29" better than 26" MTB on road?

[Belgarath]

Thanks rickus. that's good feedback. Was the speed difference due to the gearing of the two bikes? Also being downhill faster that makes sense on bigger wheel bike?

 

 

So is your wife's bike identical apart from the wheelsize? or is your 29er much higher specced?..I wonder which is even the lighter bike(would be willing to bet the bigger one is lighter).

 

Funny enough, exact same Shimano drivetrain. The Silverback frame is lighter than the Scott's, but the Scott has carbon handlebar and seatpost, I haven't even tried weighing the Scott.

 

The ride is 30km. Especially felt the difference trying to keep my speed up on Botha avenue, which has the long drag from the N1 bridge to Cantonments Bridge (uphill), then the downhill to Fountains I also couldn't keep the same speeds. Dodging pedestrians in town was different though, the 26er does turn faster, but both are pretty nimble though. I did use the 26er on a tour once, so it's really not a case of me disliking the bike. I do now though, put a ladies racing saddle on... not fitting my behind.

 

This was an interesting thing on BikeRadar - links below. Fastest bike: 29er. 2nd: 26er. Last: 27.5. 26er made the time up on the downhill, because it turns faster. This is trail-specific though...

 

Part1

 

Part2

 

Anyway,If you start racing (and you will) and your idea of a good race is 94.7 or Emperor's Palace Classic, and if you're not going to regularly do off-road, keep the 26er and get a road bike. Just keep in mind more punctures, and getting out of the way of traffic is not as easy as on a mtb.

[Skubarra]

 

Go take R10k and buy the best 29er you can find ( new or used), and put it next to a 26er that also cost R10k.

 

The 26er will win every time, especially on the road.

 

 

I agree with your point that 26ers are grossly undervalued but in that scenario, I'll still put my money on the 29er, on an <cut> <note to self - stay out of wheelsize debates>

[eddy]

 

 

My original question was will the 29" benefit me on tar/road usage.

 

 This looks like not as easy to answer.

 

It does not distract from the 29" benefits on trails or off road. but this was not really what I am after.

 

All road bike wheels are 29" wheels. You can fit a road bike tyre on a 29" rim. The Argus and the TdeF have since time immemorial been won on 29"wheels.

 

So it is safe to say that on the ROAD 29"wheels have proven themselves faster than any alternative .

 

However, As you are not racing but riding for general fitness, it makes no difference to you. Ride what you have.

[jlrscott]

Thanks guys for the comments so far. All inputs are helpful.

 

Been a week since I cycled, my main issue with cycling is it takes more time than jogging. Jogging a 30-40 minute workout is lots, when cycling  it looks like 1h30 at least to get a good workout. Maybe I am doing it wrong. but still.

 

Also my cycling route needs to go further and further from home, more road more traffic more danger.

 

I am looking for a partner that maybe want to join me on some of the cycling days for motivation and also maybe be safer? (Valhalla/Eldoraigne, Centurion)

 

Have a great week guys.

[arendoog]

You want to get fit not faster .Get yourself the heaviest bike with the smallest wheels and your fitness will come quicker 

[T-Bob]

Get a cyclocross bike or a gravel grinder and boom, you're sorted. 2 in 1, go throw it around on the multitude of jeep tracks, district roads, vineyards and fire trails available and then bang it on the road as well for some distance and pot hole munching. 
 

Reading this post is like time travelling back to thehubsa in 2011 when people were trying to convince us 29ers are just a marketing fad that will blow over soon.

Was actually thinking about this last night. We all know 29'r have their benefits, just like 26'r and 650's (or what ever they want to be called now), fat bikes, hard tails, duels, rigids, single speeds and the rest. To make your riding fun and as enjoyable as you want it to be, not to show off, be scorned or the like. 

My q was: When Giant released the 29'r trances it was the new best thing, evolve or die kids. Then a couple of seasons later they decided that smaller wheels were better so made a 27.5 and then said the Trance had 'found it's true wheel size'. What happens to those 29'r trances? Bit of a trade in for guy who stumped up for the wagon wheel version? An apology for the experiment that, actually, wasn't the best idea on this one (but awesome for Anthems)? Or just carry on. Thanks for buying. If these turn up in classifieds are these to be rejected like the ginger step child of the trail world, only one step up from being seen on a 26'r, xc, carbon rig at a weekend race? 

Just wondering. 

[Pure Savage]

Get a niner RLT I think its called, damn I want one of those bad boys..

[JXV]

I was the first in my group of cycling buddies to get a 29er and I was immediately faster on the road. Now i didn't just suddenly get fitter overnight and my old 26'er was a high end bike too.

