I’ve been thinking about the whole 29er debate for a while now and have come up with the following conclusions:

1. They have been around for a bit now and enough big brands are making them so they must see some future in them
2. Brands like Niner obviously see a future in them as they are solely a 29er brand.
3. I don’t have any actually viable input for a debate as I have never ridden one
4. Maybe I should try one
5. I should probably try one on my local trails as that’s where I would ride it most
6. I don’t know any shop locally that has a demo one or any rider who owns one
7. I can’t afford to build/buy one to try it out
8. I don’t want to get rid of one of my current bikes to fund this experiment
9. I probably wont ever get/try one
10. I have nothing to add to a debate

After all of that thinking going round and round in my head, I don’t think I’ve gained anything other than knowing that 29ers exist… somewhere.

there is no debate, they are great

In summary then: man-with-too-much-time-to-think-about-things-thinks-about-something-for-a-long-time-and-makes-no-clear-decision.

You have just wasted a minute of my life reading that pish. I want it back 👿

Thanks for that

6. I don’t know any shop locally that has a demo one or any rider who owns one

Travel a bit further to a shop that isn’t local to you.

What are you smoking?

I built one (rigid singlespeed) and reached the following conclusions:

1) They roll nicely on rooty ground but not as well as a full suss 26er race bike
2) Anyone who says a 29 inch front wheel is like having a 80mm fork on a 26 inch wheel is WRONG
3) They don’t feel as lively accelerating out of corners as 26ers
4) They’re harder to wheelie than 26ers
5) Big wheel plus steep head angle gives a very nice blend of agility and stability on flowing singletrack
6) They feel more stable than 26ers on some trialsy sections
7) A £800 singlespeed 29er won’t be a better bike than a £2.5k Ti bike (also singlespeed at the moment)

I want to love my 29er but somehow just don’t.

2) Anyone who says a 29 inch front wheel is like having a 80mm fork on a 26 inch wheel is WRONG

Who ever claimed that is smoking the same crack as the OP

I’m not smoking anything I’m just a bit bored at work at the moment and my mind wanders off and does its own thing to keep itself happy.

I hope you aren’t an air traffic controller then

+1 for the suspension remark – read a few reviews saying it’s like a short travel suspension bike – it flippin aint. It does however roll like a steam train once it’s moving. NIce for something else to ride for a change, but I’m looking forward to taking my susser out after 6 months 🙂

I recently test rode a Niner SIR 9 and came away underwhelmed. It was harder to accelerate from stationary or low-speed, it slowed more quickly thatn a 26er when not pedalling on the flat (both those things could be due to the Trailraker tyres – they felt very, very draggy) and due to it seemingly not manualling or unweighting as readily as my FS 26er it seemed to be a bit less ‘perky’.

I’m still intrigued by them though and have been wondering about a 3rd generation Inbred with Rebas, an Alfine or 1×9, and lightweight wheels.

So, if you’re anywhere near Otley, Chevin Cycles might well still have a large Niner SIR demo to try out, and if you give them a bell I’m sure they’ll help out if possible.

[quote7) A £800 singlespeed 29er won’t be a better bike than a £2.5k Ti bike (also singlespeed at the moment)[/quote]

I had a Ti Litespeed, total build around 2.7K, lovely bike. Got a £500 (full build) Inbred 29er when they came out.
The Litespeed was sold soon after. Funded a Ti 29er and Rebas, whels, etc.

I’d say that compared to a 26″ bike it is like having some suspension but only on smaller rocks/roots (say, up to 4″). Hit bigger rocks and you soon know about it.

7) A £800 singlespeed 29er won’t be a better bike than a £2.5k Ti bike (also singlespeed at the moment)

Now there’s a revelation. I think this is what many people commonly do – try a relatively low end 29er and find it feels a bit heavy and sluggish. If you’ll take the time to compare apples with apples then you have a more solid basis for direct comparison and can judge more accurately on their relative merits.

To the OP – where are you based? If you like you can see the events the Singular team will be at in 2011 here, and we’ll always have something you can have a spin on. If you get in touch a little in advance I may be able to arrange a loaner bike for the event. In addition, all Singular dealers carry a demo bike.

