Short Travel 26ers becoming Obsolete?

mikeyj28

Hi all

yes i do realise that there are many posts on here regarding 29ers vs 26ers & now 650b. I am asking as was told by 3 different bike the same thing.

I went to 3 bike shops on saturday as want to take advantage of the sales for a new FS bike (120mm max)
In all of them i was told to go for a 29er as 26 inch wheeled bikes will be obsolete/very uncommon in 3-5 years.
I am not sure about this and also who can predict the future but they were all signing the praises of 29ers unless you're having serious downhill sessions. I realise 29ers are quicker over certain sections but surely youcan't write off a decent 26" bike?? or am i totallywrong and set in my ways with a 26er?

The Rookie

29er is taking off in a big way in the US which is pushing some comapnies to go wholesale to 29er (Spesh) and almost drop 26, however I'm of the opinion that we'll see 26ers for a LONG while to come (heck BSO's still have inclined dropouts with the horrible hoseshoe bolted mech mount they could have replaced 25 years ago!), I doubt they will ever disapear although with 650B as an option if the industry wants to squeeze back to 2 wheel sizes I can see 26er's going in favour of 650B and 29er only, however I think that will take 10 years yet at least to be significant, there is too much inertia in 26er (tooling etc, as well as the aftermarket) for there to be any meaningful shift in just 3-5 years.

benpinnick

Yes, but thats as much that long travel 26ers are becoming as efficient as short travel ones as it is 29ers taking over.

njee20

29er is taking off in a big way in the US which is pushing some comapnies to go wholesale to 29er (Spesh) and almost drop 26, however I'm of the opinion that we'll see 26ers for a LONG while to come (heck BSO's still have inclined dropouts with the horrible hoseshoe bolted mech mount they could have replaced 25 years ago!), I doubt they will ever disapear although with 650B as an option if the industry wants to squeeze back to 2 wheel sizes I can see 26er's going in favour of 650B and 29er only, however I think that will take 10 years yet at least to be significant, there is too much inertia in 26er (tooling etc, as well as the aftermarket) for there to be any meaningful shift in just 3-5 years.

The OP didn't say full stop he said short-travel FS bikes, and yes more and more brands are ditching their short travel XC-biased 26" FS bikes, not just Spesh but now Trek, Scott and Giant as well. That's basically the 'big 4', who've given up on 26" wheels on their top FS XC bikes. So I'd say that in 3-5 years there will be hardly any bikes in that sector with 26" wheels.

That said... it's not like spares etc are going to disappear, so it's not a huge issue!

Irving Washington

It seems like most of the bike producers still keep a 26" version for XC trail bikes. The Trek Fuel EX is still 26", and so is Canyon's Nerve AL and a lot of Konas.

mikeyj28

njee20 wrote:

29er is taking off in a big way in the US which is pushing some comapnies to go wholesale to 29er (Spesh) and almost drop 26, however I'm of the opinion that we'll see 26ers for a LONG while to come (heck BSO's still have inclined dropouts with the horrible hoseshoe bolted mech mount they could have replaced 25 years ago!), I doubt they will ever disapear although with 650B as an option if the industry wants to squeeze back to 2 wheel sizes I can see 26er's going in favour of 650B and 29er only, however I think that will take 10 years yet at least to be significant, there is too much inertia in 26er (tooling etc, as well as the aftermarket) for there to be any meaningful shift in just 3-5 years.

The OP didn't say full stop he said short-travel FS bikes, and yes more and more brands are ditching their short travel XC-biased 26" FS bikes, not just Spesh but now Trek, Scott and Giant as well. That's basically the 'big 4', who've given up on 26" wheels on their top FS XC bikes. So I'd say that in 3-5 years there will be hardly any bikes in that sector with 26" wheels.

That said... it's not like spares etc are going to disappear, so it's not a huge issue!

Yes i was aiming it at short travel FS bikes. Also, the reason behind it is that i'm after one (was going to be a 26" FS)and don't want to buy one then regret it a year later when 29ers are even more finely tuned/better made etc etc.
I'm not a fan of 29ers as had a demo on a Trek superfly FS last year and didn't like it other than rolling down rooted/rocky hills.

felix.london

It's not like in 3 years you wont be able to buy 26" forks, wheels, tyres or tubes so it doesn't really matter. Find a bike that you like and feels good and get it. Why does it matter what's gonna happen in 3-5yrs time anyway?

njee20

I'm not a fan of 29ers as had a demo on a Trek superfly FS last year and didn't like it other than rolling down rooted/rocky hills.

