I think i prefer 26 inch wheels..

I have a 27.5 inch 4560b with a 150mm fork and my other half has a 26 inch Ragley Piglet 2 with a 140mm fork….both run double chainsets and this weekend i rode the same local trails on each bike on consecutive days.

This wasnt intended to be some kind of very unscientific back to back test, i rode on Friday because i was a day off and then just happened to ride the following day when i’d collected her bike from the LBS having had a new drivetrain fitted.

The only drawback i found with 26 inch wheels was when riding over some roots at slow speed near the end of the ride and i wasnt carrying enough speed and nearly stalled on them causing me to dab whereas in similar situations the bigger wheeled bike continues rolling….but in pretty much every other aspect of the two rides i can remember it was the smaller wheeled bike that was the most fun, it felt more lively, it was easier and faster to turn, it was easier to manual and wheelie over obstacles, it felt more compact and easier to move myself around on (despite both bikes being 16 inch sizes, having 40mm stems, 760mm bars etc)….thats not to say the 27.5 bike was bad, it was very competent, it just felt dulled by something.

It could of course have nothing to do with the wheel size and may be due to the longer fork on the bigger wheeled bike but it was startling how different they felt given they are the same frame size with pretty much the same build kit, both made from steel and both from the same designer (one is an On-One, the other is a Ragley), i have spent all summer riding the 45650b and was expecting the 26 inch wheeled Ragley to feel like an old bike but i will probably mothball the 27.5 bike and continue riding the 26er through winter.

It has pretty much made my mind up for me that i wont entertain the idea of going even bigger now when i look at a new FS in the new year, if a ride on a bike with 26 inch wheels can make my 650b seem blunt then i certainly dont think a 29er is going to be for me.

I built a rigid bike a couple of weeks ago and have rid it everyday.
I have done more miles on it than I have on my five all year.

I love it because it when I ride it I am so much more involved in keeping myself upright and traveling in the right direction.
I am constantly scanning the terrain for obsticles mainly roots that would normally not being a problem, trying to pick my way through them, or trying to hit them square on.
I am constantly moving my weight around the bike to traverse the terrain and I get caught out more which calls for instinctive reaction.

The acceleration is better and it is much more fun.
Now a more capable bike makes it to easy and dull as you say
This would come into its own on far more demanding terrain than can be found on my local trails.
Also a more capable xc bike that ironed out the terrain is what you want if racing as your goal is to get around as quickly as possible with the least drama and effort.

But for a few hours of fun in my local woods I would like to be more involved and the ride to demand my full attention.

It has pretty much made my mind up for me that i wont entertain the idea of going even bigger now when i look at a new FS in the new year, if a ride on a bike with 26 inch wheels can make my 650b seem blunt then i certainly dont think a 29er is going to be for me.

You rode 2 hard tails and now you know how all FS bikes feel? If only wheel size was the only thing to consider. Perhaps try some demo bikes and see how you feel after that. I just stuck some 650b wheels in my Blur LTc, it feels slightly taller thats about it.

I think i prefer 26 inch wheels..

Heretic! Burn him………… Oh hang on a minute, he may just have something there. Maybe what he really needs is a 26.5, thin bike with a HammerSchmidt and a Rohloff in a cx style with a canti on the front rigid fork and a 203mm disc on the 6 inch travel rear.

I’m sure Spesh, Trek and a few others have something in their soon to be previewed 2016 range 🙂

You just weren’t riding rowdy enough trails. I like 26″ on the pump track…

You just weren’t riding rowdy enough trails.

Or dead enough ones…

As per the second post, if your finding fun, rather than trail flattening ability to be more important, forget the full sus and have a go on a rigid.

For me, 29er rigid steel, big tyres, is more fun that a full sus. But I’m enjoying the extra speed of the full sus right now.

I do still think there’s nothing in it between 27.5 and 26, unless you’re Ratboy etc… And tenths of a second count. 26 is the same for us mortals.

it felt more lively,

The trails came alive

I’ve got a rigid29er a 26 hardtail and a 650b full suss

They are all fun

S’all bikes innit 😉
A few weeks back I happened to ride my bmx, my road bike, my 26″ FS bike, and my 29+ Krampus in the same weekend. I enjoyed them all.

Stop it or the kitten gets it.

I had blackcurrant jam on my bagel this morning.

I think I prefer the cherry jam my wife had on hers the other day.

Just thought you might be interested.

😉

This thread is full of awesome.

