When he couldn't find a hardtail frame that suited his varied riding requirements, UK based Dan Stanton took the unusual step of not only designing his own frame but finding a manufacturer and actually getting it made.
That was 2010, and things have come a long way since. With three steel and three titanium models now in the range, business has taken off and he is already weighed down with awards and accolades.
The front end of the Sherpa is beautifully made from Reynolds 853 tubing, a material guaranteed to give not only light weight but a healthy spring and liveliness when built well. Versatility is the name of the game here too, with the frame as happy hacking out a long day through the hills as it is attacking steep trails in your local woods - it sports a 30.9mm seatpost diameter and an eyelet for stealth routing, so is very much dropper post ready. It also has replaceable dropouts to take a variety of setups, from singlespeed through standard QR to 12x142 bolt through, and you can even swap the 29er wheels for 27.5" at a full 3" width. You rarely get as many options than that in one frame.
We also love the little touches that show this is a bike designed for UK conditions, such as the weatherproof full length outer gear cable that should keep smooth shifting far longer than a broken design.
The Standard build comes ready to go, straight onto the trickiest of trails with some well specced components. 800mm bars and a short Race Face Chester stem are an excellent choice for trail riding, while an intelligent spec of Shimano SLX gears and brakes keep everything under control without fuss.
The only upgrade we would consider straight away would be a dropper post, really opening up the trail riding capabilities of this excellent hardtail.
