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

[thezula]

OK seriously, we need to agree on some of your definitions, otherwise there is a lot of contradicting between what you are saying and how I understand things..

 

XC = Cross Country. The Olympic sport of MTBing. Short technical laps, fairly technical, as in most normal okes would walk plenty times. That is how I understand it at least, and by the sounds of it this is the type of riding you enjoy. So in my mind this is exactly where a 29er should suck? Yet you say it is good to race XC on? Cross country does not mean riding across the country.. Rather I think you're talking about marathon riding when you say XC. That is big long outrides with a good mix of jeep track/gravel roads etc. Think MTN Ultra rides, Sabie, Barberton, Attakwas etc. Yes, then 29er might make sense.

 

XC = Cape Epic.

XC = dude at tokai on 29er that races to top on dual dirt track then comes down the same track instead of single track, training for some race.

XC = enduro race or even MTB leg of iron man.

XC = time trials etc.

XC = dude at tokai in full cycling clothing kit top to bottom, 29er, epic jersey.

XC = dude ramming on brakes down the single track going at super slow pace down single track, destroying single track for rest of trail riders.

XC = guy going fast up mountain on prob 29er bike and epic jersey.

XC = guy with all the latest gadgets on his bike - GPS, computers, everything.

Trail = freestyle, trail, single track riding.

Trail = guy wearing normal clothes when MTBing at tokai.

Trail = guy going slow up mountain

Trail = guy screaming down single track having a blast, fast, not braking.

Trail = no computers on bike.

Edited April 11, 2011 by thezula

[thezula]

When I was at The Epic, as a mechanic I was privileged to work on and ride everything from from S works Epic 29ers to Anthem X 29ers and my trusty 26er Anthem X.

 

I found after riding the 29er Anthem that is rode a lot like my 26ers only notable difference was I could feel the 29er rolled better but I was in lighter gears to get the wheels turning and the top out speed was a little faster. Other than that the bikes felt pretty much the same. Found the Epic to be a hard ride.

 

Please note these were just trips up and down the site to make sure the bikes worked properly and to get them to the bike park, so no rough stuff or trails, and never rode them all that long was just my simple observations.

 

A good bike design is a good design regardless of wheels size in the case of 29ers you win some advantages but also lose a few same with 26er so I say personal choice.

 

Good post though

 

no offence but just messing around on a few peoples bikes and riding 2 bikes back to back over a trail is not the same.

Any 2 bikes in a straight line will feel more or less the same.

 

Just like pulling away in a BMW 328 will feel more or less the same as pulling away in a merc 280. Diff is how they handle on the road. ie. single track and or through the mountain pass.

 

Sorry but no ways does a Anthem 26er feel the same as a Anthem 29er. One is slow like a dog the other one is a completely different bike. Take 2 of them back to back on a trail you will see.

 

 

A simple test. Take your BMX for a spin around the track. Then your 26" MTB around the same track. What do you feel? You can pump your BMX much more. It accelerates much better. Much more direct feeling. BMX much easier to do tricks, jump, etc. More control. Slower. 26" faster but a lot less than all of the other stuff.

 

Same goes for 26" vs 29" as 26" vs BMX. If you tell me any different you are either not riding the bikes the right way or riding them in a straight line.

Edited April 11, 2011 by thezula

[mtbDobby]

I have the anthem 29er, I did epic, I ride the mtb series - I am that XC guy with the gadgets and let me just say if u think the 29er is slow on single track then u are hugely mistaken - I ride up the hills so I can bomb down the mountains - trust me when I say there were and are some serious descends at the epic that are pretty much single track for kilometers. On the short sharp climbs the 29er struggles.

 

That's my 2c worth

[Gnarly]

This has got to be the funnest report I've ever read!!!!

 

1st HT v DS, not matter what size the wheels you can't compare.

 

2nd, I got to trust a report from a guy who thinks XC = Cape Epic .

 

This is a joke right?

[SwissVan]

XC = Cape Epic.

XC = dude at tokai on 29er that races to top on dual dirt track then comes down the same track instead of single track, training for some race.

XC = enduro race or even MTB leg of iron man.

XC = time trials etc.

XC = dude at tokai in full cycling clothing kit top to bottom, 29er, epic jersey.

XC = dude ramming on brakes down the single track going at super slow pace down single track, destroying single track for rest of trail riders.

XC = guy going fast up mountain on prob 29er bike and epic jersey.

XC = guy with all the latest gadgets on his bike - GPS, computers, everything.

Trail = freestyle, trail, single track riding.

Trail = guy wearing normal clothes when MTBing at tokai.

Trail = guy going slow up mountain

Trail = guy screaming down single track having a blast, fast, not braking.

Trail = no computers on bike.

 

thezula good objective post on your 29er impression.

 

BWTF you sure failed wrt XC. In mtbking XC means mtb lap racing as practised by the likes of Julian Absalon and Co. and non of the XC definitions you list above.

