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

[badiejb]

This popped up on Twitter today...

 

 

 

Just thought I'd stir the pot a bit...

 

here is the video of the days testing

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4TSNveMQ6E

[MattyG]

hi guyts im thinking of moving over but im only 1.72m tall and dont have long legs do you thing i would get any performance gain on a 29er?

[linnega]

How do the 29ers handle the tight technical sections? ie switchbacks etc. I dont see too many guys riding 29ers around Durban. Are they better suited for more open free flowing single track & district roads?

My expectation was that the 29er would be more clumsy around the tight corners than my Anthem and I found the opposite. The first tight corners I did (in the Christmas race in Illovo) I turned too quickly having to correct. This may be because a hardtail is more direct and a transfer of weight has a more direct impact on cornering. I will do a couple of runs up the switchbacks at Giba and see if I have the same result there.

[Eldron]

here is the video of the days testing

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4TSNveMQ6E

 

 

Hmmmm 0.6% faster both ways. A bit less than I would have thought but not surprising given the small difference between the bikes.

 

I think he said it best when he said "I need to concentrate less on the 29er" - that pretty much reflects my feelings - it just seems a bit easier on the 29er - rocks are not so harsh, the classic mtb "grass clumps" are less severe and the flow/momentum is better (once again - in my opinion of course).

 

My "butt dyno" said more than 0.6% but hey I'm happy to take a "free" 0.6% AND the confidence that the 29er instills in me. Plus I like being out of the main stream

 

For me - 29er all the way.

[Aggies]

Hmmmm 0.6% faster both ways. A bit less than I would have thought but not surprising given the small difference between the bikes.

 

I think he said it best when he said "I need to concentrate less on the 29er" - that pretty much reflects my feelings - it just seems a bit easier on the 29er - rocks are not so harsh, the classic mtb "grass clumps" are less severe and the flow/momentum is better (once again - in my opinion of course).

 

My "butt dyno" said more than 0.6% but hey I'm happy to take a "free" 0.6% AND the confidence that the 29er instills in me. Plus I like being out of the main stream

 

For me - 29er all the way.

 

Once again I need to agree with you.

 

The facts is that I love MTB and try and do as much events/races as possible. The other fact is that I hardly get time to practise on the bike. Once a week if I am very lucky.

 

With this much training, I found the 29er to be much more forgiving. Take less hammering and less effort. For me this equates to better times and even more enjoyment. If you don't train often enough, you don't gain all the required technical skills. The 29er allows me to ride items that I did not attempt with the 26" FS.

[Aggies]

hi guyts im thinking of moving over but im only 1.72m tall and dont have long legs do you thing i would get any performance gain on a 29er?

 

Your length won't pose a problem. You will be faster, even if it is just via confidence gained.

 

Take motorbikes. Which one have bigger wheels?

Small wheel - Road bike

Large wheel - Offroad

 

Why the hell do you want to do the opposite when it comes to cycles? Use a smaller wheel on a MTB than a Road bike?

 

The father of the 29er, GF, put it in perspective. He wanted a 700c (29") wheel from the word go as they calculated it to be the best fit for purpose. The problem was that no one was capable at that stage to produce the size tires and they just "decided" on 26".

 

Well technology caught up!

 

Those on 26" bikes - you can stay with it, no need to always argue the point with 29" riders. In my view you are all either jealous or simply too clever.

[Kiwi]

hi guyts im thinking of moving over but im only 1.72m tall and dont have long legs do you thing i would get any performance gain on a 29er?

 

Willow Koerber is 5' 2" (1.57m) third in the World Cup 2010 won her first cup race 3 weeks after switching to 29ers and she has no trouble fitting on a 29er.

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3346/3424817277_f761c1beab.jpghttp://www.whistlermountainbike.com/wmb/images/photos/2145_l.jpg

[Kiwi]

Willow Koerber is 5' 2" (1.57m) third in the World Cup 2010 won her first cup race 3 weeks after switching to 29ers and she has no trouble fitting on a 29er.

