KiNgL Posted October 8, 2012 Posted October 8, 2012 Morning Well i have been on the back of many discussions reading the 26 vs 29 battle. I was super happy riding my Merida 96.. one of the best bikes i have ever owned and ridden fact..But i got the opportunity to buy a friends seldom used and hardly ridden 2011 TREK SUPERFLY 29er. So i decided that i would sell 2 bikes and get 1 bike ..After dealing with a few people i sold my ghost and merida and got my friends superfly... I hit modderfontein red trail on saturday morning. First impression , you feel rather high and it may only be 3 inches but you can definately feel it . 2ndly i was not happy with the bikes curved handle bar, i felt akward and a little out of controll, so i was not really enjoying the ride.That bar i am not sure why people would want such a steep curved bar vs a flat bar .. i maintained and got use to the height issue. as soon as i got home i swapped out the bontranger curved bar for an older scott straight bar that i had lying around Sunday morning i hit the red trail again.. Well now i felt more attatched to the bike no weird over steering issues and what felt like my knees were clupping my hands etc.etc. So the advantages i can feel of a 29 er over a 26er .. The 29er wheel really does roll over most things easily , i use to have to pop the 26er up over 2 pallets that are placed over a large tree stumpdown by the river section, the big wheel just rolls over it so effortlessly so you can get more speed over obstacles, the few rocky sections that are down by the river are really easy to roll over, sometimes the 26er felt like it would stop when it bumped a rock, not so with 29.. Climbing hills feels a lot harderon the 29er , feels like the legs are pushing a bit harder to get to the top ..although cross country feels like you are using less effort and i free wheel more than my mate on his 26er.. Now when you go through the twisty tree section, i felt like my old 26er had a lot more control, the 29er felt like it was not turning enough , and then suddenly it took to the turn , a bit nervous , but sure i will get use to it..Although i am still a bit nervous and not wacking it on the few downhills that there were, it definitely feels a bit more quicker than my 26er. Overall the wheels still needs to be turned by your legs, 29ers are definitely not going to make anyone a better mountain biker just by having a bigger wheel , but i can say it rolls easier over terrain, needs a bit more effort on hills ,but my smiles are just as big as they were on my 26er , i just now feel part of the big wheel gang So now i need to get comfortable on my new superfly and see if i can improve my times..
gummibear Posted October 8, 2012 Posted October 8, 2012 So now i need to get comfortable on my new superfly and see if i can improve my times.. After 3 or 4 months take a 26" for a ride again and compare the times to the 29er.
Bianchi Posted October 8, 2012 Posted October 8, 2012 After 3 or 4 months take a 26" for a ride again and compare the times to the 29er. Should be an interesting comparison.@OP, yes, twisty sections ARE just better on a 26" over a 29er. It's one of the few downsides to a 29er, but not something that can't still be done on a 29er - ask any experienced 29er. All I know is I'm loving my 29er.... and yeah, rolling over stuff/ climbing bumps is just so awesome.
SeaBee Posted October 9, 2012 Posted October 9, 2012 Jeez, talk about coincidence! I also just left my beloved Merida 96 (and btw, my current FB pic - not profile, that other wide one - is almost the same as your avatar!) Sounds like your remained FS - is that correct? I went to a Stumpy HT and all I can say is "Wow!" Yeah, the setup has not been done properly yet - going for it this weekend - so there is some niggles and don't quite feel bolted onto the bike yet, as I did with the 96. And it may be a HT vs DS thing, but I find my Stumpy can run a ring inside the 96. And the bigger wheels just gave me soooo much more confidence on the bit of descending I did that I commented to some friends I'll most likely be found wanting on talent one of these days due to overconfidence! The 29 HT is not the same comfort as the 26 DS, anybody telling you that is BS'ing. But for a lot, the extra volume in the tyre just makes it feels like a DS. But pedalling like crazy on some bumpy areas, the rear end does dance around a bit more. Maybe it's because I'm going faster?! (Because the front just does not try to shake out your eyeballs like the 26 does!) Mine just wants to climb and begs to be trapped harder. I can't wait for the ergofit treatment and going out again! While this may not be the answer to everybody's problems, it sure suits my riding. Can't be happier that I took that plunge. KiNgL 1
Bat-ass Posted October 9, 2012 Posted October 9, 2012 (edited) So i decided that i would sell 2 bikes and get 1 bike ..After dealing with a few people i sold my ghost and merida and got my friends superfly... I hit modderfontein red trail on saturday morning. First impression , you feel rather high and it may only be 3 inches but you can definately feel it . 2ndly i was not happy with the bikes curved handle bar, i felt akward and a little out of controll, so i was not really enjoying the ride.That bar i am not sure why people would want such a steep curved bar vs a flat bar .. ----- It might be an illusion, but you not higher by 3 inches. your hubs are highter by 1,5 inches (radius, as the whole diameter is 3 inches). BUT actually your crank is lower then the hubs, the crank hight from the ground is about the same as 26er. This is where the stability comes from.. being below the hubs. Edited October 9, 2012 by Bat-ass
KiNgL Posted October 9, 2012 Author Posted October 9, 2012 It might be an illusion, but you not higher by 3 inches. your hubs are highter by 1,5 inches (radius, as the whole diameter is 3 inches). BUT actually your crank is lower then the hubs, the crank hight from the ground is about the same as 26er. This is where the stability comes from.. being below the hubs. Ya it may have been an illusion but felt a lot bigger/taller/ higher. @Sea Bee yup went for another S/T but i think i am hooked ...
RoboLuke Posted October 17, 2012 Posted October 17, 2012 the cockpit setup makes the bike feel great or not.i felt that 29er wheels needs more power to move up a hill and need more momentum to keep going.i alse felt that i need more power for 2 x 10 than 3 x 10 i must now do leg training just to cycle
covie Posted October 17, 2012 Posted October 17, 2012 also rizer bars are fine just remove the spacers and drop the bar works like a charm.
Azonic Posted October 17, 2012 Posted October 17, 2012 I was in the fortunate position to not have to sell my one bike to get another. Still got my pimped 96er (that often chews up 29ers on our local trails), as well as a new all around carbon 29er sled. Unfortunatelly though the Merida 96er has been hanged up since I got the 29er and hasn't seen a single ride since before Trans Baviaans. If I don't ride it again I will probably use the parts to build up a dual 27.5er or something.
Cav' Posted October 17, 2012 Posted October 17, 2012 it may only be 3 inches but you can definately feel it . That's what she said..
rouxtjie Posted October 17, 2012 Posted October 17, 2012 yawnyou should really try and get some sleep at night.
nishiki Posted October 17, 2012 Posted October 17, 2012 You are such a TrollWHO GIVES A **** WHAT YOU THINK?
Hairy Posted October 17, 2012 Posted October 17, 2012 WHO GIVES A **** WHAT YOU THINK? Still Trolling nishiki? To the OP, I am glad you are enjoying the bike!
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