My 5’6″ wife can ride it if I put a 60mm stem on it as well and it doesn’t look forced or silly either, quite normal in fact.
Well I ride an Orange 5 so obviously don’t care in the least what my bike & I look like, so, does a 29er ride better than a 26er? Cos thats all I’m bothered about.

yes…here in the states they are practically forcing people who can’t afford/don’t want full sus to but one…prob why I frequent this forum more than others…you guys seem more sane (when it comes to wheel size anyway 😛 )

bikeryder85, I think something was lost in translation there buddy. Either that or your’e more pi$$ed than me.
I think it was a yes cos you said ‘yes’ at the start. But why/how?

I think he is saying yes to the question posed in the thread title rather your question.

esselgrunt: what matt said…sorry for the confusion. 😳

Ahh, ok thanks.
Anyway I’m bored with the 29″ fashion as well.

Well I ride an Orange 5 so obviously don’t care in the least what my bike & I look like, so, does a 29er ride better than a 26er? Cos thats all I’m bothered about.

Don’t deviate what I’m saying, it wasn’t even to you, someone gave the old adage that they’re for tall people only.

I have an Orange Five too, I also think it’s the best 140mm 26er on the market, so you can deduce what you will from that as to where I lie on form vs function. That said, I don’t think 29ers are all hype and love them to the point where I can imagine not riding 26ers and I’m even eying up a Five 29er, a Niner WFO or a Trek Roscoe (if it ever comes out) as I’ve got a feeling they’ll be good in longer travel too.

I can’t tell if I’ve bitten or not now.

Aren’t Fives great too 8)

5’s are awesome Gary, but I’m still waiting for someone (anyone!)to tell me why 29″ wheels are better than 26″ for an all round rider like me (who’s just a shade under 5’5″ BTW)

Go on then, a bit of explaination of my stance

Main reason I like 29ers is tbh mainly vanity. At 6’4″ and with a substantial build I have always made 26″ wheeled bikes look a bit silly beneath me. I think that large framed 26ers look a bit crap so have often bought a frame that is actually a bit small for me “so it is chuckable”. Hence they don’t work terribly well for pedalling about.

I built a 29er last year as a bit of an experiment and had a revelation. I could actually have a bike that not only fitted properly but also looked in proportion and not at all gawky. When I rode it and realised that I could go up and across much faster than on my too small 26ers and I wasn’t actually that much slower at all down hill on it I decided I liked it.

So, main thing is I can actually have a bike that fits that doesn’t look stupid.

Just watched the BR ‘rough terrain’ vid and could scarcely believe what I was hearing…..is it a wind-up?

Saying all of that, they are just bikes and some are good and some are not so good. Just the same as with 26ers. I don’t understand the need for people to have to fall into one camp or another.

Just watched the BR ‘rough terrain’ vid and could scarcely believe what I was hearing…..is it a wind-up?

I thought the same, that second video is absolutely absurd.

In videos like the Charge 29er one I thought the bike looked a bit awkward to move around with its big wheels. The Josh Bender one proves the wheels don’t explode though, so there’s that.

Wahaaa ha ha , just watched the Bikeradar video. That has to be a joke surely. Im no riding god but the part where he maintains It would be unrideable to climb the wee hill on a standard 26″ bike has to be a wind up.

Just watched the BR ‘rough terrain’ vid and could scarcely believe what I was hearing…..is it a wind-up?

>I thought the same, that second video is absolutely absurd.

It’s 1st March right, not April? Shocking videos aren’t they. A few classics:

“The 29er whistled up there, it would’ve been nigh on impossible on a 26er because you can’t control the torque forces over the rear tyre”

“The fact is you are going faster [on the 29er], it just doesn’t feel quite as fast.”

“A 26in bike feels fast but it’s a visceral speed that you’re sensing”

“The 29er whistled up there, it would’ve been nigh on impossible on a 26er because you can’t control the torque forces over the rear tyre”

Made me laugh for sure

I just watched that vid. What are they smoking?

I’m sure I’ve seen Doddy wearing a “PowerBalance Band” in MBUK. Nuff said innit! I only bought it for the hat.

29″ wheels have their place, as do 26″…. 24″ and 20″. Diversity is healthy.

I’m a big advocate of the 69er. I know it’s the half chips, half rice of the bike world but it works very well. It’s all about the right tool for the job and having fun.