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3346/3424817277_f761c1beab.jpghttp://www.whistlermountainbike.com/wmb/images/photos/2145_l.jpg

It Will be interesting to see how Emma Batty goes switching to 29ers this year...

[AndreZA]

Take motorbikes. Which one have bigger wheels?

Small wheel - Road bike

Large wheel - Offroad

 

Why the hell do you want to do the opposite when it comes to cycles? Use a smaller wheel on a MTB than a Road bike?

 

 

Technically a 26" wheel with tyre is bigger then a 700c road wheel with a tyre. A road wheel with 23mm tyre has a circumference of 2098.58mm and a 26" wheel with common 2.2" tyre is 2107.25mm.

[Headshot]

How seriously are you looking?

 

Just being a twit myself. I think 29ers will rule one day - they'll make everything lighter still, and eventually the downside will be all but cancelled out. That said, I aint gonna bother to get a new bike just because the bike co's want me too...

[splat]

It Will be interesting to see how Emma Batty goes switching to 29ers this year...

 

I imagine Emma will go like a Batty outta Hell!

[udxcob]

As I have said before, if I had boght a 29er without a testdrive I would be very sorry today, I took a fisher 29DS for a weekend test and I hated every minute of it (so its just not for everyone, but I love the way they look) I personally believe the 26er and the 29er will both be around longer than you and me (much like in bmx the 20" and the 24" have been around for ages and are going nowhere)

[TimW]

The following are my experiences ... it is not scientific but is based on riding 26s for a few years and now a 29 (Giant Anthem) since late October. I have raced (OK, ridden) 29er in Wines2Whales and a two other races.

 

In training I have a regular route of about 18km which I time trial regularly to gauge my fitness. It contains a mix of single track, climbs, descents and long flat stretches in jeep track with about 30% on tar, including the last ten minutes of climbing at the end of the ride.

 

What I have found (ie personal experience) is that over this route my times are consistently over 2 min faster. I have "splits" of different terrain (some climbing, some single track, some flat "power" riding) within the ride, each about eight-ten minutes and there are varying improvements in each section -- the rougher the terrain, the more the improvement, which you would expect with bigger wheels. Climbing is the same on the 26 and the tighter sections are about the same (although nothing is too technical).

 

Immediately, with the bike out of the box and minimal set up I was able to consistently go two to two and a half minutes quicker in the same conditions (ie about 4-5% faster).

 

In Wines 2 Whales the only time I thought the bike was more difficult to handle was on the switchbacks of day 1. There is no doubt in my mind the bike rolls over small obstacles better, it handles long stretches of rolling track better, and is way way better on rough track -- for example very rough or corrugated district road and uneven, single track with small rocks and roots. Generally on jeep track it seems to be faster.

 

I am not a good rider by any means and am a solid middle of the pack finisher but have had what I consider to be my best two results ever in the two races I have ridden on my 29er. Wines 2 Whales was difficult to judge because my partner was sick and much slower than normal so I had an easy ride.

 

In short, for me, the 29er is better with the advantages far outweighing the disadvantages.

 

BTW I am middle aged, 1.83m tall and weigh 85kgs -- obviously no racing snake.

[GoLefty]

sponsored rider say what the sponsor pays them to say. In this case they're paid tosay nonsense.

 

I wrote alng story about 29ers a couple of years ago. Conclusion is they are notfaster than 26'er but they feel nice in me circumstances.

If I was given one I'd ride it.

If I had to spend my own money, I'll pass.

 

give me 650B (french size)

[Zeps]

Why not have the ultimate shootout and include the '27.5' .... who knows where that 'revolution' (pun intended) will go .....

[Two Wheels Trading]

We brought in 2 x 650b sample Alex rims in 2007, DID NOT SELL --- first 1 was sold in Nov 2010, there is still 1 in stock --- Alex XD-Lite. Black Anodized. pm me if you want to try it.