Stif Morf or On One Big Dog?

Have the opportunity to buy a Morf which I’ve lusted after for some time but ive also recently become interested in the Big Dog.

Would be very interested in any advice. I’m coming from a 26″ so wonder if the Big Dog may feel too big.

Thanks

They’re reasonable similar, with the Big Dog being a bit more gnarish.

Going from 26″ – 29″ will feel like a proper steam roller ride, but you will quickly adapt.

Everything is shifting to 29er these days with 27.5″ resigned to the rear on mullets. Unless you particularly want or need the extra little bit of nimbleness from the 27.5″, go 29er.

A couple of threads on the Big Dog below which might be useful……

Big Dog 1

Big Dog 2

Second hand Morf presumably @mattslegg? Depends on price and condition I guess. I do like the look of the Morf, though would err towards a 29er.

If you’re wanting to go 27.5”, also take a look at the Ragley Blue Pig. I’ve got the 29er equivalent (Big Wig) which is great for the money IMO.

Thanks everyone, appreciate the feedback.
Yes the Morf would be second hand but Big Dog new which is obviously nice although the spec is lower.

Out of interest why does everyone recommend 29″ now? I’m so out of touch!

I went from 26” to 29er, now also have a 27.5.
I’m only 5 foot 8, I do find the 27.5 easier to control. But the 29er is the “fastest” bike. Certain trails there’s no need to carefully pick a line, the 29er will bash through. Once it gets really rooty and rocky you need to think again. Both are fun, but I just prefer the 27.5. (Hard tail 27.5. full sus 29er)

In essence, 29er wheels drops into ruts / holes etc less than a 27.5 or 26er wheel because of the bigger diameter. So it smoothes out trails better. So they’re faster most of the time as they keep their momentum better – I don’t think that’s up for debate.

The downsides are slower acceleration / the wheels feel heavier spec for spec and the bikes aren’t quite as nimble. So on tight twisty Singletrack or steep tech hairpins they require more effort to get round.

Having had a go on a few 29ers I thought they were less playful and poppy, but I now think that’s more bike geometry / suspension specific – rather than being due to the wheel size.

So I currently have a 27.5” wheel hardtail and 29er full suspension bike.

Only had the 29er for 3 rides and I love it – it’s quite big travel / slack geometry (150mm/150mm and circa 64” headangle) but it still has pop to the suspension and likes getting off the ground / gets into corners pretty similarly to the previous 27.5” wheeled full suss bike. The only adjustment was the first ride I buzzed my arse on the back wheel a few times – the subsequent rides I didn’t. So we’ll see how that goes.

The hardtail is more playful – partially wheel size but mainly geometry and having no rear suspension travel. It was a custom frame that I designed – I deliberately put short chainstays on and kept the reach quite conservative so it would fix along trails wanting to pop manuals and rip round corners enthusiastically. So it’s horses for courses which bike I take out each ride.

I’m 5’9 for reference so not particularly tall (some in our group like to point out I’m short).

If I were to just buy a hardtail now as my only bike I’d be a bit torn – but might edge towards a 29er I think. I really love the look / geometry on the Pipedream Moxie and think that would probably be top of my list of 29er hardtails. If you really want to on that one you can run 27.5+ but it would need to be 2.8” tyres of the bottom bracket would be too low.

Out of the 2 frames you mention I’d pick the Big Dog over the Morf as the seat tubes are shorter for the given reach so you can run a longer dropper post in it. The big dog also has a more modern seat tube angle so it might be better up steep hills because of the position on the bike you’d have.

Thank you. Appreciate the feedback.

Is the Big Dog the Sram SX build? If so, I’d go Morf if the price is decent as the frame will be better quality and the groupset much better. I’d imagine the forks would be a significant improvement too?

As for the wheels, I personally prefer 29″ although I’ve had 650b, liked them and would happily buy another.

I’m not knocking On One btw, I have a Whippet with SX kit and like it although will dump the groupset at some point because it’s made of cheese.

I’ve got a Scandal that is (almost) the same geometry as the Big Dog (chainstay/seat angle is different as the scandal gets a kinked tube).

The “GX” build is good, but really the drive chain is an SX cassette and HG freehub which would irritate me unless I was planning to either single speed it or upgrade to Microspline or XD (in which case, just buy a frame).

29ers, just do everything better apart from “feeling light”. But it’s just a feeling, a few grams in the wheels won’t actually reduce your acceleration or speed in the corners. I’ve had them since they were only a rigid option and even back then a rigid 29er felt more competent than their contemporary 100mm FS 26ers. “Small” wheels just feel twitchy and hard work when I go back to them. Which is I guess the opposite of the “steam roller” feeling that people who ride 26″ or 27″ complain of when they try 29ers.