29er adoption resistance theory

29″ wheels make lifting the front end harder, so really depends what you want out of a bike. I personally would see no benefit going 29 only disadvantages.

I want to buy a 24″ to better my skills on a mountain bike.

Anyhow 29″ are heavier rims, tubes, tyres, rotational weight etc.

I’ve got a rigid 29er, although don’t score too highly on the STW niche-o-meter as its got gears.

It was eye-opening as to how much better to ride it was than my old 26″ bike.

Then the new-bike-itis wore off.

🙁

It is different, my 29er feels a bit taller, and does roll over some things better, but on a normal, reasonably mixed off-road ride I don’t think there’s that much difference. Maybe if you were riding a DH track repeatedly or on some very specific terrain you’d really have a preference. Like needing a fatbike for sand dunes or something.

Tyre pressure and how knackered you feel is probably more noticeable TBH.

I’d probably buy a 29er next time, mostly so I only have to have one lot of innertubes, but not because it’s loads better.

It is different, my 29er feels a bit taller

Strange, the bottom bracket is lower in relation to the hubs on almost all 29ers.

the whole rolling resistance thing seems to be widely misunderstood…

My take on it is that a larger wheel rolls better ‘over obstacles’ due to reduced angle of attack and relative size of wheel versus obstacle.

But I dont think there is less rolling resistance, if anything the opposite might be true. The longer contact patch of a larger wheel (at the same pressure) means more casing deformation than a smaller wheel (wider and shorter contact patch) and thus more rolling resistance than the smaller wheel.

The longer contact patch is also what gives the increased lateral grip as the contact patch is elongated, but not actually any bigger (pressure being equal remember).

Anyway, I’m still researching and thinking about the math at the moment…

In the real world it comes down to where you ride and over what, and the tyre you’re running as to which factor has the biggest influence.

Strange, the bottom bracket is lower in relation to the hubs on almost all 29ers.

Sorry, I meant the front end feels taller.

Which I appreciate I could remedy with some flat bars and a lower stem, so is entirely due to my laziness as opposed to some part of 29er v 26er geometry.

But rolling resistance is a function of carcass deformation; bigger carcass, less deformation.

Anyway, can anyone quantify the differences, or is this new bike effect?

But rolling resistance is a function of carcass deformation; bigger carcass, less deformation

But if you think about he deformation at the contact patch (which is where it counts in this case) is it still not more due to the extra length?

Think about the ’roundness’ of the wheel for want of a better term, at the same pressure, with tyres of the same width the contact patch of the 26er and the 29er are the same area, but the 26er is wider and the 29er longer, meaning the 29er wheel is ‘less round’

In rolling forwards the deformation of the carcass acts over the length of the contact patch, meaning the carcass has to deform less on the smaller wheel as it moves round the tyre as it rotates.

ie: you’re ‘flattening’ the wheel less on the 26er.

The difference may be so small than it is overcome by the other factors like the increased diameter. I just brought it up due to the ‘they roll better’ phrase always being used but people also complaining of 29er wheels feeling draggier at times.

on another note, funny how we’ve had people in this thread saying ’26ers will stay for places like trail centres’, but other people saying ’29ers are better at trail centres’ just goes to show it’s probably more about where and how *you* ride than the wheels you’re doing it on.

The theory seems all very well, but surely it comes down to testing? I demo-ed 6 bikes on the same trail, one after the other. The 26/29 split was 50/50 and were rode singletrack of differing degrees of steepness, the odd jump, some fast sections, and some rooty and some gnarly sections. For me one set stood out as being much better than the other – and isn’t that all that matters?

Larger wheels, in fact larger tyres on the same wheel have less RR than smaller ones. I think you are mistaken.

grum – Member

Interestingly, I think there’s still only one of the ’29er evangelists’ who has answered the question about 650b.
I don’t think you’ve heard any evangelising from me.

It does strike me as a little odd how you always pop up on these threads even though you have no intention of owning a 29er.
Or so you say. 😆

I think you’re protesting a little too much. 😉

Anyway, can anyone quantify the difference between 26 and 29ers?

can anyone quantify the difference

Yes it’s 3. 🙂

Larger wheels, in fact larger tyres on the same wheel have less RR than smaller ones. I think you are mistaken.

That exactly what I mean, going on the understanding that a larger tyre on the same wheel does have less RR, and a wider contact patch, and less carcass deformation than it’s smaller, longer patched cousin, how does that relate to the same size (width and height) tyre on a different diameter wheel?

Does the increased air volume mean that there is less deformation overall, or is it still mostly dominated by local deformation at the contact patch?

I may well be mistaken, hence the discussion, as I said it seems to be widely misunderstood as lots of people talking about about it without defining what they mean.

Anyway, can anyone quantify the differences, or is this new bike effect?

In my case, it was new bike syndrome.

Who here can wheelie a 29″ ?

on roughly the same theme then, Trials riders….

back in the good old days you had 20inch trial bikes and 26inch trials bikes.

Now a lot of people use 24 inch, especially for street, are they little wheelers migrating up, or big wheelers migrating down?

Do they get the same levels of scorn from both sides?

Well I can wheelie a road bike and a cross bike, but I suspect that opens a whole new can of worms.

I would genuinely be interested in a scientific appreciation of the change in wheel size and the effect that it has, and the real world effect if that is different.

