26" 27.5" and 29" Wheels and mtb's.

[Eldron]

Here is a good reason to buy a 29er

 

Sorry about the *** quality - finished it late last night and snapped off a quick pic before thrashing round the driveway for a bit....

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Whenever I go to Epic Bike Shop, I can't help but drool over the niners...

 

They really are good looking bikes.

[Guest Omega Man]

First a disclaimer. I've never ridden a 29er. I don't plan on buying a 29er any time soon (never say never)

 

The whole 29er vs 26er debate is exactly the same as the bmw vs merc, plasma vs LCD, Apple vs Android or whatever debate.

 

If you invest in a product emotionally or financially or both as in the case of a mountain biking product, you are going to extol it's virtues whilst ignoring or minimizing any and all of it's shortcomings.

 

I've no doubt that they are better for the wide open district road type of riding that is the mainstay of South African mountain biking but I'm going to come back to my main complaint around cycling in general.

 

To me this whole 29er thing is just another "standard" that's been shoved down our throats for the benefit of the companies that make components and no-one else.

 

For me personally. I don't want a 29er cos it just doesn't fit into the type of riding that I like to do which is trundling up the hill and going as fast as I dare down. Oh and I'm a short arse.

[Caerus]

After spending a long weekend trying out a Santa Cruz Tallboy, I can now convincingly say I would like a 29er at some stage. In saying that I still love riding my 26" bikes, but when I rode yesterday the 26'er felt rather small somehow, or I felt to big on it

[Eldron]

To me this whole 29er thing is just another "standard" that's been shoved down our throats for the benefit of the companies that make components and no-one else.

 

I disagree - it's just another option that's been offered. Sure the marketing has been fierce here in SA but ultimately the decision still lies with the buyer.

 

I hate to break it to you but the same manufacturers sell us 26er bikes for the benefit of themselves and no-one else. I really don't understand the emotional hype that typifies 26/29 debates - we'll happily welcome and buy a wider tyre without saying it's marketing BS designed to steal our cash but when we talk 29er suddenly it's some sinister plot to remove cash from our wallets? Odd.

 

Personally I'm all for more choice in mtb and 29er bikes offer us an additional choice when buying a new bike.

[NotSoBigBen]

I'm sommer gonna ride my clown bike this afternoon

[Guest Omega Man]

 

I hate to break it to you but the same manufacturers sell us 26er bikes for the benefit of themselves and no-one else. I really don't understand the emotional hype that typifies 26/29 debates - we'll happily welcome and buy a wider tyre without saying it's marketing BS designed to steal our cash but when we talk 29er suddenly it's some sinister plot to remove cash from our wallets? Odd.

 

No Emotional hype. Just airing a view.

 

I said another standard. I also have a problem with all the steerer tube, BB, headset and seatpost "standards" I have a huge problem with the multitude of standards offered which provide little if any benefit. I stand by my statement.

 

I do get that choice is good tho and understand your argument.

 

To me the multitude of standards points to an immature industry much like the IT industry from not too long ago.

Edited December 14, 2011 by Omega Man

[TYGA]

Here is a good reason to buy a 29er

 

Sorry about the *** quality - finished it late last night and snapped off a quick pic before thrashing round the driveway for a bit....

 

Nice bike Eldron, how about some pics and detail of the steel Niner hanging in the background over there? I've recently built my On One Inbred 29 SS over onto a Niner MCR frame and am lovin' it!

[Eldron]

No Emotional hype. Just airing a view.

 

I said another standard. I also have a problem with all the steerer tube, BB, headset and seatpost "standards" I have a huge problem with the multitude of standards offered which provide little if any benefit. I stand by my statement.

 

I do get that choice is good tho and understand your argument.

 

To me the multitude of standards points to an immature industry much like the IT industry from not too long ago.

 

Ah right. My bad.

 

I'm with you on the standards thing. My new Niner came with a BB30 standard. Now I have an adaptor to convert BB30 to GPX so I can use my old BB. So far I have found no-one that can tell me what BB30 bb and crank I can use that is compatible with my existing 10spd XT stuff. New standard + poor market knowledge = stupidity.

 

I agree with your point - personally I think BB30 is a *** cure to a problem that never existed

[Guest Omega Man]

Ah right. My bad.

 

I'm with you on the standards thing. My new Niner came with a BB30 standard. Now I have an adaptor to convert BB30 to GPX so I can use my old BB. So far I have found no-one that can tell me what BB30 bb and crank I can use that is compatible with my existing 10spd XT stuff. New standard + poor market knowledge = stupidity.

 

I agree with your point - personally I think BB30 is a *** cure to a problem that never existed

Yeah. I've got a box of bb's, headsets and brake adapters in my garage that are scrap metal and I can't really figure out what makes the new stuff so much better.

[Tienie]

Got both scotty. It is like having a road bike, a mountainbike(DS 26'er) and THEN a lekka "dikwiel" 29'er to ride on those plaaspaaie ! All Horses for courses hey !

[kosmonooit]

This is what Emily Batty had to say on Cyclenews:

 

29ers rule

 

Batty, who is five feet, two and a half inches tall, has fallen in love with her 29er bike since making the move from racing 26-inch bikes while part of the Trek World Racing team.

 

"I absolutely love it and I feel that I race faster on the 29er," she said. "I race technically way faster. I know with Willow (Koerber) having been on the 29er a few years ago, the question was 'Is it more for bigger, taller people?'. I think that I and other people have proved that my height is not an issue.

 

"It's a benefit to race the World Cup courses these days on the 29er. Each course has at least one distinct tech section on it and the bigger the wheels, the smaller the obstacle. I truly feel that I race faster on the 29er."

 

Batty said that as of 2011, she still had a choice to race 26er or 29er. "I had a 26-inch Trek Top Fuel, but I didn't ride it once this year. I went with the 29er Trek Superfly hardtail. At Worlds, my bike was about 18 lbs, 2 oz - it was so light. That's a big deal for someone of my weight."

 

 

http://cdn1.media.cyclingnews.futurecdn.net//2011/08/15/2/ewxc_dsc3396_220.jpg

[Wyatt Earp]

Ah right. My bad.

 

I'm with you on the standards thing. My new Niner came with a BB30 standard. Now I have an adaptor to convert BB30 to GPX so I can use my old BB. So far I have found no-one that can tell me what BB30 bb and crank I can use that is compatible with my existing 10spd XT stuff. New standard + poor market knowledge = stupidity.

 

I agree with your point - personally I think BB30 is a *** cure to a problem that never existed

They say that when there is no-one, someone is just a phone call away.

[scotty]

Got both scotty. It is like having a road bike, a mountainbike(DS 26'er) and THEN a lekka "dikwiel" 29'er to ride on those plaaspaaie ! All Horses for courses hey !

Me too, 29'er DS and 26HT.

[Caerus]

Me too, 29'er DS and 26HT.

 

 

Is there any particular reason you ended up with the 29" DS and 26"HT, I'm now thinking having a 26" DS & getting a 29" hardtail( in the not too distant future I hope)

 

After riding the Santa Cruz Tallboy for 3 days, I fell in love with that bike - So much of confusion.

[scotty]

Is there any particular reason you ended up with the 29" DS and 26"HT, I'm now thinking having a 26" DS & getting a 29" hardtail( in the not too distant future I hope)

 

After riding the Santa Cruz Tallboy for 3 days, I fell in love with that bike - So much of confusion.

Your combination of 26DS and 29 HT would be my ideal and suit my riding style, but I bought the 26 HT to do the 24hr last year then got the 29DS at a very good price mid this year. I ride the HT weekday mornings then switch to the DS weekends.