC600 Bottom bracket.
I like the Merlin frames (friend has a Ltd Edition Malt), specifically the Malt 4 in white, but it's about £400, which is pushing my initial budget a bit.
Primarily I want something that's strong (obviously) but with as little weight as possible to make the climbs easier. I'd like another frame size of about 18" as well to keep the bike nimble for trails. Most of the time the bike is on the road since I commute on the bike, but primarily I'm looking for a XC frame since that's where I tend to head on the weekend and that's where I'll be having fun.
So - some ideas and opinions would be appreciated.
Rest of the bike is something like this:
Rock Shox Reba Team forks,
Mavic 321 rims/Deore hubs/Conti Slash tyres,
Hayes Stroker Ryde brakes 180mm F/R,
Deore gearset and shifters/Raceface Ride XC Chainset/SKF BXC600 Bottom bracket.
