Was in a bike shop lunchtime with a mate picking up his bike after a service.
Got chatting with one of the guys working there and strayed onto subject of 29ers.
He is utterly convinced that they will take over the world and soon only ‘toy bikes from Halfords’ will have 26 inch wheels. He dismissed STW’s opinion that 650b will be upon us any time soon.
Wondering if my bike will be almost obsolete soon, you know, being old school 26 😉
I haven’t tried one and am in the camp of ‘if it ain’t broke…’, but makes you wonder how far it will go.
He could have just been spouting what the only brand in the shop have indoctrinated them all to say…

…yes, it was Specialised.

26″ bikes have already become ‘kids only’ in the States.

I think 650B will win with shorter Americans and hang on in there for more expensive bikes though.

26 will be the cognescenti’s choice!

29ers have been around since the 80’s, wheel size does not make a bike. Just ride what you like and then you have the best bike in the world. 😀

I’ve long been of the opinion that ‘if it ain’t broke’ I can survive with just a 26″ wheel bike.

I have been mulling it over though.

Had a 300 yard Pootle on my brother’s Singular Swift. Casually rode a drop off I’ve never been happy with, launched it down some steps which usually wig me out. Then accelerated off with no extra rotating mass.

Consequently I will be spending on a 29er soon. Just felt more natural to ride for me.

26″ bikes have already become ‘kids only’ in the States.

Not further up north on the shore though. They’re popular in parts of the States that involve riding up and down fireroads.

Relatively balanced article –

http://www.nsmb.com/4479-29er-shore-worthy/

Interesting to note the wheels don’t seem to make up for a loss of travel. I don’t think you’ll be seeing any 180mm+ rigs that ride well – being sold commercially anytime soon.

As others have said, I reckon it’s going to be:

* 29ers for 0 to 150 mm of travel

* 650B for 160mm+ of travel

* 26 for 180 – 200mm of travel

There’s also the small issue of 29ers still losing to 650b and 26ers in world cup xc races, turns out they aren’t better all the time. Just some of the time – like it or not there is probably a limit to where increased wheel size becomes useful and I reckon 29ers may be right on the border….I mean why not 30? 32? 33? or even 28? Has anyone ever done randomized controlled trials on wheel size laptimes? No!

At the end of the day those of us with multiple bikes for multiple purposes are going to be worse off as we’re going to lose the ability to swap components – eg I’m not going to be able to swap wheels between a DJ bike and my All-mountain bike.

All because some Lycra clad roadie blowhards can’t ride rock gardens.

Well, if a bloke working in an lbs is convinced then it must be true….

Well he sells specialized…..impeachable.

turns out they aren’t better all the time. Just some of the time

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I quite agree. Flat, fast and stutter bumps? 29er. Steep climbs and lots of tight corners? 26″.
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I’m still in the 26″ camp, just personal preference. However, I’m really hoping 29ers don’t take over completely, I would hate 26s to be nobbled by something as daft as tyre companies stopping making decent tyres for them.

-Gazes in to crystal ball-

In 5 years time everyone will have bought 29ers and forgotten that 26ers ever existed (everyone will have long ago realised the 650B was a rubbish idea).

Then, with bike sales falling some guy in the R&D department of Specialgiant will dust down the archives. All of a sudden these new magic 26ers will be on the market.

‘Turns quicker than a 29er’ yells the adverts. Bike mag journos are converted overnight – ‘So much more fun than a 29er’ screams the MBR headlines ‘The new singletrack King’ shouts STW.

Everyone rushes out and buys one and 4% of riders notice a real, discernible difference.

Fork manufacturers rejoice as they can sell NOS that they’ve had kicking around for years as the latest greatest thing…

Cheers

Danny B

I’m with Bwaarp – for the majority of longer travel bikes (I’d actually go from 160mm upwards), i.e. Enduro into DH/FR, then 26″ will rule for a long time yet. Out of turn acceleration, wheel stiffness and strength, plus “flickability” all work better on a 26″ wheel.

UK conditions might be more forgiving, but go out to Europe and see some of the stuff round the Ligurean coast and a 26″ wheel is far and away the best option. If you’re a UK cross country/trail rider, that might well be different though.

Plus, 29ers honest to god look awful. Mountain biking was starting to look less nerdy post 2003.

29ers will have us looking like roadies again. In fact I’m just going to flounce and buy a new KTM 450 if 29ers take off – it will cost me about the same as slowly replacing my 26 inch mountain bikes over the next several years and I can’t stand buying something I really really despise the look of.