So try some others. I don't like Scott Sparks, irrespective of wheel size. Not saying that you definitely need a 29er, but the increasing dominance of them makes you wonder.

supersonic

One manufacturer starts, the others follow. They don't want to get left behind incase it takes off, not realising they are forcing the market. Now with a massive emphasis on 650b, with some manufacturers spurting it is the best of both worlds, the choice at the moment is still good, but the consumer is confused. The sooner we start realising it its what suits the rider and there is no best the better, but the manufacturers are keen for all the 26 owners to buy new shiny expensive bikes. Some of the marketing is poor at best.

njee20

Whilst I do agree we've still not seen Trek/Spesh/Giant to 650B, and they are the 3 biggest.

Likewise although they're committing to 29ers I struggle with the notion that they did it purely to follow suit, rather than any market demand (perceived or otherwise). The majority of people I know (who are buying this sort of bike) have switched and all are happier for it.

Let's face it though, Spesh ditched the 26" Epic 2 years ago, if they thought it meant they were losing sales hand over fist to Trek/Giant etc they're reintroduce one pretty sharpish!

The Rookie

mikeyj28 wrote:

In all of them i was told to go for a 29er as 26 inch wheeled bikes will be obsolete/very uncommon in 3-5 years.

Hmm not just short travel FS really.......

It seems bizarre for short travel FS to go all 29er but not hardtail (where arguably the benefits of 29 v 26 are greater), which makes it sound either a demand driven (by those buying into a band wagon) or marketing driven (or one following the other)....

At the cycle show I rode a Trek 29er short travel and a Pivot Mach4 26er, loved the Pivot, hated the Trek which just felt like a big ol' barge, did try (and liked) the Trek Superfly Elite 29er HT.

njee20

It seems bizarre for short travel FS to go all 29er but not hardtail (where arguably the benefits of 29 v 26 are greater), which makes it sound either a demand driven (by those buying into a band wagon) or marketing driven (or one following the other)....

XC race focused 29ers in the same price brackets (Scale, S-Works, XTC Advanced) have also gone 29er...

The Rookie

njee20 wrote:

XC race focused 29ers in the same price brackets (Scale, S-Works, XTC Advanced) have also gone 29er...

Irrefutable logic, thank goodness the 26ers have stayed as 26ers!

Seriously though, yes the XC race focused have, but the vast majority have not, so why short travel FS (most of which are not race orientated)

Rushmore

Ive ridden quite a few 29ers and own a 120mm travel 26er..

I'm gunna get a 29er hardtail for next years xc race season.. But they turn like boats and really are not chuck able..

I love riding my short travel 26er and if I got offered the swap for a 29 version I would kindly decline...

lostboysaint

The Beginner wrote:

29er is taking off in a big way in the US which is pushing some comapnies to go wholesale to 29er (Spesh) and almost drop 26, however I'm of the opinion that we'll see 26ers for a LONG while to come (heck BSO's still have inclined dropouts with the horrible hoseshoe bolted mech mount they could have replaced 25 years ago!), I doubt they will ever disapear although with 650B as an option if the industry wants to squeeze back to 2 wheel sizes I can see 26er's going in favour of 650B and 29er only, however I think that will take 10 years yet at least to be significant, there is too much inertia in 26er (tooling etc, as well as the aftermarket) for there to be any meaningful shift in just 3-5 years.

It's funny what people will believe when the media peddles it hard enough (deliberate pun). I've just spent a couple of months in Canada and NA and 29ers aren't anything like as popular as the industry would have you believe.

Carl170

I would have thought that the obvious place to showcase the 29 technology would have been in this summers OlympIcs.

I only saw 2 or 3 29ers as opposed to all the 26ers there.

Does that not speak volumes?

The US bike mags were plugging 29ers in 2006, and I still don't see that many of them on my local trails!

Regards

Carl

VWsurfbum

dunno what Olympics you were at, but the one i was at had loads!

rockmonkeysc

MBUK says 26" bikes make baby Jesus cry (and when has MBUK ever been wrong?). Melt them all down to make more 29ers

stubs

Dont think 26ers will be uncommon in 3 to 5 years. Round my way 29ers are still pretty rare, enough that its still a point and "look a 29er" thing.

The Northern Monkey

Think I've only seen 1 29er in the flesh!

I'd like to try one... Much of a muchness though, I'm sceptical about the benefits. As Supersonic said, the marketing is pretty dire and pushing it as 'the next best thing' but they've been around for years!

97th choice

Despite marketing hype there is no "only bike you'll ever need". Yes there are some that do an awful lot of different things well but there is always a more focussed model that will be better.

dependent on what kind of terrain you ride, 29ers are just another weapon in the armoury. A 29er hardtail would be the perfect bike for the 3 weeks a year I spend on the west coast of France, but it would languish unused for the other 49 weeks.

benpinnick

Carl170 wrote:

I would have thought that the obvious place to showcase the 29 technology would have been in this summers OlympIcs.

I only saw 2 or 3 29ers as opposed to all the 26ers there.

Does that not speak volumes?

The US bike mags were plugging 29ers in 2006, and I still don't see that many of them on my local trails!

