[Closed] 26 or 29?????

Endless threads on here.

The best advice is try everything you can, preferably on your usual trails, not just round a car park. It's your bike and your hard earned cash.

I tested 4 very different bikes for at least 2 days each, including a 29er, before I bought my 26er Cotic Rocket. For me a 29er didn't add up, but there will be plenty along to tell you otherwise 😀

I have never ridden a 29 so don't know what it's like!

Well I suggest you ride one and then a 26er and decide for yourself.

Can anyone tell me the advantages and disadvantages of a 29er please??

One man's trash is another man's treasure.

For me it's one of a myriad of "features" about a bike that adds to the sum total of what it's like to ride. But it's no more significant than bar width, tyre type and pressure, gearing, stem length, saddle to bar drop, fork and fork setup, frame material, frame geometry etc etc etc. If you are the anal type (I think I might be!) that obsesses about what tyre pressure or bar width you are riding and if it's wrong the ride is ruined you may well notice the difference. If you just get on and ride your bike you might not even notice, and if you do you will have forgotten about it again in 5mins.

I've ended up with one of each. Some might describe this as best of both worlds. I describe it as a pita with switching kit between bikes more difficult and would avoid getting myself in this position again in the future.

650b

Go and ride one. See what you think.

HTH

Physics and common sense say 29ers are:
* faster rolling
* less manoevrable in tight, twisty stuff
* better suited to taller riders

All these things are sort of true. But:

* It's not the most important feature to focus on when buying a new bike
* You need to try it to see
* There are lots of different types of 29er and 26er, with lots of overlap
* Your ideal bike might be either

Have fun choosing your new bike 😀

Endless threads on here.

Firstly what type of bike do you want? Once that it is decided draw up a list of both wheel sizes and book some test rides. None of your mates got one?

650C is the future. One letter bigger than 650B.

Also what riding is it for?
I find my 26" full suss better for rockier/Techy stuff, but I also like my 29ers rigid with no gears.
Try if you can

I'm going to go for the stumpjumper fsr!! Just not sure about wheel size!! To I've been told that the 29er is good in tight trails which most of our trails are here over in Northern Ireland!!

29er xc bike here, 26" full bouncer (meta 5) as the 26er is more confidence inspiring for jumps and drops and more techy stuff, whereas the 29er is very capable on rooty and smaller rocky singletrack stuff. As a big guy, the 29er feels great, and I look like I've nicked a kids bike on the Meta.

Agree with the others, it's all about the kind of riding and/or racing you'll be doing. I think for many XC racers 29ers are the way to go but if you're riding for fun at trail centres the added suspension travel of 26" bikes may have the edge in terms of the entertainment stakes.

I'd always read it was the 26" bikes that were better in tighter situations but actually found my 29er (Canyon CF SLX) to be superior to my 26 full suspension bike (Zesty 514). It's very nimble and responsive in the tight stuff with great balance.

I think it was Mountain Bike UK last month that ran a comparison between 26, 27.5 and 29 bikes. The 29" bikes were the fastest over their test course with the 27.5" bikes a close second. The 26" were noticeably slower. As with all these decisions it's best to test ride the bike in question on the terrain you plan to ride.

In all seriousness.

It is all Bollocks,

buy a bike you like the look of and ride it. 26,27.5,29 marketing crap for the most part as far as most riders are concerned. Yes there will be advantages and disadvantages to each but do you change tyres for every ride, that is something that would make a big difference. Do you tweak the damping on your suspension depending on if your riding woods, trail centre, AM etc etc etc.

Get a demo ride on a 29, it is a better option for a lot of people, not all, but a lot.

Overheard last week in a bike shop (a branch of quite a large chain) - a member of staff chatting with a customer stating that "we are unlikely to be ordering 26" wheeled bikes for 2013". Now, how much authority said member of staff may have I don't know but I was pretty surprised to hear it. Whether BS or a sign of where major manufacturers are going with their marketing I don't know; if the latter it's bad news if component manufacturers follow their lead 🙁

I'm not sure if we can get demos over here in Northern Ireland??

Just go with the 29" Stumpy. It'll be a better all-round trail bike in every situation.

