29er - my first thoughts...

Mccraque

I just jumped into the world of 29ers, buying an On One Carbon Race and custom speccing the bike - I'm running it with Stans Arch wheels after some deliberations that I am probably a bit too lardy to hammer the Crests. My point being - I've gone for the safe options over weight. That said, it's fully built and weighing in at a shade under 24lbs.

Near as dammit, the same weight as my Boardman Pro HT.

Thus far, in the fortnight that I've owned it, I've managed to rack up about 120 miles. A mixture of XC miles, Trails, and some reasonably technical descents on the northface of the south downs. And a few laps of the incredibly tight in places singletrack of Stanmer Park, Brighton. All trails that I ride regularly and know very well.

Previously I've ridden on the 26 HT and a 140mm trail bike over the same terrain...and my Strava times have indicated which bike I am on. Significantly quicker on the ups with the HT and down with the Trailbike.

Interesting to jump on the 29er. I know that the trails are a little drier now, and there is always an element of new bike syndrome where perhaps you're keen to prove you were right to make the purchase - but....I am spanking the times of the 26er. On previous climbs where I have clocked 8 minutes - I'm knocking about 10% of my climbing time - consistently. Not just smooth climbs but technical, rooty, rocky, steep and gradual. Over XC I am faster. and downhill....well, yes...still slower than the 26 - BUT marginally. And way quicker than the 26 HT. I'll be interested to see how this stacks up in winter when I have the local clay clagged to 29 rather than 26" tyres...

It is true though. It's not as playful. On my trail bike I can pop off lips, drops, get wheels in the air and you get a very different ride. Partly due to the nature of the bike, but I would say, also due to the wheels smoothing a lot of things out.

I thought it was all marketing hype initially...

anyone else conducted any similarly unscientific testing?

lostboysaint

Yes. And ended up with a 29er HT for XC work and a 26 full sus for fun.

pilch

Yes I now have 4 29ers, I used to have a yeti 575 I sold it and got a Titus rockstar 29er, less travel but much better for everywhere else I choose to ride on a FS.

The mrs has a lurcher & a Santa Cruz Blur LT, she has now started hankering after a FS 29er...

97th choice

Mccraque wrote:

It is true though. It's not as playful. On my trail bike I can pop off lips, drops, get wheels in the air and you get a very different ride. Partly due to the nature of the bike, but I would say, also due to the wheels smoothing a lot of things out.

This is what killed it for me, I found the whole 29er riding experience just a bit 'meh'

stubs

I ride bikes for fun not lap times. Not anti 29er but if its going to smooth everything out and make it fast but bland it wouldnt be for me.

lawman

I rode a yeti sb95 back to back with a sb66 and I'm agreeing with what strava told me, the sb95 was quicker. It was slightly harder to get upto speed, but once it did there was no stopping it. Did the last sections at Cannock from the campsite for those familiar with the trails and through some of the rock gardens it was just unreal, seriously smooth and very quick. But, quick no doubt it was, I didn't really enjoy it. It was good but it just didn't feel as lively as the sb66 or any of the other bikes I rode that day. It's a very, very good bike but you couldn't hide from the wheels. Personally on that kind of bike it's not for me. Fun is what's more important to me.

This is where I think 650b might hold some advantage. I haven't tried one yet, so I may be wrong, but very much looking forward to trying out a Santa Cruz Bronson and would love to try a longer travel 29er hardtail, heard very good things about konas hardcore 29ers and the alu Santa Cruz highball.

Long and short I can see the appeal to 29ers but they're not for me in certain applications but as I say, looking to try a few more that might be more to my liking.

andyg1966

Just bought my first 29er too, a Trek Stache 8, went tubeless immediately . Can't fault it, it really feels like a sorted trail bike. Done about 150 miles on and around the Southdowns. Need to try the Surrey Hills soon.

It climbs really well, keeping its front wheel on the ground on steep rocky climbs where my older 26er hardtail would be lifting its front wheel.

Been several times round the QECP and can't find maneuverability issues around the twisties. Overall an improvement and I can see no downsides.

Its far from meh in my opinion.

AG

ddraver

Mccraque wrote:

anyone else conducted any similarly unscientific testing?

Yep, see here - http://davekio.wordpress.com/2013/01/03/fun-on-a-29er/

tldr? Agree with you basically and I'm currently a long time member of the Canyon Waiting Club

raldat

Took possession of a Canyon 29er HT and did my first ride last night. First impressions, totally wierd!!! I expect that though . But seriously, the front end was obviously harder to move around. The bars are 30mm shorter than my 26er thou so that could add to it. During winter I did a lot of road rides for training as we had a lot of snow here. I was often putting my hands in the middle of the bars while doing that and the steering on the 29er felt a lot like the feeling I had with mt hands closer in on the bars of the 26er. I had planned anyway to pop some wider bars on the new bike, so I will do a trial with the bars off the 26er soon to see what it does.

Other things to note, climbing rough trails seems much easier. It just rolls over the rough stuff. Likewise pushing through and over roots and bogs seems a little better.

So am I happy I made the change? Other than. A few sizing niggles, totally, but it is going to take a little getting used to. Some practice needed to adjust riding style to get the most of it. I will have to comment again in about two weeks .

unquestioned

Loving my 29er, find it a bit slower on sharp corners but anything else just buzzes past, also find it alot easier to jump.

Northwind

Depends a lot on the bike, I rode a Five 29er a while back, it was a bit of a mixed bag but it was certainly a fun/playful bike, lots of pop and good in the air.

RandG

I bought a 29er HT in January and loved it. My 26 fs never got a look in til last Thursday when I took it out for a change...wow, it was soo much fun, a riot in fact compared to my 19er, but horses for courses is the way for me now so will change bike dependant on terrain instead of just 29er all the time.