27.5 or 29 for beginner?
Rookie1986
Posts: 153
This has been playing on my mind for some time now and I was hoping for some advice, as a total beginner which of the two wheels sizes would be more helpful/give a better riding experience?? It seems so hard picking a first bike and getting it "right" the sheer volume of information out there on the internet only seems to confuse things more and if I'm totally honest push you in the direction of spending more and more money... Anyway before I totally digress.... If you were just starting out, knowing what you know now, which wheel size you you choose for a beginner and why (thinking Hardtail btw).
I'll leave the can of worms here....
I'll leave the can of worms here....
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Comments
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Don't worry about wheel size. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. Look at the bike as a complete bicycle rather than breaking it down to things like wheel size, suspension, geometry, colour etc, etcTransition Patrol - viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=130702350
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I agree with RMSC here, pick the bike, not the wheel size, that said if you try bigger wheeled bikes and really don't like the feel (I don't) then that will affect how you approach it. What sort of riding?Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.0
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I'm mainly looking to ride local forest cycle trails (Lake District and Wear Valley areas). So I'm a little unsure what "type" of riding this would be called...0
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Our continental friends call it trecking, basically touring style riding but on off road gravel trails, nothing too technical, on that basis a 29ers easier rolling gait would probably be better, a Voodoo Bizango would be a good option.Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.0
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I'm too short for the Voodoo I'm afraid
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The above is correct, choose a bike not a wheel size. But...
27.5. There are plenty of bikes to choose in both sizes so going for one size rather than another is not going to limit choice but there are plenty of people who don't like 29 whereas, tedious wheel size debate aside, there's not many people who don't like 27.5 so it's a safer choice, all other things being equal. I think you'll also find the majority of people on this forum riding 27.5 (or certainly more than are riding 29) so that must tell you something.
Personally I've found all the 29ers I've ridden not to my liking.All the gear, no idea and loving the smell of jealousy in the morning.
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I ride a 29er xc hardtail which suits me well in trail centres or proper xc riding. Used to have a 26" bike which was good for many years before. Very roughly speaking 29ers are smoother and hold their speed better. Smaller wheeled bikes are more maneuverable and you can feel the trail better. Its more down to the bike itself and personal preference.0
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I think you'll also find the majority of people on this forum riding 27.5 (or certainly more than are riding 29) so that must tell you something.
I don't think it does at all, I'll wager 26" is still most popular among forum riders. There's only about 3 people here now anyway.
For the riding the OP describes id say 29er.0 -
I think you'll also find the majority of people on this forum riding 27.5 (or certainly more than are riding 29) so that must tell you something.
I don't think it does at all, I'll wager 26" is still most popular among forum riders. There's only about 3 people here now anyway.
Yes, of course there will be plenty still on 26, but I was just trying to keep it simple for the OP. And 'still' is the operative word there. For all but the die hards, their next will be a 27.5 (or perhaps a 29). Like it or not the choice of 26ers is now limited compared to 27.5 and 29.
From my experience I wouldn't suggest a 29 to a beginner as it's just going to feel so unwieldy. I've ridden quite a few and they've all been in the 3 to 4K range, so not rubbish, and they've all fell like tankers compared to 27.5 and 26.
EDIT: Now you mentioned it I went and did a quick count on the first page of the Your Bikes section. Now, this is very rough as I had to guess a few and couldn't be bother to look them up, but a quick rough count puts it at 5 29ers, 7 26ers and 11 27.5. Not scientific, but about what I expected. Obviously, over the next year or two the 26er count will go down and most of those will probably move to 27.5 so the figures will move in that direction.All the gear, no idea and loving the smell of jealousy in the morning.
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The YMB tends to be new bikes, most people keep a bike 2-3 years, it will be a while before the number of 27.5 exceed the number of 26ers even at a trail centre.Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.0
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The YMB tends to be new bikes, most people keep a bike 2-3 years, it will be a while before the number of 27.5 exceed the number of 26ers even at a trail centre.
But the basic point is, if you're looking for a new bike the choice is, more or less, 27.5 or 29.All the gear, no idea and loving the smell of jealousy in the morning.