I notice the 26 is described as the other half’s bike……but you now intend to ride it all winter 😀

of course, things like head angle, fork offset, wheelbase, bb drop, reach, stack, etc. etc. had naff all to do with it.

killing kittens can get a bit messy, so i’ll stick to drowning them for now, i hope that’s ok.

Username: deviant

End of Thread!

Having had a first blast yesterday on my new 29er Enduro, first time ever on 29″ mtb wheels, I barely noticed the difference in wheel size while riding. I noticed a lot of other features of the bike, mainly the super plush suspension, quick handling, low BB, wide bars, great brake feel, slick gear change, super grippy tyres, etc. But wheel size was pretty much transparent for me. They obviously look bigger on the bike, but I wasn’t aware at all when riding. Have to say I was surprised – in a good way. Goes to show that wheel size is not everything when comparing bikes.

When I was buying the bike I was deliberating between the Enduro 29 and 650B and the shop guy (who rides a 29 himself) said go with the 29er if you are unsure as it rides like a 26 only faster. Guess he was right, but I was still surprised how the big wheels seem to vanish on this bike. Maybe it’s the low BB and short chain stays that make all the difference.

Difference between 26 and 650B? It’s hard enough telling them apart stood still, never mind while riding!

Best advice is to ride whatever wheel size you enjoy and feel most confident on.

The variables on wheel size are just too infinite to fully explore here; rider weight, height, trail steepness, amount of technical features (gnar to the affected), ground conditions, duration of ride, which side sir dresses etc. etc.

Borrowed my mate’s Orange Five in the peaks at weekend. Clearly, different suspension system to my Nicolai and with a longer stem but, you know what? I had a fun day and rode some pretty tech stuff – not attacking as hard as I might on a more familiar bike, but the Orange rode just like a bike and never once wrong-footed me.

I know a lot of people say “oh, it’ll be something else that makes it feel different” but I’ve yet to ride a 29er that doesn’t feel horrendous, modern, old, full sus, hardtail, whatever. If you think it’s the wheels, then stick with what you like rather than experimenting with something you don’t enjoy.

You could, of course, stick with the wheels you don’t like and plough loads of money into getting a different fork, bar, stem, frame, tyres until your 650 bike exactly mirrors yours 26″ bike to please the STW forum. And then you’d probably still find you didn’t like the big wheels.

I’m finally admitting defeat and buying a 29er this year, maybe, but it won’t be for the riding that I enjoy most and will spend a lot of time bumbling about on old railway lines and so on.

imnotverygood – Member
I notice the 26 is described as the other half’s bike……but you now intend to ride it all winter

Damn right.

She was looking at horrible £50 supermarket type bikes at the beginning of summer to join me on rides with, i steered her in the right direction and we found a nice Ragley on eBay that she rode all summer….she has stated her intention to stop riding through winter though so for the past few weeks i’ve been cheekily adding bits to her bike ready for me to ride….the 120mm Recon fork has been ditched in favour of a 140mm Sektor, the horrible 1×9 has been swapped over for 2×10, the awful Tektro brakes have been swapped to slightly less horrid Avids etc etc….its now a great bike, the frame and angle are a peach, confidence inspiring like my old 456-evo was, theres nothing i wont chuck myself down on it!

But to reinforce what i said in the OP, it does ride noticeably different to the 45650b i have, its far more fun as opposed to steamrollering along…each to their own but i think i prefer it.

Just to really upset the Enduro gods i might race it at the Penmachno Enduro in November.

I’ve gone the other way and back to 26″ until the new year. It’s harder work then I remember and not in a fun way. Nice and flickable etc but just seems to constantly want to lose speed where the 29er would be trying to get away from me. I think I enjoy keeping hold the 29″ under control more then trying to push the 26″ on.

Having had a go with 650b I think it feels more 29″ lite rather then 26″+. As soon as I’ve got the funds to rebuild the 29″ I will be doing so and the 26″ will be relegated to pulling my boy about.

Do believe the hype, don’t believe the hype…. Either way, all three sizes feel different, you just need to find which suites you and not stick the blinkers on.

Meant to say ‘ I think I enjoy keeping the 29″ under control’. 🙄

Do believe the hype, don’t believe the hype…. Either way, all three sizes feel different, you just need to find which suites you and not stick the blinkers on.

This.

Partly out of curiosity i do want a 29er in the shed so i have hardtails in all three sizes and can pick and choose depending on terrain, mood, weather etc…