hi,
after 5 years of paying off a massive loan, i may have some disposable cash; like £500 a month!
new bike beckons;

so whats faster? 29 er or 26 er
full sus, hardtail or rigid?
which are good ones out there?

riding is pretty much hertfordshire bashing around( maybe NZ if i am lucky this year; wife is a kiwi), so no big jumps, drop offs etc.

cheers
s

Go test ride some stuff at some demo days?

Sorry,

But you need to look into a bit more detail, What bikes you like the look of? As above, try a few?

yep there are loads and everyones on the bandwagon, but what are people riding and finding good?

imagine if at the start of mtb ing someone had got their act together on supplying 29 inch tyres and we would be discussing what 26 er to get, from good old wiki;

In the early 1980s, the size of the wheels for the emerging mountain bikes was undecided. So when English off-road cycling pioneer Geoff Apps contacted Gary Fisher and Charlie Kelly with news that he had built a prototype off-road bicycle that used 700c Nokian snow tires from Finland, they were intrigued. In December 2006, Gary Fisher, speaking about the growing popularity of 29ers, gives his perspective: “We got some tires from Geoff Apps really early on and we [Fisher and Kelly] said ‘Holy Toledo!’” But the poor supply situation of the larger diameter tires meant the fledging MTB industry stuck with the smaller wheel size.” [4] The first Geoff Apps designed 700c off-road bicycle was made in 1981 and was marketed as the Aventura by Apps’ own company, Cleland Cycles Ltd , between 1982 and 1984. However production bikes used the more readily available Nokian 650b tires.

OP there’s no bike or even type of bike that’s faster than all others…unless you believe the catalogues or magazines…

Try a few and buy what you like riding.

My mate is a bit quicker than me. We both normally ride 100 mm full sus. I bought a 29er scandal and became quicker than him.
Then bodged together a 29er out of the cheapest bits he could find. Hey presto he’s quicker again.
We don’t have rock fields to contend with. Mostly smooth trails or mud.
I have found that all my down hills now seem a lot shorter on the 29.

Hertfordshire is the home of Singular iirc, i’d drop Sam a line and sort a demo

29ers seem to be the way forward for the type of riding you describe.

test rode a 29er on my local trail and it was definately quicker on the fireroads, that said i couldnt match my 26er laptime..maybe it wasnt as quick on the bendy stuff, not sure really need to take the garmin next time and check some stats

cheers everyone,
like the look of the singular bikes; bikes with bar ends, now thats more like it…

what happening at on one, they have no 29 ers built up for sale; is it winter or have they spent all their money on titus?

I went from a 2011 Scott Scale 20 to Gary Fisher superfly elite 29er and the difference is amazing. I originally got the 29er as a muck about bike so the Scott could be saved for racing, after riding the Elite I listed the Scott on Ebay!

Supposedly the Gary Fisher / Trek 29ers are the most sorted Geometry wise and that shows. It both handles and rolls far better than the Scott.

S,

Been riding my new bike for a few weeks now, scott spark elite 29er. I couldnt reccomend big wheels 100mm full sus enough for xc riding.
After riding regular routes I am finding difficult rocky sections(climbs and descents) easier and faster than before, just yesterday I cleaned sections in the peakdistrict Ive always struggled with in the past on 26 inch wheels.
I can keep pedaling on rocky sections of trail and easily drop my friends who are having to freewheel through-carefully picking their lines.
Honestly I dont think there are any disdvantages to bigger wheels.
A cheap 29er with flexy wheels and forks (like mine) would really benefit from a 15mm bolt through and some decent wheels, if you could afford to buy a bike that comes with them it would be much better. It costs a fortune to upgrade 29er tapered steerer forks!

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questtobecomeareallifexman.tumblr.com

thanks for the replies, i need something for £1k for two reasons; i have to learn to drive this year(44; its an adult requirement) and get to NZ.

It may have to be a buy bits and bobs bike; having ridden rigid for 8 years now i am out of the loop on suspension!

can you use normal suspension forks on the frames; have seen some excellent DT Swiss(aka pace) half price. I have theory you can get a £2k bike for £1k if you shop around buying bits.it may look like a TK maxx bike, but it will be unique….

think i just found the one for me…… and its the price point.

http://www.trekbikes.com/uk/en/bikes/mountain/cross_country/sawyer

looks really good, however its a rip off of this
http://www.jonesbikes.com

though according to gary fisher he invented montain bikes, so its all his idea really( ahem), wonder if jeff jones could sue him for intellectual property rights.

i would buy a jeff jones anytime, but need a lottery win first.

What matters faster or fun?

Or is comparing yourself in terms of speed how you get your kicks? You’re not any better of a rider if you can go faster because of your bike.

Just ride what feels more fun to ride, that’s what i’d go with.

How i’d sum up my experience of 29ers is comfy in a hybrid sense.

Forks need to be 29er specific.

“You’re not any better of a rider if you can go faster because of your bike.”

You could use that argument to not have any suspension , no disc brakes , solid tyres etc etc and we would all be living in caves as well.

Ok more like –

“it’s nonsense basing self accomplishment on speed gained due to bike type.”

this looks fun; i just want to go faster,but this may shorten the ride!

26 always feels a bit of a pig to ride, but when you stand up and do the twisty stuff( precious little round here) its makes sense.

the riding we do is often finding ways linking up good twisty bits!

if i am head of any comments about driving to trail centres; i cannot drive!

however……

john stamstead was my inspiration in the 1990’s lived in a tree house, rode to races, won them and rode back, even if they were thousands of miles away and trained by riding for 8 hours on a roller looking at a white wall to get used to the idea of riding in the artic.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Stamstad

deanfbm – Member
Ok more like –

“it’s nonsense basing self accomplishment on speed gained due to bike type.”

Even if it wins you races?*

*IT WON’T!

Depends on what you find fun surely deanfbm.Some people enjoy riding xc fast and in comfort,others enjoy different stuff.Horses for courses,everyone to their own i say.

Ok more like –

“it’s nonsense basing self accomplishment on speed gained due to bike type.”

Try telling that to Jaroslav Kulharvey

ok, i am gonna go for a penny farthing now, big wheel at the front, small at the back;no suspension, small stem, wide handlebar, no puncture tyres and made of iron, a true 69 er

cheers for all your posts!
simon