Is it possible? From my point of view I don’t have any emotional attachment to any wheelsize. I have built a Titus fireline 29er and it is a blast to ride. It is the lightest bike I own so although it climbs fast I am not sure how much this has to do with lightness or big wheels. It corners great but likes broad wide ones. Over drops it feels fine, jumps are a little more dead feeling. I am no expert but I think I can feel it flexing on tight turns and rocky sections.

I also recently built a Nukeproof mega. I was building drops and jumps in the woods and wanted a strong fast play bike, so strong stiff frame, wheels and forks and manoverable. It plods a bit going up hill but looking at strava it is no so much slower than my other bikes. It sails through the air rather than feeling like a brick which the fireline sometimes does.

I have not tried the middle size but I am not sure what the point would be as it would loose some of the already small benefits of the bigger wheel but not be as strong or stiff as a 26 inch bike which is something that I really value.

So what are the real benefits or drawbacks of each wheelsize and 650b. Why would I want to use it?

I have noticed swapping between bikes you soon get lazy to the advantages. For example not pumping over roots and rocks as much on the 29er as you can roll over them so any advantage is quickly lost due to your own limitations. I am not really interested in marketing bs or crying over the loss of 26ers. Any honest bike designers that have played with all sizes. Is there any flywheel or gryoscopic effect from bigger wheels as I have read that there isn’t but I am sure that is what I am experiencing in both positive and negative ways.

So sorry sorry for starting another wheel size thread but all the others are either mareting bs or slagging matches.

No

Next question

Every time you start a wheel size thread, a kitten dies.

Oh,is it time to kill another one?

Afraid so, choice is to horribly squish it with a 26″, or for it to die of pleasure after being rolled over with a 29″.
Edit-don’t worry, a 650B will be along soon to bring it back to life.

I don’t think it is as there is no debate to be had. The problem is people always want to polarise things that are not black and white, but shades of grey. There are pro’s and con’s with all three wheel sizes. I can’t understand the emotional attachment some people have to 26″ and people getting shirty about it. I went 29″ when I came back to MTBing after a 15yr layoff (my MTB previous to that had no suspension or disc brakes) so had no attachment to 26″ and the larger wheel size seemed to make sense at the time. I notice significant differences from bike to bike of the same wheel size – much greater differences than the change from 26″ to 29″ so there are so many other factors that affect the ride of the bike to a greater extent than wheel size. I’ve not regretted it – I don’t recognise any of the supposed drawbacks to 29″ that are pedalled on this forum – and I have ridden 26ers since my sensational comeback to the sport (I borrowed a mates for one year before deciding to buy my own bike). I don’t care if its better or not – depends on your definition of better and the type of riding you do.

I haven’t noticed the same controversy on other forums – this forum seems to be particularly virulent on the subject.

Ride the clown bike to the top and the mega back down. No flaw in this plan. Hey presto… the trails are alive!

Why do we have to have any threads about wheel size at all? Why does it even make a difference? Why even mention it anymore? Who the flip gives a shit?

I find the naive optimism of anyone who would start a thread like this both reassuring and depressing at the same time.

Ride it, like it? Keep it

End of thread

No. In off out now and I’m not even going to ask what tyres to ride on OMG!!!!

Unfortunately you do have a prejudice:

I have not tried the middle size but I am not sure what the point would be as it would loose some of the already small benefits of the bigger wheel but not be as strong or stiff as a 26 inch bike which is something that I really value.

Dirt magazine seem to believe that 29ers are best for all but DH as long as you can afford to put some strong stiff carbon rims on them. If you can’t then they recommend 27.5s as they deem it possible to get a light strong stiff alloy wheel at a reasonable price.

I ride a 24″ front wheel and a 650b out back on my lefty equipped soft tail.

Works for me.

Horses for courses and all that.

^ I hope that a belt driven dingle speed!

Sadly not.

Regular chain driven drive chain but running 6 sprockets out back on a Pro2 SS hub, Deerhead mech and a DX Thumbie.

I wouldn’t buy a new 26″ bike now. That said, I wouldn’t buy a new 650 either; I’d wait a year at least and see who abandons what – I’m a slow turnover buyer though, so whatever I chose would be with me for years. I think 29 will continue and may well end up dominating, despite the current bullsh about 650.

