Anyone else stuck in the 26" and obsolete standards 'rut'?

I think we are just moving closer & closer to the automotive model of parts being specific to make, model & year, not too long you’ll need to go to shop and ask for a hub for a 2023 giant anthem

Forks are a pain.

I’ll probably just get a rigid carbon when the Reba finally wears out.

If I needed a new bike, a rigid 29’er appeals.
Surly Karate Monkey looks fun and pretty future proof.

Next pointless standard?
I’m going for flat mount MTB brakes.

I ditched a few older 26ers and bought a 2016 rigid 29er. Thing is apart from the wheel-size it’s all still old MTB standards. I’m hoping not to hit too many problems during my remaining time.

a pair of practically unused deemax ultimates, and a brand new pair of crossmax ST,
God knows how many partially used tyres, a box of least twenty unused inner tubes

And then I made the mistake of looking in the spare parts drawer:

Crossed post MR!

What did you end up with?

Still all 26″ here and I’ve been trying to by a new bike for a few years now but every year I seem to spend the bike-fund on biking trips abroad 🙂

Oh the shame as everyone points and giggles at my wheenie-wheeled bike being loaded on the helibiking cradle!

I’m happy with my bike.
I’d only replace it if it got stolen.

Love to try an old full susser, something like a Prophet or 5, but the fork thing puts me off.

But if I ‘invested’ in the secondhand Soda I’ve always fancied, a rigid fork means it should be useable for years.
Obsolete or not.
🙂

teethgrinder – Member 
You need to try to find some of the last-gen Solo Air Lyriks with a straight steerer and add a Charger Damper.

Or leave it with the damper it has, which I prefer (if it’s the Mission Control). Charger is nice in my Pikes but I feel it’s a downgrade on a Lyrik. Less controls and not so plush.

Anyway, some straight steerer frames can still take tapered I believe depending on the head tube or using some adapters (might raise the height of the front I guess).

Other than that, I’m in a mix between 26 and 27.5 at the moment between a few bikes, but still mostly 26 and not intending to replace them. They’re nice bikes.

I’ve even just bought new 26 wheels. It’s getting hard to do now, especially new and anything other than Hope laced to Stans rims (neither of which I wanted).

Sadly justridingalong have dropped custom builds of anything but their own brand and Industry Nine, so that’s one respected online custom builder who did 26 gone. Just tried Ptcycles though and good selection of 26 still, and wheels turned up quickly, all look good.

Prophet or 5, but the fork thing puts me off

Prophet has a 1.5″ headtube so you can use 1 1/8″ straight, tapered or 1.5 straight steerer forks.

Thanks!

I might keep a look out for one.
They always looked like a really well thought out, fun, well balanced bike.

With wheels, just learn to build yourself. I picked up a new (but older model) 135 rear XT hub and qr for £45 not so long ago. Plenty of choice of 26 rims on CRC from Spank, WTB, Stans etc.

If anybody needs a pair of 15mm front, 142 rear wheels I have a used once set of XT’s in 26″

I could furnish you with a modern 26″ Commencal Hip Hop. Slack tapered etc.
;0)

I went 29 FS last year as I’d broken my 26 carbon FS and couldn’t find a decent replacement (in large/XL). Still got my 26 HT (456Ti) but rode it the other week and tbh it’s not a patch on the 29 FS on local trails.

Got two pairs of late model Revs in straight-steerer, so the HT is fine and a tapered Pike which no doubt I’ll be selling.

Both my mtb’s are 26 hardtail.
One feeds the other, spares wise and I have a couple of pairs of forks for the good one. The other is a slop bike ,and when all the forks dry up they’ll go rigid. Most my riding these days is darn sarf and suspension forks aren’t really necessary. I even have a 3×9 as its so cheap!
Tbh if I needed a full suss I’d change to 27.5, but there’s more chance of my next bike being another cx gnarpoon.
Btw Hello br.
🙂

clubby – Member 
With wheels, just learn to build yourself.

Yeah, I’m thinking that’s the way to go. One of the last things on a bike I can’t do myself anyway.

It’s still a bit voodoo magic to me though.

I’m slightly in this boat – 26″ bike with a pretty old school set of angles etc

Blew the fork damper last summer and was genuinely wondering if that was enough to make me buy a new whole bike, rather than throwing cash at an “obsolete” bike

The on-one selloff of SRAM spares may have saved me there, though it’ll be another month before I have the free time to see if my new £12 unit fits

However, if a manufacturer made a decent FS frame with swappable droputs that’d allow different hub spacings and wheel diameters I’d quite likely bite anyway. Nice oversized head tube with offset reducers to allow varying reach or head angle would be another incentive to do so

My 26″ stuff wouldn’t go to waste in the end either – 3 ladies in my family who don’t ride much but all have 26″ bikes

Oh, and wheelbuilding ? Piece of piss if you follow instructions. Genuinely easy IMO

Building your own wheels is brill. I built a set of wheels up with wide 26″ rims last year and did a couple of races on them and didn’t die- very satisfying! I need to re-do the rear because the hub can’t be converted to 142×12 and I want to try some of those WTB 26 plus tyres on the Flare.

