[Closed] 26 vs 650b vs 29 wheels

700c is the future !!!!

24". Catch the wave early.

Oh sweet mother of Jesus!!!!

The one that feels right when you ride it.

unless you have to buy, i would just wait. give it a year or two and see what is left.

*insert Groundhog Day gif here*

single teak? I mainly ride a nice laminate myself.

all of the above

Apologies if I'm going over old threads with this post. I can see already that I've clearly irritated some of you.

I see the spelling police are out as well!! 🙂

Facepalmgrandcentral

*insert Groundhog Day gif here*

[img] [/img]

Get a tricycle and fit one wheel of each size ffs

I can never understand why people open a thread and go to the effort of posting a reply just to say that they are not interested. Is it compulsory to open every thread or something?

OK, it's a subject that has been covered loads of times, but if you are in the market for a new bike it is still a nightmare.

Personally I've owned 26" and 29er bikes and think there is a place for both. It is the wholesale move from 26 to 650b that bothers me. Nothing against manufacturers coming up with a different wheel size. But when every single manufacturer (pretty much without exception) drops 26 in favour of 650b then something is clearly up. Either 650b is clearly better and as soon as you try it you'd never want to go back, or something else is going on.

Anyway, good luck trying to make your mind up. I fear that you won't get much help here, but I hope you find something you like.

@op, seriously, my take is:

29 for hard tails and short travel FS that you'll use for going places and having fun (choose a HT if it will do the job)
650b for medium - long travel FS that you'll pedal uphill
26 for DH specific bikes (nobody rides them uphill they push them)

or put another way, the biggest wheel that will do the job is the best for the job

anyway that's how my money will be spent in the future

cant wait to see you on the penny farthing 😉

Thanks rover pig and mattjg for the info:-) there's an element of trying to future proof myself a bit as well. My 26 HT is ageing but does the trick (mostly) but I'm wanting to push myself a bit more now so keeping climbs in check whilst retaining manoeuvrability is another factor. I guess I'll have to do a bit of testing:-)

Unless you're really tall or short, it's cliched and overused, but tiny 29ers are awkward as are 26" bikes with 3 foot of seatpost sticking out. We've got both in the house.

On a completely unrelated note, if you can test a 29er trail bike I'd give it a go. Clicked instantly with my Stumpy and have been beating all my personal bests every single ride with it since. It does simplify the trail a bit, but it's sort of what I was after anyway.

29ers for tall people.
26ers for everyone else.
650b for those who will suffer greatly in governmental wheelsize correctional facilities when I am elected to power.

Every time someone buys a 650b bike, Satan becomes more powerful.
Is that what you want, a world where the Dark Lord and Master rules by hatred and violence?
Because that's what will happen if we allow ourselves to be anally violated by corporate greed.

Think about it.

There's not as much jump in size from 26 to 650b as there is from 650b to 29

[url= http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7292/9586629554_3445293338.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7292/9586629554_3445293338.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/46413317@N06/9586629554/ ]Wheel compare 2[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/46413317@N06/ ]Jones96er[/url], on Flickr

[url= http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3729/9583860353_30145a0e06.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3729/9583860353_30145a0e06.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/46413317@N06/9583860353/ ]Wheel compare 3[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/46413317@N06/ ]Jones96er[/url], on Flickr

Other that that I can tell you nowt.

Quite glad I'm tall and riding 29ers to be honest.

Would be a pain buying into 650b and needing new wheels and forks, on the flip side wouldn't want to buy new 26" bits for risk of them losing all resale value instantly.

Whatever you buy will be a punt but you should defo try them all, and a decent ride not a round the car park sit on.

Personally I think big wheels are more fun but there does come a point where getting a big wheel in a frame plus a lot of space to allow it to move makes for a big bike. (I sold my 120mm FS 29er for this reason, I want something smaller, and I don't mean fit).

Have fun and let us know how you get on.

So here is the summary...

26" - been around for ages - plenty of people still love them (me included) - several predictions of their imminent demise about - critical mass means they will be around for a good few years yet - plenty of manufacturers dropping this size (IMHO - 26" wheeled bikes are the most fun). Most of the bikes I see out on the trails have 26" wheels.

650b - the newbie - apparently very popular - availability of parts not good currently (one of my mates had to get parts shipped from the US to get his finished (and no - it's not odd bespoke kit)) - manufacturers don't seem to have kept pace with (susposed) demand (IMHO - only marginal difference compared to 26" - having demo'd a couple the benefits are negligible). Looks likely to be 'the main standard' going forward, whether we want it or not.

29er - the big popular thing last year, but seems to be moving towards mainly XC/short travel bikes. Very likely to continue to exist in the future, but probably becoming more niche. I can see the point of them, but they're not for me (IMHO they are less engaging to ride & more suited to mile munching).

At the moment I'll be sticking to 26" wheels (after a brief flirtation with 29") - the market will (hopefully) sort itself out in the next couple of years.

