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I think the key phrase on the b+ judgement was "not competitive". Under a world class rider racing for time down a black run, they offered no advantages.
I ran b+ on my 29er HT through the winter, it was a great way to add a little float to a stiff frame, smooths out trailcrap on the climbs and roots on the descents. I think it was faster, but if it wasn't, it was still "nicer".
I've yet to ride a b+FS so the jury's out on that one for me.
And one of my mates runs a 29+ Stache, he adores it and is anything but slow.
It's not really conclusive enough to form a decent opinion either way between the 2 main wheel sizes, IMO.
That said, I only have a big 160mm bike at the moment so am on the lookout for a short travel 29" trail bike (Smuggler).
I don't expect it to be any faster in reality, but I do expect it to me more lively and fun on the local stuff.
I will race it on occasion too, so should be interesting to compare 🙂
The plus bikes seem (and look) utterly pointless to me.
Chris Porter seems to be up for trying new stuff, just look at the Geometron! I just don't get why he has such a bee in his bonnet about 19mm of extra wheel radius?
It's almost like he dismissed them originally (like a lot of us) but can't bring himself to go back on what he said.
He thinks the wheels are too flexy (he's right - they are flexier for the same spec and build quality) and that you can't "pump" them through terrain (he's right-ish, you can pump them but it requires bigger undulations in the trails).
He also thinks that big wheels make suspension performance worse.
[url= http://www.mbr.co.uk/news/bike_news/size-matters-part-3-bicycle-geometry-sucks-324160 ]http://www.mbr.co.uk/news/bike_news/size-matters-part-3-bicycle-geometry-sucks-324160[/url]
Chris Porter might be a bit blinkered but he's got a lot of good ideas in there.
I think what this video also showed is the old men weren't really interested but the younger generation were doing more runs and tried more stuff.
Great video and getting 100+ runs in over that range of riders is a great base.
Overall T-Mo nails it, pick waht you like and what works for you. Myself I've got an XC 29r, trail/Enduro 26 and a DH bike. Next bike to be replaced is the trail/enduro bike - no idea what wheels it will have.
On the + stuff, I think the telling thing is regardless of benefits the rubber isn't good enough for riding tough trails. To only get 3 completed runs in says a lot and why I've got no interest in them at the moment. In terms of grip if I can make my 29x2.2" Ardent races grip when I need them and my 26x2.4" Minions grab the trail "extra grip" at the expense of more weight and less resilience seems pointless.
You don't need to pump 29er wheels 'cos they carry so much flippin' speed anyway.
Wish someone had pointed that out to him in that video.
Wish someone had pointed that out to him in that video.
They could just have put the straws he was clutching for a bit closer. His world seems very black and white whereas the real world is many shades of grey with there being no absolutely correct answer.
Isn't there a 29er Geometron? I like the fact that Chris Porter has a opinion and is prepared to back it up with a bike that's built to that idea. Given they seem to selling like hot cakes and there seems to be a line of folk willing to part with quite a bit of cash to own one. He might be onto something..?
enjoyed the vid, the thing I took from it is that luckily for us, there's probably a bike that will suit pretty much any type or style of riding. oh, and +tyres are pretty flimsy! 😆
So the + size tyres needed more reinforcement in the sidewalls but that would result in wheels that would be too heavy. Sounds like you could have many of the benefits of + size tyres with less of a weight penalty if you reduced the diameter of the rim.
If only there was a solution. A smaller diameter rim perhaps.