anyone considering 26ers still?

ddraver

bennett_346 wrote:

ddraver wrote:

For most human beings, which are about 160-200m tall

I'm about 1/100th of that.

Oh Damn and Blast!!

The Rookie

leaflite wrote:

From what ive seen, there is very little difference between a 26inch wheel and a 650b one. It certainly isnt half way between 26 and 29. I dont really see the point in buying new forks, tyres and wheels for so little benefit.

The point is that the test showed they have 95% of the benefit though, so your argument just crashed and burnt!

godzeus

diy wrote:

I also tried a 29er and found it a solution to a problem I don't have.

So nicely put! I prefer 26ers and i always will. I divide my bike use in 2 category's. Need and recreation.
Need = commuting and general going from point A to point B in the city. Be it visiting a friend or going out clubbing (i sh** u not ).
Recreation = I'm not coming back home unless my legs hurt like hell. I hope my bike makes it home in one peace.
Now as i understand it a 29-er would make my needs harder and my recreation easier (some1 prove me wrong here). That is the exact opposite of what i want.
I also noticed that many manufacturers have just about given up on 26-ers. More than 65% of the 2013 models have been replaced with 29 bikes. Personally i think they r just brainwashing a lot of ppl. Getting them to buy new bikes. "Enough of this buying parts nonsense" as they are rubbing their hands

So if ill need to order a 26 frame direct from china in 3-5 years. So be it!

leaflite

The Beginner wrote:

leaflite wrote:

From what ive seen, there is very little difference between a 26inch wheel and a 650b one. It certainly isnt half way between 26 and 29. I dont really see the point in buying new forks, tyres and wheels for so little benefit.

The point is that the test showed they have 95% of the benefit though, so your argument just crashed and burnt!

not what I read!
Whilst it will offer an improvement in rollover ability etc, the fact is that a 26inch wheel has a diameter of 559mm without tyre. A 650b has 584, and a 29er has 622mm.

The 650b significantly less than halfway between the two, so logically the benefits will be far less pronounced.

pilch

godzeus wrote:

Recreation = I'm not coming back home unless my legs hurt like hell. I hope my bike makes it home in one peace.
Now as i understand it a 29-er would make my needs harder and my recreation easier (some1 prove me wrong here).

Why would it make your needs harder & your recreation easier?

Cant say i've noticed an awful lot of difference commuting on a 29er.... and i've done plenty of 'recreational' rides where my legs hurt... on a 26 and a 29er... so I don't really follow that argument?

godzeus

It's harder to get a 29er going. In the city where i stop and start and stop and start.....
The point is not to get to work wet

pilch

godzeus wrote:

It's harder to get a 29er going. In the city where i stop and start and stop and start.....
The point is not to get to work wet

Quality

The Rookie

leaflite wrote:

The 650b significantly less than halfway between the two, so logically the benefits will be far less pronounced.

Well read it again as clearly you missed the section called RESULTS which shows your logic to be an arse!

jairaj

I'm still looking at 26ers. I very rarely by a whole new bike but instead replace bits as they break / wear out/ or I decided they are not shiny enough. So my bike is like a constantly evolving machine. Parts change bit by bit until eventually its a different bike all together. I recently invested a considerable amount of money on new forks and wheels and I'm not prepared to take a hit and sell these off 2nd hand just yet to make a move to 29er. Saying that I haven't even tried one yet so don't even know if would even like it?

The Rookie

cyd190468 wrote:

Ahem! Sample size. (and he runs out the door)

Agreed, but on the basis that the data we have is all we have......

mcnultycop

I got to have a go on Ed Oxley's sample of the On One Fat Bike on Thursday.

I want one of those now.

BlueAdvocate

mcnultycop wrote:

I got to have a go on Ed Oxley's sample of the On One Fat Bike on Thursday.

I want one of those now.

Saw his short vid on the fatty in the snowy Lakes; could have done with him towing us out of the frozen nonsense that was an excuse for snow I found over Ramsden Clough on Saturday.

passout

I bought a 26er frame recently - Kinesis Decade Versa Prestige. I just like the feel of lively bikes, I'm not XC racing I'm not tall, so....

ilovedirt

I still only know two people that ride anything with bigger wheels than 26"...

rockmonkeysc

ilovedirt wrote:

I still only know two people that ride anything with bigger wheels than 26"...

