RIP 26"

10 29ers at afan must be some kind of record, i live local to the place and ride there quite often, the only time ive seen more than 3 29ers in one day was when the flat lander’s invaded to do the gravity enduro.
don’t know what its like in other parts of the country but in south wales 29″ wheels seem to be for the hardcore xc types and beginner’s

Bear in mind that I really saw a lot of bikes over the two days and mine and a mates were two of the 10…

EDIT – maybe it was 11! Just remembered that two of my mates had 29ers 🙂

kjcc25 – Member

I tried a 29er and two days later had one on order. I’m not saying it is better than a 26er it’s just that the 29er suited me better. It felt more comfortable and was certainly quicker over a variety of local trails compared to my 26er.

See, I tried a 26er and a week later I had one on order, because it was moer comfortable and quicker than my 26er 😉

can i ask the folk who mock saying im now on 650b now cos ive gone from 2.1 to 2.4 tyres on my 26 wheels if they prefer it..?

ever wondered if the larger circumference is whats nice and not the width that comes with it….mmmmm

genuine question..

as thats what i like about it… i like the bigger circumference but with out having to have the extra width that comes with running a bigger tyre on a 26″ wheel..

2.25’s on my 650 bike so i get the to the best of both worlds for 95 percent of the rides i do..bigger wheel with out the baloon tyres

just my preference mind not saying its better or im faster becase of it but i like how it feels.

not really, most people use bigger tyres so they can run lower pressures without risking smashing rims up.

fair does…ive always prefered quite a firm tyre…seems where all different after all ..guess its just aswell theres a choice out there…..

im really suprised the stick this new option gets on here given how niche look at me im cool it normally is with bands/music/vices/woodburners/vacuum cleaners/razors and i remember a what pen thread a while back with folk showin off theirs saying how good it is, great if thats your thing, thats why life is interesting surley.. its just another choice take it or leave it..i think choice is great be it pens or wheels

This niche isn’t niche enough though – it’s popular!

ahhhh got ya..never thought of that… 🙂

I rode a randonee last summer with about 1500 bikes, the only 29s I saw was a group of 6 Belgians and all the locals were taking the piss out of them.

You sure that was about wheel size though?

As a luddite, I do not intend to stop riding my (admittedly antique-ish) 26″ Bontrager… and if rim availability ever becomes a problem, I’ll just get Keith to roll down some Mavics, like he did first time round. 😉

Edit – I shoulda read the thread…. JImmAwelon has it:

Someone will always be able to do that for us with a longer circumference rim if we choose to stick in the past.

Doesn’t just about every convertible frame work on that basis?

If it’s designed as convertible frame via dropouts etc then that’s ok, they just re-position the axle. I meant someone re-speccing a ‘new!’ 650B bike based on simply those changes to a fixed-dropout 26″.

On the 2.4″ tyres on 26″ rims point – I used to use 2.4 rubber queens on my 26″ rigid SS. They were roughly 650B OD. TBH I’d prefer that tyre on a wider rim to a 650B x 2.1″. Volume, PSi and contact area counts for a lot. Surly’s 29+ is a similar thing.

The old system of measuring OD and altering rim dia to account for tyre volume was a good one, a standards nightmare that would produce a hundred threads here but the 650B+ tyre that I’d like to see is just a 29″ OD based on that idea. 650Bx3.3″ or so.
2.4″ on a 26″ is like 26+, or 650B. Volume of tyre can have the same or greater effect than simply rim diameter. Give me a fat 650B rim-tyre over a skinny 29er wheel.

2 ways to get the same result – less easy to hang a marketing tag on. And chucking in a few more variables would really confuse the “I want to see test data!” lot ) Don’t think, feel.

can i ask the folk who mock saying im now on 650b now cos ive gone from 2.1 to 2.4 tyres on my 26 wheels if they prefer it..?

I’m running 2.4s on 26″-wheels on an Mmmbop in the Peak and it’s made a massive difference. The bike rolls over stuff like a 29er, hooks up on loose stuff like never before, accelerates faster and demonstrates arrow-like stability even when battering mindlessly through rock gardens… erm, oh, sorry, I just made that up. Mostly it feels like a 26″-wheeled mountain bike with fat tyres on that take a lot of sting out of the ride of a very harsh frame. With faster, narrow tyres it feels quicker on smooth surfaces, but much harsher, but that’s tyre volume, not wheel size.

I guess smaller volume 650Bb tyres would fit in the frame – people do it – and probably with astute tyre choice be lighter, but I suspect they’d also be harsher. And if I used larger volume tyres they wouldn’t fit in the frame and if they did, your question would be whether a 650b with 2.4s feels like a 29er.

It’s all a bit princess and pea isn’t it? And given that actually you still see relatively few 29ers out there in the real world, let alone 650b-wheeled bikes, I’m quite happy to just go riding and not worry about it.

How many top-end bikes are sold every year in the UK? How many of those are really going to be 650b? How many years will it take before that means the majority of bikes out there are using the new wheel size? And who cares.