26 and 650 are so similar that I can’t see the industry (if it acts collectively, which it seems to) continuing with both. This will be particularly relevant for frames – rims will probably continue to be made for the “abandoned” size, even fairly posh ones I reckon. You could compromise right now and buy either a 650 frame or a 26er with lots or tyre room that would be rideable with either size but I personally wouldn’t want to compromise when I spend a shitload (in my terms anyway) of my money on something.

I DON’T TRUST THE BIKE INDUSTRY to make decisions that it then sticks to, so the effect of these changes is to make me a more cautious buyer, rather than running out and spunking all my cash on a new fad straight away.

One car I once owned had 14inch wheels

The next one had 15 inch wheels

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgbWu8zJubo[/video]

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYt6IqaHk_Q[/video]

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGGlODF7_RY&feature=player_detailpage#t=72[/video]

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDhQtYE06QM[/video]

Bikes R Fun.

I’m afraid the simple answer to your question is almost certainly no, but since I’m off the bike at the moment with a broken arm (after crashing my 26′) I’ll play.

Like you I struggle to understand exactly what (if anything) is down to the wheel size. I have a 26′ full suss and a 29er HT, so immediately we have a problem. The HT is stiffer, lighter and steeper. Do, yes, it’s faster up a hill, but that’s hardly a surprise.

Even tests of supposedly more similar bikes are rendered largely useless by the fact that the tester isn’t blinded. I did a 4 day demo on an Orange Gyro, which is a lot more similar to my Five than my HT. I got to ride it over my regular trails and really enjoyed it. But, if I’m honest, I wanted to enjoy it, which renders the test pretty much meaningless.

Then we have the new bike phenomenon. Given that I struggle to really convince myself that 26 to 29 is a meaningful difference I’m also sceptical about any advantages ascribed to 650b. But I’d be amazed if anybody who bought the new 650b Five, for example, didn’t think that it was much better than my 26″ version. That would basically be admitting (even if only to yourself) that you’d just wasted a few grand.

Personally I’m tending to the view that, for the sort of mincing around that I do, a larger wheel makes sense. However, a really well designed 26″ bike still beats a lot of the 29ers on the market, for me.

More to the point …

Is a new bike more fun to ride than an old one?

As most people tend to spend money to change wheel sizes, the fact that we’re even discussing it proves the bike industry (generic term for people who make money off us by selling different sized wheels) was right to promote THREE different wheel sizes

Anyway – I’m off to spend £1600 on an Ethernet cable to make my digital music collection come alive

I have a 16″ Brompton, a 20″ BMX, a 26″ hardtail and a 27.5″ full-sus. They’re all great fun in the right context! I can’t see 29″ disappearing but I can’t see it dominating because it’s impossible to get long travel suspension and 29″ wheels in a small frame without weird geometry which would negate any wheel related benefits – and DH friendly 29″ wheels would weigh a lot or cost a lot.

I’m still trying to work out if increased BB drop does make a difference to riding especially cornering or if it purely comes down to absolute BB height. There’s very little data out there…

Back to the OP, there is a strong ’emperors new clothes’ from the bike mags, understandably. For example, in the current WMB they test a £600 Decathlon hardtail, a decent entry bike, with 26 inch wheels. Their main comment is that if it had 650 wheels it would flow better and be a better ride.

I’d be surprised if the target buyer would notice the difference at all.

If I remember rightly the 29 inch was originally “sold” to us as a bike for the taller gentleman.
26 inch was “sold” as fine for everybody else.
The old Specialized Big Hig had 26 inch front and 24 inch back. I loved mine.I also loved the 26 inch V10 I replaced it with.It felt different but that was due the VPP and not horst link – buggerall to do with wheel size.
In this time of economic hardship nobody is buying wheels and tyres due to having a shed full of stuff so 650b was brought in by manufactures.
The same happened when the drivetrain went from 7 to 8 to 9 to 10 to 11 speed. Guess what, 7 speed is the new messiah once again.
Wait 3 years and 26 inch will be amazing but all your tyres and weels will have gone on ebay so your bank account will take a hammering again.
Big up up the likes of Cy at Cotic picking up 2 fingers at the industry still producing (for now) the new British build rocket in 26 inch.
Maybe when trying a new bike demo single pivit,horst link, masetro,vpp, whatever instead of concentrating on the wheel size as wheel size has bugger all as to how the bike rides. I’s just your choice of new bike is limited as the 26 inch is becoming a rare beast.

This thread’s turning out to be far more sensible, and dull, than I ever imagined.
Let’s hear some opposite, but equally authoritative, opinions based on anecdotes, and some childish insults.

