I'm resigned to the fact that any 26er bike I ride is going to look like a gate, but if you've got a 20ins or bigger ti hardtail, please can I see a picture. I know it shouldn't be about looks, but hey. I'm particularly interested to see long forked bikes like large Ragleys, 456s etc. None of your pretty little smalls or mediums, thanks.

I have a ti 456

Various picutres being ridden Bogtrotters Ride

And a picture from a while ago (now with inline post and fork steerer cut :):

Here's 2 shots for your consideration. They are both mine and demonstrate the difference between a 26er and a 29er built for the same rider. I am 6ft 2inch tall.

I love the 29er. It is singlespeed, so not quite an apples with apples comparison. Definitely not as agile as the 26er, but more stable. As an allround bike though, I do prefer the 26er.

I know what you mean about the gate thing. That's why I had my 26er built like an old school Kona with a heavily sloping top tube. The headtube is the big bike giveaway, and something of a Seven signature, but it does fit like a glove.

I guess at some point you just have to accept that big blokes need big bikes, and they just don't look as pretty as small bikes.

Did seven just use a 26er rear end on that 29er frame, with some dropouts to make it take a 29er rear wheel?

It does look a bit that way but no. They use a modified Paragon slider dropout. Not the prettiest solution in the world admitedly but very effective. See here:

http://www.sevencycles.com/singlespeed.php

I can swap them out for a derailleur dropout which doesn't quite extend as much. These are quite long to accomodate the singlespeed chain adjustment. There is probably too much adjustment built in though.

Nobody ever said my bike collection was pretty! Some of the others are worse lookers, believe it or not, but it's the fit and the ride that counts although I do quite like the idiosyncratic looks and rarety value.

Here's my large soda

This is what I've got at the moment. it's a custom 21.5inch frame.

I'm looking to swap it for something a bit more 'all mountain' that I can still do the odd enduro on. I've realised I'm not cut out for serious racing. Something slightly less huge would be good too. Anyone got a 20ins Ragley ti I can have a look at?

insert picture of Ragley TD-1 when it arrives

I think the Soda is winning the beauty award so far. How tall are you Localhero? I've tended to rule the Soda out because it's only a 19ins, but I'm going to try a mate's out next week to see how I get on. What fork length do you run it at?

456Ti 20"

My custom 26er Eriksen. Works out at about a 21" frame but a fairly short top tube for my height. Running a Fox Float 120 with fairly XC angles. I'm almost 6'5".

I love the way it rides but know that it'll never look as pretty as a smaller frame. Sometimes think it would work better with a black stem.

and you're not considering a 29er because…..?

(Im 6'4" and wont go back to 26")

Im the short one on the left…

stoner's bike does it for me………very nice indeed…. 8)

it's not hefty enough for you bigboy.

I do wonder about a 29er, but I like the accelleration of a 26 and I've got nice 26 wheels and forks which I'm not over keen to have to swap. More food for thought.

I like the accelleration of a 26

if you feel a difference then you're good enough to be paid to ride! 😉

I think the Soda is winning the beauty award so far. How tall are you Localhero? I've tended to rule the Soda out because it's only a 19ins, but I'm going to try a mate's out next week to see how I get on. What fork length do you run it at?

I'm 6'3 and run the fork at around 115 for most stuff then wind out to 130 for pointing down.

Maybe it's just my nice light wheels. I'm certainly not that good.

20" 456

My Kitsuma, had it 9 yrs. winter hack bike now!

you shouldnt be stopping to photo your bike in the middle of a race you know! 😉

Forgotmename – you don't want to find a loving new home for that do you? It looks great. I can't understand why litespeed don't make anything like it any more.

20 inch On One, i'm 6'1" and this measured up the same as my previous 19inch P7. used to have a 140 Talas on but F120's now as I use in mainly for xc hence the double setup.

I was both photographing and racing.
It ended up as 5 page article in MBUK in February.
These were taken afterwards.

Does anyone familiar with 29ers now find 6 footers+ on 26ers look a tad "perched" (or worse!)?

PS – I slipped my 18 inches (M) in there, slightly under the L / XL radar!

For sure 29ers look 'right' for larger chaps, and when I stand my 26er and 29er next to each other, the wheels on the 26er just look too small.

But, big bikes never look truly 'right' anyway. However, I console myself that as a % of my inevitably greater body weight than a smaller chap, my bike actually weighs less (hope that makes sense!).

I've had my share of gates in the past but not this time. The larger size Jones.

Should have gone for the XL, look at the seat post extension ffs 😉

Hello bol, no sorry il be keeping that one.

Thought you might say that. 😀

martinh – no wonder people talk about breaking seatposts…

20" 456 & I'm 6'3"

ti456 20" frame – me, I'm 6ft 1"

Ti29er – are my eyes deceiving me or is that on one rocking the 'one spd one flattie' look in that second shot?

Just been riding my friend's soda, which feels lovely, and fits surprisingly well but I think I'm too much of an oaf to treat it with the finesse it deserves when the terrain is a bit trickier. Here's the ragley ti (friend of friend's) which I'm being all the more drawn to. Looks right somehow too.

Well spotted!
Egg beater gave out on me 36 miles into the event.
Rode around on the spindle for a while until the 1st Mec' station at about 46 miles, where I bought a pair of flats.

NEVER fit just the one!
I had all manner of cramp / muscle issues almost immediately.

And I'd take issue that 29ers just don't look right.
What the OP has asked for is spot on, mine can look a little "big wheeled" where as most of the X and XL bikes here look absolutely excellent & spot on.

20" and I'm 6ft 3.