So, in my humble opinion, Tyres and their associated pressures are the least hyped but most important aspect of any bike set-up. Anyone doing one day at Chicksands and the next at Aston hill would confirm this.

Tyres are also the bike part that are most readily worn and broken and need replacing as well as swapping for the ever changing UK climate.

So does anyone here understand exactly why Specialized, Evans and Cycle surgery (and presumably many other) shops now only stock 29″ tyres?

This question has nothing to do with the acclaimed differences between each wheel standard, I simply don’t care and don’t wish to get in another thread like that. The fact is, though, that most MTBs are 26″ at present so spare parts, in an open market, should reflect that.

My only conclusion is that 29″ is being pushed very hard indeed rather than consumer led.

I don’t care at present as I’m sticking with my one 26″ MTB, as I love it, and can buy tyres online but I do care about those who are new to sport who don’t know any different.

I also care about our earth and what built-in redundancy does to our land-fill sites; I don’t think that pushing 29″ is helping this.

Rant over.

jambon – Member

So does anyone here understand exactly why Specialized, Evans and Cycle surgery (and presumably many other) shops now only stock 29″ tyres?

My local Evans stocks 26″ tyres. In fact that don’t have much wagonwheel stuff at all. I think you’re seeing a local trend, which probably suggests that locally lots of people are buying 29ers. (tbh my local shops mostly don’t carry many tyres at all, except for the ones that are actually at riding venues) Specialized obviously do have a 29er agenda and aren’t trying to hide it, mind.

Also, tyres are quite bulky, they take up a lot of shelf space and don’t sell that quickly. Prices and fashions vary making it pretty easy to get stuck with stock.

I think it’s because people tend to buy their tyres online, my LBS doesn’t stock my preferred tyre and doesn’t stock a huse selection anyway.

Maybe your local store are just out of stock and those 29″ tyres are all they have left? the conspiracy theorists would say they’re trying to make you believe everyone else is running a 29er so that you go and buy one.

They’ll only have 650b’s next week.

So does anyone here understand exactly why Specialized, Evans and Cycle surgery (and presumably many other) shops now only stock 29″ tyres?

Eh?

http://www.evanscycles.com/categories/components/tyres/f/26#!

http://www.cyclesurgery.com/mtb-tyres/components/fcp-category/list?resetFilters=true

‘Specialized, Evans and Cycle surgery’ I can quite happily live without any of these.

Sod the shops, just go to nextdaytyres.co.uk.