29er won at SSUK this year. Not sure if thats the first time its happened?

Nah, George won on his 29er 'Gay Fister Pig' at Bristol in 2007 too. He said he beat you by about a tyre width Matt, perhaps if you'd be on a 29er your tyre would've been far enough ahead 🙂

I can really see the merits for tall folk, but I'm just not convinced otherwise, I think it's hard to comment on their race pedigree, as there just aren't that many out there. The XCRacer 29er team have had some good results certainly, but they're the only dedicated team on 29ers in the UK I can think of.

"Gay Fister Pig"

tee hee

Have to say I've found benefits in 29ers after trying them out, but for trail centres, jumps/air and tight corners, 26er's still have me.

superstar_opponents is just being his usual anti-29er self 😉

my 80mm 29er race bike was fine around laggan black – confidence inspiring in places…
guy i was out in the alps with this summer was handling stuff there fine on his rigid 29er (not DHing of course…)

26 are good at trail centers, and i'll be taking mine to a techy ride at aviemore this weekend, but for big mountain days, and relentless type rides the 29er wins for me. she rolls oh so nicely 🙂

Spaghetti Explosion: where did you shoot that vid? Looks purrttttyyy gooood..

Yes they are!!

http://www.velonews.com/article/95579/mtb-nats-the-death-of-traditional-cross-country-bikes

http://twentynineinches.com/2009/09/15/gary-fisher-press-camp-the-racers-speak/

http://www.chevincycles.com/news.php?articleid=242

Matthew

Repak.

it's not my vid. just thought it'd show the way 29ers are going.

I'd recommend a day in the 29er saddle. I'm based in Watford if you wish to borrow mine for a ride-out.

When I did buy, it took a while to really grasp and adjust to the different riding style, not that many had 29ers even 15 months ago (what does that tell you in its self?).

That was on the back of me riding for 2x MBR magazine articles as a "non-magazine test rider" & some might recall said article from a couple of summers ago – and whilst I had parity with the 29ers on said rides, the other tester, Ian, did not.

In many ways, the question is not relevent.

If you have been out racing and riding the summer's events, be they the Bristol Bike Fest, Keilder 100, Polaris, the Gorrick, MM, SITS, Bonty, or if you spend you time at Afan, Dalby and Glentress (forgive me as I do not know your riding history) then you will have possibly made up your mind, after all so may people are taking a 2nd bike with a bigger wheel means there is a real shift in the mountain bike sea-state.

One caveat I would add is that some magazines and certain web forums are more atuned to this change than others. So, in response to the original post: it is still one that no one here can answer for you as such. You have the information, but you need to try one out, possibly? If your ultimate goal is out-right speed, then as has been observed, you'll be better off on a 26er on the more tech' trail centres, but for may other circuits, the 29er will simlpy muller a 26er.

Best of luck. Can you let us know your thoughts if you do make the plunge?

I rode a geared 26er at the National Series race at Dalby, then a 29er on pretty much the same course a couple of weeks later at SSUK. The 29er was a lot smoother and less scary on the rocky sections (Worry Gill and others). However, this may have been something to do with the fast it weighs 3lbs more than my 26er race bike and had riser bars. I'm getting a 29er to race during the Winter (mainly at the Thetford Winter Series), so hopefully they won't be any slower… Having ridden the 29er SS round Thetford, it's certainly a lot smoother through the woops.

GB

Nah, George won on his 29er 'Gay Fister Pig' at Bristol in 2007 too. He said he beat you by about a tyre width Matt, perhaps if you'd be on a 29er your tyre would've been far enough ahead

Ah yeh, I forgot about 2007. I was on a 29er myself then and around Bristol is was great.
Perhaps I would have beaten George this year if he allowed me to get to the technical sections first 😉

Hahaha! Perhaps… It was a strategy mate 😉 I thank the 29" wheels for the 1" advantage come the final sprint! You OK – back problems again at D2D?

GB

Hahaha! Perhaps… It was a strategy mate 😉

A strategy that clearly worked 😛
Perhaps if we meet again at Brechfa I will have a little advantage!

All good now, back is sorted. D2D was just end of season fatigue.

I don't think I'll be racing at Brechfa… If you want a hand setting up etc, I may be able to help out depending when it is – have you got a date yet?

GB

Have you seen the 29HT video now on the Home page?

The Annual Snowdon Video

Thanks for posting that up.

explosion – is that video of you?

why are you all going so SLOW???

Not I
If you read the postings below the video link for my comments as whilst I have added a link to some of my stills from 2 weeks ago on the hill, I went on to heap praise on the rider's skills – something I posses very little of as I am not the most confident nor competent rider when it comes to venturing out onto really rocky, steep, technical off-piste areas.
Perhaps were I to live in the Peaks I'd manage better, but living in Watford, I'm afraid I have to accept that my skills levels are, at best, limited.

just seemed funny for a 'how fast' kinda thread to watch some lads picking their way down some tech stuff at half an mph with a full set of pads on….

nice that they stayed upright, but pretty dang steady riding!

Ha!
You go & ride the Ranger's Track down Snowdon on those technical sections, then down the final decent at 50kmph and come back here not be in awe.

All I can add is echo Bone's comments from above: "Thanks for posting that up"

tracknicko.

You must have teh awsome skillz bro.