[Closed] 29ers. Are they faster?

Depends what speed you're doing.

yes.

no.

it depends.

Think a lot depends on how fast you peggul it.....

Peggul?

Peggul?!!!!
😐 😯

Definately sometimes,but other times not.Maybe.Depends who you believe.
I peggul aswll.

Ok then pedal is that better ?It's what my kids used to say when they were 'ickle(I know ! )...
Jeezzz 🙄

If you're freewheeling downhill they seem to roll faster.

If you're actively pedalling then it depends on the engine.

A very experienced (road & mtb) 29er cynic friend of mine took a demo Giant 29er out for a couple of rides. He was V impressed and believes that, over the duration of a mixed ride, it is quicker. If he raced XC he'd have one without hesitation. He is waiting for a certain Giant FS 29er later in the year.

Yes, unless I'm pegguling it, everything goes slower when I'm the pilot

Of course 29ers are faster. As are bikes with steep seat angles. With spds.

All race winners are riding these bikes.

"Someone's mate" "believes" they are faster. What more proof could you need?

Don't forget just how important tyres are in the equation here. My 29er with kenda nevegals on is like a tractor, those tyres are sloooooooow on anything hard and smooth. As a result it's not quick on hardpack or Tarmac, but over roots and rocks it copes better than my 26" wheeled hardtail does for sure.

29ers definitely maintain any momentum more easily though, that much is clearly obvious when you've ridden one for any period of time.

I would say they have better traction. I have a really old granddad 29er bike here in Sweden for going around town and when there was loads of snow I was amazed at what I could ride up. There was a video on U tube of someone riding a huge wheeled bike up steps that was pretty cool. They do seem to lack a bit of acceleration though.

Here's a couple of links to comparisons.

Nothing scientific but may be interesting nonetheless.

[url= http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=323869 ]WMB 29 v 26 article[/url]

[url= http://www.steve-z.com/2007/06/22/trail-tested-26-vs-29er-mountain-bike-comparison-which-is-better/ ]29 v 26 single speed comparison[/url]

My 29ers are faster.

But then i am a trailgod.

M boy, nevegals on one of my 29ers. It must be the engine on your model that coughs and splutters. Mine seems to roll along quite nicely 😉

well if we take things away from cycling altogether and look at the size of wheels on a mini and the size of wheels on an aston martin (which are biggerer) then its pretty clear bigger wheels are faster.

HTH

So buses are even faster than astons then?

yes and tractors are like reverse 69ers

fontmoss - Member
yes and tractors are like reverse 69ers

PMSL, this thread is brilliant.

GEDA where does your forum name come from? 😯

nicher+fasterer because the marking man said so - simples

29ers look a bit wrong though (most importantly).

mudmonster - Member

29ers look a bit wrong though (most importantly).

[IMG] [/IMG]

Looks fine and dandy to me.

If you can hold your speed,with not too many tight turns & as long as you don't have to keep sprinting to get up to speed again,then they probably are.But if it's tight & twisty,then no...

emac - you have a 29er?

Yes,ride with blokes who have them too & when I'm on a 26" wheel I'm quicker through the turns etc.Oh & I'm pretty anal about things so have timed myself on loops with a GPS/heart rate etc etc etc .... 8)

I have both - and neither is faster than the other. I can go just as fast on each.

26er is better on the twisty stuff though.

29ers look a bit wrong though (most importantly).

Not once you're used to them. Now my iddy-biddy 26" wheels just look silly.

I'll have to do another test tomorrow. In the interests of science.

29 dont seem to be as fast on twisty single track where you need to accelerate they spin up slower.

luked2, as you say it certainly feels faster and thats good enough for me. i have no doubt i'm faster on a 29er anywhere.

I can tell you on my road training rides, with both the 29er and the Turner Flux mtn bikes shod with RRalf tyres, the 29er is almost 1.5mph faster on each ride.

i should add that only ride in straight lines 🙂

A. No. If they were, more professional racers would be using them in competition.
Simples.

29 are faster on the on the road? Hmm I spend my time off road where I expect my gear to preform. A larger wheel would be faster on the road.

You should tell the triathletes that!

Many semi-professionals are using 29ers, to great effect. Just look at the professional mtn biking scene in the UK - it's almost zilch, even Matt Page has a day job.

The road riding example above: extrapolate that and you have some more information so don't be so blinkered, it's 2010 and 29ers are winning all over the country in all manner of races from my local High Wycombe race meet to the Kielder 100. If you race or compete in events, be it Mayhem or your local club events, you’ll see, year on year, more riders commuting across to 29ers, and that’s simple fact.

Out and out speed is really only a small part of the bike riding experience and equation, but since the OP asked specifically about the speed of 29ers, I've confined my comments to just that. Unless you suck-and-see for yourself, you’ll forever be relying upon 2nd hand snippets of information and anecdotes, not the most informed way forward.

Last w/end was the UK solo 24hr mtn bike championships. My two fastest laps were on my 29er. I then had a rear wheel bearing issue so rode the Turner Flux for the remained of the 24hrs. This took in the Red & Blue routes at Newcastleton, so my personal advice would be to ignore the uninformed riders who pedal the line that 29ers are slow in the single track as they're talking from little or no personal experience; take your lead from those who have made the leap and actually own both 29 & 26ers.

