Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 64 total)
  • Do folks still build up old bikes with 26" wheels?
  • prettygreenparrot
    Full Member

    I saw a few threads after searching but they generally seemed to be from pre-650b times.

    Only asking as I’m trying to figure out whether to put an old Sub5 with a 5th element coil on the classifieds or the tip.

    MoreCashThanDash
    Full Member

    Yep. And it’s getting harder to find decent bits.

    pictonroad
    Full Member

    ive sold a 26″ bike and some 9sp stuff recently. Had to sell it very cheap but it’s better than sitting in my shed, someone got some good stuff for a bargain and we get to go on a trip with the cash.

    So, get it advertised, just be sensible with the price I reckon.

    Fresh Goods Friday 696: The Middling Edition

    Fresh Goods Friday 696: The Middlin...
    Latest Singletrack Videos
    P-Jay
    Free Member

    Yeah, a quick gander at BPW buses at the weekend (I’m such a bike nerd) that about half the bikes on the trailers were 26″.

    I don’t think there are many ’26 for life’ people left who are actively trying to stay 26, but if it’s cheap someone will buy it – that’s the best thing about 26″ bikes – they’re just as fun to ride as they were in 2013, but now you can build up nice, fun to ride bikes for very little.

    robhughes
    Free Member

    pre-650b times.

    Am i missing something here or don’t 26″ bikes work anymore.What a load of bull crap.

    they’re just as fun to ride as they were in 2013

    words fail me.
    And i’ll say no more on the matter.

    preciousmetals
    Free Member

    My sentiments exactly rob

    bigblackshed
    Full Member

    jambalaya
    Free Member

    Absolutely yes. I have a brand new 26 frame from 2012 still in the wrapper that I will get round to building, I have been considering chopping it in for a Soul of the same vintage – was miffed to miss one from an STWer outbid in tje last 30 seconds 🙁

    As an aside I have 2 26 bikes one with forks from 2006 plus lots of bits. Never for 1 second have I thought that a chnage to 275 woukd make the slightest difference. IMO the industry tired it on with 29 and where too embarrased to go back to 26

    garage-dweller
    Full Member

    pre-650b times.

    Am i missing something here or don’t 26″ bikes work anymore.What a load of bull crap.

    I think all the op means is in the time before the industry decided it wasn’t going to make a decent volume of 26″ stuff at the top end any more and before the second hand market bombed. There are great deals to be had I reckon.

    I’m stringing as much life as I can out of the 3 x 26rs we have between us. But I also love my gate of a 29r too.

    As for the op I’d rather give away than scrap but that’s just me.

    papercutout
    Free Member

    Stick it up in the classifieds, plenty of people still riding 26’s! My 29er is in Turkey atm, and I took my old 26″ hard tail jump bike around Cannock Chase centre the other day, following some mates on full sus 650b bikes, and had an absolute laugh! Certainly not the best XC bike, but I still love owning it, and I’m fit enough to have left them for dead on the ups!

    Del
    Full Member

    no reason why you can’t stick a 27.5 fork on the front and away you go, unless you’re stuck with a 1 1/8th headset, in which case your choice will be reduced. at the point at which that 1 1/8th steerer fork becomes too pricey is when you move on, non?
    so long as i can resist shiney shiney, and don’t bend them, i’m pretty sure my chameleon and five will last a goodly while yet.

    stumpy_m4
    Free Member

    I have 2 26ers , fit me fine , use one for bike packing and the other is a 853 SS on-one, not sure the extra 1.5 inchs will change anything so will keep riding as long as i can get bits to fit, all my other bikes are 700c road and adventure bikes

    milfordvet
    Free Member

    After trying fatbikes and steel 29ers I go back to my 456 evo carbon. Its superlight, fast up and down, manouverable, all day comfortable accelerates better, lighter over gates, and most importantly instantly just friggin fun to ride. Its night and day to me. After riding 30 years I’m not sure if its my brain calibration and sub conscious muscle memory.

    Its got a tapered headtube, but just lacks bolt throughs to be fully uptodate. Plan to upgrade it with some wider wtb kom rims, to hep it corner.

    When you look on Chain Reaction, now in 2016 there are still more wheels and forks to choose from in 26 than any other size, and its cheaper to boot. You can put a very very good bike together thesedays in 26. I’d be more concerned with getting the 29 bits actually in a few years.

    molgrips
    Free Member

    Tip? Good god man! Throwing perfectly good bikes away?! Not every MTBer is a flash Audi driving bike tart!

    A 5 is a great bike, ‘even’ in 26 form, I’m sure plenty of people would love a frame that capable at a bargain price. Have some perspective!

    I sold a very well used but sound 2007 5 last year for £150. Only because I also have a Patriot which is 26 and still ridden a lot and still bloody brilliant.

    accu
    Free Member

    cotic is awaiting another batch of the 26″ bfe…
    and the “fast red” frames are already sold out just by preorders..
    😀

    mikewsmith
    Free Member

    Only asking as I’m trying to figure out whether to put an old Sub5 with a 5th element coil on the classifieds or the tip.

    reading the OP shocker coming up…

    I’d chuck it in the classifieds for best offers.

