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As of last month I am the proud owner of a shiny blue 2013 Heckler.
😀
New Soul built up last year with 9sp!
New(ish) Five with 10sp triple recently acquired.
Both 26" and at 5'8" with short legs I see no reason to change to 29".
Another Soul here.
Built last week using mostly donor parts from a Heckler.
New 26 Five' for me. Tried a few 29ers but they made no sense for my stumpy little legs. Not against 29ers, just not found one that works for me.
Built a new 26 scandal last month :))
I'm only a short arse and my other bikes are all proper sized wheel bikes so didn't see the point of going the 29er route ?
Just awaiting some Reba's for my new Kili Flyer Ti build.
Very excited, although that's easily done!
Just built up a Turner 5 spot.
Didn't really consider a big wheeled bike
Got a Whyte t120 in January had a pedal round on the 29er one they do and did not like the feel of it (trail bike of the year no less !!) The ridicule of my mates would have been to much to bear if I had got one anyway. Just planning a 26 hardtail to go with it.
I'm joining, even though it was January, but my 5 frame is lovely, and I still consider it as brand new!
I'm converting a road bike to 26 inch, if that counts
650c is the way to go
was going to do an N+1, but my short list is non-convergent at the moment, and all popular and not so popular wheel sizes are on that list.
I blame MRB magazine. Its full of blatant propaganda on 29ers, trying to evolve the bike industry thus getting us to spend extra dollar. My lady subscribed me to it for xmas. I dont even use it for toilet paper anymore.
finished my rocket a couple of months ago... can't see me going to another wheel size unless forced to.
First [i]proper[/i] ride on my El-Ciclon last night. Felt very strange. Initially found myself really missing my SIR.9, until it came to going [i]DOWN[/i] the hill... 🙂 Heck that was fun.
The reality, in the real world is quite different, meanwhile every single rider I know has a 26" with absolutely no plans to change.
I must inhabit some strange fantasy world then! Getting defensive about your chosen wheel size is all well and good, but you are deluding yourself if you think that no-one is buying 29ers. You wouldn't see pretty much every manufacturer jumping on the bandwagon if they weren't selling.
My new 5 spot will be complete at the weekend - big burly ****er that goes up as well as down - 29er pah 27.5 pah
I do agree that the shops are stuffed full with them, but as someone posted earlier, a lot of first time buyers are the target market and may well not consider wheel sizing when they chose a bike from the selection they seeyou are deluding yourself if you think that no-one is buying 29ers. You wouldn't see pretty much every manufacturer jumping on the bandwagon if they weren't selling.
New 26" SS for me. Don't see the point in 29ers for where I ride and had plenty of 26er bits.
Slingshot frame building it up at the moment
- I know I know it's a niche design but I've wanted one since I first saw the design in '94 and it now folds... my justification is that it will 'accidentally' fold itself into the boot of the car for our 2 weeks summer hols in Brittanny
Yup...(well a couple of months ago)
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specialized stumpjumper comp 2011 bought it a year ago but it has 26 wheels.
My CX bike is my 29er.
Infact i class 29ers as flat barred CX bikes.
rOcKeTdOg - Member. Funnily enough; not a single person that I ride with has a mountain bike with wheels larger than 26"
Where do you ride, the 1990's?
Or alternatively, Swinley - I was there Sunday, and the vast majority of the bikes I saw were 26" - and there were quite a few high spec new bikes too - not just people on their old bikes, just prior to upgrading to 29" - just saying....
Had our bikes stolen just over a month ago. So have bought some new ones...
Devinci Dixon for me, Lapierre Zesty for the wife. We have both ridden on 29ers and had the opportunity to change wheel size but in the end both purchased 26 inch
The perception thing is interesting.
The group of us who ride locally are 95% 26ers (I can only think of one 29er that I see regularly on group rides).
Was over at Cannock on Saturday with a group of about 15 of us (all on 26ers). In about 5 hours there I think I only saw 2 or 3 29ers and they were all 'pure' XC machines being mashed around by skinny lycra-clad guys.
I have no doubt they are out there somewhere, just not really in the places and groups I ride in.
As a shortarse (5'6") I'll be more than happy with 26" wheels while I can still get them as I'm with Jedi on this - when asked on a skills day about whether he would switch to bigger wheels his reply was to the effect of "no, because mountain bikes have 26" wheels don't they?"
Iain
Just accept that you are a midget! You've bought a new bike so it's time to move on! 😀 I'm curious as to why other peoples bike choices are important to validating your own choice though? Pretty much any bike is a good bike in my book although wagon wheels and fatty 26ers definitely tick my boxes these days. Jings, it's funny how passionate folk get about wheel size - it REALLY doesn't matter! As long as you are riding, just keep smiling in the knowledge that your bike is clearly better than anyone elses. Ever! 😉
Sanny
Selling my Stanton Slackline... 😥
Its too small for me.
Its on ebay if you are interested.
Not sure if it will be replaced with 26 or 29 yet.
Check out what Fabien Barel says about 26inch wheels on Dirt magazine web site.
