29er pros and cons
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Hugor
Likes Dirt
Ha Ha HaWould that make it a "Grand Hangus"?
*boom tishhhhhh*
kinda like your present avatar there Bodin!
Bodin
GMBC
Never gets old.
Baz rides
Likes Bikes
Before I get started I'm comparing apples to oranges as my two rides are a Kona Unit (29" fully rigid ss) and a Giant Anthem.
Simply put the Anthem is a faster bike... but then it really should be...
But there are some definite merits with the 29ers. At higher speeds particularly (taking into consideration the rest of the bike...) the 29" feels super stable and high speed cornering is beyond that of the 26".
However getting back onto the 26" really does just make you want to jump everything in your path... But how much of that is contributed to suspension and the lighter weight of the bike as a whole I'm not sure...
Hmmm... so in summary my point is... well, i'm not sure...
As I'm pretty sure someone said earlier on it's a compromise, eg. 29" rolls along better but takes more to get going, 29" does offer more cornering grip at the cost of low speed steering, 29" rolls over obstacles easier but may be more difficult to bunny hop etc, etc
So probably ignore the 29" vs 26" thing and just try a few bikes and choose what feels right bearing in mind your regular trails and riding style... I know for me and my local trails a short travel 29" full sus is something I'd like to look at... but I can guarantee that not everyone is riding the same flat, fast and relatively open singletrack that I am.
And yes, so far my experience with buying tyres and tubes for a 29" hasn't been great... Ordering in tyres, stretching 26" tubes to fit etc (but i'll probably continue to do so to save buying seperate tubes, and it works well enough)
Simply put the Anthem is a faster bike... but then it really should be...
But there are some definite merits with the 29ers. At higher speeds particularly (taking into consideration the rest of the bike...) the 29" feels super stable and high speed cornering is beyond that of the 26".
However getting back onto the 26" really does just make you want to jump everything in your path... But how much of that is contributed to suspension and the lighter weight of the bike as a whole I'm not sure...
Hmmm... so in summary my point is... well, i'm not sure...
As I'm pretty sure someone said earlier on it's a compromise, eg. 29" rolls along better but takes more to get going, 29" does offer more cornering grip at the cost of low speed steering, 29" rolls over obstacles easier but may be more difficult to bunny hop etc, etc
So probably ignore the 29" vs 26" thing and just try a few bikes and choose what feels right bearing in mind your regular trails and riding style... I know for me and my local trails a short travel 29" full sus is something I'd like to look at... but I can guarantee that not everyone is riding the same flat, fast and relatively open singletrack that I am.
And yes, so far my experience with buying tyres and tubes for a 29" hasn't been great... Ordering in tyres, stretching 26" tubes to fit etc (but i'll probably continue to do so to save buying seperate tubes, and it works well enough
)
Sumgy
Likes Bikes and Dirt
I always find the comments about the lack of tubes and tyres amusing.
Must be a southern states thing.
I have 3 or 4 shops around me up here in QLD where I know that I can walk in and buy a 29er tube with no issues.
I also have 2 shops where I know I can get 29er tyres (limited models I will admit but I can get them).
Then again, I cannot remember the last time (26 or 29") where I woke up that morning , looked at my bike and thought, "I think I will go and buy some new tyres as I need them before this afternoon's ride".
Usually I have plenty of time to do some homework as to what I want and then order them with plenty of time until I need them.
Must be a southern states thing.
I have 3 or 4 shops around me up here in QLD where I know that I can walk in and buy a 29er tube with no issues.
I also have 2 shops where I know I can get 29er tyres (limited models I will admit but I can get them).
Then again, I cannot remember the last time (26 or 29") where I woke up that morning , looked at my bike and thought, "I think I will go and buy some new tyres as I need them before this afternoon's ride".
Usually I have plenty of time to do some homework as to what I want and then order them with plenty of time until I need them.
Baz rides
Likes Bikes
I should mention that the shops in question aren't in the city... so if you're in a larger city or somewhere with a stronger cycling scene you might be fine... but of about eight smaller 'country' stores I've been in over the last few months none of them had any 29" tyres in stock.
But yeah definitely agree ordering tyres is mostly a non-issue, but it would be nice in the event of shredding one to be able to just go and pick up another rather than having a forced few days off the bike waiting for a new one, and yes, having a spare would probably alleviate the problem more or less too...
But yeah definitely agree ordering tyres is mostly a non-issue, but it would be nice in the event of shredding one to be able to just go and pick up another rather than having a forced few days off the bike waiting for a new one, and yes, having a spare would probably alleviate the problem more or less too...
chumbox
Likes Bikes
Maybe if you are shredding tyres then you need to order two and put one away as a spare. On my second 29er and never had tyre or tubes problems, just order them in or drive somewhere that has them. No biggie. FWIW since going to 29er over 2 years ago I have only had one flat tyre, and thats running 25-30psi over hundreds and hundreds of kms
Hugor
Likes Dirt
Lots of mechanical issues have forced me off the bike for a few days or even weeks in the case of my forks.