It’s all a bit princess and pea isn’t it? And given that actually you still see relatively few 29ers out there in the real world, let alone 650b-wheeled bikes, I’m quite happy to just go riding and not worry about it.

How many top-end bikes are sold every year in the UK? How many of those are really going to be 650b? How many years will it take before that means the majority of bikes out there are using the new wheel size? And who cares.

I agree, there’s too much worrying over all this.

I was out last night for the weekly night ride with a local group. We ride twisty and quite techy woodland singletrack, mainly cheeky trails. Out of 20 or so of us there were a complete mixture of bikes, both 26″ and 29″ representing all categories of each – full-suss trail bikes; long-forked, race, singlespeed and rigid hardtails; steel, Alu, carbon and titanium frames; retro rides right up to £3-4k dream bikes. There isn’t any piss-taking about what each other chooses to ride, and wheel size is hardy mentioned apart from the odd bit of banter.

The sport is alive and well for me, there are few poor bikes out there these days, and the amount of choice available to us is better than ever. Running a 26er and a 29er is the perfect bike quiver for me, and both are different enough to give me a buzz when out riding. Whether 650b makes headway into our world time will tell, but i’m certain i’ll still be ragging it round the woods every Thursday night regardless of wheel size.

I’m also still yet to see a 650b anywhere in the flesh… 😉

BWD, you should write for a mag 🙂

I’m quite happy to just go riding and not worry about it.

You don’t think any of us worry about it when we’re actually riding do you?? The worrying is saved for the moments when sat in front of the computer wondering which 1st World Problem to grumble about 🙂

On a more serious note it probably doesn’t bother the vast majority of riders. The people it bothers the most are those in the market for a new bike who are now even more confused about where to put their money. I was flapping over 26er v 29er just a couple of months ago and I found that irritating enough. To think that only a few weeks later the industry has decided that 650b is a genuine 3rd option.

As I’ve said on probably more than one of the wheel size threads it’s great if you can genuinely try lots of bikes before you buy, but most people don’t have the opportunity or cash to throw at endless demos.

whos worrying like..i do hope nobody worries over wheel sizes…or anything to do with the choice of bike gear or any other gear to do with there hobby…

blimey charlie..its just llike having a choice of fork 100/120/130/140/150/160 710 bars 720 bars and so on but please dont worry just have fun with whats available…

jameso – Member

If it’s designed as convertible frame via dropouts etc then that’s ok, they just re-position the axle. I meant someone re-speccing a ‘new!’ 650B bike based on simply those changes to a fixed-dropout 26″.

The axle doesn’t know how it gets where it is, though… If you put the wheel in the same place with dropouts or with longer chainstays (and a wee height change) it amounts to the same thing.

Maybe it’s just me but I’m assuming that a convertible 26er/650b will be designed as a 26er or 650b bike with a factory bodge, rather than being an uncompromised 26er and an uncompromised 650b bike.

Maybe it’s just me but I’m assuming that a convertible 26er/650b will be designed as a 26er or 650b bike with a factory bodge, rather than being an uncompromised 26er and an uncompromised 650b bike.

I can’t see a future for this either, why compromise months or even years of frame design and testing by accomodating two wheel sizes which less face it have a difference of 25mm or 1 inch rim diameter in reality?

Quick question for if/when this 650b thing really takes off or becomes the main stream. Can you run your current 26″ frame and wheels with a 650b specific fork.

Say I was in the market for a new fork, I look around, decide I like the new Rockshox Pike, I could buy the 650b version that should work fine with current set up but will also be usuable in the future if/when 26″ becomes a dying breed.

its just llike having a choice of fork 100/120/130/140/150/160 710 bars 720 bars and so on

But it’s not though. That’s the crux. I have a 26er full susser and a 29er rigid single speed. There are no compatibility issues that would prevent me from putting different forks, handlebars, stems on etc etc. I can’t swap my wheels though. What it IS like is if all the fork manufacturers decide to have tapered steerers only, leaving a load of cyclists with frames they can’t upgrade the forks on. This is people’s fear; being left with a bike that is “old hat”.

Say I was in the market for a new fork, I look around, decide I like the new Rockshox Pike, I could buy the 650b version that should work fine with current set up but will also be usuable in the future if/when 26″ becomes a dying breed.

Yes, if the headtube and steerer standard were compatible… and you were ok with the change in geometry such as slacker head and seat angles and increased BB height.

How much longer is a 650b fork compared to a 26″ one though? 1cm? That’s less than the difference between different brands’ forks for the same wheelsize…

How much longer is a 650b fork compared to a 26″ one though? 1cm? That’s less than the difference between different brands’ forks for the same wheelsize…

It’ll be 25mm longer or thereabouts… the difference between a 26″ rim and a 650b rim.

