Last person riding 26" bikes?

Yangpei

Yangpei

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I'm starting to feel like the last person riding 26" bikes. It seems to be getting harder to buy quality wheels / tires for 26" bikes as more and more manufacturers are just making 27.5 stuff.

My current 26" bikes include:
2012 Canfield Forula 1 Jedi
2012 Knolly Chilcotin
2011 Pivot Mach 5.7 Carbon
2008 Ellsworth titanium Truth

The announcement of the new 27.5 carbon bikes like the Knolly Warden carbon, the new Pivot Mach 6, the new Turner RFX carbon, and even the new Ellsworth Moment carbon have got me curious.

Anyone else waiting to take the plunge to 27.5?
 
I sold my 26er a few weeks ago and to be honest I kind of miss it. The geo was perfect and the bike railed harder than any of my other bikes. I only sold it because the value of the bike or should I say 26er seems to be dropping fast. I ride a 650b rig now and it is great. It has almost all of the positive attributes of a 26" rig plus better clearance over rocks but not overly tall like a 29er.

Let me know if you need any 26er parts...anyone! I have the following up for grabs.

(2) Bontrager XR3 Team Issue (Ridden Once) $20 each
(2) 2014 DT Swiss Tricon XM1550 Wheelset 26" (New) $400 MSRP $1k...
 
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Its sad the 26er has gone the way to:

bottle & can collectors
strand/beach riders who don't give a sh*t
old people who don't know any better
retro mtn riders who had children and now ready to ride again
gang members
cheap people who still think that their 26er is still worth what they paid for it in 2004
really crappy bike shops
newbies who will take on the sport only to be annihilated on a group ride by the 29er's, then give up the sport
ass hats like me who throw a 29er wheel & 29er fork in the front
that old guy who put an extension stem with height so he can ride around your neighborhood (slowly)
newbs who purchased your old 26er only to find out that nobody rides them anymore
craigslist, then even there nobody wants them
Target, which still uses the 26er wheel for their crappy strand cruisers
OSH, where you can still buy a 26er tube or a tire that weighs more than 4- 27.5 tires put together
Riders of the San Gabriels clique, circa 2001-07 where you can easily find a 26er caked with dust in their garage
Sitting next to your old Windows XP or Mac OS9 desktop in the garage because you can't stand to throw anything away
 
Back in 2007-2009, I tried a few 29ers as well.

06 Gunnar Ruffian 29er SS
07 Niner RIP9
08 Vassago Optimus Ti 29er SS
09 Jones Spaceframe / ti truss fork (still have)

But, didn't really like the ride. The only one I still have is the Jones bike.

Sure, 29ers are still around and a few people still ride them. But, they never became the standard (as the 27.5 bikes are doing now).
 
Rode my 26 on Monday, probably because I took the pedals off the 29er Sunday night. The 26 coasts exactly if not a little better than the 29. The biggest difference between the two is a smaller front wheel which now seems infant and tiny and the front fork looks so short. Not much difference. In reality the gearing of a 26 is better since the 9er does not have a triple so it tops out well before I want to stop pedaling, it needs a 42
Happy trails
 
Yangpei said:
Back in 2007-2009, I tried a few 29ers as well.

06 Gunnar Ruffian 29er SS
07 Niner RIP9
08 Vassago Optimus Ti 29er SS
09 Jones Spaceframe / ti truss fork (still have)

But, didn't really like the ride. The only one I still have is the Jones bike.

Sure, 29ers are still around and a few people still ride them. But, they never became the standard (as the 27.5 bikes are doing now).
Click to expand...

I had a 2010 Kona Unit. It felt weird. If its been that long, you gotta try a 29ers made in 2013 onwards, with the latest fork offsets. They ride really well.
 
chubacabra said:
Its sad the 26er has gone the way to:

bottle & can collectors
strand/beach riders who don't give a sh*t
old people who don't know any better
retro mtn riders who had children and now ready to ride again
gang members
cheap people who still think that their 26er is still worth what they paid for it in 2004
really crappy bike shops
newbies who will take on the sport only to be annihilated on a group ride by the 29er's, then give up the sport
ass hats like me who throw a 29er wheel & 29er fork in the front
that old guy who put an extension stem with height so he can ride around your neighborhood (slowly)
newbs who purchased your old 26er only to find out that nobody rides them anymore
craigslist, then even there nobody wants them
Target, which still uses the 26er wheel for their crappy strand cruisers
OSH, where you can still buy a 26er tube or a tire that weighs more than 4- 27.5 tires put together
Riders of the San Gabriels clique, circa 2001-07 where you can easily find a 26er caked with dust in their garage
Sitting next to your old Windows XP or Mac OS9 desktop in the garage because you can't stand to throw anything away
Click to expand...

For the moment, DH still has 26ers all over the place :)
 
"try a 29ers made in 2013 onwards, with the latest fork offsets. They ride really well.[/QUOTE]

They sure do. I finally replaced the 08 stumpjumper with a 14 camber EVO. On the rare occasion when I ride the old one, it feels squirrelly compared to the 29. And the 29 climbs better.
 
Its sad the 26er has gone the way to: (part II)

Low end manual laborers who bike to work in China
That lady who lives down the street with that faded 1997 mini van
Neglected in garages of former big time enthusiasts that used to be seen shopping at The Bike Co in 1999-05
Yangpei
Poor people who ride the Fully Loop
That guy who got GW Bush' old Trek
SART riders wearing plain white t shirts or wife beaters
Rental bikes at lower end vacation destinations, such as
Oymyakon, Russia
Harare, Zimbabwe
El Salvador
Haiti
Syria
North Korea
Mongadishu, Somalia
Islamabad, Pakistan

 
You know, with 1,000's, perhaps 100's of thousands of world-wide refugees fleeing to greener pastures, uncontrolled wild fires, domestic shootings, global warming, water shortages, corporate greed going out of control, the presidential candidates being a hot mess, the economy being in the sh*t, etc. I apologize for my 26er post. But then again, naw. If I back pedal (pardon the pun) we don't progress and end up in a time warp like those middle-aged contractors who listen to classic rock all day on their Milwaukee boomboxes.
 
Oh the horror - I ride an '07 Heckler with 26" hoops. I did upgrade to a 2 x 10 three years ago though (and Monkey grips too).

My cross bike is a 29'r so maybe there's hope for me.
 
I had to sign in for this one. I ride a 26er. It has a big V on the front of it, is black, its over-forked, has a really low BB and fairly long rear end, yet seems to still rail all the turns I ask it. Maybe its the aluminum frame that helps it out so much, or it could be the flexible 27.2 seat tube that makes it ride so good. Anyway, to answer the op, you wont be the last unless I die before you.

Regarding the above ground clearance comment that makes zero sense to begin with, I'd like to ask who needs clearance on speedy SoCal trails anyway? Its not like we are all riding 180's. If you claim you pedal strike on climbs, maybe check your sag and stiffen up the bouncers a bit. I see way too many people have ultra soft setups and they crash because of it.
 
Looks like I will be one of the last one. not interested in following the herd, I love my 26r rode at 27.5 in spring and felt good going up mustard but sucked on cactus. My trusty 2012 Heckler 26" is just fine by me. and no I am not poor, just ride what I like, not what the industry or others say I should ride.
 
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Anyone on this site race xcountry on a 26er? Two of the guys I ride with still rock a 26er and they also happen to be the fastest of the group. Go figure! SoCal trails are not all smooth and speedy. 650b and 29er geos offer better clearance over rocks that is common sense. Of course if you are a 26er rider you will disagree it is only natural. Lol.
 

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