It might just be my imagination but people seem to treat wheelsize in a different way to other standards and I’m not sure why. I think my approach to it is pretty much the same. I’ll upgrade my bike/frame when there is something new that I want and that I can’t fit to my existing bike. When I do it will naturally have whatever the popular standards are at the time.

So, I recently “upgraded” to a set of Pikes as I thought they felt better than what I had. If my frame had a straight steerer I might have used that as an excuse for a new bike/frame, but it didn’t. I fitted a reverb as I preferred it to my old gravity dropper. If my frame had a 27.2 seat tube I might have used that as an excuse for a new bike/frame, but it didn’t.

I’ve ridden the 650B version of my bike (Five) and to me it just felt like a slightly heavier slightly less fun version of the same bike. So, I doubt I’d upgrade just to get bigger wheels as they don’t seem to offer anything I want. But when I do upgrade (because something comes along that I do want) I dare say the new bike will have whatever the fashionable wheelsize is at the time, in much the same way that it will use whatever hub, headset, brake etc standard is in vogue.

I go past guys on racing bikes on my 26 incher so they can’t be all that bad

If you are on a road bike and a MTBer passes you you are a bad [ if not terrible] rider*.

they must be less manoeuvrable on tight turns?

Still brings the trail alive

* if true they may have been in zone 2 building base miles but more likely they were cycling home form work

The difference from 26 to 29 is large, but not so much to 650B – maybe some grip increase.

However the difference to 650B bikes can be a lot more as more modern bikes have slacker HA, shorter stems, wider bars, different geo, etc.

I rode a 650B flux and the difference to my 26 flux with 120mm forks (so slacker), wide bars and shorter stem just was very small, and certainly not worth the financial cost of changing.

So the manufacturers produced a wheel size that was the next new thing after 29er,650b or what ever you wish to call it .. the devil reincarnated with such hate from 26″ owners… scorn poured up on it urghh I will never buy one & all that palarver, I sold a 5 month old snappierre Zesty 914 2013 because of continual crack issues & having had enough of it & the timing was right as SC launched the Bronson, I swiftly imported one late 2013 saved a lot of hard earned pennies & from many people I had very negative comments, it’ll never replace 26, what’s the point, hardly any difference in tyre size blah blah I could go on, well if you’ve ridden a 650b bike long enough to understand it then the benefits are real, yes there are still some cracking 26″ bikes out there but sadly the value of them is plummeting, & I have to say we are victim to market forces & manufacturers but it’s here to stay so either embrace it try & get a fair price soon or get really pissed of at getting nowt for your 26′ bike. And I thought the wheel debate call it what you may had been done to death on here.

I’ll look forward to the scornfull replies & no doubt how shite Bronson’s are.

I have a 26″ for the techie, tight, fun stuff and a 29er for the fast long open stuff. If I had to compromise and could only afford one bike, maybe I would just have a 27.5 as a jack of all trades 🙂

Truth is, if I could afford one I would have a 27.5 if my stable too 😉

I kept my 26″ 2010 Zesty,

Me too, love my 514.

Not enough peeps buying second hand 26er stuff. I haven’t had any decent nibbles on my lush SS 26 frame and took a load of tyres to our cycle jumble, then brought them home…………

Sticking with 26″ for the foreseeable future so that I can blame the bike wheel size and not my lack of skills. Cant see me getting any more enjoyment by changing.

Just for the record. My post was not anti progress, or larger wheel size in any way. More just a case of, just because they aren’t new, doesn’t mean that 26 has failed to be viable for a great many folk, who can I’ll a fford to feel that their 26er is no longer justifiable. The ‘ sport’ nor the industry can afford to alienate those who, in due course, will be able to invest in mountain biking, but who could easily feel ‘ hyped’ out of it right now.
I don’t care really who I’m quicker than, or who’s better than me, it’s all about the ride.
My new bike is going to be 27.5.
Furthermore, if I was an XC racer , almost certainly 29 is what I’d be looking at.

