Can I then direct you to this facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/147990098672483/ Obviously some are to far away to make regular meet ups but it may allow you to find guys and gals close in your area who could go out for rides.

http://www.followingthechainline.blogspot.com

Me. I’m clean. That’s as far as my faith in cycling now takes me! 🙁

Sometimes you have to look back to go forward. The sad thing is there seems little going forward because our current UCI hasn’t got a clue how to ensure this doesn’t happen again. There will always be newer drugs that beat the system and teams that push their riders to take them. Surely when riders from a team are doping the team management should be held accountable as well. With this in mind I know if I was in charge I’d be more pro active in keeping my riders clean.

Just a thought but I’m sure there are many other ways forward.

http://www.followingthechainline.blogspot.com

That’s what I’ve been led to believe. They are all the same size and fit

Jez. North East Single Speed

http://www.followingthechainline.blogspot.com

Had the same 26er for years and am building a new 29er purely for something different. I’m not sure if it’ll be better or worse but I’m excited to find out. I think making comparisons is a hard one and you have to ride lots of different bikes to get a good idea. Even between two or ten 26ers you will get loads of variation in how they ride, whether they are great decenders or climbers etc. So comparing two wheel sizes on two very different equipped bikes is even harder. What would be interesting would be to have two bikes with the same equipment on (except the obvious change in wheel size) and see how much difference there really is. Would we see what claimed that 29ers roll better and 26ers are better on twist stuff?

http://www.followingthechainline.blogspot.com

andyruss I think you miss understand me a bit. I never said anything to suggest that being fast during an xc race is not important. I just don’t care which bike is fastest 29er 650b or 26er that is always down to the rider more than wheel size and is personal to where you ride. But remember the biggest bike companies just as trek, giant, specialised, kona and Cannondale are dropping 26ers from their range as in America there has become less demand and the 29er more accepted. This will be forced on us, we are just slow to pick up with the market. Full sus was exactly the same. Europeans were behind and resisted the change but the movement came from America. The fact they are rubbish at racing has nothing to do with it. They seem to get better results than us.

Oh and id be very surprised that in country so vast compared to ours that they don’t have twisty trails in abundance.

Yes you can get away with using the 32t on the front and you’re ok for the back but the chainline may not be right. Ideally you should have a single 16t sprocket and spacers to allow a smooth running transmission. You can get these from Charlie the bikemonger, velosolo or on-one for not much money. Yes you will have to use a tensioner to take any slack out of the chain.

I do have a step by step guide on my blog under technical help. http://www.followingthechainline.blogspot.com

9 speed chain is also fine.

Jez. North East Single Speed

My point andyruss is not which is fastest but the way we will eventually accept the market. A great deal of bike brands come from America, it goes without saying that they dictate what happens and we follow slowly behind. 29ers are established there, not long till it’ll be the common thing to buy.

http://www.followingthechainline.blogspot.com

I notice Charlie that when I talk to my American friends about Singlespeed ratios they automatically talk in 29er ratios. 29ers are now inbeded in their culture, 26ers are the ‘VHS’ of the world. We are so far behind America and the bike industry with newer technology it’s sad. We are easily five years behind them where 29er tyre sales outstrip 26ers. Bored of the whole thing now! Lets stop being ‘stuck in the muds’

Going back to pussywillows original comment

“Fed up of the way the bike industry is going, forcing it in our faces that we must move with the times and buy a 29r!!! If they’re that good then why have they only just started to take off??”

The thing is they have taken off in America. Big style. In fact they have been taking off for more than five years to the point where now 29er tyre sales outstrip 26ers. As a country we are so far behind the industry. Go to a XC race in America and you will only see a handfull of 26er bikes. The opposite in this country.

Sales in this country are on the increase and eventually we will be in the same position as our overseas cousins where 29ers dominiate, whether that is for bad or good that is what will happen.

Lets stop resisting change and go wih it. Afterall, we were about five years behind the Americans when it came to full suspension and look whats happened now!