I think it depends a bit on your attitude to front wheel lifts (manual, wheelie) as they are a fair bit harder with a larger wheel. If you never bother with them and just roll over stuff then a bigger wheel makes sense as it rolls over things better. If you find front wheel lifts dead easy on a 26" bike then a bigger wheel may still work as it's not much harder. If, however, they are still a work in progress I can't see why you'd want to make things any harder for yourself.

@Rusty: good luck with your world domination, but the way things are going 26" isn't going to be an option for anybody looking for a decent MTB soon.

Well, only if we are stupid enough to let them.

Sadly, history suggests that people will fall for any old marketing bullshit - hell, they'll even queue up to be the first to be ripped off.

This willingness to capitulate is pathetic, but were so used to believing what we're told, it's hardly surprising.

This willingness to capitulate is pathetic, but were so used to believing what we're told, it's hardly surprising.

Mate, it's just bikes.

No, it's not 😀

It's about corporate greed & the blatant cynicism displayed by the manufacturers.

But how are we supposed to fight with no weapons? We need at least a few manufacturers to come out and say that 650b is BS then we can show our support buy buying from them. But if everybody moves to 650b as one things get a bit tricky.

roverpig - Member

But how are we supposed to fight with no weapons?

Just don't buy one.

It's that simple.

Your money and your spending power are powerful weapons.

Buy something else.
Take your old bike abroad.
Treat yourself to a secondhand 'dream' bike.

According to Giant -
[i]26-inch for sure[/i] - will disappear.
[i]29-inch will be phased out in approximately two years[/i]
....leaving 650b

[url= http://www.pinkbike.com/news/650B-For-All-Giants-Elite-Level-Mountain-Bikes.html ]http://www.pinkbike.com/news/650B-For-All-Giants-Elite-Level-Mountain-Bikes.html[/url]

Well, that's up to you, isn't it?

If you don't buy one, they'll stop making them. 😀

I've got no great urge to change to a different wheel size

your hand may be forced by greedy corporations who will give consumers what they want, whilst telling them that what they want are products that are more profitable for them.

On the plus side there are some bargains to be had as companies who have moved to 650b have to dump their 26" stock.

3 sizes, 2 of which claim to be so much better with as much conviction as one of those mental preachers telling us all we will go to hell unless we send them money or kill everyone else, so it's probably true.

The only thing we can probably agree on is there is no chance of a consensus on the issue.

The only certainty is there will be a wheel size question on the front page.

I'm serious about the Satan/650b link, btw.

Some extensive research has revealed photographs of some famous 650b riders practicing their disgusting, evil, rituals:

'One Reich, one volk, one tyre size!'
[img] [/img]

Satan's little helper makes plans to convert all hire bikes to 27.5:
[img] [/img]

The first 650b bike off the production line is 'heiled' as a success:
[img] [/img]

Tests show no correlation between larger wheelsize and larger IQ:
[img] [/img]

Vicky P tests the new 650b track bike - they make everything ugly:
[img] [/img]

The American Cycle Press Association Band express their delight at the new 'innovation':
[img] [/img]

Be afraid.
Be very afraid.

26 inch if you're hardcore
650b is you're a newbie who's enver rtidden a bike before
29 inch if you're old and prefer mincing along canal tow paths with half loaded panniers

I'm currently riding 160mm 650b (which is awesome), at next bike purchase I'll probably go to a 120mm 29er for Xc duties & a big old DH bike for playing on (been riding for 20 years etc etc blah. But for a jack of all trades the 650b does the trick just fine

try them out and don't be put off by those that don't like change.

There is room in the market for three wheel sizes, if some move away from 26 or 29 others will take their place as you can't beat the market in the long run and the manufacturers will gravitate towards where the sales are.

Bellefied +1

[quote=timbo678 ]Bellefied +1

+1 too just don't expect that putting x" wheels in a bike makes it better or worse.

bellefied - Member
There is room in the market for three wheel sizes...........

Really?

Where do you get your evidence from?

All the bike shop owners I've spoken to have been saying that MTB sales are down by a significant amount, but they're shifting loads of road irons.

Who are all these riders that have been waiting for the withdrawal of 26inch and the introduction of a comparitively more expensive 650b model before buying a new bike?

And, as ever, could I ask that contributors please declare any industry involvement?

Ta.

I have a tallboy. This is my first summer on A 29er. It is a very good bike and I very much enjoy riding it. I've had it in real mountains and it was great at speed, climbing, descending and through slow tight sections.

If 29ers are going to be phased out in favour of 650Bs, then I'd suggest buying a 29er this time round and getting a 650B when your next in the market for a new bike. If you enjoy riding mountain bikes and are looking for a trail bike, then you will probably enjoy riding a 29er and you should own one before they are no longer available.

I also have a cotic hemlock. It is also great and still enjoy riding it.

Speed wise upto 140mm 29" are the way to go. 26"/650b with 150mm+ and the suspension overcomes the larger wheel/geometry advantages of the 29" and the smaller wheels are the way to go.

And I'm pretty sure G-Dub is hoisting a 26" wheeled bike in that picture. Perhaps his pre-presidential behaviour did effect his decision making after all? Or, perhaps the promotion of non-26" wheels is not the work of fascist puppet-masters...

I have no Industry association.