If so why ?

it’s the exploding tyres 😉

tyres are too expensive & it made me trade in all my other bikes 😉

Yeah I kind of dislike my only 29er, since it’s so much more fun than the other bikes I actually have spare forks and tyres and wheels for.

I also dislike the fact that it’s so good simply because I was quite anti-29er for a long time. You realise, with the bad ones, it’s not the wheels that are the problem and kick yourself for not seeing that earlier.

The tyres explode!!!! The ride is too high with clouds in my eyes, manouverability is too good, speed is much better.
Oh but i love being a satan’s whoor for riding one 😆
It also made me get rid of the 26 i had

I’m a 29er first ride convert – it’s different, but in my view better.

If you’ve got a nice 26er – don’t even try one. You’ll end up selling the bike you love(d).

Yes I did, bought a Gary Fisher Rig, lasted about 2 months before it went on e-bay. Never again..!

I resisted for ages, built one up and not ridden owt else since..
I may have to break down my turner to finance a bouncy one too..
Don’t do it! It’s terrible.. 😥

Yep.

Bought a rigid GT Peace ss, not really enjoying it, but haven’t got around to trying to sort out the setup yet, and it might be a touch on the large side, so in no position to give an impartial view.. 🙂

I hate mine. Far too fast. I yearn for the days of little wheels and f•ck all momentum

I test rode one recently, they are fast in a straight line but get them on switchbacks in the woods and I want my 26er all day…..

Bought a rigid GT Peace ss, not really enjoying it,

That’s because they are effing rubbish. I rode one about 100 yards and it was THE most unresponsive, slow steering and heavy old barge I’ve ever slung a leg over. Cheap 29ers don’t have to be like that. I’ve ridden a Kona Unit and that was lovely.
But the GT? Cack.

bought a Gary Fisher Rig

that’ll be the problem

I test rode one recently, they are fast in a straight line but get them on switchbacks in the woods and I want my 26er all day…..

what did you test ride?, thankfully they aren’t all the same

Well my ex GT peace made me realise my soul and epic’s days were numbered so they can’t be that bad..admitadly it felt like a carthorse compared to my niner and was sold soon after.

I have a rigid Kona Unit 29er. The ride and handling are great. But if you like swoopy tight artificial singletrack (new Swinley trail for example), it’s a struggle to get round quickly and Son1 drops me on his 26″. This does not make me hate it though, as mentioined above, it’s a lovely bike and the best £370 bike buy I’ve ever made.

I am, however, waiting for an Orange 5-29 for the geared bike…

Mmmm. There’s a theme emerging here. I’ve resisted vehemently for a couple of years, and first rode one about two months ago. Last night I pretty much decided my dream 26er would be finding a new home. It feels rubbish to be honest. And I’m desperately hoping I’m not letting myself get swept along with the crowd. Don’t think I am, but I’ve felt guilty all day.

I know..it’s terrible! 😥 my turner feels like I’ve nicked a bike off the six year old next door…..

I am a 29 er convert but I think that it is horses for courses, when it comes to hardtails to ride all day in comfort and where the trail allows you to carry speed an keep that speed then 29er everytime.

If the trail is going to be full of tight switchbacks, steep slow technical type terrain then 26er full sus for me, I think that is why 29ers are so popular in the states as there riding is different. I think at the moment you can’t jump or manual a 29er as well but I think that over the last few years the gap has definitely closed as the geometry has become more sorted.

My ideal is a 29er light hardtail and a 26er full sus

I had a 29er scandal which I ran for a year alongside my only other mtb a cotic soul. I didn’t really touch the soul for 6 months, but found myself neither over or under whelmed by the scandal and did try quite a few different set up to see if I could get it to really work for me. I just found myself enjoying the soul more when I did ride it, it just made me grin a bit more. Both bikes had their merits, so it term of ‘betterer’ I couldn’t really say. I would identify myself as a roadie in biking labels, so don’t really give a toss about 26v29er debate, I’m not really bothered what size wheels mtb’s use, providing it works for me. Had I tried a different 29er things might have been different, and certainly wouldn’t rule one out in future. I’m no hater, I probably just spend too much time on the road to properly appreciate the finer nuances of mtb’s.

I yearn for the days of little wheels and f•ck all momentum

I don’t get it. When putting DH tyres on my 26″ bike I had loads of momentum and hated it – to much inertia to get rolling and too much braking to stop. Or is it different with big wheels?

Surly switchbacks and berms are better with smaller wheels?

I can understand steady state XC stuff being better.

I have owned a 29er for a few months now and TBH I can’t really see what all the fuss is about. There is more difference between my 26″ hardtails (100mm travel and 140mm travel) than between either of them and my 100mm 29er.

When I’m next buying a bike, wheel size will only be considered after frame material, components, geometry etc.

