Can't stand this 29er revolution

[eric]

I had an older Epic 26er and bought a 2013 Epic Marathon 29er.

I like how the 29er rolls over stuff better than my 26er did. Every obstacle ends up being easier to get over than I thought it would.
I have not noticed that the 29er is more difficult to get around tight switchbacks than the old bike.

For the first few rides I thought that the 29er was huge but it is an illusuion from seeing more bike under me.

I'm 6' tall.. If I was significantly shorter the 29er might feel too big.

[Devon]

Can't stand this 29er revolution. Call me old school, mtn. bikews supposed to be on 26in wheels. I hope 29er go down just like any new technology that tried to make a point in mtb world and died.

If you are old school then you would know that mountain bikes being 26" came about as a sideline. They were supposed to be 29" from the outset. Fisher/Ritchey/Bontrager designed the first bikes to be 29", but couldn't find the tyres they wanted in 700c, plus taxes were lower on 26" tyres and wheels as they were classed as children's bike parts.

Also try to be a little sensible here. I am 6'6"; there is no way people like myself can can comfortably ride a 26" bike with sensible geometry. Think a little about people other than yourself before making outlandish statements.

For some clarity, below is a photo of me from the weekends cyclocross race. My spare bike happened to be an old (retro) 26" mountain bike. You can clearly see that despite the XL frame, the bike is far too small for me and frankly looks utterly ridiculous. The power output was nothing compared to every 29er I have ridden and I am now sat at work in agony after riding this bike for a few laps, due to the size and geometry.

Also, look at that head tube! 29ers allow properly sized people (ha ha - joke) to ride a bike with suitable geometry. I'm not even going to go into the technicalities of wheel science.

By all means, I'm not saying that 29er is the only option, but to say it should die is biggoted and ill-advised.

[PSM]

Personally, I find the 29ers to look big and heavy. 650B makes a lot of sense to me as a compromise: fitting a broad range of riders, lighter than a 29er, better ride than 26. They're all too close together to justify supporting multiple sizes. Since the 26er has already lost I think the 650B will take over the high-end market.

+1.

Until I tried an expensive Cube HT 29". OMG!

[Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez]

I think a big trap many fall in when they try a 29er and they try to duplicate the riding position of their 26er.. saddle to bar drop etc. It doesnt work.

Ride it and make small adjustments until it's right. It'll never feel the same as the 26er because it's not a 26" bike!

I don't get the "you must change your position and adapt to 29er"

Why is that?

I see 29er with silly slope and high head tube in small sizes, I guess small persons can't replicate the contact points of a 26 but for a bigger build, why not??

[Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez]

I think a big trap many fall in when they try a 29er and they try to duplicate the riding position of their 26er.. saddle to bar drop etc. It doesnt work.

Ride it and make small adjustments until it's right. It'll never feel the same as the 26er because it's not a 26" bike!

I don't get the "you must change your position and adapt to 29er"

Why is that?

I see 29er with silly slope and high head tube in small sizes, I guess small persons can't replicate the contact points of a 26 but for a bigger build, why not??

I need an answer Anyone?

[jooo]

You're totally on track. If you're tall enough ride an 'XL' for example, chances are that you'll have no problems at all getting the same contact points and your bike will look pretty normal.


If you're shorter and you like a bit of saddle to bar drop, you may have some issues. This was Nino Schurter testing a 29er (quite some time ago now)


Quite a few women pros run similar setups with bars and stems mounted upside down. Syntace have even come out with a dedicated bar and stem so your logos face the right way

[Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez]

Thank you Joo.

There is no way I change my position, being 1m79 I see the 27.5 as a really nice option.

Short people on 29er look like driving a truck in the woods wtf.

[Shiversolitude]

First off, why does it bother you what other people are riding? If you like your 26" then fine, have at it and ride your 26". Its like complaining that you cant stand people eating pasta because you prefer pizza. Eat what you want.

Secondly, have you ever ridden a 29" wheel bike? If you have then you would realize that the technological advancement was an advancement not a setback in bike technology. You talk about old school, so Im going to assume that you, like me started mountain biking back in the early 1990's. You should still be running cantilever brakes, not V brakes, and certainly not disc brakes. Your cranks should be attached to your bike using a square taper bottom bracket spindle that has more flex than the aforementioned pasta. Your headlight, if you use one at night should be a maximum of 10 watts with varying degrees of dark spots throughout the beam pattern. Also your suspension fork, should you be so lucky to have had one back there is of some hair brained design like the old Girvin Noleen cross link. Or maybe a Rockshox Quadra that freezes up on your in the winter, and then thaws back out when you put it in your house again. So unless you have forsaken all of the other modern tech that makes your bike ride like a bike and not like a rented mule... maybe you aren't so old school after all.

About 2 years ago I made the switch from my Giant NRS full suspension xc bike to a rigid single speed. Quite the jump from one style to the next... but I love it. I will say this, the same bike in 26" would be a nightmare to ride. I like my bike for the simplicity, but it also makes you work hard which is cool. But the thing I like most is the lack of suspension its a challenging ride but it handles great. You cant get that same ride with a 26" Now even if I hadn't gone the unconventional route of rigid single speed, the 29er would still have its advantages. The larger wheel just rolls right over stuff without noticing it, whereas the 26" wheel on the same terrain is bouncing and jostling around. So you can decide whats more important, the old school,the light weight or the 29er with its smoother ride. I like the 29er. One isn't right, and one isn't wrong, its just two different styles. But if you are going to complain about the old school factor then I expect to see you riding an old Trek still made in the USA, or have your bike decked out in various colored Kooka components... otherwise you're just a poser

[Shiversolitude]

You can clearly see that despite the XL frame, the bike is far too small for me and frankly looks utterly ridiculous.

By all means, I'm not saying that 29er is the only option, but to say it should die is biggoted and ill-advised.

Ridiculous? What ever do you mean, you look like one of the guys I see riding to work on a kids 20" bike with one person sitting on the handlebar and the other pedaling. Im 6' 1" and the awesome fit was the other thing that makes a 29er much better.