This is certainly more race/xc than trail.
Depends if you are comparing with a 26"
Just because it takes the same fork travel doesn't always mean its in the same category as its 26" cousin
Bike Forum
What 29ers are "Trail" 29ers ?
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Posted 5 months ago #
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Exactly. You can't compare them like that. For a start you need less travel for a similar feel on a 29er.
Posted 5 months ago # -
Most are built for 80 - 100mm forks with around 70 HTA's.
This is certainly more race/xc than trail.
I'd say most have 71-72 HTA's - but I'm being picky
Posted 5 months ago # -
What about the Turner Sultan - 68 degree HA no?
Posted 5 months ago # -
That's a full susser though.
Posted 5 months ago # -
WARNING: exploding wheel content to follow
I don't have any affiliation with Kona by the way but I really like these 2 videos.
Some great 29er trail bikes at work.Posted 5 months ago # -
Been playing around with the set up on our demo Canfield Nimble9....
The sliding drops allow you to tuck the wheel right under the seat tube. In this setting techie descents are decent, berms are blovely, and the front end tends to lift if climbing seated. But this is perfect for a trail centre set up, biased towards the downs.
It's now got 780mm wide salsa whammy bars, and is getting an increase in tyre from 2.25 to 2.35 racing Ralph's. Forks are at 100mm which is cool... And then it's going back to the mountains (or Portland ) for another blast.
If you want it more XC just move the drops back 20mm, and then it much he same as most 29ers.
Also just want to say its rather exciting seeing 29ers adapting to disciplines beyond XC .... It's also got me riding like an idiot again... Which is good.
Posted 5 months ago # -
From those videos the difference between a trail and XC 29er seems to be you wear lycra for XC.
Surely it has a lot to do with weight?
Posted 5 months ago # -
Could somebody please post up a pic of a buffoon.
I have no ideasorry this was the closest i could find!
for me with all bikes the trail, gnarly stuff is always better on bikes that have a more rearward weight distribution (of the riders weight) due to short chainstay, long forks, slack head angle, short stem...
Posted 5 months ago # -
Yeti Big Top !
The End.
Posted 5 months ago # -
I'm riding the Singular Buzzard prototype at the moment & so far really impressed. Nice & short, lots of fun, stable, stiff but not harsh. Just a few prototype sort of issues to remedy & I'll be really tempted by one. It's definitely got a different character to something like the Swift (which I also really like).
Posted 5 months ago # -
Just because something has XC geo doesn't mean it can't be a good trail bike. Riding this ATM and will be for the foreseeable future, its taken me a couple of years to find a bike that is "just right". Rode GT black(and a few off piste sections) on it in the snow a couple of weekends ago,it was outstanding! Confident, excellent steering, climbs well, in other words the f**kin business!!!
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Posted 5 months ago # -
Not a hardtail but my Giant Anthem 29er has been rather nice to ride all over the place. Another 2 inches of travel would have been idea on Jacob's Ladder descent, but that's been the case everytime I've ridden it regardless of type.
Posted 5 months ago # -
I have an XC 29er hardtail as well as my Yelli Screamy and the difference between the two is as great as the difference between 26 and 29 inch wheels. Saying that the XC frame is still the best 'trail bike'.
Posted 5 months ago # -
Ive gone with a Nimble 9.
Posted 4 months ago # -
Congrats
Posted 4 months ago # -
One example, referring to someones earlier comments, of where the sum of a bikes dimensions may not equate to the obvious defining features is the Nicolai AC29. Twentynineinches did a longish test on one and loved it, rating it one of the best of 2011, this with a 72deg. head angle. It does however have long stays at 463mm, many are coming in at 447ish with offset seat tubes to allow for the short stays and avoid tyres striking seat tubes with 70.5-72 angles, others more like 553 with 69ish deg Head angles, more descent oriented.
I would offer that a 120mm 29er, especially with big tyres, will 'feel' more like a 140-150mm 26" bike and the latest crop of 140 forked bikes will be more like having a 150-160 forked 26" bike up front.
I also think there is quite a difference between manualling and popping the front to get over trail obstacles or lifting it on climbs. I tend to do the latter, mostly cos I'm crap at the former
Posted 4 months ago #
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