XC Bike on a bit of a budget...

Traction. May make less sense for a geared 29. I need to spend more time on one of those. But so far the SS + 29 makes a pretty good looking couple. Don't get me wrong, I've got a 26" bike too that I like a lot. Just saying the 29'ers so far are definitely fun, and have enough merit to take a serious look at if you're buying a new rig. Especially for XC.

Ride whatever cooks your noodle.

 

I think there are a few pro's that have ridden 29ers. But, they ride what their sponsors tell them to ride. So, more than likely the company's just tell them to stick with the Epic's, and whatever Giant, etc. I think more and more we'll see XC racers on 29ers. They seem pretty popular by reading mtbr for XC and endurance. I don't think I'd ever go back to a 26" for XC or endurance. The Dos is great, but I think ultimately I'd like to be on a 24lbs Leviathan for XC and endurance.

DH? Of course you can't DH on a 29er. You'd have to spend $1600 on a fork (40) and then grind the hell out of the crown. No sane person does that.

There just aren't the forks or suspension to handle that yet. Not only that, but the 26" 4X bikes are built for just that. No one has built a 4x 29er. People are probably out there doing it, but not on a bike that was built for that purpose.

We'll see what happens when Niner releases the WFO9.

But, tire companies need to step up and offer bigger tires, and suspension manufacturers need to step up for forks.

29ers are still relatively new to the market, people! They aren't going anywhere, except maybe to the top of the sales lists in 4-5 years.

 

You really can't justify a whole lot by comparing us to Pros. Apples to Oranges basically.

Is a 29er as nimble as a 26er?? Absolutely not. But the steering issue isn't an issue in my opinion. I can carve twisty singletrack just like on my 26er, albeit a bit more deliberately. However, the wheels do roll over obstacles better.

Case in point: my 29er has an 80mm fork. After a ride--a ride I haven't "finessed" by any means---I have only used 40-50mm of the fork's travel. Whereas on my 26er's 130mm travel fork, I will have used 90-110mm of travel. That means the 29er wheels DO roll over obstacles better. As mentioned before on another point--you can't argue that.

Are the wheels weaker? I guess so. But I haven't heard of people complaining about their 29er wheels being weak. Look at Justin/Mechmann--he rolls and drops some crazy stuff on his 29er HT with 80mm travel fork and he isn't tacoing any wheels. If you get decent wheels, they will not be weak. The weak wheel argument is pretty much a non-argument in my opinion.

The 29er wheels may take a bit more effort to get up to speed, but once you do they roll a lot better than 26ers. Now, I am not a die-hard 29er proponent. I'm just a guy who built a 29er and really likes it. It's not my favorite bike, but it is a really fun bike to ride nonetheless.

Go try a 29er and see if you like it. You already have a HT. You might as well get something different.

 

To my non-29-riding mind, the amount of travel you use maybe due how your fork is setup? More pressure in the 80mm = less travel used?

Doe this logic work?
50 / 80 = 62%
90 / 130 = 69%

That's pretty close.

 

Your logic is off......you take the high end of one and the low end of the other.

40 / 80 = 50%
110 / 130 = 85%

Much bigger difference if you don't favor one over the other. :-k

 

No, the fork is set up the same as the fork on my 26er.

Also, the percentages are of course closer when you figure the top of one range and the bottom of the other like you did.

Try this instead:

50 / 80 = 62%
110 / 130 = 85%

Not quite as close, is it?

You beat me to it by 1 minute.:wave:

Basically what I was saying too.

 

Wouldn't a 29er fork HAVE to be setup differently than a 26 fork? I mean, wheel size makes a pretty big difference? The travel size is also a lot different. Those are some pretty big variables...

 

Well, my 29er fork is an 80mm Reba and the fork on my 26er SS is a 105mm Reba and they both take the same air pressures. So, I would say no. I don't own any of the longer travel Rock Shox forks, but I'm guessing they are the same too.

 

Pros are riding 29ers.

 

Cool article and informative from the perspective of a rider looking to get into the whole 29er thang. Thanks.

 

That article is what got me to take a first look at 29ers. I am still intrigued enough to keep looking at 'em and asking questions.

 

Gee I must have the cheapest bike on all the mountain cuz I spent about a fifth of what you want to. I wish I could call $1500 a budget bike.

 

Brew, having a full suspension 26" bike & a 29" SS makes for a perfect combination.

I often ride the exact same Rimcrest-to-Southridge-to-Raptor-and-back loop at CHSP on each bike & each ride feels like a completely different sport.

I'm not even going to weigh in on the 29er debate; I simply love having the option to choose.

 

Couldn't have said it better myself. And people ask me why I have so many bikes--that is the answer!!

 

Yes, we are greedy & spoiled.

Unapologetically so, even. :wave:

 

Aaaaand, new sig line.:bang:

 

Quote: I often ride the exact same Rimcrest-to-Southridge-to-Raptor-and-back loop at CHSP on each bike & each ride feels like a completely different sport.


I discovered this when I bought the Chameleon. I've ridden it on the exact same trails I've been riding for years and it brought a totally new experience. It was really cool and I actually think that the ability to choose what to ride really brought the sport alive for me. I've ridden more in the last 2 years than I've ridden in the previous ten. It's awesome!

 

http://lenzsport.com/Dual_MTX.html

comes in both 26" and 29" wheel setup :bang: but you are right, the tracks are not built for a 29" wheel so whoop sections would suck...

IIRC, eric bierman is gonna start doing super d on a 29er

 

Motiv is dezineing a 36" wheel bike with 17" of travel.

 

I like Lenz (I want one, actually), but I don't think the 29er version is probably Devon's best seller!