try riding a 24″ jump bike down a rocky decent then tell me bigger wheels are not better 🙂

Out of interest, why did 26 wheels appear for MTB when 29 already existed?

There must be a genuine benefit that they brought to the table.

Not trolling, just asking.

And if the answer isn’t convincing, then were 26ers the 29ers of their day and things have come full circle?

It is still very rare that I see a 29er out on my local trails, in any of my local LBS’s, or when away for trail centre weekends… despite this being the ‘Year of the 29er’ according to WMB, MBR etc etc.

It might just be that we’re different riders with different tastes to our US cousins. The few guys I do know with 29ers are roadies dabbling in a bit of mountain biking who don’t like rough, twisty, or narrow stuff.

I’ve ridden one for nearly 5 years. More than there were and it is slowly increasing – but as long as it means more spares in the system for me, I could care less. They are another variation of a bike. Specialized are investing a lot into 29ers tho – including a demo fleet for shop staff so their dealers can understand them.

Quote a few 29ers at this years STW Weekender, maybe 10%, last year it was one bike.
I really cant ride / get on with HT’s, until I got a 29er HT, which I do quite like. As above, its just a “different” bike. On my local trails I find its worse on the twisty between rocks stuff but quite fast on the other 90% of the trail inbetween.

Anyone read the Wade Simmons article with him riding the North Shore on a Rocky Mountain Altitude ?

29ers are rubbish, the whole “you can ride them rigid, and it’s just like a 26″ wheel with suspension” is daft as well.

It’ll never catch on despite all the marketing hype and wannabe attention whores.

You’ll never catch me on one of those contraptions, I tell ya!

i still think there is space for both sizes.it very much depends on what your main stomping ground is and whether you like the look of them or not.

i’d love to try a camber 29er, but in typical Specialized fashion, you can’t get them in the uk.

I moved to a a 29er and realised I didn’t know what I was missing
I moved back to a 26er and realised I didn’t know what I was missing

Camber 29er is coming to the UK for 2012.

Anyone read the Wade Simmons article with him riding the North Shore on a Rocky Mountain Altitude ?
Yep, I’ve read it – certainly challenges a few preconceptions….which I quite liked. However, I guess he’s a got the riding skills and experience to make any old anvil come alive.

Yep, I’ve read it – certainly challenges a few preconceptions….which I quite liked. However, I guess he’s sponsored by a company trying to sell 29ers……