26 vs 27.5 vs 29 wheel mtb.
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It has been about 10 years that I had a mtb. My last was a SC SL cira 2004. It had 26" wheels.
I am getting ready to get another mtb. It will mainly for cross country and smooth single track. There will be a moderate amount of climbing and not much fast or real rough down hill stuff.
So my question is what are the advantages and disadvantages of the smaller wheel as opposed to the larger wheel sizes.
I am looking at a few now. 29" titus racer x, gaint anthem 29er,ellsworth evolve 29er as well as a racer x 26" and a SC SL 26" to name a few.
Help me understand the wheel wars.
Thanks
I am getting ready to get another mtb. It will mainly for cross country and smooth single track. There will be a moderate amount of climbing and not much fast or real rough down hill stuff.
So my question is what are the advantages and disadvantages of the smaller wheel as opposed to the larger wheel sizes.
I am looking at a few now. 29" titus racer x, gaint anthem 29er,ellsworth evolve 29er as well as a racer x 26" and a SC SL 26" to name a few.
Help me understand the wheel wars.
Thanks
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You should be able to use Google and find thousands of threads about this subject. There are almost zero 26 inch XC race bikes left and very few people have raced on 650B although Nino notably did so.
You'll struggle to find a decent 26" bike nowadays (short of DH), for your stated usage a 29er is the obvious choice.
Impoverished weight weenie wanna-be!
Budget 26" HT build viewtopic.php?f=10&t=110956
Budget 26" HT build viewtopic.php?f=10&t=110956
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I can directly compare a cannondale fsi and a cannondale habit, and whilst geometry and suspension will obvioulsy have an impact the 29inch wheels do seem to roll much better, you feel more inside the bike rather than on top. For XC I would ride a 29er (I'm 6foot 2 tall), the habit is more fun on the jumpy and bumpy stuff
"We live in an age when unnecessary things are our only necessities." Oscar Wilde
I had a Giant Anthem 26" (AL frame, 3.5" version i think, 2.1" tires) before, then i moved on to a Giant XTR 29er carbon hardtail on 2.25" tires. On Strava and for the trail that I ride, I am faster almost everywhere. The front indeed roll over stuff easier.
Also look at 27.5+ if you don't race, the + size tires is more forgiving and gives you more traction even.
Also look at 27.5+ if you don't race, the + size tires is more forgiving and gives you more traction even.
Why? Does the wheel size somehow change the relationship between the contact Points?
Impoverished weight weenie wanna-be!
Budget 26" HT build viewtopic.php?f=10&t=110956
Budget 26" HT build viewtopic.php?f=10&t=110956
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I also tried to assemble a similar one for the questioner, but I chose 27.5
Not really, that's manageable with just a stem swap at worst, Emily Batty (1.61m) seems to cope just fine and still look great on a bike!
Impoverished weight weenie wanna-be!
Budget 26" HT build viewtopic.php?f=10&t=110956
Budget 26" HT build viewtopic.php?f=10&t=110956
Yep, rides a Superfly 29er....
Impoverished weight weenie wanna-be!
Budget 26" HT build viewtopic.php?f=10&t=110956
Budget 26" HT build viewtopic.php?f=10&t=110956
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