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I've been riding 26er hardtails with semi-slicks for years as a sort of gravel bike but have finally bitten the bullet and moved the kit across to a 29er frame (with slightly narrower tyres). Obviously I need to get used to the new bike and not set out at full tilt on the first ride, but is there anything specific to be mindful of when moving to a larger wheel size?
trails become boringly smooth...obviously
You know about the firey exploding wheel doom right?
Your current tyres will not fit.
as above Wheels are bigger
You smile more
You smile less.
It's like having 20mm of extra suspension.
you need a [url= https://www.bikerumor.com/2014/07/29/review-fizik-thar-29er-mountain-bike-saddle/ ]29er saddle. [/url]
It [b]will[/b] make your bum look big.
Obviously I need to [s]get used to the new bike and not set out at full tilt on the first ride[/s] pin it
29er wheels really open up the soundstage.
You'll never want to ride a 26er again
When I switched I found the front wheel directed muddy puddles straight into my face. Front wheel arch mudguard thing fitted quickly after that.
Climbing traction on those very steep, slippery/loose trails improves hell of a lot.
Depends, have you bought this:
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Or this?
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More more braaaping or slapping turns for you sunshine
if you are 6ft 4'' you no longer look like this bloke
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yeh I found climbing is much better.
&
Semi slicks?? do you have another bike you use for muddy trails?
[quote=thisisnotaspoon ]Depends
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If you are under 5'10 you look like this
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I had to tilt the 29er more to get my leg over than I did with the 26er
Plan corners approx 3 turns in advance. Steering will be so slow you must think ahead.
[quote=dickyhepburn ]I had to tilt the 29er more to get my leg over than I did with the 26er
No one on a 26er gets a leg over these days.
I had to tilt the 29er more to get my leg over than I did with the 26er
The ladies are less impressed by the bigger rubber?
^^^ 😆
Harder to fit in the car!
They should make a size halfway between the two and get the best of both worlds. And then, once they've done that, they can halve it again and it'll be even better! Infinite scope for infinite improvement
They should make a size halfway between the two and get the best of both worlds
Shirley,they would bring the trail alive?
You will go over the bars a whole lot less.
FWIW - I love my 26" bikes. Probably for sentimental reasons, I could never part with them willingly. One drawback was/is they are rim brake on the rear and even though SS, they are painful to ride in the slop and mud.
I finally upgraded to a 27.5+/29" bike last year (as above, PJay...) and I love it, different feel for sure and some drawbacks over the 26" bikes but enjoy it. More confidence over descents, decent climbs, maybe bit slow to wind up but rideable for hours. Still love my 26" bikes for quick grab of a spin for an hour or so, in narrower twisty stuff though.
They should make a size halfway between the two and get the [s]best[/s] worst of both worlds.
Welcome to the club!
Your wheels have magically become heavier, weaker and floppier all at once!
Other changes to look forward to....
You will no longer have access to the "my wheels are too small - I have no grip" excuse...and will have to think of a load of new ones for riding like a fanny.
You will develop an unjustified superiority complex and feel the need to bore everyone continuously about how amazing your daft looking road wheels are.
Enjoy 🙂
My 26" BFe makes me smile LOADS more than my 29" Ramin.
Scotroutes has it (and thanks, the front mech. works perfectly).
I'm 50 next month and fancied something new; I hope that I won't regret it (my old bike was great).
Essentially it's a new frame and wheels/tyres; to keep costs down everything else has come across from the 26er. It'll probably weigh as much, if not a bit more, than my old bike but first impressions are good. I'm not convinced about the narrower tyres but we'll see.
Sorry, rubbish photo (and I know about the lawn!).
Perhaps they're be a new drivetrain when funds allow (currently it's an ancient 3x9 Octalink set up).
Why not the lovely Swift forks?
They're a fantastic bike on singletrack, and the ride is very 'steel'.
The carbon forks came off of the 26er along with everything else. It's 465mm a-c so fitted a 26er hardtail quoted for up to 130mm sus. forks pretty well and is pretty close to the 470mm Swift forks; it seems to work.
When they need replacing I'll get the Swift forks but in the first instance it was £100 I didn't need to spend.
Your spare tubes no longer fit.
You will become a monumental bore.
Your spare tubes no longer fit.
They're fiiine, the schwalbe 27.5 and 29 tube is the same thing, 26 is only a wee bit smaller.
You'll have to start sitting down to pee.
You will probably fire over the top of the first berm carrying way too much speed.
You can roll step downs and you won't go over the bars when you expect to.
Also your old bike bag probably won't fit your new wheels. Pain in the arse that is.
If you're interested in getting a new wheel size, but you're concerned that you might notice a difference, luckily for you our benevolent ant overlords in the bike industry provided us with 650b, so you can enjoy all of the expense of a new wheel size without any inconvenient improvement
Also your old bike bag probably won't fit your new wheels. Pain in the arse that is.
To be fair, my bag struggled to fit a 26" bike 8 years ago due to the wheelbase! Forks and tires had to come off to get everything in!
I really should bin it or flog it to a roadie.
The 29er fits in my Neil Pryde bag, but the wheels don't fit in the wheel bags, even if I deflate the tyres. But only just.
The other bag I have is too short really.
I need to undo the shock and fold up my Remedy frame to get it into my bag, modern geometry has gone too far!1!! It's only a bloomin large.
Deja Vu... Anyone else? 🙄
Oh hang on... The phone just rang... It's for the OP... 2007 have called, they want their thread back! Next we'll be asking when the "new forum" is coming... 😉
They should make a size halfway between the two and get the best of both worlds.
Just a shame nobody told the marketing men. Dang! What a shame that is...
Steering won't be as tight and accurate.
You will roll over shit much easier.
You won't pinch flat as much
You will need to make sure the brakes are good cos you will be going so much faster and your smugness will ramp up considerably as you ride past folks on 27.5 as they look at you and realise they bought the wrong wheel size. 🙂
You'll start to look at men in a different way
They're fiiine, the schwalbe 27.5 and 29 tube is the same thing, 26 is only a wee bit smaller.
Yebbut 29er tubes are directional.
Be aware that you'll be riding over roots/logs/dogs/children without even realising that they're there.
did anyone mention that thing, you know the really important thing, about the way it does that when you do that thing, it's important
The only negative with bigger wheels for me comes when riding tight twisty singletrack. My bigger wheeled longer wheel base bike doesn't hold the nice line quite as well as my old 26" hardtail
Northwind - Member
I need to undo the shock and fold up my Remedy frame to get it into my bag, modern geometry has gone too far!1!! It's only a bloomin large.
Spare a thought for us Geometron owners. Although the Evoc bag manages surprisingly well with the Longest.