I agree with mrmo.

There is a lot more to the bike than what wheels it happens to have. The 29er I got was slower over the riding I do than the equivalent 26er so I sold it. However speed is not everything. Fun is more important and my 29er was a lot less fun than my 26er...

Jase - Member
650b

+1

there were two 26" wheeled bikes in my local branch of Leisure Lakes. The rest were 29ers. I think 26" bikes will become niche in a couple of years (once one of the major fork manufacturers gives up on 26" that'll be that.) 29ers are probably better for most UK rides and riders, and once someone sorts out a decent looking 29er full suss, it'll be all over bar the shouting on the forums.

Which is why I ride a LT HT 26"....

Buy what you want, as long as it makes you smile, nothing else matters

This should be of interest to you.

http://www.nsmb.com/5374-stumpjumper-evo-head-to-head-test/

http://www.nsmb.com/5422-stumpjumper-evo-head-to-head-test/

No conclusive outcome, but still worth reading. Personally I've always tried to keep an open mind about these things but as things go on I can't help think but it's the biggest marketing scam the bike industry has ever pulled on MTB'ers.

Yes, a 29er might roll better, it may ride over small bumps and objects more easily, but, and it's a big but - Nino Schurter has proven beyond any shadow of a doubt that any perceived benefit they may have can be more than negated by the rider. And for those of you who don't know, that was in the arena of XC world cup and world champs.

Manufacturers are still banging on about trying to "replicate 26 inch geometry on 29 inch bikes". Why bother. Until this whole fad happped no one ever rode a bike and then proclaimed "it's good but it just needs bigger wheels".

I'm sticking with 26 because the bikes have better geometry, and a much better selection and availability of key components, forks, wheels, tyres, rims. And if the industry does force me one day onto another wheel size I hope it's 650b, not 29. I don't need 29 inch wheels on my mountainbike thankyouverymuch Specialized and Trek.

Nicky, what height are you and where in Norn Irn?

Manufacturers are still banging on about trying to "replicate 26 inch geometry on 29 inch bikes". Why bother. Until this whole fad happped no one ever rode a bike and then proclaimed "it's good but it just needs bigger wheels".

I'm sticking with 26 because the bikes have better geometry, and a much better selection and availability of key components, forks, wheels, tyres, rims. And if the industry does force me one day onto another wheel size I hope it's 650b, not 29. I don't need 29 inch wheels on my mountainbike thankyouverymuch Specialized and Trek.

Couldn't of put it better myself muddyfunster

650C is the future. One letter bigger than 650B.

If it wasn't for the fact that mountain '650b' aren't actually 650b anyhow you might be on to something....

Cheers muddyfunster for them reviews!! I'm 5'11 and from Maghera

What type of riding do you do/are you going to be doing on it? No one can really answer unless we know that. I own a 26 and a 29 so can probably help you a bit.

I want to have fun at trail centres, doing epic's and hopefully some enduro events!! I have a hard tail which I would still use and possibly use it for xc racing! Any help would be great

No conclusive outcome, but still worth reading. Personally I've always tried to keep an open mind about these things but as things go on I can't help think but it's the biggest marketing scam the bike industry has ever pulled on MTB'ers.

Yes, a 29er might roll better, it may ride over small bumps and objects more easily, but, and it's a big but - Nino Schurter has proven beyond any shadow of a doubt that any perceived benefit they may have can be more than negated by the rider. And for those of you who don't know, that was in the arena of XC world cup and world champs.

Manufacturers are still banging on about trying to "replicate 26 inch geometry on 29 inch bikes". Why bother. Until this whole fad happped no one ever rode a bike and then proclaimed "it's good but it just needs bigger wheels".

I'm sticking with 26 because the bikes have better geometry, and a much better selection and availability of key components, forks, wheels, tyres, rims. And if the industry does force me one day onto another wheel size I hope it's 650b, not 29. I don't need 29 inch wheels on my mountainbike thankyouverymuch Specialized and Trek.

Nino is the best XC racer in the world regardless of wheel size. He'd win on 26" and 29". The reason he went with 650b is because he didn't like the 'in the bike' feel of the 29" and Scott are pushing 650b.