So far people seem to be saying that 29ers are betterer but without any kind of back up, is there any?

Charlie posted up an interesting graph thing that showed the different angles that different sized wheels aproached square edge bumps at.

I too can wheelie most things.
It’s the sign of a misspent youth. 🙂

Charlie posted up an interesting graph thing that showed the different angles that different sized wheels aproached square edge bumps at.

Is that not intimately dependent on the size of said bumps?

Charlie posted up an interesting graph thing that showed the different angles that different sized wheels aproached square edge bumps at.

Sounds fascinating, does he do kids parties?

crikey.
Yes but it gives a good visualisation from wheel size to wheelsize.

No idea grim why not ask him.

Charlie posted up an interesting graph thing that showed the different angles that different sized wheels aproached square edge bumps at.

Sounds fascinating, does he do kids parties?

Doesn’t it,it would also make a nice picture for the lounge……… 8)

My opinion is based solely on:-
How I ride, where I ride, when I ride.

I’m old enough to know what works for me. 😉

it would also make a nice picture for the lounge

Christmas isn’t that far away.
Maybe ask for a copy in a nice hardwood frame as a present. 😉

i’ve not trawled through the plethora of replies as it’s time in my life I won’t get back, but, happy to be shot down in flames if this has already been suggested…..

Surely this whole post is a case of ‘any PR is good PR’ for the bike monger???? Is this an effort to keep a business in the public domain for free instead of paying a fee like the other businesses do as it’s quite clearly an attempt to publicise a business…..

for the record, I have a Genesis Race and pro 29er…..

I can’t wheelie for a Wethers Original me, but then why would I want to do that.

Bit daft wheelies.

Unless you a called Chorlton of course.

Then, we’ll then they’ll essential.

geordiemick00 – I think that’s a little unfair to CTBM. The mods won’t let business folk have a personal AND a business logon so any “thoughts” Charlie might have will always appear under his business logon.

A lot of folk like me will go riding a bit later and not give a thingy about the size of their wheels. Away from the keyboard and in the mud the only thing we wish we had were Nick Craigs legs.
When the time comes and I need a new bike and there are more 29ers on the market, then that’ll be the day I buy one (or the third one in my case) until now the 26″ job I have is doing just fine.

Unless any 29er makers want to offer a trade in?

Have my eye on a XTC Carbon 29er of the Dale Flash.

Singlespeed_Shep – Member
Interestingly, I think there’s still only one of the ’29er evangelists’ who has answered the question about 650b.
If the bikes looks nice I personally wouldn’t rule it out, but 29″ works for me, the XL frames look normal. so why go backwards.

How the hell is not riding something that feels wrong to you going backwards!!!! 🙄

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again… A 29r is NOT designed for riding proper technical stuff, sure u could probly do it but it would feel wrong compared to a 26r, and before anyone pipes up with videos of free riders riding 29rs, they are getting paid to advertise it!!! ! There is a wide variation of “mountain biking” from xc to dirt jumping all having different geometrys and sizes, and a 29r fits in the cyclecross categories!
Everyone can ride what they want, I’m fine with that, but what’s pissing me off is the fact that in years to come I’m going to be struggling to find bits for my 26r! All because people like **** niche!!

But 29er isn’t niche. In the fullness of time, the fact that so many folk were sold 26ers will seem a bit odd.

A 29r is NOT designed for riding proper technical stuff

Nor is a light weight race bike with 26″ wheels.
Maybe you could moan about those too. 🙂

But 29er isn’t niche. In the fullness of time, the fact that so many folk were sold 26ers will seem a bit odd.

Either that, or people will come to their senses, just like they did with URT 🙂

How the hell is not riding something that feels wrong to you going backwards!!!

WTF are you really retarded or trolling??

I have found something better and I don’t really want to go back to what wasn’t as good. I wouldn’t rule it out but am much happier with big wheels for how they ride, where I ride them and how they look.

And stop banging on about what 29er’s where designed for, The whole 26″ came across by chance. Not all 29ers are uber light race bikes same as 26ers

Either that, or people will come to their senses, just like they did with URT

what’s milk got to do with it?

A 29r is NOT designed for riding proper technical stuff, sure u could probably do it but it would feel wrong compared to a 26r

So, by your logic, all 26ers ride the same, be they xc hardtails or freeride bikes?

Have you ridden many 29ers? Anything from Canfield, Kona Honzo, 2Souls SlimJim?

I know 29er are not better, but there are different ones… 😉

I’m not sure I agree Pussywillow. I’ve ridden my 29er fs ‘trail’ bike on DH trails and through a reasonable set of dirt jumps that I normally ride on my 26er jump bike. These days there are nearly as many variations of 29er as there are 26ers. Don’t be fooled into thinking they’re all XC race machines.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again… A 29r is NOT designed for riding proper technical stuff

By technical riding, do you mean technical, natural terrain or technical as in booters and gaps?

I’d say a 29er is very good at natural technical from experience, i’d also say a 29er for booters and gaps is a bit rubbish for stylin and finesse and agree with you totally. But for getting average joe to leave the floor on the average trail centre bump, they’re more than adequate and their inherent stability would aid in composure in the air.

WTF are you really retarded or trolling??

Bit of both maybe but I’d lean towards trolling.

what about nice tight and very techy natural stuff?

So….
I’m asking in a spirit of enquiry, can anyone tell us the actual advantages of 29ers?