IMO upto and including 140mm travel: 29er, 150mm+: 650b, 140 – 150mm: either whatever the bike brand you go for has. Full on DH rig: 26er.

140mm 29er trail bike overbiked? Absolutely. But tremendous fun. I love mine. Like a monster truck.

Better choosing the bike first then wheel size rather than the other way round or go for something like the Banshee Spitfire which will take both. You’re covered then.

As they no longer do the 26 er that is not the same as getting this years model of brake. It is being given something different- like say them not having a disc brake but offering you another brake that requires you to have a new set of wheels and tyre etc in order to work.

I do own one and I always try and but British but if they do this then i will never have another.

Feell sorry for them in a way as the 5 is just so good it neither breaks nor is it really upgradable as it just works but very bad show from them

Would it be possible to stick the 27.5 swingarm on your frame and run a 26in wheel? The overall effect on the geo would be negligible would it not?

My Bulls**t detector has just gone off. Where the hell are you people getting your misinformation from and why are you perpetuating it?

I suggest you get it recalibrated then. Fox have already said to a number of people they are phasing out production of 26″ forks for 2014.

Any manufacturers with a shred of decency will keep making 26″ alongside any other new stuff they feel they have to make to sell bikes.

They will, it will just be the cheap crap.

Which manufacturers would that be then? Do you have the slightest idea how many manufacturers are still making 26″ or did you just make that up off the top of your head?

I’ll revisit this in a few months, when most of the industry has launched its 2014 bikes. I’ll give you a clue though. Very few, to the extent that entire ranges of 26″ bikes that had been spec’d and signed off for production have been pulled & redesigned as 27.5″ bikes.

There will always be smaller, niche brands (such as Cotic) who will do things a little different, but the mid to high end market 26″ is dead for 2014. Whoever is left standing with the 26″ at the start of the year isn’t going to be selling many bikes, whether you agree or not. It’s not going to happen, or happening, it’s already been done months ago.

Read the article by Chipps & digest.

the mid to high end market 26″ is dead for 2014

FTFY. Anyone with a choice and half a brain won’t be upgrading next year, perhaps not even the year after.

What wrecker said.

My frame is 650b compatible but I’ll wait until there are more choices for wheels and tyres.

FTFY. Anyone with a choice and half a brain won’t be upgrading next year, perhaps not even the year after.

Unlikely, but maybe there are a lot of people with less than half a brain out there, as SC has sold more Bronson’s in the short time it’s been available than any other bike in it’s range for this whole year (internal source at SC).

In fact if they carry on with the current sale ratio, they will sell more Bronson’s that ALL of the rest of the range put together by the end of 2014.

The STW cynics are generally nothing like the actual buying demographics for these brands.

There are some funny rushed to the market compromised designs out there. The best ones I’ve seen in the flesh so far are the Intense Tracer 27.5 – genuinely made me LOL looking at the clearance. And a Pivot 429 where you could barely get a credit card in the clearance space, wasn’t even a large volume tyre. No chance against British mud.

Looking at the comments which have appeared on this site in the last few weeks, it is certainly not unlikely. At least in the UK. How may bronsons have SC sold in the UK?
That also may have something to do with the fact that they’re no longer making the blur…….(of which SC sold more than the rest of their range combined)
Oh, and extrapolation doesn’t work.

butterbean – Member

Fox have already said to a number of people they are phasing out production of 26″ forks for 2014.

Fox’s 2014 lineup features 28 different models of 26″ fork, that’s 1 more than the amount of 650 and 29er forks they offer put together.

The warranty is not the issue Rik, the issue is they are reported to have stopped making spares for the product. The product is no longer supported. That’s worth knowing.

Orange are no different to any other bike manufacture.

Can you please name me any bike manufacture, at all, that continue to make major structural parts of a discontinued model of frame. Santa Cruz, Specialized, Trek, Lapierre all don’t – if you break a frame which has been discontinued then they will offer you the latest model.

It’s a fair point. I doubt Giant would sell me a 26″ swing arm for my Trance either. But they charge a fair but less for a bike built in Holland and offer a lifetime warranty on the frame, I think. People pay a premium for an Orange bike and part of the motivation for that is a belief that they will look after you for a long time to come. So, it may be unreasonable, but I’d still be a bit more nervous now about buying a new 650b Five.

Considering the new 5 was only announced a few days ago, I think it’s disgusting. The residual value of 26″ 5s is not going to be what it was…..

If true it’s very poor, a wise business supports customers for a decent period of time, even when a product is discontinued. IMO 2 years, for a mountain bike, is not enough.

It doesn’t fill one with confidence does it?

A wise business supports its customer if, and only if, there is a viable business full stop. There is no moral obligation. I can’t see demand for 26″ stuff dropping off any time soon even if the wheel format does change going forward.

Nice one Orange. A design you’ve sold for years. Right upto this year? ‘Only a few left for warranty’?

So if your frame’s rear arm breaks in two years thats £1499…

That also may have something to do with the fact that they’re no longer making the blur…….(of which SC sold more than the rest of their range combined)

You sure? Isn’t there a Blur on test in this months’ WMB?

Nice one Orange. A design you’ve sold for years. Right upto this year? ‘Only a few left for warranty’?

So if your frame’s rear arm breaks in two years thats £1499…

If this turns out to be true then my current bike (Orange Five 2011) will be my first and last!

They need to look at Litevilles warranty policy, I have and I like what I see.

to the original question….

just got a 26″ 140mm trail bike brand new less than a month ago. get in now before you don’t have a choice!

It’s great I’m faster than I was on my old bike and I’m happy.

Yes but Nico would have been 1 sec faster on a 650sec than yours on a DH course..