26, 650b, 29er's

chazkayak

Ive been mountain biking for a few year's, well since 91/92, so a few years. Im no pro, im no expert I just like to ride. I dont know the ins and outs and all the tech data of every bike but Im begininning to think theres a lot of press influenced hype out there.

Ive been reading all the mags since they came out and seen all the same stories/features throughout the years. Whats changed?, bike design, suspension travel, frame material, fashion. I remember the Jasoin McCroy video with MBUK magazine and a few issues later saying he was killed in a motorbike accident.

Ive seen people go faster, further, higher etc.

But now its going 29er, 29er,29er. Theyre the new bike's to buy, they are soooo much better than 26ers, theyre this theyre that. BUT SO FAR ITS BIKE MAG OPINION, wheres the back to back data to prove the blurb???

Forgive me if im wrong , wasnt the 26inch wheel decided as the norm for racing? Just like BMXing and F1 etc, keeping certain things standard so as not to create an unfair advantage.

So now were into 26, 650B(27.5) and 29ers.

I believe its all press hype...Have we exhausted all the avenues and now manufacturers are trying to change the norm??

Feel free to comment?

TheJohnClimber

Don't believe the press as the biggest advertisers always get the best reviews.

"Most" of the mags have been slagging off 29ers for years, until this year when all the manufacturers have jumped on the 29er band wagon and suddenly they are now fantastic and every advert is for 29ers.

There are big shows going on in the USA right now (Sea Otter) where 650b's are the all the rage, so expect lots of fantastic reviews of 650b's in a couple of months. You heard it here first

Just test ride a bike, any bike, if it suits your riding area's and if you like it buy it. Simple


For the record I've ridden 29ers (99.9% of the time) since 2007 and I own 5 of them because they suit my riding.

chazkayak

TheJohnClimber wrote:

Don't believe the press as the biggest advertisers always get the best reviews.

"Most" of the mags have been slagging off 29ers for years, until this year when all the manufacturers have jumped on the 29er band wagon and suddenly they are now fantastic and every advert is for 29ers.

There are big shows going on in the USA right now (Sea Otter) where 650b's are the all the rage, so expect lots of fantastic reviews of 650b's in a couple of months. You heard it here first

Just test ride a bike, any bike, if it suits your riding area's and if you like it buy it. Simple


For the record I've ridden 29ers (99.9% of the time) since 2007 and I own 5 of them because they suit my riding.

LIKE!!

I think a 29er would suite the bigger rider, im 6'2" and just measured my inside leg at 90+cm's and think tha a 29er would suite the larger rider better. Its a proportion thing, the bigger you are the bigger bike you need....but all in proportion!!!
Interesting about the 650b's!!

supersonic

as the biggest advertisers always get the best reviews.

Certainly don't believe that!

chazkayak

But he who shouts loudest gets heard most!!

TheJohnClimber

supersonic wrote:

as the biggest advertisers always get the best reviews.

Certainly don't believe that!

Just one click away, click on the tab above that says "Moutain Biking"

Right now you will see the following 3 out of 5 items are about wagon wheels

Video: SRAM, RockShox back 650B wheel size
New 27.5in fork and wheel, plus lockout, Solo Air and Monarch updates

Sea Otter 2012: Mavic expand 29er wheel range
29in Crossmax SLR, Crossmax ST and Crossride Disc

Video: Annie Last on the new XC eliminator format
Plus Chris Boardman on Last's Olympic bike; Bart Brentjens talks Hadleigh Farm

Video: Canyon Nerve XC 9.0 review
Impeccable balanced all-rounder with phenomenal kit value

BMC TeamElite TE01 29 introduced
New carbon 29er hardtail full of BMC tuning tech

supersonic

One review there?

Yes, there is a lot in the press about new wheel sizes: but the same happened when suspension hit the scene, then disc brakes, and so on. Advertisers do not get better reviews in WMB or associated mags, or on this site.

RevellRider

The main reason why I see the 29" wheel getting more press lately is a whole lot of manufacturers have been able to make it 'work', giving the rider more choice now days. As Supersonic says, it was just the same when suspension bikes came out or when more people started using disc brakes

chazkayak

Why are 29ers only "working" now?

A wheel is a wheel, its round and it rolls!! What size are racer wheels (never ridden one!!) When mountainbiking first started what was the wheel size then?