Not sure why everyone has to pick one or the other 🙂 26″ 140-150mm trail bike + 29″ 100mm hardtail is what both me and the missus have here. Do think the benefits of 29ers suit XC hardtails very well.

It doesn’t stop me wanting a Nerve 29er though sadly.

tazzymtb – Member
Just ride what you like and then you have the best bike in the world.

Crazy talk!

That’s all well and good – riding is meant to just be fun and you can have fun on pretty much anything but I’ll throw my toys out the pram and will buy a new crosser if 26 inch forks become so rare I can’t find parts for them.

Agreed, 160mm AM bike here + a hardtail 29er is on the shopping list= all I need

29ers are the future because soon that will be, probably, all that is on offer from the main manufacturers. You can take the opinion that that is because the main manufacturers know that is the way forward, or the marketing men have influenced them to sell more bikes. But ultimately it’s academic. Either way the future seems to nee either 650b, 29er or a mix of the two. But not 26et. But that doesn’t Mean you have to sell up now and convert for the sake of it. If you’re happy with you’re 26er, keep it. If you’re in the market for a new bike anyway, you’ll be a fool not to consider a 650b or 29er. Wheelsize on its own doesn’t make a good bike. But there are some great 650b and 29er bikes out there as well as 26ers.

I definitely don’t think 29ers will be the all that is on offer in the future:

* They don’t suit smaller riders

* They don’t suit long travel applications especially when that rider is less than 6 foot tall.

* They’re still losing XC events to 26 and 650b.

They’ll have to keep lots of 26 frames available for youngsters, short people, women and long travel applications. Privateers will also want 26 inch frames so whoever still makes them will make a small fortune.

This will increase the costs of production of frames, wheels and forks and will see to it that we pay even more for MTB’s.

Not sure why everyone has to pick one or the other 26″ 140-150mm trail bike + 29″ 100mm hardtail is what both me and the missus have here.

Not sure why? I’ll give you a clue…

It’s because were not all made of money… 😯

Who cares how big the wheels are.
Your on a bike, & that’s what matters.

He works in a bike shop selling 29ers, is opinion is tosh.

Agree with takisawa2.

just ride what you want! if you don’t like 29er…don’t ride one!

Yeah but I’m suspicious the manufactures are going to stop making 26inch parts – or jack them up massively in cost thanks to 29.

I’ve recently swapped from a 26er to a 29er and have never had any desire for 26ers to become obsolete but if it means bwaarp will p1ss off and buy a crosser then I’m all for it. Bloody hell man, every time this is mentioned you’re all over it like a broken bloody record. You bleating on about it on internet forums isn’t going to change anything so get over it would you?

I am sure the marketing folk would like to convince every dedicated cyclists who spends shit loads on bikes that we need 140 mm suspension, slack angles, a dropper post, Ti, carbon , 10 gears etc
I doubt they will stop you can still get 7 speed but you may not want to put it on your bike.
Not really ridden a 29 er to comment tbh but they need to do something to get us to buy stuff and this is it.

I thought 26″ was obsolete anyway, apart from for shorties

Don’t give a proverbial either way.

There is no “better” – ride what you got and enjoy it. If you ever get into the world where wheel size makes a difference to what you earn then congratulations.

In the mean time…..get on with what you are at and stop trying to suggest other people don’t know what they want because there kit is marginally different from yours.

After all, life is too short and the craic is what it’s all about.

Amen!

Whatever 😈

The 29er Conundrum: Revolution or Acquired Taste?

People are going back!

Another facet of the ‘niner buzz that frustrates us is the broad generalizing about the bikes with little quantitative basis. Commentary after promo commentary hints that the bigger tires make riding over obstacles easier, forward momentum stronger and ride stability greater. While those may be observationally true, we have yet to see any scientific substantiation.

In that vein, we were intrigued to see the 29er versus 26er shootout in the most recent (No. 23) issue of Mountain Flyer magazine by racer Michael McCalla, who compared similarly set up bikes over a variety of terrains for time and power output (wattage).

McCalla’s startling conclusion: No quantifiable difference between the two. Interestingly, McCalla experienced the same feedback that 29er evangelists promote regarding ride feel. But none of it translated into any actual ride advantage.

BOOM! That’s my problem with them, there’s no scientific evidence to back up any of the claims being made other than half baked anecdotes that probably amount to the placebo effect.