But who cares if they're faster on the road 🙄

Does it matter unless your racing?

Luckily for me at 5'5" I'll never have to face this dilemma .

I know a couple of people around that height who ride them & rate them.....

Again, you're failing to answer the question: are 29ers quicker?
Yes, on the road I can tell you they are and then exprapolate this off road, it's not rocket science!

As for if this matters? Strewth, I'm answering the question, not debating if you wish to be slow off road if you don't race Dave2. And here we go again with that ignorant line about height.... Just answer the question, if you have any information worth adding! 💡

(leaves to go for a ride)

But who cares if they're faster on the road

+1

Tried em. Being slightly shorter in the 'ahem' leg department I find 29 make the stand over height an issue for me and I am not exactly small. 5'8" btw 30" inside leg - just short legged for my height LOL I felt it gave me a higher center of gravity as well.

I dont dispute your figures. But horses for courses they aren't the panacea for everyone.

yours Quasimodo bear

The WMB articles are pretty unscientific and while they didn't draw much in the way of conclusions they did draw a key one for me - that 29ers were less fun (and probably slower) on the singletrack. No amount of extra speed on climbs and tarmac is going to make up for that for me, plus at 5'9" I'm not tall enough for them anyway (especially as small 29ers look awful).

Yes, on the road I can tell you they are and then exprapolate this off road, it's not rocket science!

That's not very scientific. Road bikes are faster on-road than mountain bikes, but does that make them faster off-road too?

Ti29er - Member
Again, you're failing to answer the question: are 29ers quicker?
Yes, on the road I can tell you they are and then exprapolate this off road, it's not rocket science!

As for if this matters? Strewth, I'm answering the question, not debating if you wish to be slow off road if you don't race Dave2. And here we go again with that ignorant line about height.... Just answer the question, if you have any information worth adding!

(leaves to go for a ride)

All I'm saying is they are only faster on certain terrain(as I've already said in my earlier post)...

emac63 - you got one have you?

😉

very fast on open bridleways but unless your 6ft 4 plus the whole idea falls apart on techy singletrack .it feels like your fighting the god damm thing.

Does anyone realy care if they're faster or not though.

The thread started off so well then fell apart when the man on a mission to conver the world to 29ers joined in. 🙄 😉

BUT:
Could a fairly compotent technical rider (eg, mid-pack senior/master DH racer) hustle a 29er down techy trail centre singletrack at a respectable pace? As in, not holding up all the middle management types on their Lapierre Spicys with Giro Switchblade helmets?

You know the sort I mean, it's not meant to be offensive or derogitory.

What like this you mean?

[url]

😉

Bikes are bikes - ride and enjoy! (obviously 29ers will give you more enjoyment though! 😆 )

Did no one see Willow Koeber at Dalby, 5' and a bit on a 29er?

While I realise that for the Pro's its very important to be riding whatever it is that your sponsor has to sell, but they wouldn't handicap themselves too much - as 'win on a Sunday, sell on a Monday'.

To an unscientific mind it feels that a 29er should roll better than a 26er, especially across 'broken' ground due to its shallower circumference. Whether this makes up for the increase 'force' exerted due to having weight further from the axle, I don't know.

Oh sorry, this is STW and we don't believe that weight makes any difference, do we 😉

Nice try Stu, and despite the good work, that's not really what I mean.

I had the tighter, techy, wooded, scrape-yer-elbows type of thing in mind. Can a 29er be pushed hard enough here that it doesn't negate the fast/open/pedally advantages?

I had the tighter, techy, wooded, scrape-yer-elbows type of thing in mind.

Thought you said trail center type riding. 😉

Can a 29er be pushed hard enough here that it doesn't negate the fast/open/pedally advantages?

Lets face it 95% of it's the rider not what bike they're on.

That's what i was hoping for... I might have to bite the bullet and find a Giant XTC 29er 1.

Next question: Can I justify a 29er as well as a Cyclocross bike? Will the TCX have to go...?

What has justification got to do with anything.

It's just an excuse to buy another bike. 8)

Is this now a "Oh Oh look at me I'm a race COCK" forum then. Some people need to get a #ucking life. Used to be good place this but the good guys are getting drowned out. 29 26 69 49 whatever its about the people not the techno shite. Yours the village idiot 8)

I take it you've not been here long then stumpynya12? It's always been like this - just these days it's the 29er fanbhoys where as it used to be singlespeeders trying to persuade the world that their way was the one true way.

And some of us ride singlespeed 29ers, geared 29ers, cross bikes, tandems and 26er freemince bikes but couldn't give a **** if anyone else does or not. 8)

A good few years and try my best to be nice but its hard, real hard. Old skool single speeders from way back when just ride their bikes and go out to have "simple fun" you know like being a kid again. They will ride with everybody and whatever they chose to ride, its all mtb'in for the fun of it.Sorry it must be I'm justing get to old or less tolerant ?

