Surely Schurters dominance on a 650b wheel (which has got to be close to a big 26 tyre in size) proves its way more about the guy/lady riding than the wheel size? Do you reckon he’d still be smashing it on a 26er?

why does one persons dominance ‘prove’ anything about wheel size.

isnt it more likely to prove his training plan is key
did you know that he subscribes* to the idiet and it is this which gives him the competitive edge

that said maybe it is the black chilli compound tyres relative to the suspension travel…..

Then again, he could just be awsum.

You’d need to clone him twice and make them train identically and then put them on all 3 wheel sizes. But then personal preference comes into play anyway.

And doesn’t he race marathons on 29ers anyway – so he’s not overly loyal to one size, just tools for the job.

What steve_b77 said: sometimes you get riders who you just know would win on anything.

proves its way more about the guy/lady riding than the wheel size?

How do you work that out? He wins and you use that to “prove” that it is nothing to do with the bike he is riding?

I seem to recall that the big teams take bikes with all three wheel sizes and the riders get to choose which bike they prefer for the course.

IMO riders and teams will want to eak out every little bit of performance advantage they can, if he won by a couple of minutes then wheelsize would likely be a small part of that, if he wins by a couple of seconds, then it could be the difference between first place and first of the losers.

Proves 650B’s teh best innit.

(which has got to be close to a big 26 tyre in size)

Why do I keep reading this, if your tyre perference is (insert make) 2.1 then the wheel is bigger.

Anyhow, its all about the rider, and to answer, yes I think he would win on 26, but he would also be a winner on 29.

Anyhow, its all about the rider, and to answer, yes I think he would win on 26, but he would also be a winner on 29.

That’s the point I was trying to make, its mostly about the person not the bike, that’s why I don’t get the wheel size hysteria. He’s fast on a 26, 27.5, 29 because of who he is not what he’s riding.

At least one year previous to last years Olympic Games he was testing all three wheelsizes on the course itself and on some course built to ressemble the one in London to some degree. He and his manager Frischknecht decided for a 27.5er because he felt the most comfortable on it and rode the fastest times. This is also due to his shortness, at least thats what the medias did spread here in Switzerland. He is just not the lanky guy like kulhavy.
But then, who knows how fast he would be on some other wheelsize… 😕
(Can’t belive I’m commenting on a wheelsize-thread here.)

Why is it that it’s people who want 26″ to be ‘the best’ always feel the need to shout about it? These threads rarely seem to get started by people on big wheels?

Why do I keep reading this, if your tyre perference is (insert make) 2.1 then the wheel is bigger.

This +1, he’d not be winning on 3″ tyres would he?

My point is that its probably likely that if you put Schurter on a 29er or a 26er he would still be damned quick, the same way Absalon would be damned quick on 650b or 26. I’m saying wheel size is mostly irrelevant is it not?
Schurters riding goes someway to prove that.

The mans a beast what ever he rides so does the media hype about 29ers v 650b vs 26 really add up?

You’d need to clone him twice and make them train identically and then put them on all 3 wheel sizes. But then personal preference comes into play anyway.

Thats pretty much what Scott did.. they ‘cloned’ Vogel, Schurter and Frishknecht and did back to back testing on all 3 sizes.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wVvTfsI9Fo[/video]

Schurters dominance on a 650b wheel

It’s not like he’s dominated though is it? Absalon had the win in the bag til his bike exploded in Albstadt, and the other two races have come down to sprint finishes? So he’s winning, but domination seems a bit strong.

I’m not commenting on the wheel sizes though, talking about such a minute detail detracts from the amazing racing we’ve got to watch so far this season.

It’s not like he’s dominated though is it? Absalon had the win in the bag til his bike exploded in Albstadt, and the other two races have come down to sprint finishes? So he’s winning, but domination seems a bit strong. quote]

Fair point. I guess I mean Schurter and Absalon together, they both seem really strong compared to the rest of the field.

Has been a really good watch, and I’m really liking Rob Warners and Bart Brentjens commentary, apart from when Rob saying ‘Bart’ and I keep thinking hes saying ‘but’.

THe simple answer is that he races on what his sponsors want him to race on as they are paying the bill. Hence why Lopes admitted he was on the wrong bike for the 1st round of the enduro series and why so many of the smaller ladies end up riding 29ers with stems so inverted they are in danger of head butting the top of the steer or using the fork crown as handlebars.