Regards

Carl

Not sure about that. I think 8 of the first 10 people across the line in the mens had 29ers. If you go to any half serious XC event now you'll see alot of 29ers. Next year I would be willing to bet more than 50% in the Elite fields.

ddraver

to directly answer the OP, I think 29ers have been shown to be faster over a specifid distance than an equivalent 26er. For racing, obviously that is the be all and end all and so why they re replacing 26in. If you want to haev FUN over that distance then that's a different matter!

VWsurfbum

how about this?
http://www.flyxii.com/products_1.asp?menuid=329&id=1126

mikeyj28

ddraver wrote:

to directly answer the OP, I think 29ers have been shown to be faster over a specifid distance than an equivalent 26er. For racing, obviously that is the be all and end all and so why they re replacing 26in. If you want to haev FUN over that distance then that's a different matter!

Yes i agree in that 29ers have been found to be faster over a specified distance but aren't they supposed to corner like a boat and aren't as nimble through tight/twisty sections such as wooded areas?
I think there is still a place for a decent 26er unless you're in an elite level race.

njee20

Seriously though, yes the XC race focused have, but the vast majority have not, so why short travel FS (most of which are not race orientated)

What are the Spark/Epic/Top Fuel/Anthem if not race bikes? Yes they're capable trail bikes, but they are designed as race bikes through and through, and they've gone to 29er.

Yes i agree in that 29ers have been found to be faster over a specified distance but aren't they supposed to corner like a boat and aren't as nimble through tight/twisty sections such as wooded areas?

Perhaps they are supposed to, but fortunately they don't! They'll always struggle on tight switchbacks purely because of the longer wheelbase etc, and you can't make longer travel bikes (hence 650B coming to the fore), but sweeping generalisations like that don't hold any more truth with 29ers than they do with 26" wheels.

I would have thought that the obvious place to showcase the 29 technology would have been in this summers OlympIcs.

I only saw 2 or 3 29ers as opposed to all the 26ers there.

Does that not speak volumes?

Yes, as said it shows that they blend in with 26" wheels and aren't the freak bikes some folk seem to think, because more than half the field were riding 29ers!

Think I've only seen 1 29er in the flesh!

As above, you're not looking. Admittedly they're probably more prevalent in my circle of friends as we're all racey folk, but they're in the majority now, by a long way.

The Rookie

The fad on my club's weekly rides is for SS 29ers as they suite the flat/muddy rides quite well, we even have 2 fatbikes.

stubs

njee20 wrote:

Admittedly they're probably more prevalent in my circle of friends as we're all racey folk, but they're in the majority now, by a long way.

Thats probably why I rarely see 29ers I havent taken part in any organised timed cycling event for about 7 years. Timing and speed dont mean anything to me or my mates, we are more into downloading rides off the net or scanning Google earth/OS maps for likely looking trails. Packing a rucksack with food, spares and waterproofs loading up the car and heading to where the wilder bits are for a day is what gets me out of bed not zip tieing a number plate to my bike.

I am not anti 29 (I am seriously looking at getting a 29er H/T frame next year and building up a lightweight singlespeeder) nor am I pro 26 or any other wheelsize I just dont get the current Strava obsession with speed if I was going to get obsessed with speed over the ground I would do it properly and get a road bike.

MTBiking is a broad sport and it would be a shame if it polarised into armour plated adrenaline junkies and lycra wearing speed freaks. That would mean fat middle aged beardy weirdies like me will get squeezed out and have to go and commit suicide or take up Golf which is the same thing as suicide just with rascist views and alcoholism.

The Rookie

njee20 wrote:

Seriously though, yes the XC race focused have, but the vast majority have not, so why short travel FS (most of which are not race orientated)

What are the Spark/Epic/Top Fuel/Anthem if not race bikes? Yes they're capable trail bikes, but they are designed as race bikes through and through, and they've gone to 29er.

If I could be bothered I'm sure for every short travel 29er I could name you 2 or three ST 26er, those are 'trail capable race bikes' yes.

ddraver

mikeyj28 wrote:

ddraver wrote:

to directly answer the OP, I think 29ers have been shown to be faster over a specifid distance than an equivalent 26er. For racing, obviously that is the be all and end all and so why they re replacing 26in. If you want to haev FUN over that distance then that's a different matter!

Yes i agree in that 29ers have been found to be faster over a specified distance but aren't they supposed to corner like a boat and aren't as nimble through tight/twisty sections such as wooded areas?
I think there is still a place for a decent 26er unless you're in an elite level race.

Well possibly so, but hoe often do you come across such sections on a normal trail, or even a normal XC course. Very rarely I reckon (with obvious exceptions in some places, e.g. Cannock). I'm struggling to think of any places I ve ridden where it would be such a problem that a "faster" bike overall would not be faster over the whole trail/course.

supersonic

because more than half the field were riding 29ers!

Yet the women's race was won on a 26er, and the men's a 650b ;-)