Viewing 13 posts - 1 through 13 (of 13 total)
  • 29er Lite/Conversion
  • letmetalktomark
    Full Member

    I have been wondering about the whole 29er thing for a while now. Coupled with the secret desire for a road bike but with space for neither I started experimenting …….

    I came across some WTB dual duty rims laced into 475 hubs for bargain price including some rather nice ( 😳 ) 23mm tyres and small block cassette.

    These wheels were thrown into my 1998 Caldera that over the years has been modded with a disc tab etc.

    This "hybrid" was then used for the L2B this year:

    Since then the bike has been used a fair bit for road work and pootling about on.

    Then last week I landed some WTB 32mm cross tyres – on they went creating a 29er lite:

    I have yet to use the bike offroad yet but I cannot wait.

    By my reckoning the BB is only a smidge higher that with 26'' wheels and offroad tyres – certainly doesn't feel "high".

    Am guessing only time will tell.

    Mud clearance may be an issue but I will have to wait and see.

    Thoughts?

    trail_rat
    Free Member

    toe overlap with the cross tires ?

    looks good , love the colour 😉 forget the size of the wheels ! –

    letmetalktomark
    Full Member

    Seems fine – no overlap noticed but I shall be staying clipped in to make sure its avoided at all costs 😆

    The colour is Argos's two pack orange. Not a million miles from the orange on my Soul.

    Mrs LMTTM thinks that the two of them are the same bikes 😆 🙄

    IainGillam
    Free Member

    OT but is there any rules against using a 29er like that in an xc race, or putting road wheels and cross tyres on a conventional 29er like a niner? I was under the impression most xc rcaes would not allow cross bikes but would 29ers, however, this blurs the boundaries somewhat and might be quite advantagous on the right course…

    Iain

    clubber
    Free Member

    I raced a guy around Mountain Mayhem one lap in 2005 whose bike was set up almost the same – basically a Cannondale mtb with 700c wheels and CX tyres. Seemed to work for him.

    letmetalktomark
    Full Member

    The wheels look to be sturdy so I hope to be putting them through their paces this weekend. 😈

    brassneck
    Full Member

    Where did the bargain wheels come from? I have an older Kona I fancy doing the same too, and potentially transplanting across to a newer frame so I can run discs all round. I have a widget for shifting the rear bosses up so if the wheel and tyres were cheap enough, it's worth a go.

    Would the handling be more twitchy on a 26" fork? ❓

    big_n_daft
    Free Member

    OT but is there any rules against using a 29er like that in an xc race, or putting road wheels and cross tyres on a conventional 29er like a niner? I was under the impression most xc rcaes would not allow cross bikes but would 29ers, however, this blurs the boundaries somewhat and might be quite advantagous on the right course…

    BC and therefore UCI allow it

    2.0 THE BICYCLE
    2.0.1 BC in no way wishes to stifle the natural
    evolution of the mountain bike in any
    recognised discipline. To this end there is
    only one requirement; that the bicycle is
    solely human powered. Any bicycle used
    in competition must be capable of safely
    and efficiently completing the task and
    must, as a minimum, be mechanically
    sound, have efficient brakes on all wheels
    and all reasonable steps must be taken to
    ensure the safety of the rider and others.
    As part of the latter, bar plugs are
    compulsory.
    117
    2.0.2 If, in the opinion of a scrutineer and/or
    commissaire, a bicycle fails to meet the
    above criteria the rider must take
    immediate steps to ensure the necessary
    steps are taken to remedy the
    shortcomings and ensure the
    Scrutineer/Commissaires requests are
    met. Failure to do so will result in
    exclusion from the competition.
    2.0.3 For Four Cross an effective rear brake is
    required.

    some organisers ban them as they highlight the fact you are racing around a field (mayhem, 24/12, SiTS etc)

    some organisers /ban them to preserve life (Brownbacks,Weekender)

    letmetalktomark
    Full Member

    brassneck – Member

    Where did the bargain wheels come from? I have an older Kona I fancy doing the same too, and potentially transplanting across to a newer frame so I can run discs all round. I have a widget for shifting the rear bosses up so if the wheel and tyres were cheap enough, it's worth a go.

    Would the handling be more twitchy on a 26" fork?

    The wheels were bought second hand ( not that you would know ) but I have seem them built up and available in a number of on line stores.

    Handling, whilst different, does not seem to be a problem 😕 smaller contact on the ground is more noticeable.

    bigdugsbaws
    Free Member

    Its more of a 28er than a 29er

    Mattbike
    Full Member

    I've just done the same to my Kona to create a sort of monster cross with 700c wheel and 40c cyclocross tyre. No probs with toe overlap

    This 700c set up is roughly the same diameter as a 26" with 2.3s

    I fabricated a widget to move the V bosses. It works great.

    letmetalktomark
    Full Member

    40mm tyres 😯

    Mine only just fit 🙂

    clubber
    Free Member

    That looks more like monstercross lite 😉

Viewing 13 posts - 1 through 13 (of 13 total)

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