Tyres have not been one of them though.
I'll usually resort back to my 26er when something fails on my 29er.
Helps me appreciate why I ride the big wheels.
That then leads me onto another advantage of riding 29ers ... most of us have a well functioning 26er lying around gathering dust to fall back on when our main steed is out of action!
Tyres have not been one of them though.
I'll usually resort back to my 26er when something fails on my 29er.
Helps me appreciate why I ride the big wheels.
That then leads me onto another advantage of riding 29ers ... most of us have a well functioning 26er lying around gathering dust to fall back on when our main steed is out of action!
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Sumgy
Likes Bikes and Dirt
wittman13
Likes Dirt
Well, one particularly tiny American was able to bet all but one Russian and a Norwegian in Canberra, Australia on a big wheeled bike.
brasstinman
Squid
I was down at my LBS and was chatting to them about 29ers and they said the whole concept of a 29er was due to the guys in the US riding in the desert and on rocky shelf type environments and the 29er wheels rolls over those surfaces much easier than a 26 inch wheel.
And with larger riders 6+ foot the bikes feel better for them.
Some of this stuff was covered in the posts but thought I'd just add it in anyway.
But geez I can't believe people like to be keyboard warriors.
And with larger riders 6+ foot the bikes feel better for them.
Some of this stuff was covered in the posts but thought I'd just add it in anyway.
But geez I can't believe people like to be keyboard warriors.
thelankyman
Likes Dirt
better grip
I think that an understated or non stated benefit of riding a 29er is that you always have more surface area attached to the trail, this mean that there is effectively a larger tyre footprint and it results in better traction when cornering and braking. It also means that over drop offs there is more air to cushion the hit
I think that an understated or non stated benefit of riding a 29er is that you always have more surface area attached to the trail, this mean that there is effectively a larger tyre footprint and it results in better traction when cornering and braking. It also means that over drop offs there is more air to cushion the hit
abevern
Likes Dirt
I've spent my time chatting to local bike shop-types, and to a man they're all pretty negative towards 29ers. They're a fad, they're good in the US with groomed trails, they're heavy they're.... Basically everything except a good idea. Being at the coal face, I'd have thought they'd be all over it, but apparently not.
I'm 6 foot stupid, and 29ers make a hell of a lot of sense to me. If you're tall, I really think 29ers are almost a no-brainer in XC/Trail usage. The marginally slower steering and additional weight are a minor concern next to the improvement in "rightness", traction, rolling etc etc.
Sumgy
Likes Bikes and Dirt
Well most bike shops will be tied to one of the major suppliers and as a result may not have access to too many 29ers. AS a result they will sell what they do have access too and will talk down the 29ers.
The LBS where I live is an Avantiplus dealer. They hate 29ers this year. Last year they had them on the floor and were selling them. Perhaps this is because Avanti and Specialized dont have 29er models in Australia this year??
On the slow handling thing. My friend Rach got her Blacksheep very recently. Had never really ridden a 29er before. A couple of rides in she stops me and says "Why do people say that 29ers handle slowly??" She also says to me the other day that there is a section of trail that she could never get through previously (very tight between some large eucalypts). She is 3 from 3 on the Blacksheep.
The LBS where I live is an Avantiplus dealer. They hate 29ers this year. Last year they had them on the floor and were selling them. Perhaps this is because Avanti and Specialized dont have 29er models in Australia this year??
On the slow handling thing. My friend Rach got her Blacksheep very recently. Had never really ridden a 29er before. A couple of rides in she stops me and says "Why do people say that 29ers handle slowly??" She also says to me the other day that there is a section of trail that she could never get through previously (very tight between some large eucalypts). She is 3 from 3 on the Blacksheep.
Pizzaz
Likes Dirt
Problem with bike shops and 29ers is that in some respects they're a bit of a hard sell (to the non-enthusiast crowd)...
When I got into MTB (on a Kona Cinder Cone) all I wanted was a dually... and the more suspension it had the better... didn't matter that I didn't do big drops etc but 5inch was about the suspension sweet spot. Rode that for a couple of years and wanted racier so got a 3inch XC machine rode it for a coupla years and now gone back to hardtails (with big wheels!)
There seems to be a bit of a price premium for 29ers at the 'budget' end of the market and lets be honest, some of the wheelsets that come with the more entry 29inch bikes are quite deserving of the flexy wheel syndrome that detractors are convinced affect all 29ers. When a lbs isn't sure of the demand they'll stock the cheaper stuff which in comparison to an equiv priced 26in bike is (probably) heavier, lower spec and flexy.
When you get into the more top end stuff, they cost $$$ and the average punter who's spending 2 1/2K and up is probably looking at a dually rather than a hard tail - convincing them to try a 29inch hardtail rather than a 3inch dually is probably hard work.