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This forum is not representative of the market.From my experience I wouldn't suggest a 29 to a beginner as it's just going to feel so unwieldy. I've ridden quite a few and they've all been in the 3 to 4K range, so not rubbish, and they've all fell like tankers compared to 27.5 and 26.
You need to try some more then, that's just wrong. Maybe 10 years ago, but sure as hell not now.0 -
This forum is not representative of the market.From my experience I wouldn't suggest a 29 to a beginner as it's just going to feel so unwieldy. I've ridden quite a few and they've all been in the 3 to 4K range, so not rubbish, and they've all fell like tankers compared to 27.5 and 26.
You need to try some more then, that's just wrong. Maybe 10 years ago, but sure as hell not now.
I rode a load of them last summer at two demo days, all expensive stuff, didn't like any of them. Noticeably unwieldy compared to the 27.5s I was riding back to back over the same trails.All the gear, no idea and loving the smell of jealousy in the morning.
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Have to say that I felt the same after riding a Trek Superfly Elite, sure it was fast, but it just felt really cumbersome in the corners (OK maybe I was arriving faster that I would on my bike) compared to my kraken at the time.Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.0
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Have to say that I felt the same after riding a Trek Superfly Elite, sure it was fast, but it just felt really cumbersome in the corners (OK maybe I was arriving faster that I would on my bike) compared to my kraken at the time.
Yes, that just about sums up my impression, too. They seem to gather speed noticeably faster than a 27.5 but take noticeably more 'hauling' in the turns. On two occasions I didn't do enough hauling and ended up hitting a tree. And this was on trails I'd been around a number of times so I knew what was coming.All the gear, no idea and loving the smell of jealousy in the morning.
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Not all 29ers are cumbersome. I was really impressed with the 29er Stumpjumper and 29er Giant Anthem and the way they both steered.
My own 27.5" Transition Scout and my old Nukeproof Mega TR are both slower to turn and take a more forceful riding style due to their long wheelbase and slack geometry.Transition Patrol - viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=130702350 -
The only one that I've tried that I half liked was the Cannonade Scalpel carbon.All the gear, no idea and loving the smell of jealousy in the morning.
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A day out at my local trail centre would see about 50% 29ers 20% 26er and 30% 27.5.
I've never been to a trail centre where I've seen that many 29ers.All the gear, no idea and loving the smell of jealousy in the morning.
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A day out at my local trail centre would see about 50% 29ers 20% 26er and 30% 27.5.
I've never been to a trail centre where I've seen that many 29ers.
Do you look particularly carefully? Or just assume you know what you're seeing based on your expectations?
There's more to how a bike handles than wheel size. Some 26" bikes are cumbersome, some 29ers aren't. I was really surprised when I went to a 29er that it turned in better than the 26" bike it replaced. Longer travel 29ers don't work so well as wheelbases get longer, hence the proliferation of 27.5" DH bikes... It's not value related either, daft comment.
If we are going to pigeon hole then a 29er would make more sense than 27.5 for the OP's riding.0 -
You don't live in Australia.A day out at my local trail centre would see about 50% 29ers 20% 26er and 30% 27.5.
I've never been to a trail centre where I've seen that many 29ers.
Ah, you're in Australia? O.K.Do you look particularly carefully? Or just assume you know what you're seeing based on your expectations?
You don't have to look carefully, 29ers stand out.It's not value related either, daft comment.
Not sure what that one means.
Not really. Although the OP has given his thoughts on the kind of riding he's going to be doing he's at the beginning of his journey so, in reality, he doesn't really know what type of riding he's going to be doing as he gets more into it, so as far as a bike suitable for one particular kind of riding over another is concerned it's anybody's guess what might be more suitable. So my original point stands, given that 29ers can be a bit Marmite (I'm sure you'll agree on that, regardless of their merits) 27.5 is the safest choice for someone who doesn't know what they need.If we are going to pigeon hole then a 29er would make more sense than 27.5 for the OP's riding.All the gear, no idea and loving the smell of jealousy in the morning.
