Enduro/gravity bike suspension and geo

[T-Bob]

Does anybody else think, that off the back of Martin Maes wins with the 29er front 650b back we are going to see manufacturers pursuing the 29/650 combo actively featuring in catalogues come next year?

 

All new for 2019... New, newness from your marketing department and being spotted on YT's Decoy already. 

 

[anybody seen george?]

E-bikes have been doing it for a while or at least seen a few brand ambassadors riding theirs 29F/650R. Did not classify them as Enduro/Gravity though.

All new for 2019... New, newness from your marketing department and being spotted on YT's Decoy already. 

 

[splat]

Didn't Trek try that a while ago with the 69'er or 96'er or something awkward like that ?

 

Oops, that was before 650b was a thing, so it was a 26" wheel and a 29'er up front back in 2007:

https://archive.trekbikes.com/us/en/2007/trek/69er#/us/en/2007/trek/69er/details

 

Edited April 1, 2019 by splat

[Gambithunt]

Does anybody else think, that off the back of Martin Maes wins with the 29er front 650b back we are going to see manufacturers pursuing the 29/650 combo actively featuring in catalogues come next year?

I read a pretty good test on running a smaller back wheel and the result was that it was pretty much the same.

 

I think the bigger difference will come from how the bike feels to that particular rider.

[Headshot]

I wonder how my enduro would go with a 26" out back. Could make it lghter and whippier!

[T-Bob]

I wonder how my enduro would go with a 26" out back. Could make it lghter and whippier!

 

Like a penny farthing! 

[Hairy]

sounds like you need a 24" rear tyre and a 140mm crankset!

I wonder how my enduro would go with a 26" out back. Could make it lghter and whippier!

[Jewbacca]

Meh... different tires, tubes, spares.... I know you can use a 650b tube in a 29er wheel, but it's not ideal. 

 

Mixing wheel sizes is like XTR. Great if you're not paying for it, using it solely on race day and someone else is servicing it.

 

But for an average plonker like most of us it just creates problems and we aren't really good enough to see the benefit.

[Headshot]

Meh... different tires, tubes, spares.... I know you can use a 650b tube in a 29er wheel, but it's not ideal. 

 

Mixing wheel sizes is like XTR. Great if you're not paying for it, using it solely on race day and someone else is servicing it.

 

But for an average plonker like most of us it just creates problems and we aren't really good enough to see the benefit.

I tend to agree with you and I'm not planning on buying a 29er fork and wheel for my enduro, but after my recent experimentation with tyres, air pressure and suspension settings I am  far happier on my bike. I think that this is just another thing to try in the search for a better, more fun and  possibly faster ride. 

 

Just had a thought - my 26er HT might go well with a 180 fork and 27.5 front wheel...If I sell the 26er Pike I could start saving for a 29er fork and wheel for the Enduro. Mmmmm :-) 

[Hairy]

that look will work for you

 

I tend to agree with you and I'm not planning on buying a 29er fork and wheel for my enduro, but after my recent experimentation with tyres, air pressure and suspension settings I am  far happier on my bike. I think that this is just another thing to try in the search for a better, more fun and  possibly faster ride. 

 

Just had a thought - my 26er HT might go well with a 180 fork and 27.5 front wheel...If I sell the 26er Pike I could start saving for a 29er fork and wheel for the Enduro. Mmmmm :-) 

[Jewbacca]

I tend to agree with you and I'm not planning on buying a 29er fork and wheel for my enduro, but after my recent experimentation with tyres, air pressure and suspension settings I am  far happier on my bike. I think that this is just another thing to try in the search for a better, more fun and  possibly faster ride. 

 

Just had a thought - my 26er HT might go well with a 180 fork and 27.5 front wheel...If I sell the 26er Pike I could start saving for a 29er fork and wheel for the Enduro. Mmmmm :-) 

Tire pressure, rebound speed etc all makes sense to me. That is part and parcel of bike setup.

 

I'm not saying it isn't 'cool', but I am saying that weekend plonkers who finish 5 minutes behind Matt Lombardi, who in turn finishes nearly 4 minutes behind the guys who might (I say might) benefit from these shenanigans on terrain that would probably make most of us 15 minutes slower than Matt, just aren't good enough to really benefit from them.

 

There are so many more things we can do to improve that would be way more beneficial and make way more sense than fiddling with 69ers.

 

Getting really fit is probably going to benefit everyone 500% more than a different sized front/rear wheel....

[Hairy]

Tire pressure, rebound speed etc all makes sense to me. That is part and parcel of bike setup.

 

I'm not saying it isn't 'cool', but I am saying that weekend plonkers who finish 5 minutes behind Matt Lombardi, who in turn finishes nearly 4 minutes behind the guys who might (I say might) benefit from these shenanigans on terrain that would probably make most of us 15 minutes slower than Matt, just aren't good enough to really benefit from them.

 

There are so many more things we can do to improve that would be way more beneficial and make way more sense than fiddling with 69ers.

 

Getting really fit is probably going to benefit everyone 500% more than a different sized front/rear wheel....

Hang on ... does this mean I need to cut out beer ... sorry skollie, aint gonna happen!

Edited April 2, 2019 by Hairy

[Grease_Monkey]

My biggest issue with plonking a 27.5 wheel on the back of a niner frame or a niner fork and wheel on a 27.5 frame is what you will be doing to the geo of that bike.

 

In essennce you will slacken out the HA, STA, and lowet the bb (in the case of the niner frame). So the bike is going to pedal like crap, and have a ton of rock strikes while descending.

 

So to remedy this bike manufacturers will make 27.5 frames with geo dedicated to this setup. In which case it will "work". But it will mean new frames for us.

 

Playing around with that on your current frames will cost you for a new rear wheel if using a 29er frame, or a new fork and front wheel in the case of using a 27.5 frame. All for something that resembles the new concept but isn't quite it. Then add to that people shortening travel on their forks to address a bike that is too slack, and then some new cranks to adrress the bb that is now too low (let's say 165mm ot shorter) which will mean even crappier pedaling.

 

Not worth it IMO.

 

Maybe in 6 or 7 years I will change my tune when it is the new norm and bikes are sold like this out the box. But I am not gonna be the guinnea pig for it...

Edited April 2, 2019 by Grease_Monkey

[BaGearA]

Or all us plebs can just learn to ride our existing bikes faster ,....jus sayin

[Headshot]

that look will work for you

 

My BIL has a chopper very like that in black. Not built for corners at all ..

[Jewbacca]

Hang on ... does this mean I need to cut out beer ... sorry skollie, aint gonna happen!

Cut out beer?!

 

No one said that, especially not me!