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Not sure if this is flawed logic or not so help me out, my riding buddy is simply put faster than me on a mountain bike, bikes being similar and 26", he is technically a better rider but even on flat bridleway he still pulls away from me. However on the road with 700c wheels and again both bikes being similar he can not stay on my wheel for love nor money.
So would a 29er make me faster being as the wheel is roughly road sized? Anyone else find that a certain wheel size suits their riding better than another?
Is there a big size difference between you and your mate? I certainly feel like my 29 wheels fit me better as a lanky sod
technically a better rider
I think your answer may be above........however 29er's in my experience over certain trails have been noticably faster...
Could make you even slower, depending on terrain. First time on my 29er at the weekend I found it very hard in slow muddy sections - the wheels are harder to accelerate & in slow technical or muddy sections even harder.
But if its hard surfaces then may be it would be better.
I'm beginning to think I should have may be stuck with a 26" rather than 29er.
First time on my 29er at the weekend I found it very hard in slow muddy sections - the wheels are harder to accelerate & in slow technical or muddy sections even harder.
I'd be surprised if you could tell that much difference in mud - given how much it clags any bike up. One ride is never enough to get a bike with something different on it.
First time on my 29er at the weekend
I'm beginning to think I should have may be stuck with a 26" rather than 29er.
after one ride? give it a chance, you do have to adopt a slightly different riding style to a 26", give it a couple of months and only ride 29" during that time, that'd be a fairer assessment
Are you both riding hardtails? Is he lighter than you? The lighter guys on our rides seem to be able to fly over bumpy bridleways. I find rear suspension and/or 29er wheels easier over nasty bridleways helps close that gap between me and lighter folk...
I have an unsubstantiated theory, that those who come to MTB from road are happier on a 29er, the geometry feels more 'natural'. Whereas those who come from BMX will have a tendency to be happier on 26" and probably smaller frames. Thos who came to MTB as a first ride...prob happiest on whatever they started with.
Caveat:In general
Having given this more thought i'm thinking it could be to do with momentum and cadence, i tend to have a slower cadence but push a bigger gear than my mate, where as he is vice versa, do 29ers hold momentum like a road bike? i always feel that my mtb looses momentum quickly.
after one ride? give it a chance, you do have to adopt a slightly different riding style to a 26", give it a couple of months and only ride 29" during that time, that'd be a fairer assessment
Yes, your probably right, but just comparing it riding a 26er SS on my local loop to riding it now on a 29er.
The SS was built just for low bike maintenance winter rides on my local loop & after really enjoying it I was curious to see what 29" wheels would be like.
he is clearly just better off road than you... road riding is much more even in terms of effort required than off roading.
think you would be better doing some/more training! 😉 but not a bad 'excuse' to get a nice new bike!
I have a 29er... only reason was at 6' 6" and built like a draught excluder.. 29er just looks and feels more in proportion.
I hope this will help.
This time last year I was merely 29er curious. In September I built up my first one based on a Fisher Ferrous frame built as a single speed initially with rigid forks and later with RS Reba's. I have just finished building my geared 29er, a Lynskey Ridgeline.
I have hardly touched 26ers since getting the Fisher.
Riding impressions are:
- A 29er keeps speed better - but may be slightly more effort to get up to speed.
- They handle twisty stuff as well.
- Really, really tight stuff is more diffcult on a 29er unless it is very steep in which case it is easier because you have more confidence.
- I don't feel I am going to go over the bars as much on a 29er as on a 26er.
- I feel more in the bike than on it hence not going over the bars as much (at all).
- It is a lot harder to manual / wheelie on a 29er because you are more in the middle than over the back / front.
It won't make you instantly loads faster than your mate but you may well enjoy the different ride. It does make a big difference if you are tall but I know some shorties who ride them too. It may however close the gap a little if you are a lot taller than your mate but there is no substitute for being short, light and fit when it comes to tight singletrack.
I have sold a Superlight a Cotic Simple and a Cotic Soul as part of this transition.
HTH.
Look at what tyre you and your mate are running...are yours dragging more?
Thanks for the replies all, gonna mull it over a while.