    Skipping the sweeping generalisations picking up used bikes is about 3 things
    Condition
    Compatibility
    Desire

    Orange Sub 5 – must be at least 12 years old? 5th Element? No spares or service and a coil on a short travel XC bike
    Overall (for me) 2/10
    Compatibility – 1 1/8th forks only everything else is fine 6/10 (forks are really important)
    Desire – 0/10 for me, demo’d one and hated it

    Somewhere somebody will want one, just it might only be one person. It really depends how much hassle you want in your life. Selling means postage, dealing with people etc.

    To get rid try ebay but again if it goes for 50 quid is it worth it?

    kerley
    Free Member

    To get rid try ebay but again if it goes for 50 quid is it worth it?

    Compared to what, throwing it away. Of course it is worth it and of course it will sell for more than £50.

    Put on eBay, local pickup only, buy it now with immediate payment and just wait. Not exactly a lot of hassle.

    mikewsmith
    Free Member

    Compared to what, throwing it away. Of course it is worth it and of course it will sell for more than £50.

    OK
    Full bike – asking 200 – 0 Bids
    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Orange-Sub-5-Frame-With-RP23-Shock-And-Chris-King-Headset-/191866399344?hash=item2cac20ea70:g:ijIAAOSw~oFXKLAM
    Seller ended – no price
    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Orange-Sub-5-Mountain-Bike-/162057065192?hash=item25bb5a92e8:g:G~IAAOSwiYFXE4~T
    Full bike asking 250 – 0 bids
    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ORANGE-SUB5-Special-Edition-Full-Suspension-/252330239160?hash=item3ac00de4b8%3Ag%3Ao1sAAOSwZ8ZW5dmE&nma=true&si=vJE4cc1d%252B%252BddJl9aqmgC7ZZY%252FUE%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
    Full bike with some salvageable gear on it 4 bids 395
    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Orange-Sub-5-Frame-/111937182865?hash=item1a0ff9dc91:g:44YAAOSwr7ZW6A3p
    Frame with working shock 106 quid so yeah maybe more than 50, wouldn’t expect to clear more than 100, knock off ebay fee’s, relist fee’s and all that and yeah is it worth the time? More of a question for the OP really.

    Failing that donate it to one of the bike recycle charities.

    pickle
    Free Member

    I actually bought a brand new frame this year and it’s a 26″ one, rides spot on!

    thecaptain
    Free Member

    I’m considering getting a new 26″ cos I want a rohloff and the gearing restriction is a bit tough on larger wheels.

    Dorset_Knob
    Free Member

    My newest bike was made in 2001. I still think of it as my ‘new’ bike.

    jekkyl
    Full Member

    I ride a 26 and when I get to the bottom of an ace descent I’m smiling like a loon. If I were riding a 650 or 29 would my smile be any bigger?! Answer: wif.

    avdave2
    Full Member

    thecaptain I think they have relaxed the lowest gearing restriction with the advent of 29 wheels. I could in theory lower it on my 26 currently 40×16 to 40×17 but it’s already really low. I’m looking at frame options and the biggest restriction after chain tensioning with nothing dangly is rear hub spacing. The gearing itself I don’t think would be an issue.

    globalti
    Free Member

    I’m about to dismantle my 26″ Global titanium hardtail and I’m pretty confident I’ll get a good price for the frame at least. The Hope brakes are fine and will sell, as should the wheels with discs. The rest of the kit is unfashionable triple chainset etc. and should go on Ebay to somebody who wants good quality and well-loved bits. It’s only the sorry fashion victims who will turn up their noses.

    thecaptain
    Free Member

    avdave2, sorry should have mentioned it’s a tandem where the 2.5 ratio still applies. I’m already undercutting that with 38/16 on another 26″ rohloff tandem and would not want to go any higher. Which would mean about 2.1 on a 29″ I think (depending on tyres etc). Perhaps we’d be ok with that (not hugely heavy), but it’s a bit of a risk for a new bike.

    avdave2
    Full Member

    I guess then you’ll just need a fitter stoker 🙂

    thecaptain
    Free Member

    you’d better hope she doesn’t read this thread 🙂

    scubashark
    Free Member

    Yep, got a Bfe frame on the way ( Red ) so will be building that up with parts from an old FS that doesn’t get used anymore. TBH looking forward to building it then giving it a damn got thrashing 🙂

    chakaping
    Free Member

    Ebay or the Orange Riders group on FB for your Sub5.

    Some mug will give you good money for it.

    😉

    TheLittlestHobo
    Free Member

    I built up a Pipedream Sirius about 7yrs ago. Hope ProII, Chris King, RS Reba, XT & XTR. Quite a nice bike. Unfortunately i snapped part of my knee and it resulted in the bike only being used for about 12mths before it was mothballed. Its sat there practically unused since.

    My 13yr old son has asked if he can use it but unfortunately i have let the seatpost become stuck in the seat tube. Its ruined the frame and post.

