Sonder has released an all-new version of the aluminium Transmitter hardtail and it's gone even more hardcore than before, with much more reach across all sizes, a slacker head angle and more fork travel up front than before. Add in the fact it's a bit of a bargain and it looks like an interesting prospect for hardtail hooning.

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While the bike shares the fat 650b Plus tyres with older model, front end travel has now been jacked up to 150mm, paired with a rather slack 65º (sagged) head angle, lower bottom bracket, more reach and a steeper seat angle. The aluminium tubing has also been given a good going over, with an internal headset, internal cable routing and refined dropouts - plus the chainstays are now size specific, which should keep things balanced for riders either side of the median.

The bike comes with Boost hub spacing and can take up to a 2.8" tyre at the back, but complete bikes are specced with a 2.8" front and 2.6" rear tyre as Sonder reckon this is a better balance for the sort of riding the bike is made for - thrashing about the local woods or barrelling through whatever you fancy further afield.

Sonder Transmitter prices and specs

Prices are also pretty keen across the board, with Sonder using a similar approach to it's high-value parent Alpkit of selling direct to consumer online to keep things more affordable.

If you just want a Sonder Transmitter frame to build as you see fit, that'll set you back £300, while adding a Cane Creek Helm air fork into the mix bumps that up to £999.

Complete bikes start with the Sonder Transmitter NX1 Recon which, as the name suggests, comes with a SRAM NX 11-speed drivetrain and RockShox Recon RL fork, plus Sonder's own brand LoveMud wheelset. That costs a very impressive £999.

The £1,299 Sonder Transmitter NX1 Revelation gets a higher rent RockShox Revelation fork with the same NX drivetrain and the £1,999 Sonder Transmitter GX Eagle Revelation ups the ante with a 12-speed wide range drivetrain.

For £2,099 Sonder Transmitter GX Eagle Pike throws a RockShox Pike RCT3 fork with Charger damper on top of that - which looks like a very wise upgrade for £100 - and if you want to spend another ton then the £2,199 Sonder Transmitter GX Eagle Helm  gets a Cane Creek fork up front and also benefits from a RockShox Reverb dropper post too.

Topping out the range is the Sonder Transmitter XX1 Eagle Pike which gets a high-zoot SRAM XX1 Eagle group, top end Pike fork and a Reverb post for £2,799.

All the bikes are available to buy now, so head to their site for more info.

• www.alpkit.com

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