Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Back-of-beyond, Kootenays, BC
Posts: 750
Bikes: Specialized Roubaix Exp ert Road and Specialized Stump Jumper FS Mountain; De Vinci Caribou touring, Intense Tracer T275c, Cramerotti, Specialized Allez, Condor
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You need a 27.5 inch hard tail, with 100 -120 mm of travel in the fork. Air. Details like gearing are a bit hard to address but you would probably be fine with a 30 or 32 crank on a single (X10). Pretty much anything over 2 inches for tires; but not much over (2.1-2.3). You definitely want decent hydraulic disc brakes (I use Avid, Shimano is fine, my experience with Tektro leaves me doubtful).
29ers feel 'funny' to me (a bit unwieldy). Better for rolling over big rocks and drops. 26 is better as a technical trail bike -but is really yesterday's news. Can even be hard to find (and impossible to sell).
I wouldn't bother with tubeless. Little noticeable difference and tend to be fussy.
You will do best with an aluminum bike, unless you want to leave a carbon bike in your estate!