[Closed] RIP 26"

bad dog 😉

Like all wheels...it'll all come full circle again.

We'll see...

I have no opinion on 26vs27.5vs29 other than, I am short, I often feel like 26 is as big a wheel as I can handle. I fear for my future in this sport if Chipps fortune telling comes true.
I raised it with Cy a while back and he intimated that yes I would be better off with 26..

I don't buy it, your average joe who rides an apollo or claud butler does not want to have a million wheel sizes neither do they replace their bike as often as most forum users. So the 26 inch bike is here to stay.

yawn...

It's almost as though the purpose of an editorial is to challenge opinion and provoke debate, innit. Load of shit obviously but that's what pays the bills.

Toys - cy sent out an email stating he will continue with 26...but didn't rule out 27.5 (he is a businessman after all)

Is somebody keeping count of the number of threads on this?

I'll believe it when On-One start selling [s]650B[/s] [s]27.5[/s] slightly oversize wheels and tyres.

[quote=aracer ]Is somebody keeping count of the number of threads on this?
I'll believe it when On-One start selling [s]650B 27.5[/s] slightly oversize wheels and tyres.
To match the slightly oversize seat-tubes?

Matther01, agreed and I reviewed what he said and have now edited my post to remove small man syndrome...
NW - yep clickbait methinks..

26 won't die, it may go into remission but people will still want to buy it

I own 2 29ers and a 69er and wouldn't every touch one again personnally but plenty of people will still love them

I have no opinion on 26vs27.5vs29 other than, I am

tall so need to ride a 29er otherwise it just looks silly.

Northwind
It's almost as though the purpose of an editorial is to challenge opinion and provoke debate, innit. Load of shit obviously but that's what pays the bills

Agreed

your average joe who rides an apollo or claud butler does not want to have a million wheel sizes

26in bits will be around for years. Just like 9sp and 8sp, and 7sp components.

It's almost as if a bit of marketing hype means every enthusiast is forced to ditch their entire bike collection and replace with new ones, instantly. Now.

Yup, 26" will go the way of 8-speed, V-brakes, and square taper.

Still here, available new, and used by millions

Guaranteed to wash clothes brighter than before 😉

Do you think manufacturers will produce new model forks, tires, and rims for 26"? Not a chance. It'll just be limited supply of what we have now and probably lower spec stuff.

Do you think manufacturers will produce new model forks, tires, and rims for 26"?

I just bought a 26" hans dampf for 20 bucks. sweet. let the trendies pay through the nose for the new stuff.

I just bought a 26" hans dampf for 20 bucks

So if i put a 27.5" wheel on the front & 26" on the back what do i call it (insert comedy answer here) as 69er is not correct?

Bit of a worry on the 26" R&D i'd have thought, 26 will be around just low end or present stuff to keep the supermarket/sportsdirect level of buyer happy

So if i put a 27.5" wheel on the front & 26" on the back what do i call it (insert comedy answer here) as 69er is not correct?

Bit of a worry on the 26" R&D i'd have thought, 26 will be around just low end or present stuff to keep the supermarket/sportsdirect level of buyer happy

I think you're absolutely right.

Zero Clearance?

as long as I can still get hold of 26 rims it'll be an age before I got to 27.5.. just spent £800 on 26" forks was thinking they'd Last a while yet...

🙁

Is there ar recession on?
Are marketing mean trying to find "white space"

In the words of David Bowie

"Fa-fa-fa-fa- fashion"

Or Paul Weller

"The public wants what the public gets"

If you really want 650b - just stick it in the 26er frame and be done with it.

Ironically, it does seem to be an admission that the 29ers appeal is limited ... depite the last 3 years of gushing reviews about how they ride themselves up hills, and are faster than the speed of light, all supported by rubbish explainations of physics ....

At least you will be able to build a sweet bike with awesome spec for a good price then as when it doesn't sell we all reap the benefits well if u still ride bikes an dont buy in to what a mag says

The 29er backwash starts here..?

Bit of a worry on the 26" R&D i'd have thought, 26 will be around just low end or present stuff to keep the supermarket/sportsdirect level of buyer happy

I think you're absolutely right.

Why are you two so insanely pleased about this? It's a victory for marketing and yet another pointless new standard.

all supported by rubbish explainations of physics ....

Yeh and I guess unsurprisingly They never did manage to come up with anything convincing from the physics to show 29er was faster did they HaHa

Why are you two so insanely pleased about that? It's a victory for marketing and yet another pointless new standard.

+1. I do believe any review if note has mentioned that its neither here more there performance wise. I'm not convinced by the marketing and (perhaps luckily) I'm not on the position to jump on the bandwagon.

Consumable parts (bottom brackets, disc pads) will be available for ages and the length of my fork won't change there ability to be serviced.

Why are you two so insanely pleased about this? It's a victory for marketing and yet another pointless new standard.

The fact we don't don't ride the same bikes as we did 20 years is a victory for "marketing".

The fact we don't don't ride the same bikes as we did 20 years is a victory for "marketing".