“I want to love my 29er but somehow just don’t.”

i have that feeling about some 29ers, others are great though. they vary a lot so don’t write a bike off just because of wheel size – some brands have got the layouts right and others, well, just aren’t as much fun.

I think the main issue here is people not truly understanding “horses for courses” I have a Niner MRC, previously I tried the 29er concept with donated parts from my 700c commuter and a cheap as chips on-one frame. I thoroughly enjoyed it, it reminded me of when I had a road bike, sprinting from lights and enjoying the momentum when at speed. But I don’t own a road bike anymmore as I have less time to enjoy when out on my bike these days so I prefer those times to be off road and fun. The on-one frame was really harsh so I snapped up the niner off here secondhand. I run it 2×9 with rigid carbon forks, it takes me back to mtb’ing in the 90’s before anyone had heard of Rockshox. I use it to commute and use trails that are considered “tame”, I ran maxxis crossmarks through the summer and when it got sloppy I tried Spesh controls. I found the tyres to be too draggy and put some schwalbe smart sams on 700x40c. I am amazed at the grip it affords and how fast they are, I have never used a skinny knobbly for winter duties on my FS MTB before due to my size and crashing into rocks would often result in a pinch flat and a dinged rim.
I know manufacturers make 29er FS, but I reckon if you ride in proper rocky rough stuff, a 26 FS is where it at. Other than that I love my 29er for everything else, its a winter bike thats a bit blinged up and fun to ride. Its got nothing to do with beards, sandals or attention whore niche seeking crap. Its a bike and its fun.

How height are you? If your tall and do mainly xc or/and a lot of road riding they are worth a look. I like mine but i’m 6’6″ so it’s the only sensible choice for xc/trail riding. Would still get a 26″ bike for more technical/fr stuff due to a lack of good long travel forks and tyres plus heavy duty 29″ wheel/tyre set ups are very heavy. Too much for my weak legs to be pushing around for to long.

I just cant get on with 26 inch wheeled bikes. I bougt a shockwave from Halfords at Christmas but it just feels so sluggish and hard to accelerate compared to my 29er.

The 80mm of suspension seems almost rigid and the bike is so heavy compared to what I am used to. If that was’t bad enough it turns corners like a barge; although maybe its just the tyres.

I think I’m going to sell it as 26 inch wheeled bikes just dont seem to suit me and I’ll make sure I share my brief and unfavourable experience every time 26er thread pops up on STW.

🙄 😉

A 29er with a short travel fork feels not unlike a 26er with a short travel fork, only fits me better somehow

29er’s are cack and only ridden by numpties who can’t ride tech and who only do it to be different….Losers

edit *seeing into the future I don’t know what you mean RD 😀 *

And can’t spell “losers” 😉

What soulwood said, but a Nicolai instead of a Niner. Loving it in the mud and I think it will be the ultimate on the flat trails where I live when the summer comes.

They’re harder to wheelie than 26ers

29ers wheelie fine 😮

Fad …. but being 5ft 5″ I would say that….shuffles back to make chocs for Mr Wonka

I have a few 29er demo bikes, niner, surly and salsa. Not a 26er in sight. You’re welcome to try them. They are great.
In the surfing world it is cool, desirable and accepted to have a quiver of boards for different days, locations and moods. Anything from zero to five fins, from 5 foot to 14 foot. It’s all good. In cycling: the idea that one wheel size fits all folk and all situation is BS.
Free your mind and your quiver will follow.

well said charlie and it’s a good excuse to have a fab (and ever expanding) bike collection 😀

I like the look of that carbon 9er they was reviewed by Matt in Issue 62. But I don’t want another bike.

But I don’t want another bike.

Are you mad ? 😯

i like the idea of bigger wheels, i really do. i’m 6’2″ – all my bikes look stupid, i live in sheffield, we’ve got a lot of rocks.

but i’ve ridden a few, and er, umm…

it’s the silly-steep head angles that put me off, 72 degrees?! – no thanks.

i gather that things are changing, so i’ll keep an eye on progress. But for now, i’m out.

buzz-lightyear – Member
But I don’t want another bike

Now there is a perfect example of bad grammer

what buzz meant to say

But I do WANT even though I do not need it 🙂

come on buzz can you realy have too many bikes