Full Suspension replacement for aging Chromag Rootdown?

Looking at getting a new bike to replace my 2015 Chromag Rootdown and have decided on going for a Full Suspension bike for the first time in well over a decade.

I've I want a burly-ish trail bike, 130-140mm rear and 140-150mm front.  Something for Trail Centres, big rocky days out and hopefully the occasional trips to lift accessed trails in France.  

Happy with metal be that alu or steel or carbon.  Prefer to go Frame only or Frame and Fork as bikes are like Hen's Teeth at the moment in the UK and an I can move some/parts across from the Chromag.

I'm not light at 103kg with riding kit on and I tend to hang onto bikes for a long time.

Something like a Norco Optic would be great but they no longer have a UK distro, same goes for Devinci.

Options being considered:

Banshee Prime V3 - Frame price £1949 inc headset, Fox DHX2 Perf Elite Shock

https://www.bansheebikes.com/prime-v3

Cotic Jeht - Frame Price £2284 inc headset, Cane Creek Kitsuma shock

https://www.cotic.co.uk/product/jeht#blue-steel

Geometron G1 (in Trail guise 140/150mm) £Expensive waiting for quote inc headset, EXT Shock and Formula Fork, I know a guy but not sure how much % that will help..https://geometronbikes.co.uk/bikes/g1/

Pipedream Full Moxie £2400 inc DVO Topaz T3 shock and DVO Diamond D1 Fork

https://www.pipedreamcycles.com/shop/the-full-moxie/

Guerilla Gravity Trail Piston £2339 inc Headset and Shock Cane Creek Air IL (TBC)

https://ridegg.com/products/trailpistol

Privateer 141 £1499 inc Fox DPX2 Perf Elite Shock and headset

Anything else I should consider?  Anyone had time on any of the above?

Giant Website says the Trance X is still in stock in the UK. I'm still kicking myself I didn't pick one up when they were still available over here.

As someone who's around 100kg at 198cm I'd say go Geometron or Privateer. You're a big dude. I'd speculate that steel FS is going to be too whippy. The Geo-Privateer can handle your size in the rough and on lift assist days. I don't have any experience with the GG. Doesn't Nicolai still make the Saturn ST? 

What would be the benefit of running at G1 in shorter travel mode? It'll still be a heavy bike with very aggressive geometry. You may as well enjoy the extra travel!

BTW I own a G1 myself.

Posted by: craw

What would be the benefit of running at G1 in shorter travel mode? It'll still be a heavy bike with very aggressive geometry. You may as well enjoy the extra travel!

This! I'm on a G16, year 3.  I wouldn't recommend short travel on the G1 either.  Inquire about the G13 if you're bent on the "trail" category.  I ride my long travel setup like an XC bike;-)

What about one of these? It would definitely handle your weight well.

Fuck that is one god damn GOOD looking bike. Jeeeeeeez.

I can't believe the mess of cable routing on some of those bikes, especially for catalogue or marketing photos

I did consider Knolly...they don't seem to be brought into the UK anymore either...

Posted by: craw
What would be the benefit of running at G1 in shorter travel mode? It'll still be a heavy bike with very aggressive geometry. You may as well enjoy the extra travel!
This! I'm on a G16, year 3. I wouldn't recommend short travel on the G1 either. Inquire about the G13 if you're bent on the "trail" category. I ride my long travel setup like an XC bike;-)

I suspect if the rough price comes back that's ballpark reasonable I'll head down to their base and test the bikes and probably come back with something nearer to a "normal" G1 than a G13.

I have had some email discussions with Chris Porter and my friend was involved in the design and testing of the first Geometrons and they suggested as much.  Porter no longer stocks the G13, he reckons you can make a better "trail" bike with the G1, (a shorter shock, mutators etc) than the G13 that is too slack at the back and too steep (all relative terms).

Posted by: DanLees1978

I did consider Knolly...they don't seem to be brought into the UK anymore either...

Posted by: craw
What would be the benefit of running at G1 in shorter travel mode? It'll still be a heavy bike with very aggressive geometry. You may as well enjoy the extra travel!
This! I'm on a G16, year 3. I wouldn't recommend short travel on the G1 either. Inquire about the G13 if you're bent on the "trail" category. I ride my long travel setup like an XC bike;-)

I suspect if the rough price comes back that's ballpark reasonable I'll head down to their base and test the bikes and probably come back with something nearer to a "normal" G1 than a G13.

I have had some email discussions with Chris Porter and my friend was involved in the design and testing of the first Geometrons and they suggested as much.  Porter no longer stocks the G13, he reckons you can make a better "trail" bike with the G1, (a shorter shock, mutators etc) than the G13 that is too slack at the back and too steep (all relative terms).

The G13 and the G16 were from a previous generation of their bikes. I had a G16 - the main complaint is not nearly enough BB drop so the bike never really corners properly. AJ said the same thing https://nsmb.com/articles/personal-rides-ajs-new-geometron-g1/. The G1 is a better bike in every respect. Using the mutators to get to a more trail feel would work better. At your size I'd avoid an air shock especially given the low weight of the EXT Storia.

If I lived anywhere but Vancouver I'd get a custom Nicolai Saturn 14 ST with geo somewhere between stock and the G1. The stock Saturn is definitely milder than the G1.

Posted by: craw

I had a G16 - the main complaint is not nearly enough BB drop so the bike never really corners properly. AJ said the same thing https://nsmb.com/articles/personal-rides-ajs-new-geometron-g1/.

HA! Well if you and AJ say the bike doesn't corner well, it must not corner well... because of the...wait for it... BB drop (desperately need emojis).

You couldn't pry this bike away from my cold, dead hands. I suspect that I would feel this way about any of the bikes mentioned in this thread.

The bike industry is fucking killing it! Carry on!

Posted by: Henry-Chinaski

Posted by: craw

I had a G16 - the main complaint is not nearly enough BB drop so the bike never really corners properly. AJ said the same thing https://nsmb.com/articles/personal-rides-ajs-new-geometron-g1/.

HA! Well if you and AJ say the bike doesn't corner well, it must not corner well... because of the...wait for it... BB drop (desperately need emojis).

You couldn't pry this bike away from my cold, dead hands. I suspect that I would feel this way about any of the bikes mentioned in this thread.

The bike industry is fucking killing it! Carry on!

The G16 corners well. It's just that the G1 corners better :)

Posted by: craw

The G16 corners well. It's just that the G1 corners better :)

Money saver!

Saturn 14 ST Torsion bar limits it to air shocks only :(

After getting a quote for the G1 (came out at more than I could responsibly spend), deciding the P4 sized Privateer would be too big and reading ALL of the bike reviews I have ordered the Banshee Prime! 

I did toy with the idea of the banshee Titan but came to the conclusion that a bit less travel would be more fun for my riding overall.