...........I am about to become the [very apprehensive] owner of a full suss short travel "29er".
I have been into bikes for many years but have never been one to follow the biking fashion/whim of the day. This was a bit of an impulse buy as I had to replace my xc bike in a hurry, it seemed a good deal and I thought why not !
It will mainly be used for the weekly blast round the local flatish trails - hard tail territory really but a bad back means I need the comfort of some rear cushioning.
So, what biking revelation should I expect from this new breed ?
Oh, and will I ever be able to sell the bl@@dy thing if I don't like it !
It will mainly be used for the weekly blast round the local flatish trails
That does sound like the kind of thing a 29er would be good for.
What bike is it?
What bike is it?
who cares you know the wheel diameter. 🙄
Apparently you should have bought 650b!
you now need one of these...
[url= http://selme.blogg.se/images/2009/straitjacket_new1_37706958.jp g" target="_blank">http://selme.blogg.se/images/2009/straitjacket_new1_37706958.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
its a salsa spearfish rOcKeTdOg
So, what biking revelation should I expect from this new breed ?
Why not take it out for a ride and find out. 🙂
I was totally of the opinion that hardtails made a lot of sense in 29er and fun full sus trail bikes made more sense in 26".
I then found a cheap Stumpy FSR 29er frame which I built up, it's arguably the most fun bike I've ever owned.
Pop goes that theory then.
Depends what you want I guess, my Stumpy 29er does literally make trail riding easier compared to anything else I've ridden. I can see it's a bit of an acquired taste. Love zooming along personally.
So, what biking revelation should I expect from this new breed ?
The trails will come alive x2.
I have been into bikes for many years but have never been one to follow the biking fashion/whim of the day.
Good. Because if you were you'd have bought a 650B, not a 29er.
tonyd - Member
Apparently you should have bought 650b!
Thank God he didn't, he can now buy another new bike.
Start stockpiling 29" tyres.
cyclical - Member
its a salsa spearfish rOcKeTdOg
I'm sure he'll recognise his name without you have to spend 20 minutes twiddling the Shift key....
Not another one, I'm going to have to find a new niche to blather on about endlessly to my mates
LolzGood. Because if you were you'd have bought a 650B, not a 29er.
I've had a spearfish for a couple of months and I love it.
Mainly south downs riding and off road commuting. So comfy and climbs brilliantly.
You'll love it, I'm sure
sold my yeti 7 inch 26 wheel bike as my 29er short travel does all I could want/hope for/enjoy
rode the 29er for a couple weeks went back to 26 for a week and I did not enjoy it at all
I think you will be fine, enjoy and forget the marketing
29ers will be around for a long time due to USA market plus 'scientific tests' show 29ers do not explode
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'scientific tests' show 29ers do not explode
Links please.
errrrrrrrrrrrr......pumped me tires up really really like solid weeks ago and they is fine...........
scientific enough????? 8)
So, what biking revelation should I expect from this new breed ?
Your new bike will make the trails feel ALIVE...
I have been into bikes for many years but have never been one to follow the biking fashion/whim of the day.
Don't worry, you're not following the biking fashion of the day - 29ers are dead, it's all about 650b now. 🙂
On the subject of short toravel FS 29ers, I really like the look of this:
[url= http://brimages.bikeboardmedia.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/2014-Banshee-Phantom-100mm-29er-trail-mountain-bike01.jp g" target="_blank">http://brimages.bikeboardmedia.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/2014-Banshee-Phantom-100mm-29er-trail-mountain-bike01.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
(Banshee Phantom, btw; 100mm both ends)
Ridden my PYGA OneTen 29er 450kms since building it up early July. Malverns/FoD/Yat are my local rides so steep, lots of singletrack, few rocky bits, some scary stuff in the Yat etc. Also did the classic Talgarth black mountain route and a fair chunk of the quantocks last weekend. Most of which I've ridden before on various other bikes, the last three being my Solaris, Cotic Rocket and old Orange ST4.
There's no science in it and the bike is NEVER the high water mark of my riding, but the PYGA feels really fast uphill, lively in singletrack, great on the steeps and more than adequate over the drops and jumps I do. It feels a bit big and ungainly when it's super tight but otherwise I forget it's a 29er.
It's only '110mm' of travel at the back and meant to be 120 at the front although I'm running about 135ish. Never got round to shortening the Rev and now don't think I will. Strava tells me I'm as fast DH as on my Rocket and way faster up. This is no reflection on the Rocket, it's just shows that the 29er isn't limiting my,er, limited ability and bravery.
I had planned to keep the rocket for big rocky weekends and going back to the alps (where it was brilliant but made me realise I wasn;t going to get the best out of it around here). Now I'm thinking about a set of Pikes or X-Fusion Traces and taking the PYGA to the alps.
So all this waffle means really is bikes are fab. I really like the 29er HT and FS because they suit my riding. Not perfect but the best compromise I've come up with so far. The best thing about the two I ride is the wheel size is pretty irrelevant. They are just brilliant bikes I love riding. So I reckon the OP should worry not about his extra three inches(!) and just go and have a good time. The differentiation between wheel sizes feels nowhere near as big as the marketing guys tell us.
And obviously, a pic 🙂
[url= http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3792/9275105015_cbffb0224d_c.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/alexleigh/9275105015/ ]Pyga OneTen 29[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/alexleigh/ ]Alex Leigh[/url], on Flickr
pumped me tires up really really like solid weeks ago and they is fine...........
That's scientific enough for me.
On the subject of short toravel FS 29ers, I really like the look of this:
Agreed,that looks good. Ditto the Pyga.
but have never been one to follow the biking fashion/whim of the day
Oh get you............. 8)
It's just a bike,ride it,have fun & try smiling rather than worrying about fashion statements or what others think...
😀
That Banshee looks great. Another short travel 29er I've seen that looks fun is walleaters Ghost. Just looks sorted and fun. And his dog's cool.
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I've got a short travel 29er and wouldn't ride anything other mtb now.
My short travel 29er fell off the back of the car today at 50 mph....Think I may change it for a longer travel one,I might need that extra travel for when it bounces down the road next time........ 😳
It will mainly be used for the weekly blast round the local flatish trails
[quote=scott_mcavennie2]That does sound like the kind of thing a 29er would be good for.
Not sure about this train of thought to be honest.
Blasts round local trails can be fast on anything.
29ers don't especially make flat trails any better. Maybe a bit faster. But who cares unless you are racing?
TBH I'd focus on if I liked the bike, the layout, the angles. Wheel size is a case of pick what you feel is best, or what is available. For XC stuff, it really feels like everything has shifter to the 29s, certainly for larger frame sizes.
[i]So, what biking revelation should I expect from this new breed ?[/i]Why not take it out for a ride and find out.
Are you new here?