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dyls - MemberI can kind of see what the fuss is about. People have bought SC V10's with 27.5 wheels like their idols, only for SC to now start making them in 29er guise. Not cheap to change SC bikes. If 29er takes off, what happens to the value of the 27.5's?
I bet most folks crying over 29ers didn't do the same when 650b rolled through. Apparently there's just something un-downhill about 29ers that doesn't apply to 26 or 650b.
Where were you NW three years ago?
People were going ape shit about 650b.
I think most people would have been happier to see 26 and 29 developed further as opposed to the half way house.
Apparently there's just something un-downhill about 29ers that doesn't apply to 26 or 650b.
700 size like a road bike innit, probably should be using a monster CX bike really
Tom_W1987 - MemberWhere were you NW three years ago?
Watching people getting excited about slightly bigger wheels being faster. The only place I remember people really making a noise about it was rampage, because armchair freeriders thought the wheels would explode and make it too hard to do tricks.
And you notice, people who're making the "too expensive to buy new bikes" argument are generally saying we should stick to 650b, not that we should go back to 26ers. It's a convenient argument people are reaching for when they want to disapprove, it's not the reason. After all, what difference does it make to your bike what Minaar is riding?
Just wait till we get 32 or 36ers, i can hear the wailing already
And you notice, people who're making the "too expensive to buy new bikes" argument are generally saying we should stick to 650b, not that we should go back to 26ers. It's a convenient argument people are reaching for when they want to disapprove, it's not the reason. After all, what difference does it make to your bike what Minaar is riding?
No, people are making noise because we all knew 29ers were possibly the best for flat out speed and possibly well suited to DH. (We don't really know this yet)
But we got landed with a bollocks half way house because the marketers wanted to try to sell us that first and then sell/ease us in to 29ers.
If we were going to do the 29 thing, it could have been done 5 years ago.
But we got landed with a bollocks half way house because the marketers wanted to try to sell us that first and then sell/ease us in to 29ers.
Marketer's sole job is to make you want to buy their product... race teams are often an extension of their marketing team (with some development chucked in).
What exactly do you expect?
Ft William will see a lot more 29ers.
Marketer's sole job is to make you want to buy their product...
No, a marketers primary job is to understand what products the market wants and feed that into product development, then to promote that product.
The idea that marketing is used to force products on people is nonsense (aside from occasional instances of bad marketing by mad marketers), businesses generally can't afford to just push stuff onto market and hope it sells, it needs to be done with a fair degree of research that the market will actually buy that product.
Who exactly, from a customer perspective, wanted 27.5/650b Doug? No one outside the industry who wanted to shift a whole load more new bikes wanted them. Some accepted but most have been annoyed that in 2 years their perfectly useable 26" bike was rendered a worthless dinosaur.
The industry doesn't give a crap, it's trying to shift product and the 27.5 shift was particularly cynical. 29" in dh will likely cause a similar level of resentment as its new bike time if you want to keep competitive - if that matters to you.
29" in dh will likely cause a similar level of resentment
I reckon it'll go much more smoothly.
650b ain't going to disappear anytime soon and there will be two decently contrasting options, like with trail bikes.
I don't know what's the most bemusing, folks that haven't an interest in DH yet are desperate for the change to 29, folk that actually want less riders to watch, or the ones who are worried about 29.... there's plenty room for two wheel sizes....
Edit - and what he says ^
I guess we will arrive at a situation where riders select which wheel size depending on the course (I suppose this is basically happening now with SC). Not sure if the average regional DH racer will decide to have a 27.5 and 29 bike, but as already happened at one of the Scottish races, some riders used their trail / enduro bikes (27.5 and 29) instead of DH bikes as the course suited it
Yeah, also know quite a few young guys now that can only have 1 bike, so a trail/enduro makes much more sense, as they have become so much more capable.
Was on the inners uplift a few times over autumn and winter, dh bikes in the minority compared to a few years back.
But we got landed with a bollocks half way house because the marketers wanted to try to sell us that first and then sell/ease us in to 29ers.
you need to stop posting when you're drunk.
What is it with the anger.... I went to check on my 26" DH bike in case it's feelings were hurt and it's just about coping but wondering if it's going to be melted down.
Of all those who are getting upset who was planning on buying a DH bike this year? How many own a DH bike and race it? How many actually own a DH bike at all?
Given 95% of the wheel size debate it over exaggerated bollox about obsolescence and you can still buy a very good range of 26" tyres and rims what exactly is the problem?
Why should there only be one wheel size??
Horses for courses isn't it.
29ers for XC & possibly DH with the extra benefits of rollover & stability.
650b for trail ridibg.
26ers for tight & twisty where agility is key.
I am completely failing to see why we are only supposed to be riding one wheel size...,,..
Nobeerinthefridge - MemberWas on the inners uplift a few times over autumn and winter, dh bikes in the minority compared to a few years back.
Yup, though to be fair inners is pretty tame, for a dh venue- or if you prefer, way ahead of the curve on accessibility 😉 It's definitely true that the whole "you need a dh bike to do dh" mentality that was pretty common 5 years ago is largely dead though- that odd hole in the brain that meant people were totally happy to do uplifts in France then came home and went "that's not for us"
FFS, my 3yr old bike is now 2 wheel sizes out of date! How can that be possible?
It's getting as bad as F1 these days... or Apple!
Luckily i'm not racing World Cups (or anything else for that matter) so i'll save myself the £8k a new DH bike costs these days and just have fun on my 26inch retro bike.
Is it out of date enough for extra cudos? 😉
Wonder how many potential bike sales SC have just scuppered as folks wait for the 29er to be released?
Wonder how many potential bike sales SC have just scuppered as folks wait for the 29er to be released?
Probably very few, most people will have got their bikes for the season or sold the old ones already (Pearce Rd 2 was in this weekend) for those that are in the market there is plenty of choice and 29r certainly won't be making the mainstream for this year at least. Most people will probably be very happy to wait until production starts and sell what they have.
Your bike will ride no better or worse than it did a month ago.
@wideboy i was told a while back from an industry insider that the total sales from v10'S doesn't even come close to covering the cost of running the dh team.
Would have thought that they would have tested 29 v 650b and found the 29 to be consistently faster or they would not be using them.
i was told a while back from an industry insider that the total sales from v10'S doesn't even come close to covering the cost of running the dh team.
That's not surprising. Trail and enduro bike sales in 29in will be the main beneficiary if the DH teams do swap over, IMO.
So do we reckon those rumours of a 29in Nomad are more likely now?
Yes.