How much longer is a 650b fork compared to a 26″ one though? 1cm? That’s less than the difference between different brands’ forks for the same wheelsize…

Exactly. And if it is just a small difference that can be compensated by internal headset or an offset bush, or even simple tyre choice.

It’ll be 25mm longer or thereabouts… the difference between a 26″ rim and a 650b rim.

Surely that’s the diameter. You’ll want half of that, 1.5 inches / 2 = ~19mm?

NW we’re at cross-purposes somewhere ) or I’m not that clear, as ever.
ie I meant if you take a 26″ frame, simply lengthen the stay and / or move the brigdes to fit in a bigger wheel (as someone suggested) you have a poor 650B bike. If you use swappable dropouts you can make one pretty much ‘optimised’ for both, by adjusting a few things via axle position. It’s not a lot to account for really. You could do that via a new fixed DO rear end too, I assumed you meant longer only, it’s vertical adjustment that’s needed.

It’ll be 25mm longer or thereabouts… the difference between a 26″ rim and a 650b rim.

Surely that’s the diameter. You’ll want half of that, 1.5 inches / 2 = ~19mm?

True… I was terrible at Maths at school 😆

Still wrong. The actual diameter of the wheels is only 25mm different,

so the answer is 12.5mm.

So around 1cm. I WINZ 🙂

Which is basically good news for 26″ diehards as they can just use 27.5 forks.

So not a huge difference that the rider will really notice and it can be ‘corrected’ with options if needed.

This just helps spread the cost of having to replace frame, wheels and fork at the same time as not everyone will want to replace everything they have at once (nor will some be able to afford it).

For the record I have no issue with any of the wheel sizes, horses for course as they say, if I have to eventually go 650b then I will but currently 26″ works just fine for my needs.

1cm! Really

Glad to see this is still going 🙂

I think that this 27.5in revolution is going to happen (whether we like it or not – and I speak as someone who’s just bought a 29er… and who owns about four 26in bikes) rather quickly. Quicker than suspension forks caught on, quicker than disc brakes and quicker than 29ers.

I spoke to a bike designer today, he reckoned that every bike they make over £400 will be 27.5in next year.

Having ridden a 26in bike with 27.5in tyres crowbarred in, I can confirm that it turned a good handling machine into a tippy-feeling, tall bike that no longer went round corners very well. It was enough of a change to really ruin the handling. It’s less of an issue with a hardtail where dropouts can be changed to keep the ride height the same with the taller wheels.

As people have rightly pointed out, the new wheel size is only an issue for people in the market for new bikes. It doesn’t make 26in less awesome. And you’re going to be able to still get 26in stuff for years yet. After all, you can still get 27.2 seatposts, eight or nine speed cassettes and V-brake pads in EVERY UK bike shop. The 26in bike isn’t going anywhere soon. The 27in bike, meanwhile is arriving soon, whatever we think…

chipps – I work here

I think that this 27.5in revolution is going to happen

Did you think the 29er revolution was going to happen? Still waiting for that one, is it cancelled, or just paused til after the 27.5 revolution?

I’m waiting for the trend a few months/years after the 650B takeover for people fitting 26in wheels to stock 650B frames to increase agility, lower the BB for stability and reduce weight 😉

Having ridden a 26in bike with 27.5in tyres crowbarred in, I can confirm that it turned a good handling machine into a tippy-feeling, tall bike that no longer went round corners very well

Of course, what 26″ bikes is designed for bigger wheels!? It’s a daft concept. That’s why makers are bringing out new bikes around the 27.5″ wheel.

the new wheel size is only an issue for people in the market for new bikes. It doesn’t make 26in less awesome.

+1, but why is it an “issue”?

personally, I probably wont buy another 26″ wheeled bike, but I’ll happily ride the ones I already own because they are ace.

I’m waiting for the trend a few months/years after the 650B takeover for people fitting 26in wheels to stock 650B frames to increase agility, lower the BB for stability and reduce weight

There’s already a thread on mtbr about 26ing a bronson 😀

The 27in bike, meanwhile is arriving soon, whatever we think…

the public wants what the public gets eh?
well, NIMBY

but why is it an “issue”?

Because it adds more complication to what for many is already a bewildering purchase

I was out last night for the weekly night ride with a local group. We ride twisty and quite techy woodland singletrack, mainly cheeky trails. Out of 20 or so of us there were a complete mixture of bikes, both 26″ and 29″ representing all categories of each – full-suss trail bikes; long-forked, race, singlespeed and rigid hardtails; steel, Alu, carbon and titanium frames; retro rides right up to £3-4k dream bikes. There isn’t any piss-taking about what each other chooses to ride, and wheel size is hardy mentioned apart from the odd bit of banter.

We weren’t on the same ride were we?!

Because it adds more complication to what for many is already a bewildering purchase

I don’t see the complication as significantly different from the myriad of other “choices” in a bike’s design: wheelbase, headangle, front and back centre, BB style, suspension design, shocks, the list is long.

If you like the look and the ride (for your preferred riding style) just buy it.