650b will be the norm up to 130mm in the future but that is more about marketing than anything the 29" marketeers have come up with. I mean, an inch and a quarter larger than 26"? If you're going to go to the trouble of new components and frames you may aswell get some real world benefits and go 29".

The NSMB test is the worst I've ever read. They didn't do a single timed run and the only good rider in the test is quite short and rides a 26" Evo. It's obviously going to feel massively odd for him but I bet a million bucks that if they did a timed run he would be a LOT faster on the 29" Evo.

I have a 26" Evo and just spend a couple weeks on the 29" Evo. The latter has about 20% more grip and feels like it has 10mm more travel than the 26". Yet it easily outclimbs the 26" and just demolishes it on the descents.

Nicky at 5'11" you shouldn't even consider the 26". A standard 29" Stumpy would more or less be as quick on the descents as an Evo 26" but it will easily outclimb it. Think tech root climbs, you can just sit on the 29" and ride across diagonal roots and up small steps that would have the 26" wheelspinning going light on the front etc.

Hmm there's no clear cut answer really. Because you'll be using it for trail centers and epic's, my first reaction was that you should go with a 26. But some people simply prefer 29ers I think! If your trails are very tight and twisty then I would chose a 26, as the one area 29ers still seem to fall back on is sharp cornering, just a tad though, not a major issue. I love my 29er for endurance racing, but if I wasn't a racer I probably wouldn't have bought one. For racing they are really nice once you get the speed up and seem to carry speed better through rough sections. Hard to say really!
But ye, if you're not a racer then I'd stick with 26.

But is the 29 not lacking in tight twisty switchback trails as we have here in Ireland??? That's my concern about the 29er!! And also not as sharp on cornering??

26" worked great for years and years before 29ers arrived.

They still work.

But is the 29 not lacking in tight twisty switchback trails as we have here in Ireland??? That's my concern about the 29er!! And also not as sharp on cornering??

Mine feels a tad slower in tight twisty forest sections, thats the only drawback I can find with mine, apart from the added weight. I'd stick with a 26 for your type of riding. I haven't even used my 29 in Ireland yet, just been using my 26 bikes here.

But is the 29 not lacking in tight twisty switchback trails as we have here in Ireland??? That's my concern about the 29er!! And also not as sharp on cornering??

compare an old school Bontrager Race, 63mm travel on the front 71degree headangle with the newer jump bikes with 67degree headangles and 150mm forks.

Both use 26" wheels and that is where the similarities end.

far more to picking a bike than the wheel size.

Nino is the best XC racer in the world regardless of wheel size. He'd win on 26" and 29". The reason he went with 650b is because he didn't like the 'in the bike' feel of the 29" and Scott are pushing 650b.

He's a pretty amazing rider. 100% agree. But I think his peers are close enough to him, skill and stamina wise, that if they had any mechanical advantage it would manifest itself in terms of results. The general consensus is that 29ers are considerably faster on XC terrain. Despite his competitors having bikes that, going by your estimation have 20% more grip, feel like they have 10mm more travel, and easily out climb their smaller wheeled counterparts; he dominated. How is that? The answer is there is nowhere near the amount of difference people bandy about. Nothing that can't be easily negated.

650b will be the norm up to 130mm in the future but that is more about marketing than anything the 29" marketeers have come up with. I mean, an inch and a quarter larger than 26"? If you're going to go to the trouble of new components and frames you may aswell get some real world benefits and go 29".

Why? Why is it absurd ? If a larger wheel size has the massive benefits you speak of, but obvious drawbacks concerning weight and geometry on long travel full suspension bikes, then it stands to reason a middle size is a good compromise. It will have some of the benefits and less of the drawbacks. I LOVE how the quickest people to slate 650b are people who already ride 29ers and who sing their virtues from atop their virtual mountains of smugness.

The NSMB test is the worst I've ever read. They didn't do a single timed run and the only good rider in the test is quite short and rides a 26" Evo. It's obviously going to feel massively odd for him but I bet a million bucks that if they did a timed run he would be a LOT faster on the 29" Evo.