[DaLoCo]

Hey Zula...good report. I am not in the market for a 29", still getting used to mtb riding on my 26" ht. You have given me some info to consider when upgrade day arrives.

 

I am surprised you have not been disqualified by someone because you have less than 20 posts....hehe.

[29er FAN]

I recently bought a 29er (secondhand) (in addition to my 26" Schwinn) and I am EXTREMELY happy!

Absolutely love it - but as you said HT.

That said though, I prefer HT on my 26" as well - although I must admit that Newlands Forest had me wishing for dual suspension on MANY occasions .

 

One thing I must say, is that of all the 29ers Ive tried I only liked the Gary Fishers.

I reckon where the other brands I've tried basically applied their 26" design and tech to bigger wheels - GF designed it from the ground up as a 29er.

Yes there are negatives, but on the whole I am VERY happy.

 

Ive ridden the new Gary Fisher/Trek collaboration and Trek have not managed to screw it up.

They're great! Just cant say (for me personally) that I liked the way the GT, Anthem/Giant etc handles.

[intern]

. Great read. This sums up precisely how I feel about 26/29. I way prefer the directness and the general 'feel' of a 26er. Especially when you lift the wheels off the ground. Horses for courses, etc, but I'll stick to my 26 inches of pure pleasure.

 

PS despite the misleading term, cross country is short course lap racing; what you do in the Epic is riding across country, but it's not cross country. Daft? You bet. But along with tyres, 26 vs 29 and lube, it gives us endless material for discussions.

Edited April 11, 2011 by intern

[PhilipV]

You're idea of xc is way flawed. I ride a 26ht, and I chase up the mountain, but I chase down the singletrack as well, I jump everything but the roadgaps. Sometimes I ride in my toit spandex pant, other days I ride baggies. Sometimes I cruise with mates to show them my mountains, other days I leave them in my dust when I chase my adrenalin rush down the mountain.

Does that make me an xc guy or a trail guy?

 

The real good xc guys have really good technical skills, will give you a run for your money on their race machines, and blow you out of the water on a similar trail bike to yours.

 

Oh, and saying that the Xtc is the most responsive big wheeler is a misnomer. Giant still has a long way to go with the geometry of the Xtc. 2

[Tankman]

Great to read a post where the author hasn't gone all goo-goo eyed after becoming a new owner of the big wheeler.

[Mecnic]

no offence but just messing around on a few peoples bikes and riding 2 bikes back to back over a trail is not the same.Any 2 bikes in a straight line will feel more or less the same.Just like pulling away in a BMW 328 will feel more or less the same as pulling away in a merc 280. Diff is how they handle on the road. ie. single track and or through the mountain pass.Sorry but no ways does a Anthem 26er feel the same as a Anthem 29er.

 

It's actually like putting bigger wheels on the BMW not 2 different cars.

 

Like I said just observations made While I was at work at the Epic, So don't read to far into it.

[Squier]

It's also for this reason that I wouldn't likely consider a 29er full suspension. A full

suspension would take away even more of the little direct feeling that is left in a Hardtail 29er. So if you want a real slow coach, go for a 29er Full suspension.

 

 

I went from a 26" hardtail to a 29er Dual Sus and I am loving it! Getting all the perks from a DS and all the perks from a 29er is just unbelievable...

 

I won't get involved in the 26er vs 29er debate because I have to admit that I still can't quite make the distinction between the new benefits from the DS and the new benefits from the big wheels. Everything is still a bit blurry at this stage (I've only had the bike for a week) but I'm still in a state of disbelief. This thing floats up rocky ascents, fly's down the hills and is super comfortable. Now I just need the legs to go with the bike...

[Eldron]

I tend to agree with most of what zula is saying but the absolutely wrong description of XC makes the posting completely misleading.

 

As most of the other posters have said XC is short course, intense racing on courses less than 8km per lap with with about 90% of the course being single track - exactly the type of stuff zule says the 26er is best for - which I agree with.

 

Whats makes the article misleading is that 95% of people will never ride a "proper" XC course - unless you're doing provincials or nationals and have a racing license you will not know what a "proper" XC course is.

 

Most people ride marathon events on less technical courses made up mostly of jeep track, dirt roads with shortish single track sections. "Marathon" being anywhere from 60km to 120km with the shorter rides of 15km and 30km of course.

 

So basically thezula is saying that a 29er is best for 95% of riders and the few niche riders that do xc, free riding, trail riding and downhill are better off on 26er.

 

I agree wholeheartedly

[Sawdust]

I own a 2011 Giant Trance X and a 2011 Giant XTC 29er 1 - both excellent bikes in their own right.

 

 

I think you should consider a new forum name.

[dirtrider]

Ok but from what I have heard MOST people don't even do races and just do XC !!! (it is lap racing/riding not ? ) at places like Tokai , Northern Farm and Groenkloof . If I had space in my bike room for another bike and my wife would allow me I most probably would get a 29 just for the hell of it but I would still use my Morewood for anything else .

[TNT1]

ping admin, how do we set our preferences to not show any threads containing the words 26er and/or 29er in the title?