What? 😕

Lots of great developments in bike technology over the last 20 years, tiny changes to wheel size isn't one of them.

Uh oh... More wheel size fear, loathing, mistrust and individual resolve not to be undone or perceived to be wrong, come to the fore.... It's attitudes and reactions like this that has made this country what it is 😉

As has been noted previously by a few, ride [i]your[/i] bike, have fun; spend [i]your[/i] hard earned money on what you want to and try not to get too worked up about what or what might not be available in the years ahead, for they might not happen and tis surely better to live today?

Have a great day people 😀

Lots of great developments in bike technology over the last 20 years, tiny changes to wheel size isn't one of them

What because it doesn't affect you? and the boys that bought into the 150mm full suss.

To a tall xc riders like me this is up there with suspension and disc brakes as far as developments go.

20mm extra travel on a full sus - no benefit
dropper post - no benefit
super wide bars - no benefit

The main thing is that changing standards are a great way for companies to make money. Standard consumerist tactics. The question is if the changes actually make any difference, once the seed of doubt is sowed in your mind that something is slightly better then there is a strong urge to go out and buy new stuff.

I have ordered a 29er but not built it up yet so I am as guilty/gullible as anybody else. In the mean time I am getting a lot better from riding more, building a pumptrack and jumps in the garden but this is making no one any money.

I think since the primary reason for me mountain biking is that it is fun then smoothing everything out is not so important. I ride my hardtail instead of my full suss as it is more fun.

The thing is that smaller wheels and frames will always be lighter, stiffer and stronger. These are the most important factors with a mountain bike that you ride hard up and down. I suppose this is the reason why dirt jump bikes have smaller wheels still and less suspension. I suppose if they can make a bigger wheeled bike as stiff, string and light as you need in the real world then this is not so important.

How much of 29ers going faster is the fact that if you run the same gear range as a 26er you are effectively running higher gears and therefore go faster?

How much of 29ers going faster is the fact that if you run the same gear range as a 26er you are effectively running higher gears and therefore go faster?

It doesn't work as simple as that, 29ers roll faster. Once moving less effort is needed.

I think since the primary reason for me mountain biking is that it is fun then [u]smoothing everything out is not so important[/u]. I ride my hardtail instead of my full suss as it is more fun

yet you have suspension.

To a tall xc riders like me this is up there with suspension and disc brakes as far as developments go.

20mm extra travel on a full sus - no benefit
dropper post - no benefit
super wide bars - no benefit

The difference is you'll still be able to buy a bike without 20mm extra travel, dropper post and wide bars.

I don't buy it, your average joe who rides an apollo or claud butler does not want to have a million wheel sizes neither do they replace their bike as often as most forum users. So the 26 inch bike is here to stay.

I can tell you right now it goes a LOT further than that! 29/27.5 wheels are still very much a niche thing, bought by those that read the forums and magazines. I e not worked in the trade long but in about 5 weeks working in a bike shop we e not had a single 29er come in for a service and only one person has expressed an interest to me in the 29ers we have in stock.
People are, I think, seriously overestimating their popularity.

How can moving a 29er take less effort ?

To move a bike forwards 10 metres , you will have to move the wheels through 10 metres at their circumference.

Unless Newton's Laws are being ignored, it will take the same effort !! Energu is conserved - so energy in = energy out

I think since the primary reason for me mountain biking is that it is fun then smoothing everything out is not so important. I ride my hardtail instead of my full suss as it is more fun

yet you have suspension.

Less suspension though. I had a pair of 160mm forks on my hardtail and they were rubbish so now they have 130mm forks.

How much of 29ers going faster is the fact that if you run the same gear range as a 26er you are effectively running higher gears and therefore go faster?

It doesn't work as simple as that, 29ers roll faster. Once moving less effort is needed.

Do you not mean that they roll over roots/rocks better and the extra weight means they have more momentum once moving? Most of the trails I ride are 90% smooth and the rest rocky/rooty. These are also the ones that are twisty and require a lot of acceleration/deceleration so I will be interested to see how the 29er rides. There is one up hill I am looking forward to testing the 29er on where you loose a lot of speed on little rock steps. Should be interesting to see what difference it makes.

So, do we take it as a given that whatever is on at the big shows in the states is what we will all be riding?. Were there any steel hardtails there?. No, thought not. I am not a Luddite, I just can't see 26 ever dying, too much money in the supply chain for that to happen.

How can moving a 29er take less effort ?

To move a bike forwards 10 metres , you will have to move the wheels through 10 metres at their circumference.

Unless Newton's Laws are bing ignored, it will take the same effort !!

Are you serious?

BTW I'm not pleased about 27.1" replacing 26". It's pure blatant marketing. 29" on the other hand offers potential geometry advantages from 26". Specialized's stance on this issue is The best out there IMO. They make almost every bike right up to the S-Works Enduro's in 26" and 29" and are leaving it up to the market to decide without jumping on the 27.1" bandwagon. No doubt they'll be forced to eventually though which is a shame as it would have been interesting to see how a 26" and 29" model line up would have panned out.