I also know few people who ride 29ers. I even know a couple people who bought 29ers then within 6 months they had gone back to 26".
The only places I have seen lots of 29ers is in XC races. At trail centres and out on the Quantocks, Exmoor & South Wales they aren't particularly common.

pilch

RockmonkeySC wrote:

The only places I have seen lots of 29ers is in XC races. At trail centres and out on the Quantocks, Exmoor & South Wales they aren't particularly common.

Shuussssh! once people realise how good those big wheels are for those places you wont be able to move for them!

ddraver

If'Id suddenly come into the money for a new bike in the last few years, I'd have dropped it on a 120mm Canyon. If I suddenly came into 2 grand today, I think I'd wait to see what happens with a 650b version...

Make of that what you will...

lm_trek

Brought a 26er in the summer, no need to change the bike, none of my riding buddies ride anything bigger than a 26er, they do like to play downhill biking now and then so doubt that will change. I get the feeling i will go 29er in the summer if i can find a small enough frame, and my Oh lets me lol!

concorde

Yes I am considering a 26er and always will.

Billyjigs

The best plan is to try to compare two similar bikes in the different sizes. I think a lot of people are swayed by a ride on a full carbon/hi end 29-er when they haven't been on a hi-end modern 26-er.

b45her

just took delivery of a brand new 26" bike yesterday, i wouldn't even consider a 29er for anything outside of xc racing and canal paths.
i've ridden quite a few 29'ers and everyone of them was an absolute barge of a bike. way to clumsy for my riding style, oh and they look stupid too.

cooldad

Billyjigs wrote:

The best plan is to try to compare two similar bikes in the different sizes. I think a lot of people are swayed by a ride on a full carbon/hi end 29-er when they haven't been on a hi-end modern 26-er.

Wouldn't it make more sense to compare two bikes in the right size?

Billyjigs

Har, har, har! I mean something like this...

http://www.mbaction.com/Main/News/Shootout_Wheel_Wars_29_vs_275_vs_26_5159.aspx

The Rookie

Of the group I ride with regularily, (about 25-30 riders most rides) about 1/3 are on 29ers, we have one 69er and no 650B's yet....

If I had a reasonable amount to splurge on a new bike right now (so either £3.5K plus for a whole bike or £1600 plus for upgrades) I'd be looking seriously at 650B.

thelonegroover

Lets face it, 26" is not the ideal size for a mtb wheel, for several reasons. The sooner 650b get a decent foot in the door the better.

cooldad

Thelonegroover wrote:

Lets face it, 26" is not the ideal size for a mtb wheel, for several reasons. The sooner 650b get a decent foot in the door the better.

I think they're the perfect size for the same reasons.

ddraver

The Beginner wrote:

If I had a reasonable amount to splurge on a new bike right now (so either £3.5K plus for a whole bike or £1600 plus for upgrades) I'd be looking seriously at 650B.

I got my first bonus of my life this year and am having a similar dilemma. I was thinking of something light, rigid and big wheeled for the Netherlands (riding a bike with suspension just removes any fun from the very small amount of possible fun available here). Something like a rigid on-one for 6-700 squids would be great, but now I'm thinking a 650b one would be perfect...

spongtastic

Well I think that you are all wrong. I watched ET and 20 inch wheel BMXs can out run the Police and fly so I'm going with that size.

The Northern Monkey

cooldad wrote:

Thelonegroover wrote:

Lets face it, 26" is not the ideal size for a mtb wheel, for several reasons. The sooner 650b get a decent foot in the door the better.

I think they're the perfect size for the same reasons.

I agree.

Zziplex

ddraver wrote:

The Beginner wrote:

If I had a reasonable amount to splurge on a new bike right now (so either £3.5K plus for a whole bike or £1600 plus for upgrades) I'd be looking seriously at 650B.

I got my first bonus of my life this year and am having a similar dilemma. I was thinking of something light, rigid and big wheeled for the Netherlands (riding a bike with suspension just removes any fun from the very small amount of possible fun available here). Something like a rigid on-one for 6-700 squids would be great, but now I'm thinking a 650b one would be perfect...

You fromsh they nedderlansh? We ish bowsh be lovving hersh. :-*