Maybe I got burned by jumping on the Fixed bandwagon, but I'm having some doubts whether a 29er would be a good way to go for me. I'm 5'8" and have a feeling that the 29er is of most benefit to taller riders. Another doubt I have is how the 29er will look in a small framesize, it would be totally over-wheeled and look out of proportion, more like a Penny Farthing with suspension !! Anyone got some experience of a small size 29er?? thanks for any advice...
Bike Forum
Does a 29"er in SMALL not look weird?
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Posted 3 months ago #
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You decide (I'm 5'7")
Posted 3 months ago # -
I think small 29ers look as bad as my old massive 26ers did. Neither extreme ever looked 'right' (IMHO).
I guess in a perfect world everything should be judged on how it rides rather than how it looks but the reality is that a good looking bike will generally be more desireable to a rider than an ugly one?
Posted 3 months ago # -
Looks great actually druidh, much better than I expected. Is it a 16" frame roughly...any idea how a fullsuss looks, with the shock and everything in there? cheers for the pic
Posted 3 months ago # -
You decide (I'm 5'7")
aaargggghhh my eyes!
(actually lookign at it again I think it's the cable lengths and the crud catcher that are the issu)
Posted 3 months ago # -
I agree Mr Tall ! Over here in Germany, they're starting to talk about 27.5" as a happy medium. It has sent all the magazines crazy with discussions...
Posted 3 months ago # -
Some can look a bit silly, mainly because the bars often end up higher than the saddle. I cant see how you'd be able to ride one properly if you're only small, I'm sure it would be more of a case of just "holding on"
Posted 3 months ago # -
Aye they're really long cables there, you're right! Or is it a very arty Shopping Basket ?? time for a snip methinks...
Posted 3 months ago # -
Cables are all over the place because I'm still getting it "right" and it'll all be rebuilt onto my Raw frame when that arrives in the UK. The SKS Grand MOM may not be pretty, but it's pretty effective
Posted 3 months ago # -
Yeh, but how tall is he? That one doesnt look to bad to be fair.
The one below is the one I saw, and its a nice bike, but I thought "hows he going to ride it?"
Posted 3 months ago # -
No. Same height here, on 18" Inbred. 50mm stem, & its the best bike fit I've ever had. Never been a fan of rse up - head down riding position. Just gone & spoiled it by following the 29er trend for flat bars, so low risers going back on ASAP. Ride what works for you, & 29ers are pretty well sorted these days.
Posted 3 months ago # -
thanks for the help, I'm still not sure if I'd invest in a Scott Spark in 29" yet, though...even though the reviews are good. I always enjoyed my 26er, so why change after all? is it really soooo much better rolling on a 29er ?? doesn't the handling suffer?
Posted 3 months ago # -
People on here will pay good money for a weird looking bike.
Posted 3 months ago # -
Looks alright to me.
Posted 3 months ago # -
Looks alright to me.
Perv.
I think that 29ers looking right in small is the exception rather than the norm, and it helps if the bike's at a particular angle. Square to the camera/ side-on, it does look weird, IMHO. And not weird in a Klein Mantra or Ti456 way (weird but clearly functional), but weird in a 'I'm not sure it really works very well' way.
Posted 3 months ago # -
I love mine...........16" Karate Monkey
Posted 3 months ago # -
some lovely looking towpath and commuter bikes in this thread.
just wait for the more in proportion 650b bikes to become available.Posted 3 months ago # -
16" Scandals and 5-9. Love them.
Posted 3 months ago # -
I don't want to offend anyone...but is the hit on the looks side, worth it for the increase in rolling / decrease in handling ?? Frame design does seem to make all the difference...the Trek above looks still good though, I must admit !
Posted 3 months ago # -
I'd suggest you need to go ride a few and form your own opinion. For what I want mine for, I reckon a big wheel works better. That was based on running a CX bike for a while and a brief spin on a demo Yeti.
So far (still early days) it's living up to my expectations. I'll be experimenting with a rigid front fork soon too.
Posted 3 months ago # -
Amazed that anyone cares about how a bike 'looks' if it rides well
Posted 3 months ago # -
Amazed that anyone cares about how a bike 'looks' if it rides well
This ^
In seem to remember someone (Might have Brant, or Sheldon RIP) saying you shouldn't ride a bike bigger than your inside leg, mine is 27.5...
Posted 3 months ago # -
Mines a Large (20inch) and too me still looks smallish!
Fits my 6'2 frame well
Posted 3 months ago # -
Emily Batty's bike:
BikeRadar link
Looks a bit weird - as she's running the saddle all the way forward and a short -17 stem with no headset top cap. Just a bit 'forced'.
Posted 3 months ago # -
A 26'' would suit sir just fine!
Seriously, it depends on inside leg length, and the type of riding you do. Long xc's - maybe if you've the leg length, think about it the wheel is 29''.....
Posted 3 months ago # -
seatpost is reversed as well
Posted 3 months ago # -
Small 29ers look cool. ie the 16" on-1s KM above, nice. I'm less keen on the gappy look of big-framed 26" bikes.
is it really soooo much better rolling on a 29er ??
I'd say so.doesn't the handling suffer?
Only if it's a bad design, like a 26" with the wrong angles would.I'm 5'8" and have a feeling that the 29er is of most benefit to taller riders
Nah. Once your weight is moving and turned into momentum, physics doesn't care how tall or short you are. This idea of 29ers for tall riders only is BS. At 5'3" ish the packaging does get tricky, but it shouldn't be a problem for a 5'8" rider.
(edit - I say that from having worked on designs for bikes where the smallest 2-3 sizes were 26, the largest were 29. I worked through the ideas and decided it was a rubbish idea. Glad I did that, otherwise I may have had to squeeze 650B in the middle to follow that flawed logic.. choose the wheel size based on your riding not your height)Try a few..
Posted 3 months ago # -
timmys - Member
Looks alright to me.
said of Emily Batty's bike on the STW cover, despite what the singletrack caption said almost 100% sure that's 26 think it's just the angle of photograph. From when she rode for Trek world racing not Trek (Garry fisher) Subaru.Think that small 29er can look just as good a large ones if nicely designed. But if you read the info on Emily Batty's 29er or Willow Koerber's garry fisher from a year or two ago, there is a fair amount of "fitting" i.e very negative "rise" stems and reversed seat posts, shorter forks...but then they go pretty quick so who cares really!
I think if you want one and you can get the fit right go for it, it might look a little odd but then IMO, as a sweeping statement most 29er never look as nice as 26 but again who cares if you enjoy riding it.Posted 3 months ago # -
thanks jameso and cows in cars, your detailed tips have given me a much better understanding...
yeah, iDave I do think the looks are really important on a bike, it's one of the hundred things I like about cycling...it's not all engineering. many people ride bikes cos they look good, and put up with discomfort, or being fashionable....like a load of fixed riders I would wager!!
Posted 3 months ago #
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