getting back into it

richlaw666
richlaw666 Posts: 2
edited December 2016 in MTB buying advice
I want to get back into riding and a lot has changed since I last had a mountain bike which was a 2007 kona stinky. now I don't have the same kind of budget as I did back then but seen the boardman mtb team 29er which I like the look of but I've never rode a 29er and worried I won't get on with it but from what I've read they meant to be good . anyone have any stories of moving from a 26 to 29er ? is the boardman mtb a good bike for the 680 price tag thanks

Comments

  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    Some people love 29ers, others are convinced they are spawned by a cycling beelzebub!

    Personally I found the extra inertia wasn't to my liking (accelerating you notice it but not an issue, braking not an issue, it was the cornering feel I didn't like, and that was on £4K of Carbon XC rocket and not a cheap bike) and have stuck with a 26er though will likely consider going 650b when I change.
    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.
  • LimitedGarry
    LimitedGarry Posts: 400
    I bought a 29er only a few months ago - this summer, actually. Did well over 2500km on it now and I'm really used to it.
    The very first thing that struck me was the acceleration. These things do take a bit more convincing to get moving. Not a terrible amount, but enough to make you change your shifting habits. I was using the middle chainring way more often than on a 26er. Eventually figured out I can do with just the middle ring and converted to 1x.
    Once the wheels get rolling, speed is a bit easier to maintain than on a 26er. The larger wheels also make for more stability at speed. The catch is, every time you want to corner, you're fighting all that stability.

    Now I still have a 26er in my basement, although I rarely ever ride it. Rode it yesterday to get spare parts for my 29er :)
    Riding on it doesn't feel too weird for me. It's just different, mainly in cornering - I feel as if the bike was too nimble but it's fine. That said, I probably wouldn't take it for a long trip.
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    Depends on the 29er. I've been riding 26ers in one form or another for more than 30 years. Tried a 29er last year and bought it. 120mm FS that feels like 140 or so on a 26er, monsters uphill and over roots and stuff, and hardly any less nimble than one of my strictly XC 26ers on the twisty stuff, which is my favourite type of riding.
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