Honest comment about Niners?

[fabes]

You have just bought the perfect bike for riding around car parks... hope it works on the mountain!

If a 29er feels weird and uncomfortable in a car park wonder what it will feel like in the mountains? And everything that lead to my choice was just based on how i felt on the bike not how everyone else must feel on that particular bike.

[white tiger]

I currently looking at buying a new bike, so I find all the opinions and info very interesting, but after reading it all I feel like " 'n verkleurmannetjie op 'n smartieboks"

 

I am leaning towards 29" at this stage!

[Eldron]

I currently looking at buying a new bike, so I find all the opinions and info very interesting, but after reading it all I feel like " 'n verkleurmannetjie op 'n smartieboks"

 

I am leaning towards 29" at this stage!

 

My only advice to you and any other prospective 29er rider is so try and get a decent test ride in. By decent I mean a proper off road ride on routes that you normally ride or are familiar with.

 

A 29er is different. If you jump on it and trundle round the parking lot a bit it's going to feel odd and most people don't like odd.

 

I'm a huge fan but 29ers are not for eveybody...

 

My advice would be:

Full on short course technical cross counry rider? 26er HT or duallie.

Marathon rider on cape style technical courses? 26er or 29er - whichever feels better to you.

Marathon rider on more open jhb style courses? 29er HT

Stage racer? 29er HT or duallie.

 

Adjust up or down based on technical ability and comfort versus speed scale.

[Parks cycling]

I've decided to buy a 29er HT and also to keep my current 26er full sus - I wont be able to sell it for what I think it is worth and I'm keen to have the choice between the 2 bikes. I've heard that the price difference between 29ers and 26ers is going to be reducing when the 2012 bikes are available. Anyone else heard this? Based on that thinking I'm waiting for the 2012 Cannondale Flash 29er as I reckon it is going to be a similar price to 2011 model....or am I dreaming??

[Shift]

Prices have to come down...it was just the "new craze"...

Like the iPad/iPhone's...they all get cheaper as they see the compitition bring out stronger products for less money.

 

If they don't bring the prices down, they wil lose bussiness.

 

I just hope it happens SOON!

[Astroboy]

I'm a bit slow on the uptake on this thread so sorry if I missed most of the chit-chat. Last friday I migrated (note the avoidance of the word "upgraded" for the sake of caution only) to a full;-carbon 29'er hardtail. I did my 1st Sani2C on a (26")softail Anthem X1 and that bike is in my mind an indestructible bomb of a bike. Handles technicals like a dream, descends switchbacks like a rattlesnake etc. So I don;t know if its just the bike itself and how its engineered or the 26" thing but its a beaut and I love it.

 

Enter 29" racing snake: Full carbon FRM Galaxy with FRM XCR2 groupset. Took it for a 2 hour ride on saturday and again on sunday. It's a complete different bike -again, could be engineering or the 29" thing or a mix-I can't say.

 

What I do know, is that I kept missing the soft and controlled ride of my Anthem. But then again, I recalled a saying as I was thinking that : Harden the ****up mate! Its obvious to me that I can become used to anything if I do it long enough, so spending TITS (time in the saddle)on both is the only thing I believe stands between a 26" and 29" migration experience...

 

There is no right or wrong answer methinks....

[Eldron]

I'm a bit slow on the uptake on this thread so sorry if I missed most of the chit-chat. Last friday I migrated (note the avoidance of the word "upgraded" for the sake of caution only) to a full;-carbon 29'er hardtail. I did my 1st Sani2C on a (26")softail Anthem X1 and that bike is in my mind an indestructible bomb of a bike. Handles technicals like a dream, descends switchbacks like a rattlesnake etc. So I don;t know if its just the bike itself and how its engineered or the 26" thing but its a beaut and I love it.

 

Enter 29" racing snake: Full carbon FRM Galaxy with FRM XCR2 groupset. Took it for a 2 hour ride on saturday and again on sunday. It's a complete different bike -again, could be engineering or the 29" thing or a mix-I can't say.

 

What I do know, is that I kept missing the soft and controlled ride of my Anthem. But then again, I recalled a saying as I was thinking that : Harden the ****up mate! Its obvious to me that I can become used to anything if I do it long enough, so spending TITS (time in the saddle)on both is the only thing I believe stands between a 26" and 29" migration experience...

 

There is no right or wrong answer methinks....

 

I'm not sure you can even do a comparison between a 26 duallie and a 29er hardtail. Apples and oranges I reckon.

 

Any duallie to HT conversion needs a bit of the olde HTFU

[NotSoBigBen]

I'm not sure you can even do a comparison between a 26 duallie and a 29er hardtail. Apples and oranges I reckon.

 

Any duallie to HT conversion needs a bit of the olde HTFU

 

Just wish that some people would understand that Sir! There are 'some' who believe that a 29r HT = a 26r FS .....

 

I do appreciate your balanced views Eldron despite 'worshipping' at the 29r alter

[Eddy Gordo]

I see a 29er as an excellent XC bike, but if you gonna hit alot of single track, I dont think it is the right bike, from what I have seen. The wheels are too big for those tight hairpin bends, which I like to call V pins, and it has issues being very manouvarable over certain obscene size obstacles. This my friend also seemed to agree with, but he is more a XC rider anyway

[_C50_]

I think it's been established that the whole 26" vs 29" debate is pretty pointless...

 

If you can't/couldn't ride over certain obstacles, or had difficulty riding specific trails on a 26" wheel bike, getting a 29er isn't going to make you magically do it. Burry Stander technical skill and ability doesn't come packaged with a 29er. If you suck technically, you suck.

 

Riding more, learning, confidence on the bike, etc, etc ... those things will help more regardless of what the wheels size of your bike is.

[Shift]

I think it's been established that the whole 26" vs 29" debate is pretty pointless...

 

If you can't/couldn't ride over certain obstacles, or had difficulty riding specific trails on a 26" wheel bike, getting a 29er isn't going to make you magically do it. Burry Stander technical skill and ability doesn't come packaged with a 29er. If you suck technically, you suck.

 

Riding more, learning, confidence on the bike, etc, etc ... those things will help more regardless of what the wheels size of your bike is.

 

Agreed! Skill is what's important, the rest is just personal preference...

[agentgreen]

from Road cycling ... yes we know!!

 

The mtbikers just wanna be roadies!

 

 

OK,

 

A: Pointless debate (but aren't all debates pointless as they express personal opinion)

B: Instead of being for 26'ers or 29'ers or roadies or mtb'ers, how about just being CYCLISTS, as we all have that in common (I know, it is about as likely as Christians worshiping Alla and Muslims praying to Jesus, but it's worth a try) and that way we could project our collective hatred towards motorists or the ANC or triathlon, whatever!

I'm not a Roadie or a DH-er, or a XC-er, or a Street trials rider, or even a Dirt jumper or Cyclo-crosser or someone who rode a BMX when I was 6...I'm ALL OF THE ABOVE and therefore consider myself a CYCLIST...Where is the love people?

If you like a big wheel 29'er...COOL, if you prefer a 26' wheel, good for you...Ride a road bike, NICE! or a MTB, Kickass, no one is better, better or worse is all about the rider

 

My link

 

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