Schurter is able to dominate because he can whip, which 650b is more suited to than 29ers. Brendan Fairclough is moving to XC next year, and will also dominate.

Ahh but Fontana can whip as well and he’s not doing so well, but then he’s on a 29er 🙂

THe simple answer is that he races on what his sponsors want him to race on as they are paying the bill.

Yes and no as I’d argue that Scott want to see him win rather than be on a certain wheel size. He and his team will choose whatever wheel size is likely to increase his chances of a top place on the podium.

The mans a beast what ever he rides so does the media hype about 29ers v 650b vs 26 really add up?

I can honestly say I have never seen this ‘media hype’ you refer to in the actual media. The only ‘media hype’ I’ve seen is on ‘social media’ (STW) a load of entrenched opinions about how they don’t want to change wheel sizes. It doesn’t matter, if you’re slow on one size you’ll be slow on another, ditto being faster.

DaddyJim – Member

Ahh but Fontana can whip as well and he’s not doing so well, but then he’s on a 29er

QED

They talked about Nino’s bike during the last race. Said he liked to be lower over the front wheel than a 29’er would allow. Kulhavy runs a crazy looking inverted stem to try achieve the same thing. Personally I think the 650b looks way nicer.
Also note that in the eliminator, a few of the fellas use 26’ers to give better acceleration out of the corners.
Right tools for the job.

Marginal gains.

If Brailsford was running a GB mountain bike team, and took 20 different wheel sizes to each race, he would be praised for his attention to detail.

THe simple answer is that he races on what his sponsors want him to race on as they are paying the bill.

Yes and no as I’d argue that Scott want to see him win rather than be on a certain wheel size. He and his team will choose whatever wheel size is likely to increase his chances of a top place on the podium.

But given that Scott dont do 26ers anymore then I bet he cant ride one of them even if he wanted to. Perhaps he does so uses 650b as its as close as he can with a Scott, who knows

THe simple answer is that he races on what his sponsors want him to race on as they are paying the bill.

That argument falls flat on its face with Schurter though, as Scott don’t even do a 650B Scale! As has been said, they gave them the choice. Schurter liked the 29er, but couldn’t get the front end low enough (his has a rather aggressive position), so settled on the 650B.

One of the things that Lance got 100% right was that it’s not about the bike.

One of the things that Lance got 100% right was that it’s not about the bike.

So which blood bags for a 29er then?

njee20 – Member

THe simple answer is that he races on what his sponsors want him to race on as they are paying the bill.

That argument falls flat on its face with Schurter though, as Scott don’t even do a 650B Scale! As has been said, they gave them the choice. Schurter liked the 29er, but couldn’t get the front end low enough (his has a rather aggressive position), so settled on the 650B.

???

There’s one in the shop near me.

Julien absalon has moved over to 29ers this year and is racing well but is he any better than when on his 26″ wheel bike? He’d be winning overall if his mech hasn’t broken in the first race and put him out despite a dominating lead. Two second places after that.

But given that Scott dont do 26ers anymore

yes they do.
In the 2013 scott work book, XC section I count
5 Spark 6*0’s (26″) – 2 in carbon
8 scale 6*0’s (26″) – 5 in carbon

For 2014.. who knows.. the current spark probably hasn’t reached the end of its intended product life yet as its only in 2nd year of production and any pics of 700 sparks appear to be using 26″ spark front triangles as far as I can tell.
I’d be surprised and disappointed if we don’t see 27.5″ wheeled product for both spark and scale though.

There’s one in the shop near me.

Not unless the swiss power team dropped one off.
There is an alloy Spark and alloy scale with the model designation 650.. but thats a 26″ wheel bike

^^
scale 740/710 = 650b

Google it!

There’s one in the shop near me.

Sorry, should have said they didn’t, they do a full on Schurter replica now too, but he’s been on 650b for 2 seasons.

Awsum – but still named Nino
😆

I could have sworn I read somewhere that Nino prefers the 650b ‘cos he’s a shorty?
Have to admit, I stand with the same massive 5’6″s and having tested a 29er and then straight onto a 650b I did find it slightly more “flickable” than the 29er.
But, like has been said, you could probably put him on a Shopper and he’d still kick the majority of arses (if he could reach them….)

I could have sworn I read somewhere that Nino prefers the 650b ‘cos he’s a shorty?

Basically. It’s because he likes a very aggressive position – in part linked to being short, which he just couldn’t replicate on a 29er.