The new bike has better suspension and the big wheels definitely roll over stuff a bit easier. The difference is much more apparent on the trails than on the road though.

My 29er gearing was 2x10 (38-26F and 11-36R, I have since gone 1x10) while my 26er was 22-32-44F and 11-36R) which gives a much wider range notwithstanding the 11% smaller wheel diameter.

So to all those who think there is no difference or that 26 is better - I say look at the evidence - the entire industry has moved away from 26.....did they do that just to force us to buy new bikes?

 

The difference between 27.5 and 29 is much less clear cut though. Love my 29er but those big wheels sometimes don't feel so nimble on the trail even though they roll nicely.

[Shebeen]

Just remember the current world champion XC racer (nino) doesn't ride a 29er.

So to all those who think there is no difference or that 26 is better - I say look at the evidence - the entire industry has moved away from 26.....did they do that just to force us to buy new bikes?

The difference between 27.5 and 29 is much less clear cut though. Love my 29er but those big wheels sometimes don't feel so nimble on the trail even though they roll nicely.

of course!!

[jlrscott]

You want to get fit not faster .Get yourself the heaviest bike with the smallest wheels and your fitness will come quicker 

 

lmao I tried that, used my youngest daughters bike but ouch its hard on the knees!!

[JXV]

Just remember the current world champion XC racer (nino) doesn't ride a 29er.

of course!!

Does he ride a 26" bike?

 

As I said in my previous post the difference between 27.5 and 29 is much more subtle.

[Baron]

Funny enough, exact same Shimano drivetrain. The Silverback frame is lighter than the Scott's, but the Scott has carbon handlebar and seatpost, I haven't even tried weighing the Scott.

 

The ride is 30km. Especially felt the difference trying to keep my speed up on Botha avenue, which has the long drag from the N1 bridge to Cantonments Bridge (uphill), then the downhill to Fountains I also couldn't keep the same speeds. Dodging pedestrians in town was different though, the 26er does turn faster, but both are pretty nimble though. I did use the 26er on a tour once, so it's really not a case of me disliking the bike. I do now though, put a ladies racing saddle on... not fitting my behind.

 

This was an interesting thing on BikeRadar - links below. Fastest bike: 29er. 2nd: 26er. Last: 27.5. 26er made the time up on the downhill, because it turns faster. This is trail-specific though...

 

Part1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhS1HfvBeYA

 

Part2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxfrykeSNCE

 

Anyway,If you start racing (and you will) and your idea of a good race is 94.7 or Emperor's Palace Classic, and if you're not going to regularly do off-road, keep the 26er and get a road bike. Just keep in mind more punctures, and getting out of the way of traffic is not as easy as on a mtb.

[Baron]

Funny enough, exact same Shimano drivetrain. The Silverback frame is lighter than the Scott's, but the Scott has carbon handlebar and seatpost, I haven't even tried weighing the Scott.

 

The ride is 30km. Especially felt the difference trying to keep my speed up on Botha avenue, which has the long drag from the N1 bridge to Cantonments Bridge (uphill), then the downhill to Fountains I also couldn't keep the same speeds. Dodging pedestrians in town was different though, the 26er does turn faster, but both are pretty nimble though. I did use the 26er on a tour once, so it's really not a case of me disliking the bike. I do now though, put a ladies racing saddle on... not fitting my behind.

 

This was an interesting thing on BikeRadar - links below. Fastest bike: 29er. 2nd: 26er. Last: 27.5. 26er made the time up on the downhill, because it turns faster. This is trail-specific though...

 

Part1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhS1HfvBeYA

 

Part2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxfrykeSNCE

 

Anyway,If you start racing (and you will) and your idea of a good race is 94.7 or Emperor's Palace Classic, and if you're not going to regularly do off-road, keep the 26er and get a road bike. Just keep in mind more punctures, and getting out of the way of traffic is not as easy as on a mtb.

[Baron]

Send it to Nino and Yolanda Neff. Neff was unbeatable on her Gaint 27.5 in 2014 and then switch to diffrent make bike and 29 er but back on 27.5 for 2016. Wheel size on tar make no diffrence only power, weight and gearing. Thats why a mini with small wheels won many races against cars with bigger wheels on tar.

[Bomberman]

In my opinion, look for a nice second hand 29er something like a siverback sola. The important thing would be the correct tyre choice, something with low rolling resistance. 

 

My one friend rides the cradle on weekends with his Sola. A quick 110km no issue, and he can take any road he likes although he rides more road that dirt.

 

Look at selling the 26er to fund the upgrades on the 29er. 

[Belgarath]

 

 

My one friend rides the cradle on weekends with his Sola. A quick 110km no issue, and he can take any road he likes although he rides more road that dirt.

 

 

Love my Sola...