Reckon 29ers have a very short shelf life now, after reading a lot in the cycling press about 650B, think this is the new size that many manufacturers are pushing hard.

Going to stick it out for another 12 months with 26 inch wheels till these fads sort themselves out.

Who knows, it may all frazzle out in 24 months and it will all be back to 26 inch.

Discuss.

I don’t think both 650b and 26 can both survive. The differences are tiny. It seems like the industry are forcing 650b on us. New standards generate sales. The good news for fox fork owners is that their 26″ forks take 650b wheels with clearance aplenty. 29ers cannot stand alone though, some people just plainly don’t like them (like me).

xc/trail = 29
trail/am = 27.5

discuss further 😀

Discuss Search

FTFY

marketing.

Difference seems to be that 29ers were pushed over a long period of time by folk with odd facial hair (yes, that’s you, Mr Fisher) and their market share grew organically, whereas 650b seems to be being pushed in a big way for longer travel bikes, or by manufacturers who missed the boat with 29ers.

650b is a lot closer to 27″ than 27.5″; really not sure that an inch bigger wheel size can make much difference at all, and as such it’s hard to see this year’s big push as anything other than a marketing gambit.

Andy

Wot bigrich and ratherbeintobago says.
29ers have largely been driven from the bottom-up. 650b is so obviously an industry profit driven choice, that it will be interesting to see what the future holds.

The new Spesh enduro 29er has proven 29ers upto 150mm. The vast majority of bikes sold are sub-150mm. If this whole thing is a cynical marketing ploy then why go back? What benefit will 650b bring? Are the big brands who have pumped big dollars into 29ers really going to do a U-turn? Can’t see it. They’ve invested too much into it in both dollars, ego’s and their credibility is on the line.

Reckon 26ers have a very short shelf life now, after reading a lot in the cycling press about 650B, think this is the new size that many manufacturers are pushing hard.

I think 650b will replace most 26 usage but it won’t stop 29. 29 is greate for XC and trail, I can see the case that 650b maybe better for a mostly downhill oriented bike for people who want to be competitive, and don’t care about climbing or distance. ‘Enduro’ format events in other words.

I wouldn’t worry ,the tide changes twice a day 🙂

Dirts review of the orange 5 29er intresting reading and thought provoling

26 will still exist you can stilll get 7 and 8 speed groupsets.

Wheels for courses

29er i like
26 i like
both different and hence fun to swap
27.5 not enough different enough

The new Spesh enduro 29er has proven 29ers upto 150mm

Hasn’t proved they’re better though, just that it can be done. Just because you can, it doesn’t mean you should…. 😀

Who will win – the imperialists or metricians? 27.5 or 650? The only story as far as I’m concerned.

I like my bike, it has wheels and tyres. I’ve been able to share bits and bobs between different frames for years due to a common wheel size, why change?

“Don’t believe half of what you see, and none of what you hear”

More fuel for the retro-bike crowd

Soon all 26″ wheeled bikes will be classed as retro and anyone riding one will need to grow facial hair and start drinking cider

vondallyDirt’s review of the orange 5 29er; interesting reading and thought provoking

Care to summarize it for us?

29ers are the betamax of the cycling world

they may have advantages but the industry has decided

Reckon 26ers have a very short shelf life now, after reading a lot in the cycling press about 650B

It’s almost like mass hypnosis isn’t it? It’s just too easy for them, they can make anybody believe anything whatsoever they want, driven and funded by the MTB companies.

650B is starting to look like the biggest and most obvious marketing con job in the history of MTB.

I’m not to convicted about the need for 27 and a bit wheels
As above 29 has its place for me , mile eating but a bit less fun in the woods
26 strong wheels and handling I love.

Spesh reckon that most of there 29 have geometry very nr to the older 26 stuff its replacing
But for me 26 will always have a place.

One thing I’ve yet to ride a 650b when I do I may change my mind.

I can still buy 650c tubes tyres and rims for my road bike so not to worried about stuff getting phased out

650B is starting to look like the biggest and most obvious marketing con job in the history of MTB.
This

Wonder how many 29ers we’ll see on the passportes this year.

Wonder how many broken 29ers we’ll see on the passportes this year.

I like Kimbers analogy of Betamax and 29ers.

Betamax was the best variant of video but VHS was the winner due to the larger manufacturers with the most money.

Less than the number of 26’s but more than the number of 27.5’s?
I’d give em a wide berth in case of exploding wheel syndrome .

An industry con job maybe, but they do look very nice.

Watching the push to 650b, I’m very happy that I stuck to 26. Lets see what 2015 has to bring…

28.234861 anyone?

The Betamax and VHS analogy only goes so far. They were both fighting for a brand new market; advertising and marketing won.

26″ has been around from the beginning.
29″ has been pushed for a few years, 27.5 is now being pushed.
29 and 27.5 are being pushed on a very large and quite content population of 26″ user/owners.

I really don’t think that advertising, marketing and greasing the palms of magazines will change things long-term.

Some folk think that new fads are better. Most folk do MTB because its fun and taxing whatever the wheel size.

Ride your bike, smile, have fun

Betamax was the best variant of video but VHS was the winner due to the larger manufacturers with the most money.

It all came(!) down to porn in the end. True (and quite interesting) story.
Whilst I don’t like 29er bikes personally, i can see the advantages for people interested in doing quick, rubber down laps. I think they’re here to stay. 26er and 27.5 are too similar. One will recede if not die I reckon.

/\ True story dude

As an interesting observation, there are those who speak of the 650B being pushed towards the longer travel part of the spectrum, yet this wheel size is proving rather successful in XC racing.

Apparently, Marianne Vos has just won the short Track at Sea Otter on a Giant 650B.

It all came(!) down to porn in the end.

Apparently an urban myth, but I like it.

Does anybody really care …??? As long as they’re riding …..it’s only the tinternet nerds that get upset about it

Apparently an urban myth, but I like it.

Not possible. I saw it on the telly. Telly doesn’t lie…..does it?

One thing 650b is NOT half way between 26 and 29
Or is 29 really 28 1 5/8 or should I use 700c
Oh no can’t do that 700c is a road bike size and no good for marketing mtb

Opps rambling , its all rubbish
Ride the bikes you like and don’t buy ones you don’t
If your not fast enough get fitter

Telly doesn’t lie…..does it?

Beleive me, I WORK in telly!

Sheeesh. Talk about shattering illusions.
I’m guessing your kids know about santa already?

Reckon 26ers have a very short shelf life now

Nahh. With mid range bikes 26in is still comfortably outselling 29in by a big margin. I know. I sell them. 🙂

Depends on the brand you sell , we sell Spesh so almost everything from £500 upwards is 29 and nothing else

PP
Firstly,Irony.
Secondly,for about a month (vs 10 years).
Thirdly, 😉

Orange 5 29

works fast on SW France enduro trail,fast and capabable when up to speed, fun and needs more sizes, 2.0 tyre beaver at 50 psi to help manverability (?) better tyre, switchbacks is about timing and will keep up with everything else on tight stuff.

Steve Jones liked it

26″ taken from clunkers
650b taken from touring
29er is just 700c, taken from road

Perhaps someone could actually come up with something new?