The opinion of my lbs is (slowly) changing since there are a few of us now who have got nicely built up bikes with quality components that challenge the 'heavy, slow steering & flexy' criticism but they're still expensive. My race bike is Cannondale 29er1... the RRP on the thing is north of $4K but to get the weight down you almost ditch everything except the frame and fork (swapped out the crank and upgraded the groupset to X0) - you end up spending 5k+... now its awesome but it is about the same price as an ASR... (and to be realistic probably isn't as 'chuckable' as the ASR - I don't find that a drama but it is noticeable)
Love my 29er(s) but can fully understand why a lot of shops just aren't into them...
When I got into MTB (on a Kona Cinder Cone) all I wanted was a dually... and the more suspension it had the better... didn't matter that I didn't do big drops etc but 5inch was about the suspension sweet spot. Rode that for a couple of years and wanted racier so got a 3inch XC machine rode it for a coupla years and now gone back to hardtails (with big wheels!)
There seems to be a bit of a price premium for 29ers at the 'budget' end of the market and lets be honest, some of the wheelsets that come with the more entry 29inch bikes are quite deserving of the flexy wheel syndrome that detractors are convinced affect all 29ers. When a lbs isn't sure of the demand they'll stock the cheaper stuff which in comparison to an equiv priced 26in bike is (probably) heavier, lower spec and flexy.
When you get into the more top end stuff, they cost $$$ and the average punter who's spending 2 1/2K and up is probably looking at a dually rather than a hard tail - convincing them to try a 29inch hardtail rather than a 3inch dually is probably hard work.
The opinion of my lbs is (slowly) changing since there are a few of us now who have got nicely built up bikes with quality components that challenge the 'heavy, slow steering & flexy' criticism but they're still expensive. My race bike is Cannondale 29er1... the RRP on the thing is north of $4K but to get the weight down you almost ditch everything except the frame and fork (swapped out the crank and upgraded the groupset to X0) - you end up spending 5k+... now its awesome but it is about the same price as an ASR... (and to be realistic probably isn't as 'chuckable' as the ASR - I don't find that a drama but it is noticeable)
Love my 29er(s) but can fully understand why a lot of shops just aren't into them...
Refreshinglygood
Likes Bikes and Dirt
I have, I like. That is all
Hugor
Likes Dirt
I'm glad to see other people bringing that slow handling idea down also.
I jump between my 6 " travel 26er FS and my 4" travel 29 FS regularly depending on the type of trail I'm riding.
I'm no sponsored rider but the trails I ride are much more technical, tight and rocky than what I usually encounter in events.
I don't notice the slow handling thing at all when changing from one bike to the other.
I think its more related to the geometry than the big wheels per se.
Heavier wheels though will obviously take slightly longer to get up to speed so any spare dough should be first thrown in this direction.
chumbox
Likes Bikes
Completely agree and I think people miss the idea that in techinical terrain because the larger tires roll over obstacles better you to some degree have 'increased' handling on a 29er.
Big Chuck
Likes Dirt
My lbs(Blackmans Penrith, NSW) suggested I look at an XTC 29er when I mentioned I was thinking of a new hard tail XC bike. I expected the sales guy to suggest it but the mechanic also advise me to check out the XTC 29er a few weeks later, being 6'2" might have had an influence.
Hugor
Likes Dirt
29er love
I bought a Pivot Firebird trail bike about 6 weeks ago which became my only ride for a while whilst I was getting a feel for it. In the meantime my RIP9 has been resting.
I dropped short on a double a few days ago and smashed my large and middle chainrings rendering the Pivot unridable.
Hit the trails yesterday with the Niner for the first time in ages. I loved the ride so much I'm really going to find it hard to get back on the Firebird again.
I might have made a mistake with the Pivot as my play/gnarly trail bike but thinking a WFO might have been a better move. Don't get me wrong the Pivot does everything I expected it to, I'm just losing enthusiasm for the little wheels.
The faster flow and pedal ease through really rocky and bumpy terrain with the larger wheels is so much more fun.
Despite the above crash I'm generally happier with my wheels on the earth, but i found i was carrying much greater speed through sections forcing more air time than i usually get or am ordinarily comfortable with.
I bought a Pivot Firebird trail bike about 6 weeks ago which became my only ride for a while whilst I was getting a feel for it. In the meantime my RIP9 has been resting.
I dropped short on a double a few days ago and smashed my large and middle chainrings rendering the Pivot unridable.
Hit the trails yesterday with the Niner for the first time in ages. I loved the ride so much I'm really going to find it hard to get back on the Firebird again.
I might have made a mistake with the Pivot as my play/gnarly trail bike but thinking a WFO might have been a better move. Don't get me wrong the Pivot does everything I expected it to, I'm just losing enthusiasm for the little wheels.
The faster flow and pedal ease through really rocky and bumpy terrain with the larger wheels is so much more fun.
Despite the above crash I'm generally happier with my wheels on the earth, but i found i was carrying much greater speed through sections forcing more air time than i usually get or am ordinarily comfortable with.