[Closed] Boardman 29er advice

Looks a little long in the top tube (by 10mm) compared to my inbred 29er

What's the ETT (and stem length) of your existing bike(s)?

ETT is 590mm on my Genesis and 600mm on my Trek. Both have short stems (60 mm). The Boardman also had a fairly long stem (I reckon 80mm) and it had wide bars (700mm) which may not have helped. I just don't know how much I would be able to tune the Boardman by fitting a shorter stem and narrow bars. Shame I can't ride one for an hour or so.

You'd need to come down to a 40-50mm stem to get the same sort of reach, which seems a bit stumpy...

Was there a 16" to try?

Nothing to do with the wheel size. My 29er XC hardtail was a long bike and my AM FS 29er is very short, so its frame geometry. If its a racy 29er hardtail then it will be a long bike.

Thanks for that. No 16" to try, unfortunately - they only came in on Saturday and only one had been built. I guess it is a fairly racy bike, and because I will be using it for the lighter XC work maybe I should just go for it and stretch out a bit more. Or I can look elsewhere, but value-wise only Canyon come close to this thing (it's got new Deore brakes, Reba RLT fork, nobby nics and reasonable wheels) and I've always been a sucker for a bargain of course.

Decision made. I will get it in 18". I will either become a streamlined forward leaning racing snake, or I will waste £899 on a bike that's too big. I will of course look after it, so just in case - keep an eye out for the classifieds in three weeks's time or so. I reckon either a lovely Genesis Core 17.5 or a nearly-new Boardman will be up for sale. Thanks all 🙂

My medium Niner is about 17" & fits me perfectly at 5'9". I'd say 50mm stem & that there Boardman will be fine. I saw a chap on a 16" yesterday & it looked very nice. He looked a bit smaller than me but seemed to fit it ok.

Yep. 50 mm stem, inline seatpost, an inch cut from the bars - done. I'm really excited about it, actually.

What about some more swept bars (11deg sweep or similar)? Would give a bit of effective top tube shortening?

I have just come back from my first ride on it, and it is pretty awesome. What felt all wrong in the shop is just right after I tinkered a bit with the saddle and the handlebars. Happy bunny here. Confirms that a geometry chart can work better than a sit-on experience, and that sitting on a bike is not the same as riding it... Anyways, all good and thank you all for your advice - you gave me the confidence to go for it.

A photo of aforementioned bycicle is alway nice...

Photo coming soon - need to re-learn how to upload images to this forum first...

nice looking bike and fantastic spec for the money!

by all means shorten the stem, but maybe leave the bars the width they are, at least for a while? - all 29ers have wider bars... they bring the trail alive 😉

And here it is, at last:

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The geometry on Boardmans just looks wrong IMO.

Michael, it may look wrong to you, but it feels right to me and that's all I care about 😀

Took it out for a "proper" ride today (Hope Cross - Edale). What they say about 29ers is mostly true. Don't believe that a 29er hardtail will feel like a 120 mm FS 26er - it won't. It's still a hardtail, and you feel it. Acceleration really is harder. But it rolls so much better than a 26, especially when the terrain is a bit uneven and you take the power off. It just keeps going. Manuals are *hard* work, and I can't bunny hop it at all, but that's probably just a matter of practice. Climbing? Probably no difference to a 26. More weight for the 29, but a bit easier to roll over obstacles, so works out about the same I guess.

It failed to bring the trail alive, definitely. The trail seemed dead to me - sorry, trail! Fortunately, there was a guy behind me on a 650b. He screamed a lot ("yeah, yeah"), but when I got bored with him I shifted into the big ring and never saw him again 8)

It failed to bring the trail alive, definitely. The trail seemed dead to me - sorry, trail! Fortunately, there was a guy behind me on a 650b. He screamed a lot ("yeah, yeah"), but when I got bored with him I shifted into the big ring and never saw him again

Only 650b brings the trail alive, which is presumably why he was screaming.

Hi burger,
Nice looking bike for the money - can I ask how you got the £100 discount please?

Halfords were doing 10% all bikes till Monday, so probably that?

....or you get 10% off with a BC membership.

Both were stackable if your local store had stock.

Thanks Jamie

Yes, it was a one off 10% on everything. I didn't know about the BC membership discount - dang.

I didn't know about the BC membership discount - dang.

Pretend I never said it 8)

To be fair, it only worked if they had your bike in stock, as then you would get the 10% off on the reserve/collect price, then use the BC voucher instore.

Pretend I never said it

It can't be unsaid. Bike was in stock. The pain is unbearable - I was ripped off again! Why didn't they ask if I was a BC member? I look like one, I talk like one... It seems they're more interested in making money than in trying to help people and make the world a better place.

It can't be unsaid. Bike was in stock. The pain is unbearable - I was ripped off again! Why didn't they ask if I was a BC member? I look like one, I talk like one... It seems they're more interested in making money than in trying to help people and make the world a better place.

I hope you don't work for the NHS too, because then you could have taken off a further 7.5% 🙂

I hope you don't work for the NHS too, because then you could have taken off a further 7.5%

...and let's not forget Topcashback/Quidco at 3% as well.

STOP! I can take no more! I was happy and now look what you've DONE to me. It's all ruined!!! 😥

Oh dammit. Just found out that I could have had it on Cycle to Work as well. Why did I only ask after I had bought it???? I can't take it back now! I reckon I should have paid 300 quid, no more. Oh dammit.

Looks very nice indeed & great value for £899.

I'm considering getting one of those.

mudslinger - Member
Looks very nice indeed & great value for £899.

I'm considering getting one of those.

Make sure you don't get ripped off like limburger 😉

you say it's 50mm stem, but then show us a photo with a 70/80mm stem, so which is it?

based on nothing more than my own faulty, wonky vision, it looks like the bars are a bit high-and-forward (relative to the wheels and saddle) - a shorter stem may make manuals a bit easier, you say they're a bit hard, obviously it's up to you how important this is.

looks ace btw.

It's a 70 mm stem. I turned it around to lower it a bit (which it is designed for anyway - the logo print is in two orientations). I rode it for five hours today and I am now totally used to it. It is the best bike I have ever had. It easily beats my FS Trek Fuel Ex8 that cost 2.3k. I'm off to Sicily for five days in the mountains next week and the Trek will stay at home, I've decided.

Hey limburger, now that you have had the bike for a while are you still happy with it?

Hey limburger, now that you have had the bike for a while are you still happy with it?

I love it, I really do. Fitted Maxxis Beaver tyres for the winter, and it is just amazing. I rode the Gap loop in the Breacon Beacons on it, and was 10 mins quicker than on my Trek FS. If I could keep just one bike, this would be the one.

I have the team Boardman 29,er and it's undone two years of confidence I built up on my26
It's the worst bike I have ever ridden , rears up on medium climbs , is top heavy and can't cope on technical
Trails , wish I kept my voodoo canzo in fact I would swap tomorrow

Thinking of selling your Boardman then darth? if you are what condition is it in, what size is it, price? could be interested 🙂

Not sure yet mark tbh , perfect condition size 18 frame . It's only 6 months old been to whinlatter once and hamsterley 2 times !

Well my email's in my profile if you decide to sell please let me know, thanks.

It all depends on me finding the right bike for me mate thanks I will keep you in mind