Are people still riding 26″ Who buys that sort of tripe?!

I’m guessing those who either

1. Buy used as on a tight budget and 26er used bikes are often the biggest bang for buck.
2. Have a parts/tyres bin that suits 26″
3. Prefer 26ers for any number of physical/size-related reasons
4. Don’t give a hoot about wheel size and just ride.
5. Are old with grey beard and grumpily despise ‘new-fangled tosh’

I’m in the 1,2,4, camp and sometimes 3 (ie have a 26er utility bike with remarkably strong wheels that carries mad luggage/grocery weights and has a low-slung rack profile for balance when loading and carrying)

Banter over wheel sizes reminds me of both junior school playground and mantomime performances of certain motoring show. Carry on!

To whoever said about people buying up 26″ spares. Shh! Am loving it at the moment but prices for some components seem to have gone up a little recently.
Didn’t stop me getting a mint set of 55 rc3 ti’s on ebay for £130 the other day. So am all for wheel size change as long as I can still get tyres

My mate and I were riding 26″ 140mm full sussers, he was always a little bit faster than me.
He then bought a 650b 140mm full suss bike and i replaced my 26″ wheel frame.
He’s still a little bit faster than me.
Our other mate has always been faster than both of us, 26″ HT or FS, and would still be faster if he was riding 12″ girls bike with tassles hanging off the bars!!
Make of that what you will. And yes I know i’m the slowest rider in my group but they ride more than me…….

I must be behind the curve as I’m actively looking for a cheap 26″ full sus to play with!

i like 26″ thank you very much.

it’s the right wheel size for my size (5ft 5 inches and a half 😉

by all means have the other sizes,but don’t get rid of 26″.

frackit

I must be behind the curve as I’m actively looking for a cheap 26″ full sus to play with! How tall are you? I may have just the thing for you in classifieds.

Nicolai Helius CC in medium

yorkycsl – Member
I sold a 5 month old snappierre Zesty 914 2013 because of continual crack issues & having had enough of it & the timing was right as SC launched the Bronson, I swiftly imported one late 2013 saved a lot of hard earned pennies & from many people I had very negative comments, it’ll never replace 26, what’s the point, hardly any difference in tyre size blah blah I could go on, well if you’ve ridden a 650b bike long enough to understand it then the benefits are real, yes there are still some cracking 26″ bikes out there but sadly the value of them is plummeting, & I have to say we are victim to market forces & manufacturers but it’s here to stay so either embrace it try & get a fair price soon or get really pissed of at getting nowt for your 26′ bike. And I thought the wheel debate call it what you may had been done to death on here.

To be fair I doubt the wheelsize makes that much difference. I swapped my zesty for a 26″ Specialized Enduro and it feels better in pretty much every way.

I’m 5′ 9″ – ideally looking for a complete bike as I’m too impatient to wait whilst I build something up!

Just about to buy a 2nd hand 2011 Zesty 314 from a mate to replace my stolen 214. Can’t wait.

I’m 5′ 9″ – ideally looking for a complete bike as I’m too impatient to wait whilst I build something up!

I’m 5’9″ as well. Well if you can find some wheels (I have stuck with 26″ on a 650b set up Spitfire – still a tripe rider – so not selling wheels at the moment), let me know. Email in profile. Understand about impatience though! We have some XT cranks etc lying about which i can price up as I switched to 2×10.

I bought a 26 inch bike just last week. I admit they’re not as good since 3 yrs ago when the fundamental physics changes and 26″ wheels just don’t roll anymore. But I still like it.

I have 2 26, one 29 and a road bike. I have no intention of going near 27.5 for the foreseeable suture. Just don’t see the need.

It’s all about the 650b+ now folks get with it.

Everyone just needs to start accepting wheel size like the amount of travel, or intended use and just choose the one you like. As long as you can get tyres I don’t get the issue at all.

How many more threads do we have to have about this?

