Thinking of moving on all my 26" stuff and sticking with bigger wheels, will I regret it in "X" months time?

😆

Are you asking if people think you might decide you don't like it in "X" months, or are you asking if it'll still be cool in "X" months?

Well it's basically saying

"roadies, you were right all along"

Yes I give it a week, all the cool kids will be riding 69ers

Can't see why. The perceived benefits (and drawbacks of 29ers) will still be there in x months time.

All my main bikes are now 29", sold my 26" HT and FS. Still have a SS and my old commuter in 26" which i ride occasionally but it's 29 all the way for me now (until a 36er is available off the peg…….).

Yes, it will. All the misguided people who say 29ers are fundamentally better than 26" will be changing to 32ers and then 36ers as they're released (well ok, only the taller ones who can actually shoehorn the wheels in) since this fits in with the logic of bigger wheels are better.

😉 (becuase I know some of the evangelist types are sensitive souls)

Do what ever you think makes your riding better.

NO

Come on RD you can do better than that.

It's OK RD – there will be something else along that is niche before the mainstream adopt it. You'll always be able to have that 'look-at-me' aspect in the future. Fret not.

I'm actually quite surprised he didn't use the opportunity to post another picture of the bike.

I predictc that the 29er bubble won't burst.

But it might spaff a bit of stans jism onto the trail. 😉

2008_1226boxingday080019 on Flickr

More "fits better" than "cool" for me, just as it's a "fad" I didn't want spares to run out

Why are people so scared of 29ers?

Yes, it will. All the misguided people who say 29ers are fundamentally better than 26" will be changing to 32ers and then 36ers as they're released (well ok, only the taller ones who can actually shoehorn the wheels in) since this fits in with the logic of bigger wheels are better.

Yes, it will. But so will the 26er bubble. All the misguided people who say 26ers are fundamentally better than 29" will be changing to 24ers and then 20ers since this fits in with the logic of smaller wheels are better.

Basically, buy a BMX and a Brompton.

I'm intrigued by it.

Is it in fact the perfect size for mountain bikes?

Or should we customize even further, getting the perfect size for the rider? I'm 6 foot, perhaps for me the optimum is 28.2" wheels? It's certainly something new to worry about, which we all love.

Or should we customize even further, getting the perfect size for the rider? I'm 6 foot, perhaps for me the optimum is 28.2" wheels? It's certainly something new to worry about, which we all love.

Don't worry, the niche whores are well ahead of you.

http://www.somafab.com/bside.html

Is it in fact the perfect size for mountain bikes?

No, but it is the perfect size for 29ers. It's *useless* for 26" wheeled bikes though.

Seriously, why dont 29ers just get a road bike and stick to the tarmac ?

Look at the 29er riding short arse wimmin XC racers, looks like they've nicked their big brother bikes for a race, its ridiculous. No technical ability, just efficiency and grip.

I want to feel the trail, I want to be able to flick my bike around rooty sections, I want to enjoy the riding- not be mechanically efficient.

Yes. Maybe not soon, but it'll end up being cast back into the world of 24" rear wheels.

Basically, buy a BMX and a Brompton.

Or just get the do everything bike: a Cannondale Hooligan 😛

I want to be able to flick my bike around

I'd say that's more to do with the rider than the wheel size. 😆

(pics by mikesee)

scruff if you are a short arse 26" is fine, us normal sized riders feel sometimes like we are riding a childs bike when on 26"

Yes, it will. All the misguided people who say 29ers are fundamentally better than 26"

Coming from a 29'er owner that's very telling, so in your opinion that not 'all that'?

rOcKeTdOg – Member

scruff if you are a short arse 26" is fine, us normal sized riders fell sometimes like we are riding a childs bike when on 26"

I'm 6'2" and broader than most, I've never felt like I'm riding a child's bike.

ssstu………i can do that on my 29r……….. 😉

Coming from a 29'er owner that's very telling, so in your opinion that not 'all that'?

it's not evangelical for me either, it doesn't make me a better rider, it just fits and feels more comfy

I'm 6'2" and broader than most, I've never felt like I'm riding a child's bike.

we are all different thank goodness, but that's how i feel after riding 26"/29" back to back, maybe you would too if you tried both i can't say

riding a childs bike

And riding stupid sized clown bikes around muddy woods is adult behavoir ?

We all agree DHers are the best riders, so how many ride 29? NONE. Only Intense made a proto 29 Dh and Intense are shunned by real racers as the quality of their bikes is sh1t.

We all agree DHers are the best riders

we do?

scruff.

Don't clown bikes have small wheels?

And riding stupid sized clown bikes around muddy woods is adult behavoir ?

since when has off road riding been classed as "adult"?

We all agree DHers are the best riders

i must have missed that poll

DH riders are also a very conservative bunch though. That's why so many of us ride exactly the same bikes as each other (Glory/Boxxers/Saint/Hope/Mavic/Maxxis – done).

It'd take a MASSIVE shift to make your average DH rider take up 29ers.

I really like my Swift (29er) but I wouldn't go out of my way to swap my other 26" bikes to 29ers. I can't say I've ever felt that riding 26" bikes feels like riding a child's bike anyway (I'm 6'5" so it may well look that way 🙂 ). Calling them 'child's bikes' just reads to me as people trying to make out that one choice is better than another by using words aimed at being insulting which seems like a bizarre form of self-justification – I guess it's because some people feel that they need to be characterised by their bikes/choices of clothing/etc rather than simply by their own personality.

On the DH riders point, I think that just as for XC, you'll end up with riders having a choice of 29 and 26" bikes eventually. I think 29ers will suit some courses. IIRC isn't Steve Peat testing a 29er Santa Cruz DH bike?

Calling them 'child's bikes' just reads to me as people trying to make out that one choice is better than another by using words aimed at being insulting.

maybe the wrong choice of word, for which i appologise, but it was meant to point out the fact that it feels completely the wrong size for me

Don't worry, the niche whores are well ahead of you.

http://www.somafab.com/bside.html

Sorry that 650b comes out around 27.5"….just a tad too small for me, I think 28.2" is right. But then if I wear my thick soled 5tens it might be more like 28.7". Wow I'm going to need a lot of new tyres and wheels here 😕

DH riders are the best- they're the best at technical stuff, which is the stamp of a good offroad rider. Not fitness. If I were to lose my fitness tomorrow, I'd be happy enough if I could still ride a bike properly down exciting stuff.

DHers won't make that shift unless courses suddenly become a lot straighter, a lot smoother and generally a lot tamer. Which they won't.

I'd argue that 29er would actually be better on the bumpier, faster courses – at speed, you're not steering fast. Where they'll be less good (which is why I don't think there would ever be a complete shift from 26 to 29) is on the smoother, twistier courses.

– I guess it's because some people feel that they need to be characterised by their bikes/choices of clothing/etc rather than simply by their own personality.

Ooof, nice shot.

Hmm does sound a bit harsh. Wasn't really meant to be, I just find it puzzling that people seem to want to be defined by their choice of bike.

Spokey bloke.

you do talk some shite. 😆