How well do they take square edged hits? ;0)

Surely Penny Farthing's are even faster with the super size front wheels.

Compared to an identical 26" equivalent a 29'er will be heavier, slower to accelerate, more flexible and have a higher centre of gravity. So of course they will be faster. 😉

By the way I really like 29'rs.

[i]have a higher centre of gravity[/i]

Doesn't this depend more on where the BB is in relation to the axles?

And on a 29er its probably lower, isn't it?

They will ride with everybody and whatever they chose to ride, its all mtb'in for the fun of it

At what point on this thread did anyone say anything to the contrary?

chalkstorm - Member
emac63 - you got one have you?

Porkstorm - Did have one until this morning where upon I gave it away as I found it too wide for the close together trees on the Monkey trail...... 8)

[b] I gave it away as I found it too wide for the close together trees on the Monkey trail......[/b]

lol

joe@brookscycles - Member
That's what i was hoping for... I might have to bite the bullet and find a Giant XTC 29er 1.

good luck with that, they sold out ages ago, as did
most of the fishers, the konas - I got a scandal pro xt in the end and very pleased so far

Well, did a different loop this morning. The best time I've managed on the 26" bike was just over 2 hours, on a day that was cool, dry and generally very fast (last year). Usually though it takes between 2h15 and 3h.

This morning the trails were a bit sticky from yesterday's rain, the grass/brambles/nettles were quite long and there was a reasonable breeze later on. Did it in just under 2 hours.

So I guess for some things, a 29er is quite a lot faster.

Set2Rise, lots and lots of techy singletrack.
Now, if I go uphill at the sort of speed you would expect for a 100kg fat beardy bloke on a 29er, and I do, yet I can finish 10th solo male, I must be making up time somewhere. 😉

That's not very scientific. Road bikes are faster on-road than mountain bikes, but does that make them faster off-road too?

If, in riding on the road, the 29er is always 1.5mph (or thereabouts) faster than the 26er, again ridden on the road, on the same route each time, with the same RRalf tyres (as stated in the previous post) then just how scientific does it need to be?! It’s simply a faster bike.

The OP asked a simple enough question, after all, & so all we're doing is taking the time to answer with real-world answers, it's no more complex than that. If, on the back of such anecdotes, people still don't really appreciate that there might be a speed difference, or simply accept the perceived wisdom circa >2008 (originally concluded by some of the bike magazines who are even now notoriously unsure of the whole 29er thang) then no amount of column inches are going to sway the way some people think.

TBH, there’s only one sure-fire way to find out for oneself if, on the trails you enjoy, a 29er would be quicker and that’s to get hold of one; unless you’re happy being told what to think and act, that is; it seems to me that enough riders & virtually every mainstream and independent manufacturer has voted with their design & production & also wallets for to me to conclude that there’s something in this big-wheeler evolution.

only place i've struggled to keep up with others on my 29er is pie run (or is it the mushroom one) at GT - fast and twisty through trees.

everywhere else its been perfect.

Is it just me that falls asleep halfway through Ti29ers posts.

Keep up the good work putting folks off even trying them. 😉

Get my 29er frame on tuesday, building up as SS, sold all my geary stuff now as I find contentment riding where I do on 1 gear.
Looking forward to 29er, going into it with a very open mind.

Is it just me that falls asleep halfway through Ti29ers posts.

As i am open minded I went out to ride in Dalby today on a 26" SS. I tried to find 29" SS riders ? I meet none !! Shit they must be so fast I couldn't catch one 8) Yours the village idiot.

I passed 100's(well a fair few anyway) of 26" wheeled bikes on my rigid SS 29er on the new trail at Cannock Saturday.As I ripped by them several of them said "golly I wish I had a 29er so I could ride that fast,he must be going 1.5mph faster than me"...... 8)

After todays ride i have to say that crossbikes are [b]shitloads[/b]** faster.* 😀

*but batter you to death. 😐

**at least 1.75mph

Yer but, no but, yer but I never saw any and I was out for 6 hrs and I was going 1.3 miles pr hour faster than last time I was out. Mr Wonka has informed me I am to small at 5'6" to ride a 29er anyway so I will stick with my slow 26er. While I'm on here is it correct to assume all single speed riders are gods sent down to earth ? yours the village idiot.

[url= http://fisherbikes.com/news/article/a_29er_leads_the_world_cup_for_the_first_time_ever_ ]5ft 2 rider on a 29er leads the World Championships.[/url]

Once a Village idiot, always a village idiot I guess & I wonder if SSStu (as always, the negative man on STW) manages his ADHAD to cope with this post?!

Anyhow, the OP asked if 29ers are quicker, so bringing the post back-on-track....

“We’re really excited about Willow’s accomplishments, and stoked that she’s proving the advantages of 29ers on the global circuit,” Remarked Travis Ott, Global Brand Manager at Fisher Bikes. “This successfully debunks any skepticism that 29ers are not suited for World Cup level racing. It also should clear up any confusion that 29ers are only for tall riders.”

Not particularly saying he's wrong but...

Global Brand Manager at Fisher Bikes