Have both. love both – even in similar riding conditions.

Wasn’t to concerned about the hype until those dreadful BR videos. Makes me want to sell the 29er… Total sponsor/marketing bollocks. I hope they’re embarrassed by their total backflip and toadying grovelling!

“29” wheels have their place, as do 26″…. 24″ and 20″. Diversity is healthy.”

People use bikes in different ways, for different things

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fk44jSt0xv0

LOLing at those videos on BR.

Just goes to show BR can talk shite about any subject.

I think they’re trying to over compensate for their previous haterz stance there.

I’m sure the 5 speed raleigh racer that I put cowhorns and tracker tyres on when I was 14 had big wheels….am I a pioneer?

5’s are awesome Gary, but I’m still waiting for someone (anyone!)to tell me why 29″ wheels are better than 26″ for an all round rider like me (who’s just a shade under 5’5″ BTW)

Personally, I actually find them more fun and I seem to be going faster too, but then I have been training a lot of the winter for a WC2C attempt – so who knows!

But definitely more fun on all trails IMO but that could just be me

yes…here in the states they are practically forcing people who can’t afford/don’t want full sus to but one.

Really?

But definitely more fun on all trails IMO but that could just be me

It’s always the rider. The good stuff happens between your ears, not between your legs, sort of.

As for the rest of it, 29ers, ideal for N+1ers: new bike to buy. Ideal for the industry, new frame, new wheels, hell you might as well just buy a complete bike. Ideal for journos: ‘a seismic shift in riding technology, 29″ wheels will transform your life. Simply by switching to big wheels I left my usual riding buddies trailing in my wake. I was simply faster, smoother, better, more attactive, everywhere’.

I’m sure they’re very good. I’m equally sure that just as I used to enjoy riding a rigid steel Bear Valley just as much as I enjoy riding a full sus on the same trails, buying a 29er isn’t going to bring about a seismic shift in my riding enjoyment.

Bored of the hype? White noise. 😉

It’s 1st March right, not April? Shocking videos aren’t they.

Haven’t had such a good laugh in ages 😆

And all “In association with Specialized” Who’da thunk it?? 😀

I was bored of the 29er hype until I saw those videos, they’re hilarious. More please!

I was bored of the 29er hype until I saw those videos, they’re hilarious. More please!

OMG the first thing in the world that I agree with Grumpy about 😯

love my 29er s/speed just got to get the fat front tyre and im like a sheep 😀

I’ve been riding 29ers for 4 years now.
My bikes are not 29ers they are just my bikes.
The 29er hype happened in the US and Aus 4 – 5 years ago and things have settled down now.
I’m bored of the 29er shit around here particularly the “what {blank} for my 29er?” threads.
They are only slightly less irritating than the “what tyre for whatever” threads.

There is no “better” – ride what you enjoy and enjoy what you ride 😀

hugor – Member
I’ve been riding 29ers for 4 years now.
My bikes are not 29ers they are just my bikes.
The 29er hype happened in the US and Aus 4 – 5 years ago and things have settled down now.
I’m bored of the 29er shit around here particularly the “what {blank} for my 29er?” threads.
They are only slightly less irritating than the “what tyre for whatever” threads.

What tyre for my 29er?

I was bored of the 29er hype until I saw those videos, they’re hilarious. More please!

To be fair i’d never seen any 29er hype when i first saw a 29er and actualy tried it out and formed my own opinion. But you are right about the BR BS videos. Still what more could we expect from a specialized/BR colaberation. The same old marketing shite but instead of more travel BS it’s less travel BS.

It’s a bit like going back to when it all started and we had the suspension is shit, no suspension is great and disc brakes are shit, no disc brakes are great arguments.

All a bit of a waste of time for people that just get out and ride, try different stuff and go with what they like.

What 29er for my tyre?

What about the 27.5 has anyone mentioned that? 😀

What a load of arse! Yes, makes me ashamed of my 29er 🙁

I don’t know. not ridden one, so in no position to have an opinion…

Just buy the biggest wheel version

if your not happy put the 27.724567 inch wheels in

If your still not happy put the 26 inch wheels in

Some people will never be happy

The only reason I’ve not tried a 29er properly yet is because I can’t afford to like them at the moment.

I remember the mags expressing the same level of excitement and claiming the same improvements to riding when the Flex Stem was first marketed.

I’m sick of pointless threads like this. 😉