I’m still trying to work out if increased BB drop does make a difference to riding especially cornering or if it purely comes down to absolute BB height. There’s very little data out there…

I wonder why?

It would make more sense to look at why a rider who can bend at the hips can corner better than someone who cant

roverpig hits the nail for me..

I´m gone through so many new standards..starting with the revolutionary 1 1/4 headset standard 1989 (yeti)…which vanished a couple of years later…
until the “revolutionary” 27.5″ today..
nearly every standard has changed through the years..mostly in a way that you can`t use your old bits anymore..(forks ! 1 1/8 argyles are more expensive than pikes now !!)
money makes the world go round..
but..I´m riding 26inch HT and fullsus and a 29inch HT..
horses for courses..really like both sizes..
and I had a 27,5 HT frame, which I just sold to a mate..
it was not that bad..but also not that good…it was not as good as my 26″ and not as good as my 29″ ..something in between, being closer to the 26″..so for me just no reason to change,
the only thing which is quite good ..: 27,5 innertubes!!..I guess they fit in 26″ and 29″, so I don`t need different spare tubes in my old and trusty camelbak…. 🙂

All I know is that I can clear climbs on my 29 that I can’t on my similarly shod 26.

Practically, I am a *ahem* smaller man.

I don’t really get a toe overlap on my 26 inch, with a17 inch older p7 frame. I do get it on my Bianchi racer with a 50cm frame with larger tyres.

Would I be at least halfway coddect in assuming that for mucking about in the woods (and thats really what 90% of people with MTB’s do) and that I rarely get up to “full speed ahead Me Sulu” anyway, that for me, the 26 is a better wheelsize?

Were I 6′ something, it may well be that a different wheelsize might suit.

Rather than whats best overall, isn’t is mroe about whats best for your purposes given your own size and riding style?

it would loose some

Lose, FFS.

If every time a wheel size thread is started, a kitten dies, how about every time some ‘tard spells one of the simplest words in the English language incorrectly, I’ll stamp on the wheels of a 29″ bike?

Soon there won’t be anything to discuss.
Problem solved.

29″

That’s right, because saying “29er” makes you sound like a moron.
You’re discussing wheel sizes with adults, not playing **** conkers in the playground with kids.

[/rant]

Ps
I have nothing against the game of conkers.
🙂

MidlandTrailquestsGraham – Member
This thread’s turning out to be far more sensible, and dull, than I ever imagined.
Let’s hear some opposite, but equally authoritative, opinions based on anecdotes, and some childish insults.

29″ wheels for people who wish to travel swiftly with little effort over mildly bumpy terrain.

26″ wheels for people who throw themselves off cliffs in order to shred the Gnarr.

650b wheels for people who while growing up were asked a lot “would you put your head in the oven if you were told to”.

and some childish insults.

Huzzah for sbob !

Late night at work + screaming newborn = grumpy sbob. 🙂

lolo’s post reminds me that before the whole 26″ vs 29er vs 650b arguments, we used to argue the toss over suspension designs. Nowadays you still get the odd person who likes to be a dick about a particular suspension design that they either love or hate. But, as this thread has shown, some people just like to be a dick about something, even if it is totally irrelevant to question in hand. On the plus side, most people now accept that there are advantages and disadvantages to each suspension design and that you can make good (and bad) bikes using any of the common designs. Maybe one day we’ll reach the same consensus with wheels. But probably not until we find something else to argue about.

and some childish insults.

29ers are so gay, your dad rides one.

Can’t get more childish than that surely.

Pointless debate, opinions are like ar$eholes, everyone’s got one.

jeffm – Member

Pointless debate, opinions are like ar$eholes, everyone’s got one.

Me, I already have a perfectly good arsehole so I don’t feel like putting a huge amount of effort into getting a slightly bigger one.

Especially as you still can’t get a full range of rubber for the larger sizes.

650b on the front and 26″ on the back. Everyone wins. (except the waggon wheelers 😉 )

Would anyone like a Rolo?

Late night at work + screaming newborn = grumpy sbob.

no you were acting like a complete bell end yesterday too

I dont really GAS if you think your some grammar expert

Dirt magazine seem to believe that 29ers are best for all but DH as long as you can afford to put some strong stiff carbon rims on them. If you can’t then they recommend 27.5s as they deem it possible to get a light strong stiff alloy wheel at a reasonable price.

If your priority is to go fast I think they’re bang on.