The ultimate reason not to by a 29er…

Yeah they really love 29ers on MBR . Last months little gem was “if you only buy into 1 fad this year make sure it’s a dropper seatpost not a 29er” . Along with the usual poor standard of journalism they don’t seem able to get their facts very right either . Again from last month ” The XTR is the first hinged brake lever produced by Shimano” – er no Deore 595 has had that feature and been around for a while now . Also the same XTR brake was easy to swap between different bikes because of the tri-align style washers like Avid has – er no they supply on pair of washers per bolt whos only function is to space the bolt out , the caliper still mounts straight onto the mount . This years test fleet won’t have any 29ers because none of the testers want to ride them , get a grip , it’s the fastest growing MTB sector by miles .
The sooner they disappear up their own arses the better .

Is it not as much to do with the consistency of dog shit these days as it is to do with tyre size/pressure?

Way back in the 1970’s (and doubtless for years before that) it was all hard, white chalky stuff, not this sticky / runny slop it is these days. That change has oft-been linked to the diet of dogs back then; with a greater consumption of bones (pre-BSE scares) and the consequential uptake of calcium, as compared to today’s ‘complete’ foods.

That sticky slop goes everywhere – I can’t imagine that the white chalky stuff would have been anywhere near as likely to form that weaponized aerosol spray-chunks you get from it these days.

(The diet change / availability of specific companion-animal feeds is also linked to the apparent proportionate increase in cats suffering with gingivitis, and other poor dental hygiene …).

tis true. We fed our dog mostly dried food and it’s waste was 29er friendly. The famed ‘angle of attack’ of the larger wheel allowed one to roll over the harder turd more easily. Oft was the time we witnessed ‘those of reduced wheel size’ stutter and stall when happening upon his faeces. Children on 16″ wheels did regular come unseated, sprawling amid the turdy cobbles. Alas, poor Murphy has gone to the great ball chase in the sky and I’m left to wend carefully through the poo-slop of those who feed their hounds processed offal.