    Have a onone Inbred arriving this week to build him up a nice little 26″ hardtail which will do everything his mates 650b or whatever they go by these days. He’s desperate for the frame to land so i can build it up for him.

    So yes, we still build 26″ bikes 🙂

    prettygreenparrot
    Full Member

    to the classifieds it is then. Thanks for the inspiring 26″ comments. Would have felt uncomfortable taking it to the recycling centre.

    woodsman
    Free Member

    I built up a new 26 about three years ago – custom frame that I’d had on order for over a year. All the parts are available new even NOW; including 1/1/8th forks, UST tyres and rims – just that you have to order them. Fox emailed me just a few months back, and said they’ve no intention of stopping production of 1/18th forks, Mavic produce the latest 819 asymmetric rims in 26…and I could go on. It won’t get any easier to get the parts in the future unless, there is a renaissance? It could happen…….

    Oh, and it’s my favourite bike and I rarely feel outdone by the smaller wheel! In fact I think it has the edge in a lot of situations.

    Sundayjumper
    Full Member

    I was given a 29er frame recently, and without wanting to sound ungrateful I would have preferred a 26er because to build this one up I’ll need to buy forks & wheels when I have perfectly good 26″ stuff sitting in the garage.

    kerley
    Free Member

    As fork headset size is an age thing and nothing to do with 26″ wheels (as you can easily use a 650B fork) the only really specific 26″ wheel thing is the tyre and rim.

    Good to see Stan’s putting out their new wide Flow MK3 rim in 26″ (current wide approach but with ‘old’ 26 size) although also bad as it means I will have to pay out for some new rims and spokes as I was after a wider rim but never had an option to buy them.

    I love my 26″ big and will never change it but if it got stolen I would buy a 650B because that is where the choices are now. As 26″ is a used market thing that market will eventually get smaller and smaller unfortunately.

    [url=https://flic.kr/p/HLjkXP]2016-06-05_08-25-24[/url] by davetheblade, on Flickr

    2 of these are 26″ and no intention of either of them going to the tip. The Kona will remain my pub bike and the Enduro – will never be able to sell it for what it’s worth to me, so forks (1″ 1/8 steerer), stem, bars, Hope brakes, KS Lev dropper will probably be put on a Privee Shan frame. The forks will take a 650b wheel and I can get a headset reducer. I might even use the 26″ wheels with a PP hanger kit to keep costs down until I can afford some new hoops

    Andy-R
    Full Member

    I built up a 2008 Alpitude a couple of years ago to use out here in Greece. With Marzocchi 55’s with Avalanche damper and a -1 degree headset it’s pretty much the dogs bollox for what I do. The only fault is the BB is a bit higher than I’d like but apart from that it’s not at all bad – and I can’t afford a PP Shan frame anyway……

    Junkyard
    Free Member

    Bought two 26 ers in the last two years

    Reasonably priced for a lot of bike and I have all the bits required.

    IMHO you could take the wheels of a 650 b and replace with 26 and the owners would not notice as its so marginal

    jonostevens
    Free Member

    I wanted to teach myself to build a bike, so chose an Inbred as the parts for a 26er seemed cheaper (£180 for a Pushloc Reba for example). Also got a four year old Ghost full sus 26er which I have replaced and fixed up rather than buy a new bike.

    I kind of figured that if I point my bike down a hill it’ll be fun whatever I’m riding and I can’t see that a minor increase in wheel size is going to make that much difference to someone with my skills.

    Besides, me and the Ghost, we’ve got memories. All those little scuffs and dinks from far flung corners of this island. I can’t quite bring myself to move on yet. 🙂

    chipkorea
    Free Member

    Yes – just built one, gonna build another when I have sold enough old junk (I have sold 4 frames in the last two months and have crates of parts) to buy a 1×11 XT groupset for it.

    The only issues I can see are –

    (1) I love fox forks and in future it’ll be “order and pay RRP” not “pick up discounted set” as you can with 650b.

    (2) 27.2 Thomson droppers are expensive (but I just picked up one for a bit under £200 – used but impossible to tell by looking at it).

    One day I might decide that it is too expensive to continue with 26″, but I can’t see it.

    FWIW – I am not a total stuck in the mud – I do ride 650b too.

    Also FWIW – I REALLY can’t see why a 5’2″ rider – possibly male, more likely female – would want to ride a bike so out of proportion to their body. I’m best part of 6′ and 26″ feels in proportion to me. Are all the top bods in the industry 6’7″ and that explains why they can’t work out why we don’t all love 29ers?

    StirlingCrispin
    Full Member

    I’ve just sold a 26″ Spicy. The guy got a bargain.(I sold it because I don’t ride like that).

    Have also just bought forks for my son’s next bike (which will be a small 456 when he grows out of his 14″ Kona) and have just serviced the headset on my 26″ Soul.

    So – yes.

Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 64 total)

The topic ‘Do folks still build up old bikes with 26" wheels?’ is closed to new replies.