Worst test you've ever read?. Perhaps you should write your own? I'd like to read it. I thought it was a good idea to get a mix of riders view points, which is close to all the real world views and info out there. Most opinions being spouted online are just that, opinions. Few people ever get the chance to do what that test did, identical bikes, different riders. More often the comparisons are conjecture based on 29er hardtails vs 140mm full sus 26er etc. Perhaps you didn't like it because some of the opinions differed from your own? The article didn't seem to have any agenda as such.

I have a 26" Evo and just spend a couple weeks on the 29" Evo. The latter has about 20% more grip and feels like it has 10mm more travel than the 26". Yet it easily outclimbs the 26" and just demolishes it on the descents.

Nicky at 5'11" you shouldn't even consider the 26". A standard 29" Stumpy would more or less be as quick on the descents as an Evo 26" but it will easily outclimb it. Think tech root climbs, you can just sit on the 29" and ride across diagonal roots and up small steps that would have the 26" wheelspinning

He "shouldn't even consider it". Well that's definitive. And yet you have no idea what terrain he rides on. What the Irish gravity enduro tracks are like. Whether his local shop keeps 29er tyres, or rims, or even tubes. Carry on.

Its the marketing scam sh** I get bored of. generally by people who have bought into all sorts of different axles sizes/set ups, uppy downy seat posts, 1x10 etc.

Just because it doesn't work for you doesn't mean its just a marketing scam. There will always be marketing behind every product as to why its better etc than product Y. Bike companies will always be trying to sell you something its what they are there for.

There is always an element of brands pushing pro's to ride their latest product and what they are pushing, but what would sell more bikes Nino last on a 650b or 1st on a 26er. The bike the rider is fastest on would come first.

Try everything you can and buy what you want it may be what your mates rides it may not, just as long as it puts a smile on your face.

But is the 29 not lacking in tight twisty switchback trails as we have here in Ireland??? That's my concern about the 29er!! And also not as sharp on cornering??

That's a total garbage myth pushed by the 26" crew. I should know I used to be one! We're talking 25mm longer wheelbase. Do you really think that will make such a huge difference? Most DH bikes have a 40mm+ longer wheelbase for size than a trail bike yet a DH bike will destroy any trail bike through tight stuff on a descent.

What it is is your center of mass or specifically roll center on the 29" is lower so it doesn't flip-flop left to right as quickly as a 26" but once you get used to it you are just a little more aggressive with the bike in tighter stuff. The benefits of that lower COM is what really makes the biggest difference when you're smashing it.

Just because it doesn't work for you doesn't mean its just a marketing scam. There will always be marketing behind every product as to why its better etc than product Y. Bike companies will always be trying to sell you something its what they are there for.

i would look at this slightly differently, it is in the interest of manufacturers to come up with new ideas, it is after all how they pay the bills. There has to be a benefit, and there will be for some people some of the time. But for most people who ride once a week if that you really aren't going to see any benifit beyond your head justifying what you have bought.

Most bikes on the market these days are good, use your head look at the marketing and buy the bike that appeals. 26/29 is really a non issue, assuming you buy a bike for what you want to do you will be fine.

Buy a DH for XC racing and you won't be happy, but just buying a 29er XC bike won't stop you getting a kicking from the old bloke riding in a canoe helmet on a 1980's raleigh mustang. ...

That's a total garbage myth pushed by the 26" crew. I should know I used to be one! We're talking 25mm longer wheelbase. Do you really think that will make such a huge difference? Most DH bikes have a 40mm+ longer wheelbase for size than a trail bike yet a DH bike will destroy any trail bike through tight stuff on a descent.

sorry that is bollocks, depends on the bike, the rider the trail, different 26ers ride differently, same as there is no such thing as one magical 29er.