It’s interesting reading this thread, I don’t seem to be the only one mulling a rigid 29er over at some point in the not too distant future…

I was eyeing up the 2017 Longitude on fresh goods Friday; QR/euro-BB/straight steerer (B+ or 29), all seems good to me and framesets seem to be around the £400 mark online…

26 ain’t dead yet, but I reckon a fair number of the 26ers still in service have probably got a DNR against them now… And 29er marked as a potential replacement…

130mm roadie dropouts anyone? Think of the heal clearance!

Does the new Hope bike use something like this?

I’d have to go 140mm 26″ fork in a Flare, which would drop BB more than yours kayla, but then I’d only run 130mm in 650b mode I think……

Exactly what my other half intends to do. Should be fine. 140mm 26″ forks in a Flare that is.

and I want to try some of those WTB 26 plus tyres on the Flare.

I think the WTB 26+ are too big to fit the Flare (and most 650b frames).

Forks are a pain

You can still get new Pikes, 36s and Lyriks in 26″
And plenty of budget options if you don’t want great forks.
You can even get straight steerer if you look hard enough.

There’s an argument to be made that Boost isn’t actually necessary for plus tyres either…

I think, just like front axles going from 20×110 to 15×100, we just have to accept it is happening, and ignore whether it actually needs to happen.

kelvin – Member 
You can still get new Pikes, 36s and Lyriks in 26″

New Lyriks are 650b and 29er only.

However you can get the charger damper to retrofit an old 26 Lyrik, and you can probably still find plenty places selling the old version.

Out of interest, or probably not, old 26 Lyriks with the 20mm axle turns out to be boost width (110mm). I hadn’t realised that despite owning one.

Crossed post MR!

What did you end up with?

Took a look at a Longitude then ended up with a Vagabond. Still have a 26er utility bike (Dutch) but it’s a essentially a heavy Nexus-equipped Dutch bike and so far maintenance-free (except for a drop of oil) bike so parts not a problem as yet.

You can buy 26″ Lyriks “new”, but they aren’t the latest version, true enough.

I think, just like front axles going from 20×110 to 15×100, we just have to accept it is happening, and ignore whether it actually needs to happen.

I accept it’s happening (already basically happened hasn’t it) but I reserve the right to bitch and moan about the need for it for a while yet 😉

TBH if ever there was a case to resuscitate single crown, USD, 20×110 axled forks it’s to accommodate B+/29/29+ tyres…

Both my bikes are 26″ – HT and FS.
Both capable of taking tapered steerer forks too.
There’d be no problem with running 650b forks if you can’t get 26.
I think tyres are going to be the problem further down the line.

Bit the bullet and bought a 2017 Banshee Spitfire frame 😀
Thoroughly recommend the frame and Pedals in Bruntsfield, Edinburgh

The only issue is straight steerers. You can put a 650 fork on and run 26″ wheels (I do this on my Zesty) but getting straight steerer forks is getting tricky. Considering the steerer is just interference push fit into the crown of the fork, then getting a “straight” adapter turned up for a tapered fork ought not to be impossible (obs you will loose a bit of the stiffness of the taper type design)

Good call on the Spitfire.
Modern geometry & standards, but still great with 26 inch wheels.

Pointless post… Deleted

@maxtorque not sure what you mean?

I’ve got a 26″ 2011 5. Still by far a better bike than I’ll ever be a rider (I’m well overbiked on it)
3 x 10 on it too. I’m not very good at fashion either.

Yes and still loving it 8)

As above I have an Orange Five 3×10 26er with a straight steerer and its pretty good not amazing but pretty good ,it was built up and finding the right bits was pretty easy although getting a straight steerer fork is getting increasingly harder.

2014 Blur Tr bought second hand from the classifieds for £600 last year. 140mm x fusion slant up front and a set of Chris King/Mavic wheels I picked up for £250 a few years ago. An equivalent bike today would cost far more than I would be willing to pay. I reckon there’ll be enough 26 kit knocking about fir the next few years to keep me going.

Just replaced my Kona Heihei with a Trek superfly, £275 for wheels and frame s/h, and about the same on bloody adapters and widgets to make stuff fit.

My god that Heihei frame is light though. If anyone wants an incredibly light short travel FS 26 race frame and forks, let me know.

I’m all in on 26″, I have 3…the jump bike/4x bike is the only one with a straight steerer but also worth very little so not worth selling, also 26″ is best for that type of bike IMO.

I bought them my other two bikes (2013 models) for a great price in 2014 just as 27.5 was starting to take off.

I love them and have no concerns, you’ll be able to get 26″ rims for some time, maybe not the latest and greatest (although I see Stans have included 26″ in their new line up) but as for forks you can just run 27.5 forks just increases their A2C by 10mm.

If I wanted to go out and replace my to trail bikes (Ti HT & FS) to an equivalent spec brand new I reckon I’d be looking at about £8-£9k…how much better would they be…negligible!

Saying all that my mates ride 27.5 but I’m quicker so I have to wait for them anyway

Molgrips – I am interested – gies a message on facebook old chap

Did anyone go to see the Howard street dual in Sheffield city centre the other week?
The bike that was ridden to 4th place and was narrowly beaten in the small final by peaty had:
26″ wheels
Straight steerer in a straight head tube
27.2 seat tube
135 qr back end

So I reckon that sort of bike will do for me.
Just had the bearings in my blur 4x changed. Frame bought secondhand 3 years ago. Cost peanuts. If I’d bought a current frame at the time it would be out of date now anyway as everything seems to be boost now. No point trying to keep up.