does anyone have a Van Nic Zion 29er, or has ridden one? What's the 26" like?
I'm in the market for a 29er, and saw this yesterday. Still waiting for On One to release their carbon and Ti 29ers too.

On a side note. I'm 6'5" – is there anyone of that height that has tried a 29er, and still thinks that 26" bikes are the way forward?

Cheers

FTM

On a side note. I'm 6'5" – is there anyone of that height that has tried a 29er, and still thinks that 26" bikes are the way forward?

Well, yes and no.

I've got a 29er (full details here) which I'm very happy with but it hasn't made me want to swap my other 26" mtbs for 29ers, just as having a full susser never made me want to swap my hardtails to full sussers.

The 26" bikes still feels more nimble and in fact as I'm getting more familiar with my Swift, I'm actually noticing the heavier wheels more on very twisty stuff (probably because I'm pushing the limits more now) though it's something I can live with happily enough since it's fine everywhere else but it's definitely there.

I'm 6'5" too – I don't see any reason why being tall makes 29ers any better suited compared to people with lesser genes ( 😉 ) other than they look more in proportion

Clubber, cheers for that, much appreciated.
A fair and balanaced assessment – that's a rarity on STW!

Yeah, I'm sure that one of the 29er evangelist will be along shortly to tell me that I'm wrong/making it up/whatever 😉

I'm 6'5" too – I don't see any reason why being tall makes 29ers any better suited compared to people with lesser genes ( ) other than they look more in proportion

looking in proportion is a key feature for me… it makes me feel less of a freak 😉

though perhaps thay are better, as tall people i find tend to sit further back due to seat angle and height, the generally longer chainstay on 29er corrects the weight distribution a bit, but you could just get a 26er with long stays..

You are wrong and making it……oh!

What he said basically

Yeah, I'd agree with that to some extent actually but my slidy dropout 26" frame allows for that too.

Besides, I'm always being told that current 29ers have similar wheelbases to 26" bikes.

I'm 5'10 and I'm rapidly coming to the conclusion that 29ers are the way forward for me!

I did notice the extra rotating forces of the wheels at first but now I've just got used to it and can ride as fast, if not faster through twisty bits than on my 26er.

I don't really think that it slows me down a lot but I am noticing that if I get a line into a tight/fast corner wrong on the 29er then it's harder to correct mid corner. Obviously won't affect the STW riding gods who never get lines wrong 😉

Obviously won't affect the STW riding gods who never get lines wrong

I always get my lines wrong! 😆

I have ridden 29ers for couple of years, but my TD-1 corners with far more precision than others I have ridden and feels just like a 26" bike in that respect.

That's the one with the very short, rigid fork, right? How's the trail on that? Presumably it's pretty short?

I always get my lines wrong!

I didn't say I was a riding God, just that I don't notice the extra wheel size now I've ridden it for a few months!

My riding style is best described as 'mincing'! 😆

That's the one with the very short, rigid fork, right? How's the trail on that? Presumably it's pretty short?

Riding with a standard Nukeproof 26" carbon fork – 445mm a to c. Not sure what the trail is.

Is that 'speed mincing' or 'agressive mincing' or 'power mincing'?

I do think the feel of 29ers, particularly in tight corners, is different and requires a bit of adaptation of riding style. Personally I feel so much more comfortable and in proportion I ride more quickly in technical stuff, although the smaller 26" wheels may practically be able to be maneuvered more quickly. A 26" wheel does feel more 'nimble' to me, but not in a good way. I think a lot of it is what you are used to and getting the most out of the respective wheel size. Of course there are then also differences between different bikes of the same wheels size which can be as significant if not moreso than different wheel size.

I'm actually noticing the heavier wheels more on very twisty stuff

Did you ever consider that it might be because of your heavy wheels? 😉

LOL – could be but they're not particularly so and it'd cost silly money to make them lots lighter. Like I said, I can live with it, particularly as my Swift is really for riding trails away from home which are less twisty and it'll suit perfectly. Plus most of the time I can compensate for it when I know the trail ahead – like I said, it's really when things go wrong that I'm noticing it most.

I'm a jeycore all-mountain mincer and love my 29ers – they aren't bmx's so don't handle like them. If you want a capable bike that does most things as good if not better than a 26 and takes a tiny bit more work to get around really tight corners, get a 29er. If you obsess with hairpin bends, don't.

Just love the idea of a 'mincing' riding style..video's available on u-tube?

Not ridden a 29er but used to have a VN Zion and loved it, always regretted selling it and just bought a VN Mamtor.

anyone else rideen the Zion in 26 or 29-er form?

Had a 26" Zion – opposite to loddrik, found it uninspiring, everyones different i guess. Sold it and now the happy owner of a Singular Swift.

I have the equivalent of a Zion and if I could only own 1 bike, this would be it. Sometimes run it rigid other times with Sids. commute, tour, general trail riding.

My old Zion

singular does look in proportion
i mean could you really tell this is a 29er if you didn't know? .i know the flabby rider spoils the picture but i think you get a sense of the "in proportion" thing

Looks a little small for the rider…