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Does size really matter?

17K views 102 replies 66 participants last post by  luthermc315 
#1 ·
Anybody out there still think that 26" wheels are still the way to go for just plain fun?
 
#26 ·
Size doesn't matter; color does!

I've got bikes with 26" and 29" wheels. Each has their strengths and weaknesses. I now shop for bikes with two criteria (in order of importance):

• How's the fit?
• Do you love the color?

Back to basics again I guess.

Have fun and ride!
 
#42 ·
I've got bikes with 26" and 29" wheels. Each has their strengths and weaknesses. I now shop for bikes with two criteria (in order of importance):

• How's the fit?
• Do you love the color?

Back to basics again I guess.

Have fun and ride!
yep, pretty much this. No need to debate, go ride A bike... :thumbsup:
 
#27 ·
I had some good ol' fashion plain fun on my 26" wheels last Saturday. So I'm still on board.

Related question -- does anyone here think that the difference between 26 and 29 might have been blown out of proportion somewhat? Like maybe the difference isn't THAT big? I mean, I've taken a couple laps on a 29'er (a good one, too -- a brand new '12 carbon Tallboy). It wasn't the most technical or intense terrain ever, but I put 3 or 4 miles on it, including a couple climbs, descents, and a couple quick rock gardens. Of course, the Enduro and the Tallboy are quite different bikes altogether, so it was hard to tell what was due to the wheels vs. all other aspects of the bike. But IMHO, the difference was more like vanilla vs vanilla bean ice cream, as opposed to vanilla vs chocolate like people try to make it out to be.

Of course, there are those on MTBR that make a tubeless conversion seem like a huge change performance-wise. Where, for me, I couldn't hardly you the difference when I went from tubes to tubeless back to tube on the rear after I ripped up a sidewall. So maybe I just have an undistinguished pallet!
 
#50 ·
I had some good ol' fashion plain fun on my 26" wheels last Saturday. So I'm still on board.

Related question -- does anyone here think that the difference between 26 and 29 might have been blown out of proportion somewhat? Like maybe the difference isn't THAT big? I mean, I've taken a couple laps on a 29'er (a good one, too -- a brand new '12 carbon Tallboy). It wasn't the most technical or intense terrain ever, but I put 3 or 4 miles on it, including a couple climbs, descents, and a couple quick rock gardens. Of course, the Enduro and the Tallboy are quite different bikes altogether, so it was hard to tell what was due to the wheels vs. all other aspects of the bike. But IMHO, the difference was more like vanilla vs vanilla bean ice cream, as opposed to vanilla vs chocolate like people try to make it out to be.

Of course, there are those on MTBR that make a tubeless conversion seem like a huge change performance-wise. Where, for me, I couldn't hardly you the difference when I went from tubes to tubeless back to tube on the rear after I ripped up a sidewall. So maybe I just have an undistinguished pallet!
AMEN! I own both and feel the same way.
 
#28 ·
I guess my assessment is its easier to cover ground fast on the 29er. Acceleration seems slower. Not as much fun in the techy stuff. The 26" bike is more responsive, handles the techy stuff better but will not clean as large of objects as well as the 29er. When I go XC riding with a friend I grab the 29er, when I go mountain biking I grab the 26er. It's just more fun to ride. I guess when push comes to shove I really don't care for the wagon wheels all that much. I suppose if you are racing they are an advantage for most guys.
 
#31 ·
I have an old Trek 820 that is a blast to ride. Probably won't sell it, no reason to give it away for what someone would pay for it today.

But, I am totally sold on 29'ers, and just love long rides on my Carve in the country, roads, trails, whatever, the bike is just plain stupid fun!

Very unlikely I'd go back to 26" anytime soon, too many 29'ers to buy first....

mudhen
 
#62 ·
DT is only saying that about short travel 26". He thinks some DH riders will move up to 27.5", but not the top ones. So plenty of room for long travel 26" and 27.5" (which has virtually the same geo as 26"). 29" harder to fit with long travel forks and geo. But the roll for HT and short travel uses can't be beat.

So there will be 3 wheel choices around for the foreseeable future. It's all rider and terrain dependent.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#46 ·
I'm a big guy (200 lbs, 6'2") and own both a 26" HT and a 29" HT rigid. They're definitely different beasts but both are fun as hell. Honestly, I'm keeping my 29er SS rigid because I don't think the geometry would be as fun to chuck around than my 26er.
It's kinda funny to see how many 29ers I see at the trail. I feel old-school sometimes when I ride my brand new On-one 456Evo.:D

I just ordered a 26er fatbike. :thumbsup:
 
#53 ·
I'll be shopping around for a new bike next year. I've tried some 29" wheel bikes and have been a bit underwhelmed, at least considering the hype. They do some things very well and others not so well. I'd like to try some 650b wheel bikes to see what they feel like but demos are hard to come by.
 
#55 ·
I have 26" hard tail with v-brakes. I just did ride with two guys. One with a jet9 and the other with a rip9. Overall I did just fine keeping up. The fs bikes could be faster on the descents, but I don't care that much about being fast on the downhills. I have more fun picking way stuff. Plus and time gained on the downhill will be lost on the uphills. In the end it is more the rider.
 
#65 ·
20" for hard mountains, because easy get vertical hills on LIGHTEST wheel in the world, easy accelerating, 20" is tractor style accelerate: just push and feel power of accelerate.

29" wheel is most heavy wheel. 29er hardtail bike weight more than my 26 full suspension LMAO.
Weight on wheels collecting muscle power for unstoppable inertia driving, long accelerate, bad braking, best for long asphalt racing. XC 29er? ROFL, no thanks, in other life.
 
#81 · (Edited)
My first thought upon seeing the thread title was about frame sizes.

Turned out to be another 26 v 29 thread. Ho hum....

26er HT rider here, and I absolutely have fun riding it. Have brought it to some gnarly trails where a FS would be the weapon of choice. However, I am looking to get a custom built steel 29er in late 2013 or early 2014. BUT my next bike is (I hope! I hope!) would be an AM 26er rig. :cool: The future 29er HT would be my XC ride, while the FS 6-inch travel 26er would be my AM weapon of choice.

Either way, I'll be having fun on the trails.

I know a guy who recently sold his less-than-year-old 26er and joined the 29er bandwagon. Hell, even added mudguards and upgraded the hell out of his brandnew 29er.

He rides his brandnew 29er MTB mostly on road. Afraid to get it muddied up on the trails. Boo hoo. :rolleyes:
 
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