OP ———————->

I simply asked if I should keep my bike?! 🙄

talk about reinventing the wheel.everybody rode 26 for effing years and thought it was fine till the marketting dudes decided otherwise .rides as well as I do so I’m not arsed if its in fashion

talk about reinventing the wheel

Oh god do we have to!! 😉

I simply asked if I should keep my bike?!

That’s fine, it’s all the other pish that then follows about 26″ wheels and everyone typing the same pish every time. Copy, paste, copy, paste…

frackit – I must be behind the curve as I’m actively looking for a cheap
26″ full sus to play with!

I’ve a pretty mint 2006 Stumpy FSR that I maybe willing to sell if you are interested 😉

Spend waaay too much time on the road now and its just not getting the love

If you want to convert your wheels from 26″ to 650b put some tyres with a higher profile on. If you want to convert your 650b to 26″ then put some tyres with a lower profile on.

If you want to convert your 29″ to 650b or 26″ I’m afraid you’ll have to buy a new bike.

The reason for this is that 26″ and 650b are the same **** size.

I can put 27.5″ wheels on my PA????

I’ve a pretty mint 2006 Stumpy FSR that I maybe willing to sell if you are interested

Spend waaay too much time on the road now and its just not getting the love

Jeepers- your still not riding off road? You said that years ago.

The difference in radius is 12.5mm so find a tyre which has a 12.5mm lower profile and it’ll be the same size.

The real question is if a 12.5mm difference in radius makes such a massive difference in performance then why are mtb tyres marked so poorly?

People may not be buying higher end 26ers but judging by the bikes that come into my shop for servicing and repairs (and this thread) a lot of people are still riding them. In my experience the majority of people who’ve spent over £1000 on a bike expect to keep it for 5 or 10 years, maybe more, and stop looking at what’s new once they’ve made their purchase.

As this thread lengthens, I’ve come to realize (as has been mentioned) that my OP was actually

“would someone like to buy my bike” type threads

What I’ve done in posting such a thread is convince myself to keep hold of the bike,
I had so much fun on this bike and it seems barmy that I should now not have the same fun simply because I’m getting something else from other sized wheels,
The bike hasn’t changed, I have…. “It’s not you, It’s me” (has anyone had this type of conversation with their bike?)

I still love the bike and with any relationship, there needs to be compromise and effort,
I understand that 26″ isn’t really dead, perceptions differ over time and with new experiences but that doesn’t mean to say that we can’t work,

I’m going to bleed your brakes, replace your cables, I might even service your forks,
by god Albert I might even get you a dropper post!
Lets give it another go.

Pass the tissues 🙂

Malvern Rider
Banter over wheel sizes reminds me of both junior school playground and mantomime performances of certain motoring show. Carry on!

Couldn’t agree more well said. I loved my last Zesty but it was the continual frame issues that put paid to it, if 650b hadn’t come along i’d still be on 26″ having tried a 29er & it not being my cup of tea.

Quite honestly people, ride whatever the hell you like. If you prefer one wheel size over another, buy a bike with that wheel size. Do NOT, I repeat, NOT, try and say there is no difference and that its all “marketing hype”. It is very obvious that a 29er is “faster” and that 26ers can have a shorter wheelbase. So, if you ride endurance or xc races, chances are, a 29er will be faster (unless your quite short), if you ride very very tight trails, a 26er will probably be easier. Choose a wheel size according to how and where and what you like to ride, and please, shut up with your opinion on what’s best.

I’ve a pretty mint 2006 Stumpy FSR that I maybe willing to sell if you are interested
Spend waaay too much time on the road now and its just not getting the love

Hora – Jeepers- your still not riding off road? You said that years ago.
[/quote]

Tragic isnt it. I’ve been around the water park a couple of times with the kids….I nail those flood defence drop offs !!!

Even got a reverb for it (still in box as havent fitted it yet).
Plans are to keep it for riding around the woods with the kids but that seems a long way off.

[Still riding a 26er does this make me an inferior bike rider…]

As long as you are riding faster than them it dosent matter, I love dropping friends riding Bronsons, Tallboys etc. on my 26 cotic soul 🙂