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You don't have to look carefully, 29ers stand out
I disagree, not least because I've had this discussion before. Someone asked me if my bike was a 29er because "they'd never seen one round here". I then pointed out the other 5 that were parked around it. Mine stood out more as an XC race bike with inverted stem and what not, but visually they're not that different these days.Not sure what that one means.
On several occasions you justified your comments on 29ers by saying "they were all expensive", as if there's somehow a relationship between price and handling.given that 29ers can be a bit Marmite (I'm sure you'll agree on that, regardless of their merits) 27.5 is the safest choice for someone who doesn't know what they need.
I think there's more to a bike than it's wheel size. I don't think people who say "I don't like x wheel size" have ridden the right bikes. It's like saying "I don't like carbon bikes". They're not all the same. The issue is that people don't have inexhaustible time, money or energy to try everything that's out there, so they extrapolate their experiences. You've tried several 29ers, not liked them, so flatly dismissed 29ers outright. That's fine, the issue is that you're coming on here and saying to people they turn slowly and what not, which isn't true. Some do. Some 26" wheeled bikes do.
In similar vein, I dislike Santa Cruz VPP bikes. I've never ridden one I liked, they all pedalled like dogs to me. I may say "I've never found one I like, to me, they all pedalled badly", but I'm not saying "don't buy a SC, they pedal badly". Big difference.
I don't think the OP should be told that one wheelsize is right for him, purely because he's not sure what he may want and because you've ridden a few bikes you didn't like.0 -
I disagree, not least because I've had this discussion before. Someone asked me if my bike was a 29er because "they'd never seen one round here". I then pointed out the other 5 that were parked around it. Mine stood out more as an XC race bike with inverted stem and what not, but visually they're not that different these days.
For me I can spot them a mile off by the wheel size. Harder to tell a 26 from a 27.5 but you can still usually tell at a glance. And especially so when you have lots of bikes side by side so you can see the relative sizes.On several occasions you justified your comments on 29ers by saying "they were all expensive", as if there's somehow a relationship between price and handling.
No, what I meant by that was, given that they were all ridden on demo days I was taking the chance to jump on the tastiest kit available so it was all expensive kit and, so, unlikely to be duffers. Having said that, better bikes are often more expensive so there can be some argument that, generally speaking, there is a correlation between price and handling. But, no, it wasn't a comment on value.I think there's more to a bike than it's wheel size. I don't think people who say "I don't like x wheel size" have ridden the right bikes. It's like saying "I don't like carbon bikes". They're not all the same. The issue is that people don't have inexhaustible time, money or energy to try everything that's out there, so they extrapolate their experiences. You've tried several 29ers, not liked them, so flatly dismissed 29ers outright. That's fine, the issue is that you're coming on here and saying to people they turn slowly and what not, which isn't true. Some do. Some 26" wheeled bikes do.
In similar vein, I dislike Santa Cruz VPP bikes. I've never ridden one I liked, they all pedalled like dogs to me. I may say "I've never found one I like, to me, they all pedalled badly", but I'm not saying "don't buy a SC, they pedal badly". Big difference.
Well, I did make the point of saying "For me personally..." or words to that effect. And I've peppered that sort of thing throughout my comments because, yes, it's just my opinion, not gospel.
And I should point out that I approached the bikes very positively. First, they were all expensive so, for me, that's a thrill. So on that grounds I was already predisposed to liking them before I'd even swung a leg over. Second, I approached them with the idea that I probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference. I assumed the difference was going to be subtle and would be beyond me. Well, I was wrong about that one.
Again, just my opinion. But, then again, isn't that what he came here for, opinions?I don't think the OP should be told that one wheelsize is right for him, purely because he's not sure what he may want and because you've ridden a few bikes you didn't like.
Isn't that what you're doing by telling him 29ers are right for him because you like them? Again, it's just opinions. We all give our thoughts and he's free to take or leave them.I think there's more to a bike than it's wheel size.
There is. But it's a very important piece of the jigsaw. And 29ers is where it starts to count (for me, that is). I can't tell a huge difference between 26 and 27.5 (though I can feel a difference) but I can feel a huge difference between 27.5 and 29.All the gear, no idea and loving the smell of jealousy in the morning.
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