Worth going to 29er?

[stefmeister]

another way to approach this is to keep your components and sell your frame, fork and wheels .... these you replace with the 29'er variant.

 

on a HT for general riding I recon a 29'er trumps beats a 26'er, but this all boils down to how often you ride, is this a grudge purchase having to scrape together the cash...or requires intensive debating with your significant other 

 

if you ride once a week, enjoy your bike and the above applies to you ... then rather take that upgrade cash and keep it for a rainy day while you enjoy your 26'er that you have

Such a sensible post. Don't think it's needed on a forum where the majority suffers from severe upgraditis.

[Mokgaga'a mmakubela!]

if you believe that size matter then go for 29er 

[Paddaman]

Test ride one of your buddies' bikes and then decide if its worthwhile.

 

Side note:

I've been held up by quite a few full-sus naainers down Gspot while riding my Inbred 26er (once even with a star seat & kid on the toptube. Was priceless when my then 3 1/2 year old laaitie shouted, "Sopas oom! Pappa ry rof".) HOWEVER: I do prefer riding my 650b trail bike - much more forgiving and confidence inspiring due to more relaxed geometry and proper suspension (Pike vs old Sid on the Inbred).

Highlighted the solution to all the world's problems.  These bikes are/were the ultimate solution to the cycling worlds problems.  If Musk had to send one bike into space, it would be a cherry red On-One Inbred 26er.  (for the agnostic they also come in 29er, for the atheist the alu version was called the ScandAL and for the hethen they made the Lurcher and the whippet in Carbon, for the true believer there was also a Titanium)

[s14phoenix]

I have honestly spent a lot of time on 26" 650B and 29".

 

I feel the smaller wheels step into more holes and thus get slowed down by the terrain far easier.

 

I thoroughly enjoy my 650B still because its such a fun bike but a well setup 29er is definitely faster for the same effort.

 

I would get the 29er.

[DjCyclist]

Take the 29er look at the DH 29ers it's definitely faster

[ALLMTB]

Take the 29er look at the DH 29ers it's definitely faster

is that why Bruni won the World Champs on a 650b, or why Gwin won the overall world cup on a 650b?

[Letum911]

I got a nice 29er about 4 years ago (cherry picked the parts). Kept and still rode the 26er. When my son needed a new bike I looked around and got a nice smaller 26" frame and build the parts over for him. He is now having a lot of fun on the 26er. My only gripe is that the fork is crappy and I cannot find a reasonable air fork at a good price. And it's a mission to find tires for them these days.

 

Regardless of the wheel size I have learnt that:

1. Wheels are an awesome upgrade

2. Good tires makes a massive difference and is not always too expensive

3. Proper suspension works, the cheap stuff not so much (Suntour XCR coil vs Epicon)

 

There was a massive special running earlier this week/late last week on Vredestein tyres. Think it was Solomons selling 2 for R500 or something like that.

https://www.facebook.com/SolomonsCycles/photos/rpp.217764244991241/1263053957128926/?type=3&theater

[Stevief]

An third alternative  is to change your friends to new mates that all ride 26ers.