If 26er is good and 29er is better...
- Thread starter whtbread
- Start date
That's apples and oranges!
one piece crank
1pc Cranky
Two years ago I switched to 24's, and fat DH rubber. Yes, it has limitations, but nothing that prevents me from riding where I want and having fun. It brought back the rush of a BMX bike and I still ride it everywhere.
I think 32" is a joke...
Tom P.
I think 32" is a joke...
Tom P.
mwlikesbikes
Well-Known Member
Actually it's kumquats & rutabegas.
Haha, either or, doesn't matter. Getting a bigger TV is not the same as getting a bike with 3" bigger tires. Unless, the bigger tires gives the rider better picture and sound?
My .02..
26" came about in the 1st mt bikes because it was an existing rim/tire size. 26" wheels were not designed to be the perfect size. They just were the easiest to use in the very early stages of the sport.
All things being equal for a 5'-10" rider, I think that 650b works out really well.
The reason that 650 b didn't stick was timing. 29er stuff was just exploding so yet another wheel standard was overkill at the time.
650 b corners a bit better than 29 and rolls over stuff better than 26.
29er roll really fast, corner well enough and diminish the need for a rear shock on a bike. (Really)
All this adds up to a wheel size that has a few drawback, but for most riders it is a preferable size.
If you are 5'2'' or you like to jump everything in sight than stick to 26". Otherwise you owe it to yourself to at least try a 29er.
A good indicator of the power if the 29er is a local race. Try and find a NEW performance 26er at a race. Good luck w/ that..
This whole thing has been beaten to death (look for the death of the 26er thread) but the question is still valid.
26" came about in the 1st mt bikes because it was an existing rim/tire size. 26" wheels were not designed to be the perfect size. They just were the easiest to use in the very early stages of the sport.
All things being equal for a 5'-10" rider, I think that 650b works out really well.
The reason that 650 b didn't stick was timing. 29er stuff was just exploding so yet another wheel standard was overkill at the time.
650 b corners a bit better than 29 and rolls over stuff better than 26.
29er roll really fast, corner well enough and diminish the need for a rear shock on a bike. (Really)
All this adds up to a wheel size that has a few drawback, but for most riders it is a preferable size.
If you are 5'2'' or you like to jump everything in sight than stick to 26". Otherwise you owe it to yourself to at least try a 29er.
A good indicator of the power if the 29er is a local race. Try and find a NEW performance 26er at a race. Good luck w/ that..
This whole thing has been beaten to death (look for the death of the 26er thread) but the question is still valid.
or if you ride downhill / freeride. You will find plenty of 26" race machines there. A few months ago RIDE had an add with Wade Simmons on a rocky mountain 29er. The ad ran for one or two months and was never to be seen again. This is type of riding is one place the 29er is gonna have a hard time taking hold.
1speed
Incredibly profound yet fantastically flawed
Height isn't really a restriction anymore because of frame designs. Technically, I had no business getting on a 29er according to conventional wisdom, but I talked ot Peter at Misfit and he convinced me that fit wouldn't be an issue for me (I'm 5'6"), and he was right. Someone smaller than me could ride my 29er without much of an issue. At a certain point, I suppose it gets unmanageable, but the same can be said for a 26er (hence, the 24's available for kids.) But in general, unless you are really short (and maybe 5'2" would be the cutoff -- I don't know) a 29er is an option.
The only issue I have with my small frame -- and this seems to be the case with almost every small frame, 26er or 29er -- is that it only has one mount for a cage on the front triangle. I hate to race with a Camelbak - I just can't stand having anything on me when I ride -- but for longer races, I've had to suck it up because even with aid stations, I can't carry enough water with only one cage. If I have to carry food and multiple extra bottles in my pockets, it's no better than having the damn pack on me. I've tried the external mount cages and have had mixed results at best -- 40 miles into a 50 mile race, my seatpost mounted cage from Topeak loosened up and fell into my tire. That sucked. I wish someone would think of a way to better utilize the space available in the front triangle to fit an extra cage. (It isn't going to be me because I'm not terribly bright.)
MikeP
Well-Known Member
had that same conversation with Peter and PM'd mattyb alot, before pulling the trigger on a diSSent frame. I'm 5'5" with stumpy legs so I agree 5'2" is probably the cut off range. Yeah bottle mounts are an issue, but I guess I'm your opposite as I'd rahter ride with a pack. I really don't race, but I can see this as an issue for a racer. I'm doing the GCC Summer Sizzler race so I might do a bottle with an exchange or a minimal camelbak.