One thing I will say though is that in claggy mud, you really feel the extra weight of mud on the tyres compared with a 26er.

So no, I don’t hate it, but the difference in wheel size is less obvious to me than a difference in fork travel.

I yearn for the days of fast acceleration and wheels that NEVER implode.

To answer the OP, no built it and loved it. Put together a bike that I thought would get the most out of the big wheel and it hasn’t dissapointed(Rigid and SS Kona Unit).Still like 26ers as well though but I doubt I’ll buy a new one.

@ rOcKeTdOg – Whyte 829, supposed to be a great 29er and I’m a Whyte fan!

My 29er has become a sort of utility/touring machine. I do still really like it and I failed the K100 this year on a 26er when I’ve completed it comfortably on a 29er before 🙂
I’ve a Blue Pig for jumping about on and the 29er does excellent wheels on the ground rough/SS etc. I’m increasingly tempted by something like a Gryphon tho’ . . .

So to answer the OPs question, no but . . .

Yes …I bought one and HATED it.So I bought another one and love that to bits still 4 years later.
Its been said before….wheel size does not define a bike.

Have owned 2 29ers and they’ve definitely got their merits, I just think for the type of riding I prefer that 26″ wheels still make more sense. If I was racing XC or doing big all day long distance rides all the time, I’d have one again in a heartbeat, you definitely notice they hold momentum better and are much more forgiving of poor line choice. But for me, I prefer riding tight, twisty, very technical singletrack whenever and wherever possible, and though I realise that probably only 10% of my riding could be described as such, I’d rather have a 26″ wheeled bike normally for the slight increase in agility (perceived by me, your opinion may differ) they offer. Though this could just be frame choice, I know my 26″ hardtail to have exceptionally sorted geometry for the type of riding I do mainly (designed as it was by jameso up there, which makes me keen to try out his new 29er!).

They’re all bikes though, and ultimately a well designed frame is far more preferable than a badly designed one, regardless of wheel size.

nacho – Member
@ rOcKeTdOg – Whyte 829, supposed to be a great 29er and I’m a Whyte fan!

interesting, is that a light weight racing frame?

wheel size does not define a bike.

it just makes the freaks easier to spot

it just makes the freaks easier to spot

Pick me, pick me….

djustin – you freak! You must be ‘kin ginormous to make 29er wheels look that small 🙂

m-boy

They’re all bikes though, and ultimately a well designed frame is far more preferable than a badly designed one, regardless of wheel size.

This!

Started on a Fisher Ferrous bit flexi, now running a scandal and a Lynkey loving them both.

26″ wheels feel freaky and horrible!

martinxyz – Member
I yearn for the days of fast acceleration and wheels that NEVER implode.

Here you are then 😈

Not all 29ers are equal.

Been riding 29ers for many years, have about six different 29ers (our demo bikes) and still come across big name new 29ers that handle poorly -despite the usual “our engineers and designers took a fresh look at the geometry and have come up with the best 29er yet….” claim that everyone new to 29ers make.

Seriously, if anyone reading this is thinking of designing a 29er, just rip off Niner or indeed Charge.

Having said that our Canfield Brothers delivery is due any day now (bloody customs and FedEx grrrr) and they are taking a fresh approach with ultra short stays. Looking forward to getting the demo bike sorted.

Like jameso said, it’s not the wheels that are wrong.

Don’t like them, tried but just not for me, i agree with many of the positive points already mentioned, but i just prefer 26″ wheel. I am only 5.7 and my arms are shorter than what would be considered normal!, so that may have some influence as i prefer a fairly short effective top tube length. If a friend (especially if taller than 5.7) was asking for advice about buying a new bike i defiantly would not hesitate in recommending they give it a go as i think for a lot of people they are good option if they pick a decent one.

Love my Swift, it’s taking a little getting used to, especialy on off camber stuff where it doesn’t handle at all like a 26er, and a low speeds it just feels like it’s about to fall over. And it seems to have a magnetic attraction for the edges of ruts while climbing.

Won’t be going back to 26″ hardtails.

Might be 50/50 on a XC or trail full sussers.

Will probably stick with 26″ on more ‘all mountain’ / downhill orientated.

Will stick with 20″ (or maybe 24″) for jumping though.

When are the canfields landing Charles?And is there any freestock of Yellis in XL?
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm screamy.

29ers are blinkin awful dross for attention whores

Rode my lovely Soda back to back with my cheap Scandal today on the same trails. Sorry to say the 29er was faster, more confidence inspiring and more comfortable (despite the low volume tyres and freeride seatpost), but I’m still not sure it was as much fun on the funnest bits. Major and costly dilemma time.

29ers are soooooooooooooo last year. You need a 36er with a twin disc set up on the front and a proper beard.