IainJust accept that you are a midget! You've bought a new bike so it's time to move on! I'm curious as to why other peoples bike choices are important to validating your own choice though? Pretty much any bike is a good bike in my book although wagon wheels and fatty 26ers definitely tick my boxes these days. Jings, it's funny how passionate folk get about wheel size - it REALLY doesn't matter! As long as you are riding, just keep smiling in the knowledge that your bike is clearly better than anyone elses. Ever!
Sanny
wise words from the man with a 26'er, a 29'er, a fatbike, a Fargo and every other fad going 🙂
...when you getting your recumbent anyway ? 😛
...oh, and are you riding tonight ? Mugdock or Cathkin ?
A recumbent is probably a step too far.....but never say never! I've no plans for a track bike either. Funnily enough though, all my fad bikes get ridden a lot. This week, the Fargo, the 29er and the Fat Bike have been or will get ridden a fair old whack so it's all good! 😀
I reckon you'll get the track bug soon Sanny 😛
So you getting oot for club ride tonight ? Just me and Chris J so far on the FB page for it
....and which bike ?
Yep - Transition Covert. I wouldn't even consider 29er. Far too many downsides to make it even a consideration.
I'll ride it for a couple of years until 650b takes hold and refines it's geometry and frame design and then make the switch (or stick to 26" if 650b doesn't take hold).
The Covert and Fox 36's should even take 650b quite comfortably so may may a 'half way' switch next year if the urge takes.
I've got at least 5 26" inner tubes still in boxes - there's no way i'm going 29er.
Not in the last month but got a Stumpy Evo 26" just before xmas and absolutely no regrets.
Another Stumpjumper Evo here, picked up on Sunday, been out twice so far and loving it.
I'm just looking at buying my first mountain bike (I've already got 3 recumbents - with weird wheels - and 3 fixies) and been into a handful of shops to see what's what. I get the impression that 26" wheels are going the way of vinyl and film! The shops seem to stock a few entry level bikes with 26" wheels, but the majority of bikes on display are 29ers. No-one has told me of any advantages to the 26" wheel other than they're better when landing from a great height (I have no intention of taking off in the first place), but I'm being told that 29ers are faster, have more traction, climb better, and roll over absolutely everything. I'm trying to keep an open mind on the matter, but it's difficult!
well, 5 of us out on GMBC ride last night, all on 26'ers....altough one of those was Sanny on his fatbike 😆
I've built up 2 26" bikes in the last week. A fun hardtail- Cotic BFe and an Enduro bike- MDE Carve 6. 26" won't die. 🙂
but I'm being told that 29ers are faster, have more traction, climb better, and roll over absolutely everything. I'm trying to keep an open mind on the matter, but it's difficult!
By people selling 29r's?
26 works, it works well. It have frames that have evolved over years and have been refined. The art of making a 26" bike is understood and very well explored. Take some test rides. If you avoid the Specialized and Giant shops there will be more 26 bikes out there.
Cove Handjob built in Jan. Loving it. 🙂
Not in the past month, but past 6 months yes.
Not really bothered by the whole wheel size debate, other than finding all the mag articles on them boring. Surely it should just be about choice, like bar width, tyre choice, etc! 😉
I went for a 120mm fs with 26" wheels as it suited what I was looking for in terms of the way it rode for the riding I do.
A small bonus is being on the same wheel size across the family. Not long ago my daughter was still using 24" wheels and now she moved to 26 I'm not having to remember 'other' size tubes in the pack. 🙂
7 26ers & 2 29ers,they're just bikes ............... 🙄
1 and one pending for my kids, who at 8 and 10 can now handle 26 inch wheels but 29ers would just be a bit much not to mention the expense. Gets them out and is all good.
Another Carbon Frame 26 Transition Covert possibility here, at the moment undecided as to wether to buy a new complete kit or swap my current stuff over and sell the ally frame, so the wheels would stay the same 26", I see no reason to change to bigger wheels, they look silly and must be more likely to buckle riding on rough terrain and anyway there is no Carbon version in that wheel size even if I'd wanted to. I think the whole thing is contrived marketing for no real sound reason.
No-one has told me of any advantages to the 26" wheel other than they're better when landing from a great height (I have no intention of taking off in the first place), but I'm being told that 29ers are faster, have more traction, climb better, and roll over absolutely [i]everything[/i]
You'll probably be happier on a 29.
They roll, but [i]everything[/i]'s probably a bit of an exaggeration.
Bought a Kona Kula 2011 last month for £600. It's fast, light, superb climber, good spec and had great reviews. Love riding it in the New Forest. 🙂
Just bought a Genesis Latitude XT in titanium. Absolutely love it. Always been happy with 26 and not read anything yet that convinces me to change.
I did the Enduro6 last week, a club member rode on what looked like a 15yr old ali mtb with V brakes and a clunky old fork. 5th fastest lap of the day! I saw some very exotic bikes in the field too.
wheel size is not that high up on my list of priorities.
decent rims
good tires
good fork
frame that fits
reliable drive train
decent shoes
however if I was buying a race bike new and didnt have other 26" wheels etc. I'd go 29"