He's a pretty amazing rider. 100% agree. But I think his peers are close enough to him, skill and stamina wise, that if they had any mechanical advantage it would manifest itself in terms of results. The general consensus is that 29ers are considerably faster on XC terrain. Despite his competitors having bikes that, going by your estimation have 20% more grip, feel like they have more travel, and easily out climb their smaller wheeled counterparts; he dominated. How is that? The answer is there is nowhere near the amount of difference people bandy about

Like I say, I'm sure Scott being ahead of the market with 650b influenced the wheelsize choice for him. Again, he would probably win on any size as he's unbelievable. The question is would Fontanna be as close on a 26"? I honestly doubt it.

Why? Why is it absurd ? If a larger wheel size has the massive benefits you speak of, but obvious drawbacks concerning weight and geometry on long travel full suspension bikes, then it stands to reason a middle size is a good compromise. I LOVE how the quickest people to slate 650b are people who already ride 29ers sing their virtues from atop their virtual mountains of smugness.

I don't own a 29" I have a 26" Evo that is currently up for sale. The thing with 650b is it isn't in the middle, it;s a little over an inch bigger. Worth a total industry shake up? Hardly, that is a marketing 'solution' if ever there was one. I've ridden a couple 650b so I'm not being totally ignorant regarding them. I also think most 29'ers look crap. The Stumpy Evo 29" with it's ugly swoopy toptube etc doesn't look half as nice as the 26" but it's night and day faster so I don't have a lot of choice than to move on.

Tyres wise Specialized make all you need. Purgatory, Ground Control, Butcher's. Quite amazing tires. The Schwalbe Hans Dampf is great also.

sorry that is bollocks, depends on the bike, the rider the trail, different 26ers ride differently, same as there is no such thing as one magical 29er.

I though we were talking Stumpjumper FSR's?

I'm pretty sure the Stumpy Evo Carbon 29" is the magical 29". 26lbs and faster than my 2011 Enduro on descents.

I though we were talking Stumpjumper FSR's?

no, i am talking about 26v29, there are so many variables that there is no right answer for most riders. I seem to remember scott turning up to races with 26/27.5/29 options in the same way you might select dry, damp, wet, muddy, root, etc tyres.

Most people do not set up what they have for the ride they are doing, that to say there is a benefit to 29er is stretching it. There might be a benefit for one rider on one day, but a better set up 26er might be better than a badly set up 29er on that day.

Most people don't race, marginal gains mean nothing, for most people riding is about fun.

Hence my original point, buy what you like the look of and ride it.

I'm pretty sure the Stumpy Evo Carbon 29" is the magical 29". 26lbs and faster than my 2011 Enduro on descents.

might be faster on one decent.... but not on another, 26lb isn't light by the way.

might be faster on one decent.... but not on another, 26lb isn't light by the way.

Well talking Stumpjumpers, both well set up for the rider with the same tyres the 29" WOULD be faster on EVERY descent unless (maybe) it was pumptrack smooth. No doubt in my mind.

Well 26lbs for something that can do what it does seems frankly ridiculous to me.

I think 26 is what I'm going to go with!! Just scared I make the wrong decision!!

I think 26 is what I'm going to go with!! Just scared I make the wrong decision!!

You'll have less chance of making the wrong decision if you try a few bikes rather than listening to what people on ze interwebz have to say.

There is no demo bike for me to try and don't know anyone with one either!

[url= http://www.dirtragmag.com/reviews/specialized-stumpjumper-evo-26-vs-29-comparison ]Another comparison. [/url]

[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8291/7782602916_c0c405bbcd_b.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8291/7782602916_c0c405bbcd_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/rocketdog/7782602916/ ]29ers explained[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/rocketdog/ ]rOcKeTdOgUk[/url], on Flickr

There is no demo bike for me to try and don't know anyone with one either!

What is this mystical beast you are after?

I think 26 is what I'm going to go with!! Just scared I make the wrong decision!!

it won't be the wrong decision unless you irrationally decide it is. You buy a bike and by the time you change the tyres saddle, bars stem etc. it isn't really the same bike any more.

There are very few bad bikes to be had.

Mmmmm... Monster trucks are a pig to steer and wander all over the place, to hold speed you need to accelerate first, where's the skill in riding right through the tough stuff?

They're trying to put people off, no? 😉

Stumpjumper fsr!!

that's for 29gnars though, not 29ers

Is it 2002 again?

