MTB, 29 or 26

[Jackes]

Things happen slowly in the states, but they do happe. Eventually I'm buying new bikes for a change.

 

No I know the immediate answer will be 29, but hear me out.

My riding partner is my wife so I will be riding with her all the time. I'm already "holding back" for her, surely the 29'r is going to make this even worse, seeing that she rides a 26.

 

Hence my question, I presume in the light of this it is better for myself to settle with a 26'r again ?

[Breezer]

Keep your 26 and buy a 29er for your wife. Then you do not have to hold back

[Jackes]

Keep your 26 and buy a 29er for your wife. Then you do not have to hold back

 

And therein lies the problem, she is 1.65, so a 26'r will be my riding companion.

[zork]

here we go again .

[MTBc]

And therein lies the problem, she is 1.65, so a 26'r will be my riding companion.

 

Hence different frame sizes and adjustable seats.

[MTBc]

I'm 1.86m and am riding a medium frame at the moment. its small, and I love it like that. (the FRAME).

Edited November 15, 2012 by BrettMTB

[divernick]

And therein lies the problem, she is 1.65, so a 26'r will be my riding companion.

 

My wife is 1.63 and her 29er is on the way!

[rattlesnake]

[megdobson]

I agree with Breezer, buy her a 29'er. I'm 1.6m tall and have just bought a 29'er. The best thing i could have done. My biking is reaching new levels

[MONS]

I am 1.67 (thereabouts) and have just bought a 29er - small frame - and its AWESOME!! NOthing wrong with us small women riding bigger bikes!

[Jackes]

here we go again .

 

I can only imagine. But does that disqualify me from asking about my specific situation.

 

Or show me to the exact same situation thread as mine and I will delete this one.

[Jackes]

...

Edited November 15, 2012 by Jackes

[Jackes]

And should I add that we obviously don't ride or have any intention to ride competitive nor do I have an unlimited budget.

 

So even if I look at 29'rs it will be the most entry level vs high specced 26'rs ?

[Jackes]

Is that all ?

[Drahthaar]

Good questions , I cant give you advice as I am looking for the same answers as you are doing. Hope we het some advice

[Skubarra]

I would say it also depends on what type of riding you want to do. I had a similar "dilemma" but in my case I wanted to do marathon distance races and the entry level bike I had just wasn't up to it. So I went for the better specced 26er because reliability was more important to me than bigger wheels. In hindsight I still don't know if I did the right thing, maybe I should have saved up a bit longer and spent R1K or R2K more on a better specced 29er...