Interesting opinion or just retailer/sales guff? )

People are tribal by nature, wheel sizes have just become another tribal divider where bikes should be a tribal unifier.

Personally I don’t believe a wheel size limits any of us, I can ride what I like on a 26 or a 29. It just takes a little adaption for a few rides, that’s about it. We all have preferences but they’re never set in stone unless you want them to be. The day I decide “I will only ride this kind of bike” is a day I hope never comes.

we were intrigued to see the 29er versus 26er shootout in the most recent (No. 23) issue of Mountain Flyer magazine by racer Michael McCalla, who compared similarly set up bikes over a variety of terrains for time and power output (wattage).

McCalla’s startling conclusion: No quantifiable difference between the two. Interestingly, McCalla experienced the same feedback that 29er evangelists promote regarding ride feel. But none of it translated into any actual ride advantage.no sh!t… it’s about feel and fun and what seems right for you, either way. I can’t believe people test all that with wattageometers etc. Well, I can, but common sense will say it’s too variable and all comes down to the rider – one bike will match your preferences better, but that may not be faster, or it may be but if it is it’s not because the wheels or sus or frame material is better etc, it’s because you interact with it more effectively on that particular terrain.

bwaarp – Member
That’s all well and good – riding is meant to just be fun and you can have fun on pretty much anything but I’ll throw my toys out the pram and will buy a new crosser if 26 inch forks become so rare I can’t find parts for them.

Would you really do that? Could you not try and have fun on a big wheeler? I’ve never ridden one but i think if I did, i could have fun on it.

On the subject of crossers, would you go 2 or 4 stroke 😉

davosaurusrex – Member
I’ve recently swapped from a 26er to a 29er and have never had any desire for 26ers to become obsolete but if it means bwaarp will p1ss off and buy a crosser then I’m all for it. Bloody hell man, every time this is mentioned you’re all over it like a broken bloody record. You bleating on about it on internet forums isn’t going to change anything so get over it would you?
POSTED 1 HOUR AGO # REPORT-POST

This is the reason why they’re taking off! A 29er has no place in my world of riding, and is just a load of marketing bs… But it’s people like you that accept it that causes the problem! Do I like the 29er-no! Is it bothering me-yes! It does not benefit my riding in any way, shape or form! I think I may too buy a crosser if the 26″ wheel becomes extinct!

bwaarp – Member

Plus, 29ers honest to god look awful…

come on, that looks ace, who doesn’t want to have a ride on Ed’s new beard bike?

I think I may too buy a crosser if the 26″ wheel becomes extinct!

they never will, what’s the problem again?

For some people victims, mtb is all about the image.

Interesting opinion???

Unless I read that incorrectly the author didn’t really say that his big wheeler was any better or more fun than his old bike, just that it was possible to ride it on gnarly trails. Not exactly breaking news.

http://bikeintelligencer.com/2012/03/the-29er-conundrum-revolution-or-acquired-taste/

All this “they’re for tall people” stuff is frustrating as well. 6’6″ and I’m too tall for the vast majority of decent value 29ers out there. I’d love a Titus Rockstar but I’m too tall, I’m too tall for the vast majority of flash steel frames everyone’s banging on about. Even the top end ones, Santa Cruz XXL bikes are carbon only, new Ibis Ripley, tiny thing! Quite keen on the Anthem X2 29er jobby last year, seemed much better value than the X1, it didn’t come in XL!

29ers are just for short people!

I think that to me, and more than a few others, the whole 29er thing absolutely smacks of ‘manipulation’. None of the arguments put forward explain the drastic and wholesale market changes we’ve seen, and the 26er ‘happy accident’ story doesn’t bear scrutiny either. Objectively, it all just looks weird.

Meanwhile the detractors all seem geriatric, confused and defensive, while the advocates are all round-eyed and froth-flecked. The whole thing has developed an Apple v Google vibe. It isn’t good.

It’s not about the bike!

Just buy whatever you like the look of.

This is the reason why they’re taking off! A 29er has no place in my world of riding, and is just a load of marketing bs… But it’s people like you that accept it that causes the problem! Do I like the 29er-no! Is it bothering me-yes! It does not benefit my riding in any way, shape or form! I think I may too buy a crosser if the 26″ wheel becomes extinct!

Meh. Shut the door on your way out.

Went into Leisure Lakes in Daventry couple of days ago. There was maybe one or two 26″ inch bikes for sale, out of maybe 40-50 on display.