Are you Gary Fisher? 8)

Are you Gary [s]Fisher[/s] Glitter?

Are you the polis? 😕

😉

My sons buggy with 12" wheels rolls better than the other one with 8" wheels, kinda makes sense

I've a 29er hardtail here in Belfast Nicky, an xl grand canyon but it might be a little big. I raced the Irish enduro champs, and used the meta 5, but a mid travel 29er would have been perfect. I'll use the meta for the likes of tollymore and rostrevor or cavehill, but the 29er ht for most other places, more xc sorta stuff. Hope this helps.

Stumpjumper fsr!!

Go to specialized website, click find a dealer, tick 29er test centre.

[url= http://www.specialized.com/gb/gb/dealer-locator#/?address=BT6%208DQ&radius=100&features=1 ]Few here in Northern Ireland[/url]

I was in a similar place a couple of moths ago after my old FS 26er was kicked (by some thieving b@stards). My usual riding is between trail centres and general XC (or mince-core as my mates refer to it). Anyhow after much research and reading nearly every article and opinion I could get my hands on I decided I was the perfect 29er rider. Guess what, I bought a another FS 26er!

My take is that wheel size shouldn't be looked at in isolation. It's just another chassis variable to throw into the mix. I rode some nice 29ers; all rode well and pretty much flattered my lack of skill on the long descents. But I failed to find one that climbed as well and I preferred the "chuckability" of some of the 26ers. At 1.74m i was also concerned that a 29er made me "over-wheeled". But the biggest "but" was VFM: I got a 26er that I liked and fitted me. And it cost me £800 less than a similar spec'd 29er (yes, I got a good discount).

My advice is to ride as many options as you can. Good luck.

Cheers singlespeed!! Everyone's help is greatly appreciated!!

Andyl46 what would make the 29er better than the meta 5??

Just buy a 29er and enjoy the difference.

Lets not forget 26" wasn't chosen because it was great but because American paperboys bikes had 26" wheels. We'd have had 700c wheels from the off if Nokian could have supplied tyres consistently.

It's simple. 29 if you ride about. 26 if you throw yourself over/down things.

So, what style of bike are you thinking?

Pick a bike you like, let that decide your wheel size.

It's simple. 29 if you ride about. 26 if you throw yourself over/down things.

Another myth. I wouldn't go near half the things I'd ride on a 29" Stumpjumper on any 140mm 26".

Wheel size is one of many design factors that affect bike handling; don't fixate on it. Go ride some mates bikes and jot down frame geometries. Buy a bike that's close to another bike you like.

Have you got a girlfriend nickyg1987?

Because I heard that blondes are more fun.

A mate of mine had a brunette, now he's with a blonde the difference is night and day, she is way more fun.

So if your girlfriend isn't a blonde, you should dump her and get a blonde one straight away. 😉

There is more to a bike than wheel size. Saying that 3 more inches in wheel diameter alone will make you a faster rider is absurd.

You need a bike that makes you feel in control and confident, because if you don't feel in control and confident when riding a bike, it doesn't matter if it's the best bike in the word on paper you'll be slow and not have fun.

Of course you can ask people's opinions, but bear in mind that just because Dave from Norwich says 29er's are awesome, that is his opinion not hard fact. The same goes for a lot of things: Tyres, handle bar width, QR or maxle - I could go on...

Bit of rant there, but it just annoys me that anything new or different is always instantly better, just because it's new and someone in marketing said it is.

(Yeah I am up at 2am eating cold pizza and posting on singletrack)

Have you got a girlfriend nickyg1987?

Because I heard that blondes are more fun.

A mate of mine had a brunette, now he's with a blonde the difference is night and day, she is way more fun.

So if your girlfriend isn't a blonde, you should dump her and get a blonde one straight away.

There is more to a bike than wheel size. Saying that 3 more inches in wheel diameter alone will make you a faster rider is absurd.

You need a bike that makes you feel in control and confident, because if you don't feel in control and confident when riding a bike, it doesn't matter if it's the best bike in the word on paper you'll be slow and not have fun.

