Transition Bandit 29er in a Multistory Car Park

Graemef

Wrong on so many levels.

VWsurfbum

looks pretty awesome to me?
http://www.transitionbikes.com/Bikes_Bandit29.cfm







Oh and i did get the joke

Graemef

I see you've actually gone and built one, couldn't you get medical help?

But seriously

Why would you?

VWsurfbum

It ticks all the box's for me and my style of riding.

VWsurfbum

have checked the video on the site?

tsenior

v. lame attempt at reworking a joke that was featured today on R4 and some of the papers today in a "top 10 edinburgh fringe joke" item.

original was "crime in a multi-story car park: wrong on so many levels"

i much preferred:

greece have stopped exporting houmus and taramalsalata...........its a double dip recession.

Graemef

So the serious question has to be, what actual difference do those slightly bigger wheels make, and if it's so dramatic why did 26 " wheels evolve in the first place.

Then if they're so good why don't they fit pukka downhill bikes with big wheels?

They strike me as XC, SPD lycra clad gheyer machines, no disrespect to yourself intended.

I can't believe the Transition boys have gone along with it.

Graemef

Er (late response to tsenior) who the feck listens to R4?

No don't tell me, old people who think big wheels on a bike are so much more efficient, like in Penny Farthings..

lostboysaint

You're just frustrated that you can't swing your leg over the wheel to get on it. For us normal sized people it's not a problem.

Graemef

I could get my leg over your Mrs.

lostboysaint

If someone brought you a ladder or some rohypnol.........

Anyway, why aren't you in a car on your way westwards?

VWsurfbum

Graemef wrote:

So the serious question has to be, what actual difference do those slightly bigger wheels make, and if it's so dramatic why did 26 " wheels evolve in the first place.

Then if they're so good why don't they fit pukka downhill bikes with big wheels?

They strike me as XC, SPD lycra clad gheyer machines, no disrespect to yourself intended.

I can't believe the Transition boys have gone along with it.

they dont suit everyone or every style of riding but the DH boys are getting in on the action, CUBE have just released their first DH 29er and i think it makes sense for some of the world cup courses (not all i know) they roll better over the bumps and rocks but on a down side wont be as chuckable. but the grip will be slightly better through the corners and will hold momentum heading down the hill.

The XC, SPD lycra clad riders found the benefit in them because of said points above. again not for every course but certainly much faster on others.

When i have ridden my 29er in wales for instance, quicker and easier on the way up but harder to get round the switch backs. but on the way down, a lot more stable than a 26". but its alll just my opinion *fluffy bunnies*

minardi

Graemef wrote:

Er (late response to tsenior) who the feck listens to R4?

No don't tell me, old people who think big wheels on a bike are so much more efficient, like in Penny Farthings..

Well me for a start.... and maybe others who don't like idiot radio stations? Maybe those who are total simpletons?

No offence!

pilch

That wouldn't be Mr Fuller, by any chance, would it?

I've got a 29er, I have to say it's sh1t hot round fenboy land, it's so good i've given up Hetracil

t0pc4t

Graemef wrote:

So the serious question has to be, what actual difference do those slightly bigger wheels make, and if it's so dramatic why did 26 " wheels evolve in the first place.
.

what I heard was when Gary Fisher et al were building their first mountain bikes they could not get 700c / 29" wheels with wide enough rims for the tyes they wanted to run and BMX wheels, although wide enough, were too small so they used 26" Schwinn wheels which had originated in Europe as Schwinn was a German who emigrated.

So there was no design around it, just what they had access to at the time

Graemef

pilch wrote:

That wouldn't be Mr Fuller, by any chance, would it?

I've got a 29er, I have to say it's sh1t hot round fenboy land, it's so good i've given up Hetracil

Might be, why am I not surprised a Cabrinha Flying Gayboy is on a 29er!

MountainMonster

That transition is rather lovely, liked the video quite a bit as well, had some decent looking trails on there!

pilch

There's no mistaking that literary style GRF..... looks very nice, you wouldn't have a demo one kicking about by any chance would you?

I've been on Fuels since 07

Graemef

pilch wrote:

I've been on Fuels since 07

No way! So you've definitely been on the Hetracil ...

They haven't kicked your ass then?

I wasn't sure about that 29er, it's a bit like Slingshot launching a paddle board this year, it disturbs the Karma, sends Gaydar right off the scale..

So no, we've just got a demo TransAm 29er which is a hard tail and our guy Sean is taking it out to a Transition dealer meet this weekend, providing the bloody French let them through the tunnel (They're on strike). The Bandit we're not expecting til next spring, January at the earliest.

pilch

I wasn't sure about them (29ers) either, I thought it was a bit of a fad....

The thing that convinced me was one of the guys I ride with regularly got one and went from always falling off his 26" bike (he earned the name 'splat') to becoming a trail god almost overnight.

I have noticed so many benefits since changing, Transition are bang on with the 'riding in' the bike rather than 'on' it - that is the major benefit, lower C/G, giving greater stability and grip - such a confidence booster, you go faster into turns, roll over stuff easier, climb better.

I run tubeless too, so those big wheels can be run with less pressure for even more traction and 'extra' suspension.

The downsides are not many, bit slower off the mark for race whippets, bit heavier - but the benefits far outweigh these in my opinion

Graemef

Well looks like the decision has been taken by the Industry to pretty much revitalise Mountain Bike sales, backing the 29er movement, so far it appears only Mavic has said non!

All the majors have them, I'm just thinking just my luck, it's bow kites all over again....

Guess I'll have to give one a go, if i can reach to get my leg over that is.

Stevo_666

Never mind the odd sized wheels. some people might not be comfortable riding a bike with the word 'Bandit' plastered on the side

Graemef

So it looks like I'm going to have to eat humble pie, I've just got back from Eurobike and a Transition demo the weekend before in which the 29er was a surprising hit with the boys.

Can't say I've ridden one yet, but they are everywhere, every major has them and what's more a lot of the quality bike stores are going to be carrying them, 29ers that is, not necessarily Transition 29ers, it being a very small player although we're obviously trying to alter that.

The big deal, is the low C of G, with the crank lower than the wheel hubs, they just bed into a berm real well, then the roll over and way they deal with roots is just a bonus, but it does need the Geometry of the bike sorted to match the wheels or all sorts of other crap happens, like back wheel hitting frame on big landings for example. The Bandit is really sorted (I'm independently advised)but there are a lot out there that aren't so the trick is demo it first (or buy a Bandit of course).

Eurobike was mental as usual, can't say in all my years of going to trade shows have I ever had to queue for a piss quite so often, it's usually wimmen queuing outside the John.

So I'm off to get some Pink Lycra, break out the SPD's place an order for Gay Times and get my leg over one ASAP..

pilch

Ahem... "told you so"

Thewaylander

Still think your all hippies!!

Shoot the hippies and the only time i see 29ers, is on fireroads when they cruise past, and on the DH's while they pick there way down like sissies

toasty

Ooh I like that :S