Chunkers1980

26ers frame designs have been tweaked for years to near perfect for their given uses. Add something different into the mix and almost everything that was known changes. Takes time to hone new things.

mak3m

Just ordered a new bike, i resisted posting in the buying advice forum as I had an idea of what I wanted and a good handle of what was in my budget, and I wanted to get what i wanted not what somebody else thought i wanted.

I dont get mtb mags so my only exposure to reviews articles etc is through this site.

I watched the recent series of 26v29 videos and have to say i wasnt impressed thought there was a heavy slant towards the 29 and I hate having things sold to me.

So I went out and tried a few models on test rides, in some cases both the 26er and the 29er at the same time. I then looked at the type of riding I did and what I wanted to do.

Granted i couldnt try the 650b but I did surprise myself and pressed the button on a 29er because right now it felt the best for me.

I do hope that 29ers get more popular tbh cos the tube price is going to freaking bankrupt me

chazkayak

I have a theory......


Bigger people should ride bigger bikes as in 26, 650b, 29 not just small medium and large frames.

Its an ergonimics thing, I ride my sones BMX, im 6ft2 and I feel like im riding a minimoto, I get on my bike and it feels right. Those that are at the large end of the frame scale should explore 650/29ers to see if the bike fits them better, not just because the press says a 29er is the best thing since sliced bread. I think the other end of the scale is someone small in stature wouldnt necessarilly fit a 29er.

Comments welcome.

After Thought....what about putting a set of 26inch wheels on a 29er frame, how mush extra mud clearance woiuld you get then!!!

mak3m

Im 5'10" current bike is a L GT 26er HT frame, ordered bike is 19" Cube 29er HT frame

the key is getting on the bike and trying it for size, the current frame sizing measurement of choice means very little as I seem to fit a 16" to 21" frame depending on the maker/style of the bike ???????????

chazkayak

mak3m wrote:

Im 5'10" current bike is a L GT 26er HT frame, ordered bike is 19" Cube 29er HT frame

the key is getting on the bike and trying it for size, the current frame sizing measurement of choice means very little as I seem to fit a 16" to 21" frame depending on the maker/style of the bike ???????????

Totally agree, my new bike is a Giant Reign 2, according to their sizing charts I could ride a medium.....im 6ft 2, my last bike was 53cm new 49cm

dmorton

The different wheel size for different size rider is a good idea, although in my experience I've found wheel size selection more to do with terrain riden and the type of ride you're going on.

I have a 26er 'hardcore' hardtail and I use that for trail centre riding and blasts on singletrack. I also have a 29er hardtail, I suppose more of XC race type bike. I ride this to work with slicker tyres on and use it on longer rides, e.g. riding to a trail centre from my house, and then going round it, as it covers ground pretty quickly! I've done all day rides on the 26er too though

I'd be very interested in how a sorted 650b bike rides

Also I think with all new concepts/products, they can be pushed down everyone's throats by manufacturers intially (e.g. giving retailers freebies so they recommend the product, selling at very low profit margins = cheap prices) but this isn't sustainable. Only concepts that have real merit will prevail long term as a manufacturer has to see a return.

mattbarnes

While I appreciate the sport has to evolve, are all of these different wheel sizes not just a clever marketing ploy by the manufacturers who, in this present financial climate, are desperate to sell bikes and make moneyby any means?
Has it not been going on for decades in every walk of life?

We all recognise the tactics:
1) Stick a well known rider on a big-brand bike with new equipment thats 'better' than what we've all been using for the past 20 years.
2) Get him/her to do exceptionally well in a competition and get said rider to praise the new goods very highly (lets face it, he/she is unlikely to say "This XXXXXXX (insert component name here) is sh!t - it was talent that won me the race" and risk losing sponsorship/cash/team place etc.)
3) The general public are swept up in the craze in the belief that having the product will make them a better rider/rider/cycling god, and rush out and spend lots of cash.
4) Companies laugh all the way to the bank...

Yeah, its a very cynical view but I, like many others use what suits my riding style and I'll be sticking with 26" wheels for some time yet. I simply don't feel the need to increase the size of my wheels by either three or one-and-a-half inches.

The big names will try anything to get us to part with our cash; anyone remember Biopace rings or Dual control shifters? Anyone still use them? Not many I'd imagine.

By the way, I went into my local EVANS store the other week (just to laugh at the prices more than anything else) and out of curiosity I counted all of the 29ers. Out of the 40-odd MTB's that were there I counted ONE 29" wheel behemoth. I guess the 29er craze hasn't reached the north east yet...

cooldad

chazkayak wrote:

I have a theory......


