I had some 29er wheels in the parts bin after selling the frame and rigid forks. To make use of these I’ve started to put together a new bike for my wife. Her current bike has 26″ wheels, but it’s the frame geometry that’s not the best. The standover clearance is poor and it’s quite a “head down” riding position.

So I’ve got hold of a small 29er frame (Orange Diva 2014). Looking at this year’s bike models, almost every womens hardtail is 650b and marketed with something along the lines of “Now with 650b wheels giving a better fit (than 29er wheels) with the benefits of a faster rolling wheel”….
This has made me question my intended build (I’m also planning it as a surprise). Were small 29er bikes made just because 29″ was the fashion? Or is it now that 650b is the fashion so they need to push that?

My initial thoughts were that 29″ wheels would be a good choice. Confidence inspiring and making the going easier. It will be used on canal towpaths, fireroads, not too technical singletrack and blue runs. I’m now a bit worried that the bike could end up being just too large and sluggish for a rider of 5’3″ in height.

Maybe…

My 5foot wife didn’t fit any 29er we tried – the h’bars ended up too high.

Well I mocked up the bike last night (put forks in and wheels on) and lined it up with current bike and compared measurements. The reach is slightly shorter than current bike, a good thing I reckon. The bars are slightly higher, again a benefit though. I think the riding position will be more upright

I ride a Specialized Fate – hardtailed 29er. It’s perfect, comfortable fast. I am 5ft 3.

Herself rides a niner EMD9, she’s 5’3″. She likes it.

This is 5’3″ Emily Batty’s 29er for set-up reference:

I know plenty of short people on 29r’s get the bike right and it’s right.

SO/partners bike is an orange five/ alpine 29er with 140mm front and back, stand over nor top tube length is a problem, it is the tall front due to wheel and long forks and the long wheelbase…..so looking at a stem setup like Emily batty. my partner is 5ft 3 as well.

She feels that t the 29 is better than her turner 26 but struggles in tight Singletrack with the length of the bike.

Thanks for the replies

Essentially I’m looking to build a comfortable and capable bike, that can be taken on trail centre blues and on towpath rides. I think tyre choice might make more of a difference than the wheel size. Schwalbe Smart Sam look like they’d do the job being fast rolling and not too draggy

My wife rides small 29 rocky mountain element and rips on it. No issues with the clown wheels for her.

Tracy Moseley rides a 29er – she’s 5’4″…

One of the German companies makes (made?) 29ers that fit 5fters. Cube iirc. Don’t know about frame only though.

MrsbeanZ is 5’2″ , rides a Salsa El mariachi singlespeed , Ti 456 with a 650b front end and a T130 all in small sizes.

Lady taz rides an xs niner emd and small pug fat. She finds little wheels odd. Bikes are a lot more than a wheel size and modern 29ers are agile little things compared to the originals with 38mm fork offsets which is where most of the “29ers are barges” stuff comes from

TBH i think you’re on crack. batty’s bike above looks shit ( while i’m putting it out there ). inline seatpost with the saddle all the way forward on the rails, and an inverted stem. didn’t it’s predecessor have the 20mm setback post flipped? GTF. it may achieve an objective, ie top flight rider going as fast as poss, on a sponser’s bike, pushing the latest 29er thing, but i’d doubt it’s optimal, sincerely.
big people look right on 29ers, middling people look right on little or big, or ( crazy! ) somewhere in the middle, and little people look right on 26″.
the logical conclusion of this wheel size shitfest we’re currently going through is small frames = 26″, medium = 27.5″, big = 29″.

now you’ve bought it though i daresay the 29er will be great.

bikehamster – Member

Tracy Moseley rides a 29er – she’s 5’4″…

TBH she could ride a 20″ or 36″ wheeled bike and 99% of us would never know as she would be so far ahead of us to not notice anything about wheels

Found a pic of one from eBay

It’s not going to rip up trail centres but looks like it would do the job

Also having looked up a few pro XC bikes, Emily Batty’s bike doesn’t actually look odd at all. Most have inverted stems and fair few go with their saddles far forward. The build isn’t for an XC race bike here though

I think I’ve convinced myself now that 29″ is ok. This is from Boardman bikes, the Mx Sport

An MTB leaning hybrid, which is pretty much what I had in my head.