Canyon Spectral 6 or YT Industries wicked

tezboy1234

Yeah, the tools needed to build 26" wheels will certainly still be about. But what about other costs? Materials and such. As an example, let's just say that the average company is, or will be selling 50% less 26" wheels than it was 5-10 years ago. That means they'll be requiring 50% less materials. When buying anything, if you buy in bulk, it's cheaper. The more you buy, the less you pay. I imagine this will apply to every other area too, like shipping and insurance etc. The less wheels they produce, the more they'll cost. Unless they start using lower quality materials.

Hopefully, as a guy said. At some point there'll be a resurgence in 26", as soon they finish milking the current 650b and 29'ers. The selling point will be, there stronger, lighter, cheaper and more nimble than both 650b and 29'ers. I hope this does happen and soon. As everything is getting lighter and stronger, i'd love to see what they could be doing with 26" bikes in years to come. I just don't feel confident there'll be any though, not new models anyways.

I'm guessing, like me, your a fan of 26" and would like to see them flourish? But i think you hit the nail on the head yourself when you said " as long as there's a demand they'll continue to produce". That's the problem. Production has already started to halt. 26" has already been removed from many lineups, and you can bet your last rolo that most will follow in the near future. You simply won't have the variety of 26" wheels that your used to.

Home is where the heart is, but for the bike industry, home is where the money is. And it's not with 26'ers. There is people still wanting them, like me and by the sounds of things, like you too. The problem is, there aren't enough people wanting them. We're the minority now.

poah

tezboy1234 wrote:

Easton and Mavic still have the latest offerings in 26" but will they still have them in next years line up or the year afters? I'm not confidant. Crank brothers have the odd one this year, as do Shimano, but they've already begun phasing out. Novatec and American Classic have already stopped making 26". Most of the new line ups now are 650b and 29'er only.

novatec rims and American classic are not particularly big over here either.

mavic are very common as are stan's (stans have started making a 24 inch version of the crest), halo, alex, E thirteen, sun ringle, spank, DT swiss, WTB to name a few make 26 inch rims (some are probably the same with different stickers). This is the first year that most manufacturers have not made 26 wheeled bikes. You are dillusional if you think you'll struggle to find 26 inch parts soon.

tezboy1234

I don't think i'm dillusional? lol.. I'v just been observant of the industry. Yes, there's still parts about. But the cull has already begun. Over the next few years, more and more 26" stuff will be removed from production, on top of what's already been pulled. If you think that 26" stuff will still be numerous with new gear in 5 years time, and listening to the industry itself, and seeing the evidence already showing the demise, then i doubt i'm the dillusional one.

felix.london

I'm always looking at tyres, wheels and forks and you've (still) got more options to choose from if you're wanting these items for 26" wheels over the other 2 sizes.

I'd still put wheel size at the bottom of the list when looking at options for a new bike

tezboy1234

True! But 26'ers were the dominant size for a long time, so there's plenty of stuff about for now. I'm talking about the coming years. The change has only just begun. Year by year there'll be less stuff made for 26" and more stuff made for 650b and 29'ers. There's more than enough evidence to be found to back this up. I prefer all 3 to flourish, choice and preference is important. But it's not looking that way. I just think if your looking for a new bike, it's safer and more future proof to go 650b or 29. I want a 26" for my new bikes, but i won't buy one. Even now, some of things i would have considered buying for my current bike, i can't because they don't do 26". I'm already limited.

rockmonkeysc

People were saying the same two years ago when 29ers suddenly caught on and became the bikes to have.

felix.london

tezboy1234 wrote:

The change has only just begun

But what I'm saying is that I'm not limited in what tyres, rims or forks I can get for my 26" bike - so what change? The only change so far, is now some of these items are available in other sizes too

tezboy1234 wrote:

Year by year there'll be less stuff made for 26" and more stuff made for 650b and 29'ers. There's more than enough evidence to be found to back this up

As above - what evidence? I have more options having a 26" bike than either of the other two sizes

2 very quick examples Bonty's new Enduro tyre the SE4; two versions available for 26", 1 for 29er, none for 650b. Conti Baron; three versions available for 26", none for 29er, none for 650b

Also Lyriks, Boxxers, Domains, World Cup Revs etc all only available for 26" - maybe they'll release a new versions in the next couple of years but do you think they'll just drop the 26" versions from their lines?

tezboy1234

I think if things go as predicted, yes, for xc/trail stuff, new product ranges won't be as varied for 26" as for the others.
As for evidence of changes already happening,
Cube bikes, you may find 1 out of there whole 2014 line up in 26". The rest are all 29 and 650b. 26" has been eliminated.
American classic, no more 26" wheels from them. Novatec, no more 26". Crank Brothers only have limited wheels available from there new range in 26", the rest are 29 and 650b. They've started phasing 26" wheels out.
Shimano XTR's 2014 range in 26", there isn't one. I think they do have XT 26" wheels. But it looks like they are at least thinking of elbowing 26".
Loaded carbon wheels in 26, there are none. I asked them if they'll be doing a 26" carbon wheelset, they said " we won't be doing them in 26, unfortunately. The industry is phasing out of 26, as are we, but we will be doing the larger wheels for the forseable future."
There's lots of stuf on youtube, were people from all the main players come to events, get interviewed and they all say the same. They see 26" being replaced by 650b. I've already mentioned what Giant said. Theres countless new wheels coming out that don't have an option for 26.
Obviously theres still stuff being released in 26, it doesn't just stop overnight. But i think year by year, you'll start to see less and less new 26 stuff becoming available. It's started to happen already. When have you ever seen Shimano drop 26 wheels from it's premium line up? That has to tell you something.

poah

I have none of those parts on my bike and probably never would so its irrelevant that they are not doing 26 any more. shimano stuff is mostly OE so it makes sense not to make 26 stuff. I've never seen a novitec branded wheel or American classic and I've never heard of loaded carbon.


there are still plenty of choices for 26inch at the moment. rockshox, Manitou, fox are still going to be making 26 inch forks while DVO will be releasing their diamond fork in 26 size. tyres won't die out because of the numbers of 26inch bikes out there. so while the smaller companies and a lot of OE stuff that you'd not be putting on your bike stop making 26 size it will have no bearing on the aftermarket.

rockmonkeysc

I can see 26" coming back for downhill. 650b seems unpopular with the riders, especially for more rocky/rooty tracks.
I think 4x will probably stick with 26"

felix.london

Kinda makes sense for Shimano to stop including 26" wheelsets in their (2015) XTR groupo as they are making/marketing that groupset specifically for XC racers. If they came out with a Saint wheelset it'd be the other way round i.e no 29er option you'd presume

Derfonic

I guess this would solve my problem but well out of my price range. A new button that changes your bikes geometry from XC to DH.

http://enduro-mtb.com/en/revolution-the ... peshifter/

rockmonkeysc

But it will still be compromised for strength and suspension. It's all been done before.