Bigger people should ride bigger bikes as in 26, 650b, 29 not just small medium and large frames.

Its an ergonimics thing, I ride my sones BMX, im 6ft2 and I feel like im riding a minimoto, I get on my bike and it feels right. Those that are at the large end of the frame scale should explore 650/29ers to see if the bike fits them better, not just because the press says a 29er is the best thing since sliced bread. I think the other end of the scale is someone small in stature wouldnt necessarilly fit a 29er.

Comments welcome.

After Thought....what about putting a set of 26inch wheels on a 29er frame, how mush extra mud clearance woiuld you get then!!!

Er no,and no.
Personally I'll stick to 26 until others are more common, prices drop and parts are more readily available.

Dirtydog11

Stick your 29ers, 36 is where it's at!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYt6IqaHk_Q

cooldad

Dirtydog11 wrote:

Stick your 29ers, 36 is where it's at!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYt6IqaHk_Q

Pah, I'll call your 36er and raise you a 59er

chazkayak

Stick ya 29er, 36er, 59er......Id rather have a 69er!!!!!

Chinley Churner

chazkayak wrote:

Why are 29ers only "working" now?

A wheel is a wheel, its round and it rolls!! What size are racer wheels (never ridden one!!) When mountainbiking first started what was the wheel size then?

Because it's only now that bigger manufacturers have come onboard that development money has been put into ironing out some of the geometry issues.. especially for smaller frames/riders.

I assume by "racers", you mean road bikes? In which case 700C ie 29 in ... a few very small TT and Tri bikes are 650b though.

Original "clunker" mountain bikes were 26" modified cruisers and that's why mountain bikes ended up as 26"... no technical reasons.

chazkayak

Thanks CC, I did mean "road bikes" just couldnt think of the name (brain fart!!!)

cooldad

chazkayak wrote:

Stick ya 29er, 36er, 59er......Id rather have a 69er!!!!!

Just for you

Chunkers1980

26er, good rim, to attach you sprocket to.

Rankles

Let me ask you this. If you buy a tailored suit will it necessarily fit someone else? No because of height and width differences etc. Some people have long torsos and short limbs. Others are the opposite.

Me? I'm 5'8. A 29er would probably be too big for me. However for someone of 6'2 it could be a perfect ergonomic fit...

All depends on the rider, surely? To be honest I'm astounded we've all been riding 26" for so many years and not questioned this.

We don't all wear the same clothes, why would we all ride the same bikes? Sure they all work, but getting that little bit of extra speed out of them requires tailoring to your body.

DodgeT

chazkayak wrote:

Stick ya 29er, 36er, 59er......Id rather have a 69er!!!!!

That's you struck off the riding buddies list..

cloudynights

chazkayak wrote:

Ive been mountain biking for a few year's, well since 91/92, so a few years. Im no pro, im no expert I just like to ride. I dont know the ins and outs and all the tech data of every bike but Im begininning to think theres a lot of press influenced hype out there.

Ive been reading all the mags since they came out and seen all the same stories/features throughout the years. Whats changed?, bike design, suspension travel, frame material, fashion. I remember the Jasoin McCroy video with MBUK magazine and a few issues later saying he was killed in a motorbike accident.

Ive seen people go faster, further, higher etc.

But now its going 29er, 29er,29er. Theyre the new bike's to buy, they are soooo much better than 26ers, theyre this theyre that. BUT SO FAR ITS BIKE MAG OPINION, wheres the back to back data to prove the blurb???

Forgive me if im wrong , wasnt the 26inch wheel decided as the norm for racing? Just like BMXing and F1 etc, keeping certain things standard so as not to create an unfair advantage.

So now were into 26, 650B(27.5) and 29ers.

I believe its all press hype...Have we exhausted all the avenues and now manufacturers are trying to change the norm??

Feel free to comment?

agree with you 100%

YIMan

I'm pig sick of the 29er hype and the earlier poster was right, 650b is next. At least maybe the 650Bs won't look as much like a penny farthing with two big wheels.

cooldad

These darned new fangled pnuematic tyres will never catch on.

bartimaeus

That Ibis Maximus looks good for DH, with its 13" of travel... and at 1,000lbs it is best suited to uplift days. But it's a singlespeed :shock: . At least I hope it's an SS, as a courier on a 1,000lb fixie would be a bloody menace :twisted:

cycle monster

Why do people with expensive 26ers protest so much?