Of course you can ask people's opinions, but bear in mind that just because Dave from Norwich says 29er's are awesome, that is his opinion not hard fact. The same goes for a lot of things: Tyres, handle bar width, QR or maxle - I could go on...

Bit of rant there, but it just annoys me that anything new or different is always instantly better, just because it's new and someone in marketing said it is.

(Yeah I am up at 2am eating cold pizza and posting on singletrack)

Were talking 26" V's 29" Stumpjumpers.... The 3" difference in wheel size, and the geometry changes that are a consequence of the larger wheel, will make a guy on the particular bikes we're talking about faster. No doubt about it at all. Go test ride them both and report back and tell me it's marketing.

There are a few rabid nutters on here. Have we found replacement TJs? 🙄

OP - use the test ride facilities provided by Specialized and have a play. Ignore the mentalists on here and see how the bikes feel for you.

Last opinion I heard was that 29 was finished and just a fad 650 will be the next xc race & trail bike size with 26 being the norm for bigger bikes. However that could be just as much bollox as everyone else is talking here. Go try there is no magic bullit and all bikes are different.

I like to throw the bike about and go down whatever I come across!! I'm going to try and get to test centre and try a 29er before I purchase!! My heart says 26 and my mind is saying possibly 29er!!!

[quoteIts the marketing scam sh** I get bored of.

I fell for the marketing scam sh** but I actually really like my 29er

There are clear advantages to 29ers - that's just a fact, with very few downsides, certainly none that are not able to be overcome with good design and development. Even the Victorians understood that larger wheels are better than smaller wheels. CXers have known for decades also. 29ers are still relatively new and further down the development curve than 26ers, so will get better as people understand them more and start to settle on bike designs that better exploit those advantages. 26ers are as good as they ever will be. Sure there are a few developments that will benefit 26ers, like CF frames, but they're just fettling to get a few extra percent out of what is a mature product - the law of diminishing returns is dominating. You certainly wont see the improvements we've seen since bikes from the early '90's. 29ers will only get better and will ultimately start to shape the sport.

29ers are here to stay. They are far more popular in the rest of the world than in the UK so are proving the manufacturers right. It may take time for them to start dominating the race series because 29ers are still not fully developed and the advantages of the big wheels are not yet able to be fully exploited by the riders, but they will.

650B? whats the point? They've got most of the disadvantages of 26ers and not quite all the advantages of 29ers.

Everything moves on - nothing is the best it can ever be - that's progress. The question is, what will follow 29ers in about 10 - 15yrs time? Maybe the hover bike?

650B? whats the point? They've got most of the disadvantages of 26ers and not quite all the advantages of 29ers.

Well said.

Another myth. I wouldn't go near half the things I'd ride on a 29" Stumpjumper on any 140mm 26".

Just because you're scared to do it, doesn't make it a myth, i'm afraid.

Buying a 29er is like buying a people carrier. They have obvious advantages over a car, but maybe aren't as much fun to drive.

Euro, I haven't ridden a 29er so I prob shouldn't comment but ur statement pretty much sums it up for me!!

650B? whats the point? They've got most of the disadvantages of 26ers and not quite all the advantages of 29ers.
Well said.

or have some of the advantages of 26ers without the disadvantages of 29ers

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The way forward....

What's the tyre choice like on 29ers now? I got totally pwned yesterday in the crazy mud by a friend who'd put a DH mud spike on the front of his short-travel 26" FS...

The ideal bike would be agile (in every direction) like a 20" BMX, roll and climb like the best XC 29ers, and grip and flatten the gnarr like a DH bike. It's all a balance of compromises and even for two riders of the same size, strength, fitness and skill on the same terrain, the best bike will depend on the feel you prefer. And that's true even against the clock! I believe 29ers a good thing for many riders but not a panacea and those riders who extol the virtues of 29ers whilst ignoring their disadvantages tend to be the sorts of rider who wouldn't appreciate the benefits of smaller wheels (especially when one or two wheels are off the ground!)

29" WOULD be faster on EVERY descent unless (maybe) it was pumptrack smooth. No doubt in my mind.

Why is it then that all the manufactures gravity based bikes are 26 inch then?