Ok 26 and 24 inch wheels.

nicklouse
nicklouse Posts: 50,675
edited September 2008 in MTB workshop & tech
as it is often asked.

what is the difference?
what hapens to a bike when you change from one to the other...

please post your views comments.
"Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
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Comments

  • Lets start with the obvious:

    24"
    - Theoretically stronger (not always the case)
    - Accelerate Faster
    - Less stable at high speeds
    - More limited choice of rims and tyres

    26"
    - Accelerate slower than 24"
    - More stable at high speeds and over rough terrain
    - Very large choice of rims and tyres


    These are the characteristics of the wheelsthemselves, not nessecerily the equivalent frames that each size of wheel is used on.
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  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by jimbo1</i>

    better handling on 24's

    www.projectleeds.com
    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

    why? please explain. as i disagree with you. (if from personal experiance please list frame (make and year) and fork (year and travel).
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • Lets start with the obvious (more specifically) :

    24"
    - Theoretically stronger (not always the case) although for example, pinned and sleeved Combats are a lot stronger at 24"
    - Accelerate Faster if you keep the same gearing, equivalent is losing 2 teeth off your chainring, so to keep similar ratio to before, buy a chainring with 2 more teeth.
    - Less stable at high speeds, cornering, etc, UNLESS an equivalent "footprint" (tyre meeting floor) is madeup by using wider tyres as compared to 26" tyre you used prior to changing
    - More limited choice of rims and tyres that work well enough

    26"
    - Accelerate slower than 24" unless you choose a chainring 2 teeth smaller
    - More stable at high speeds and over rough terrain with thinner tyres than 24" equivalent (potholes you gain benefits from compared to smaller wheels)
    - Very large choice of rims and tyres (larger choice of tyres that work well that is) but as to rims, if you are thinking 24" it's for street and/or strength so small amount (if any) of 26" wheels that will do


    smaller wheels mean the bike sits an inch lower. watch for chainstay/BB/chain device clearances. your centre of weight is now changed, you are one inch lower. you will (with equivalent tyres to your older 26" models) be able to corner better as a result, dodge those tree branches on the course that honeyted you in the head before and other assorted obstacles!



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  • My characteristics do not take into account any other specification regarding the bike (i.e. chainring size and tyre 'footprint'). To be honest, I think you've complicated that significantly.

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  • 26" are also more stable in the air than 24"

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  • cadge
    cadge Posts: 5,167
    Ill probably get abused but in my opinion 24's are for cruisers and 26's for mountain bikes, 24's may make stuff easier to do, like tricks and stuff, but at the end of the day you can do the same stuff on 26's as you can 24's, may be slightly harder but oh well, a little hard work never killed anyone did it?

    I see the advantages of 24's, but still see very little point in them.

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  • what if you run a 24" and a 26" ala my bike? TBH i know that a lot of people do not like 24" wheels but i don't care. We don't ride just so people can say nice bike we ride for the fun. you can have fun on any wheels.
    24's don't pick up as much wind in mid air blowing your bike sideways. it happened to me on 26's and it hurt a lot.

    p.s. it took you long enough to start this thread nick!!!

    Steelhead Gi streets and lots of steel hehe!

    Steelhead
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    Ok, so how does changing from say 26 to 24 (both wheels) change the geometry?
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • CDC
    CDC Posts: 25
    It will reduce your bottom bracket height and the total length of the bike will be slightly shorter.

    <hr noshade size="1"><font size="1">Yarr!</font id="size1">
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by CDC</i>

    It will reduce your bottom bracket height and the total length of the bike will be slightly shorter.

    <hr noshade size="1"><font size="1">Yarr!</font id="size1">
    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

    yes and no. there is one big geo change that no-one has ever mentioned (that i have seen) it took me a while to see it.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • CDC
    CDC Posts: 25
    Why no?

    <hr noshade size="1"><font size="1">Yarr!</font id="size1">
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    there is a big change to the geo.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • CDC
    CDC Posts: 25
    Overall bike height.

    <hr noshade size="1"><font size="1">Yarr!</font id="size1">
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    nope i am talking angles!
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • court
    court Posts: 1,628
    Headangle? Although my head's telling me that isn't right...

