So, MBUK have reviewed a bunch of 29ers, and also done an article on the pro’s and con’s of big wheeled bikes versus conventional 26″ wheeled bikes… So let’s at least give them a bit of credit for trying…

So I bought the magazine (yes I know!) and read the article, and the review of the 4 bikes in it. All pretty reasonable stuff to be fair, I was expecting a biased “26ers rule, 29ers are crap” kind of vibe, but you don’t get that at all but actually a fairly informative (by MBUK standards lets be fair) view on both the bikes being reviewed, and 29ers as a whole…

But why am I annoyed…?

I’m sorry, but it’s the whole attention to detail thing… It’s the same as ever, and it reminded me why I generally stopped buying MBUK many many years ago… A quick thumb through the magazine reveals all sorts of other inconsistencies in articles, that you pretty much just don’t get in mags like Singletrack, where you know they’ve reviewed the kit properly over a period of time.

The biggest error though… Recommending you don’t fit a suspension fork to either the Niner or the On One Scandal, as this would steepen the head angle too much… WTF!?!?! We all know that suspension forks compress, hence they’re longer than rigid forks in the first place… MBUK has stated that the rigid fork on the Niner and the On One were 470mm, which is the norm for a 29er rigid fork. They then go on to say that a 100mm suspension fork is 470mm axle to crown… Well, it is if you’re talking about a 26″ wheeled fork, a 29er fork is about 40mm taller FFS! So they’ve based their entire recommendation on something when they haven’t even bothered to do their sums correctly…

Fact is, my 29er Inbred (same Geometry as the Scandal) did feel a little steep with my Reba’s at 80mm (when the a/c was 490mm, but with about 15mm of sag when I was on board), so I lengthened them to 100mm (510 a/c, and about 20-25mm of sag) and it’s slackened the bike off just nicely… It’s why you fit a 440mm rigid to a 26″ frame corrected for 100mm suspension forks (usually 470-480 a/c) guys, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do your bloody homework in the future MBUK… It’s little things like this that make the difference, especially as now there’s probably many people out there who were thinking of buying an On One or possibly a Niner, but that are now reconsidering as the information printed in MBUK has advised them they would not handle a suspension fork well…

Rant over!

7/10 a bit of random captialisation would have got an extra point. Mind you agree with the content. I dont buy MBUK as generally have read it before I get it home. 😆

Fair old rant… as someone who is considering building up an inbred 29er to try out big wheels, and unsure as to whether to go rigid or suss up front… it’s actually quite an informative rant.

AND – I don’t need to bother reading the mag now as you’ve kinda given me the info I was after 🙂

Cheers

which 29r got their vote??

Who sponsors MBUK team these days?

as someone who is considering building up an inbred 29er to try out big wheels, and unsure as to whether to go rigid or suss up front… it’s actually quite an informative rant.

100mm sus fork all the way mate IMO… Just combat the extra height with a flat stem and flat bars… Inbred steers pretty quickly even still, with 80mm forks on it was a bit twitchy, with a rigid on I imagine the same.

which 29r got their vote??

They seemed impressed by all but the Kona (so the Niner, On One Scandal, and the KHS)… But the £599 KHS won based on overall value. They did say how impressed they were by all the bikes dispelling the myth of 29ers being heavy and slow (with the exception of the Kona).

edit – which kona?

wouldn’t worry about it mbuk readers are looking to buy dh or jump bikes 😀

Which KHS? Tucson?

which kona?

The 2010 Big Kahuna

Which KHS? Tucson?

Yup, the 2010 Tucson