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  • Can ya tell us nick?


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  • who fu*king cares its 2inches for god sakes does it really matter

    peteys my god and hucks out flatter than roadkill
    what is better..
    how much is...
    what do these...
    shall i buy...

    you are now on a 3 question limit after your 3 questions i will ignore you
  • how would it effect any angles if you drop the wheel size evenly at each end???
  • and plus with 24" wheels being stronger and all why dont people just go for them, stronger is better

    peteys my god and hucks out flatter than roadkill
    what is better..
    how much is...
    what do these...
    shall i buy...

    you are now on a 3 question limit after your 3 questions i will ignore you
  • NeillyB
    NeillyB Posts: 8,288
    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by bullit.proof.p1.rider</i>

    who fu*king cares its 2inches for god sakes does it really matter

    peteys my god and hucks out flatter than roadkill
    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

    Yes, if you actually knew anything about bikes you'd realise this.

    Now kindly stop replying in every f<b></b>uc<b></b>king thread in the Tech section with vague, useless and threateningly false information.

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  • <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">and plus with 24" wheels being stronger and all why dont people just go for them, stronger is better<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

    For all the bonuses you get with 26"s, read the rest of the sticky.

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  • chaser
    chaser Posts: 84
    the only geo change will be that the whole bike sits ~1" closer to the ground. tip to tip the bike will also measure 2" less but the wheelbase will stay the same.

    so how does the geo change nick??


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  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by chaser</i>

    the only geo change will be that the whole bike sits ~1" closer to the ground. tip to tip the bike will also measure 2" less but the wheelbase will stay the same.

    so how does the geo change nick??


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    Necastleton Trail Warriors</font id="size1"></center>
    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

    not got the relavent papers to hand but it does.

    the effect is abit like having a steeper head angle but it is not that.

    think anout shopping trollies.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • is it due to a lower centre of gravity? it changed my head angle but then again odd wheels would. 1 thing stronger isn't always better as i found out having a very stiff back wheel and a very crap pair of chain/seatstays crack they went.

    Steelhead Gi streets and lots of steel hehe!

    Steelhead
  • court
    court Posts: 1,628
    I find 24" bikes more twitchy than my 26". Is that what you mean by geo change? Just a balence point type thing innit?

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  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by court</i>

    I find 24" bikes more twitchy than my 26". Is that what you mean by geo change? Just a balence point type thing innit?

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    you are getting there.[8D]


    nick
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  • If you try to maintain the wheel cicumference by using tyres with a greater air chamber, it you will notice very little difference but the rotation of the wheels will feel different because of the centrifugal force of the rim position. Personally I'd say that makes little difference if you're using DH tyres which weigh 1k or more.

    Changes in geometry happen when converting MX bikes to supermoto because you're changing a large (21in.) front wheel to a smaller 17in whereas the fear is only dropping from an 18 or 19in. to a 17in.

    Gravity will have a minor effect as you are closer to the ground. The closer one mass is to another, the greater the attraction will be. This will increase the twitchy feel on the wheels. It will affect your spring rate and preload but only in a minor way.

    To be honest, Nick, if you draw a picture of your bike with the axles both paralell to the ground and then rub out the wheels and ground and then re-draw the the ground level an inch higher with 24in. wheels, the angles will all have stayed the same BUT the ratios of tube length to overall height have changed massively. The bike should feel heavier but more manouverable both in the air and on the ground.

    No angles would change on the bike, just geometric ratios.

    Or are you going to hit us with something even more obscure?
    Come on, Nick, out with it

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  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    think shoping trollys.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • OK, thinking about shopping trolleys..... How about another cryptic clue? Shopping trolleys turn at the rear usually. the cage is only supported at the rear so the front drops if you sit in one.

    That still doesn't imply any angular changes.

    Do you agree that if you use large enough tyres to make the wheel circumference the same as the theoretical 26in. wheels, the geometry would remain the same?



    Reject the basic asumptions of civilisation, especially the importance of material posessions
    How can you be that ugly and that stupid with only one head?