Still ride a 26"?

S

Slank

Likes Bikes
1 x29er 3x26er

Have a spec 29er love it for general riding around glenrock and awaba, the other main bike i ride is a reign x0, love it around glenrock on the same trails, actually found it more enjoyable on the new tracks being completed over the last couple months, hated it when i last tried to ride the awaba xc course on the uphill sections.

The other 2 26er's are a

Specialized hardrock setup for commuting, if i had the cash i would probably upgrade it to a 29er or a roadie since that is all i use it for these days.
Morewood Ndiza, this is for mucking around on, it doesnt get used much and will probably be sold in the very near future.

But overall yeah i will definately keep and ride a 26er because I can build it up beefier (wheelwise) and larger travel bike is more forgiving for me atleast.

Have to agree with the earlier poster I much prefer my reign for riding around manly damn then the 29er.
 
A

auskonrad

Likes Dirt
I started out on a 29er... rode that for a year - then got fed up and got a dually 26er... people I ride with say I'm a lot faster - and I know for certain that I am having way much more fun than I ever had on a 29er. I just didn't enjoy myself.

Sure, I'm probably lower on fire roads now, but who cares about that.
 
Timmy!!!

Timmy!!!

Likes Dirt
I have a Anthem 29er, Anthem X0 26" dually, and XTC Carbon 26" hardtail. In all honesty I like the hardtail the best 90% of the time, but the 29er is almost always the faster bike. So, when racing I ride the 29er. When riding for fun I very often ride the hardtail. The 26" Anthem gets used as a backup/training/trail bike and it's bloody nice with it. Ultimately, though, for all-out speed the 29er is the shit.
 
jathanas

jathanas

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Timmy!!! said:
Ultimately, though, for all-out speed the 29er is the shit.
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Agree. Mostly. Here's my choice of bike for each event I'm sure to enter over the next 12 months:

Dirtworks Vic 100km: Epic S-Works 29er
Otway Odyssey: Stumpjumper S-Works 29er
Clock to Clock: Stumpjumper S-Works 29er
Duael: Epic S-Works 26er
 
pistonbroke

pistonbroke

Eats Squid
jathanas said:
Agree. Mostly. Here's my choice of bike for each event I'm sure to enter over the next 12 months:

Dirtworks Vic 100km: Epic S-Works 29er
Otway Odyssey: Stumpjumper S-Works 29er
Clock to Clock: Stumpjumper S-Works 29er
Duael: Epic S-Works 26er
Click to expand...
That's a lot of hi-mod carbon. I hope you got in before the carbon tax?:cool:
 
C

casnell

Likes Bikes and Dirt
jathanas said:
Agree. Mostly. Here's my choice of bike for each event I'm sure to enter over the next 12 months:

Dirtworks Vic 100km: Epic S-Works 29er
Otway Odyssey: Stumpjumper S-Works 29er
Clock to Clock: Stumpjumper S-Works 29er
Duael: Epic S-Works 26er
Click to expand...
Where's the ASRc fit in ?
 
spikenet

spikenet

Likes Dirt
Timmy!!! said:
How about ... "chickable"?
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don't you mean "its chickable BRO!"

I haven't ridden my 26" stumpy since getting my 29er HT. Whilst its not as "fun" on the downhills I enjoy actually having to pilot the thing rather then bombing stuff with reckless abandon!
Must admit, after a handfull of laps at the Mont I was wishing for the stumpy tho! :)
 
R

Ripples

Cannon Fodder
Only just got the 29 HT but it is sure an efficient ride compared to the 26. Mind you the 29 is a huge leap in quality so some bias there.

Still learning to ride the 29 but from my observation so far I will be keeping the 26 dualie and (don't tell the Mrs :eek:) the 26 HT for giggles.

So far some trails just seem to suit the different bikes.
 
Bodin

Bodin

GMBC
casnell said:
So if my bike is "flickable" and "chuckable" couldn't we just use one word to amalgamate them....?
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jathanas said:
Flickachuckable??
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"Agile."

FWIW - I'm going through my annual 26/29 angst. I will shortly have the opportunity to look at a new bike, but if I go down that route, it'll be at the expense of the XTC29/AX29... or both.

It's a matter of personal preference and after a few years of going back and forth between wheel sizes, I know for a fact that I'm not as confident on sketchy stuff with the bigger wheels and it does reduce my personal fun factor. I just don't feel as connected to the ground on the bigger wheels (despite the supposed "extra traction", which I think is a bit of a myth...).

Having said that, I exceeded my expectations in last years You Yangs Yowie and this year's Otway Odyssey on the XTC29, but both of those courses are no-brainers for HT29. I don't know why anyone would ride anything else for those particular races.

But the AX29 has become the dilemma. It's supposed to be my fun bike for challenging myself on gnarly stuff, but it just feels like too much bike anytime that it gets really challenging and I miss my old Stumpy FSR 26 around places like Castlemaine.

So, why not have a HT29 and DS26? Having different wheel sizes is a PITA, both from an equipment POV and also the fact that I personally find it difficult to adjust riding styles.

I suspect that I haven't found the right cockpit for my AX29 just yet, though, so new bar/stem/post on its way soon and if that works for me and gives me the confidence I used to have on the tricky stuff, I might have solved the dilemma. If it doesn't, I'm selling the 29ers and getting a sub-11kg 26" "one-bike", like I used to have with the Stumpy.
 
Bodin

Bodin

GMBC
Round about 35 using S-Works Fast Trak 2.0 (f) and S-Works Renegade 1.9 (r).

Not totally sure how accurate my floor pump is anymore, but I *think* that's pretty close to the mark.

Just as was the case in my 26" days, I hate tyre squirm, so I tend to run tyres a bit harder than most (used to run pretty close to 40 in my 26" tyres...).
 
jathanas

jathanas

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Adjusting between 26 and 29 is harder when you go from 29 to 26. The more you do it the easier it'll get. The 26 feels small for about 5 minutes, then it feels fine. When I get back on the 29 it's cool from the word go.

The ideal xc bike garage has both a ht 29 and a fs 26. As you said, the 29er is the go for the marathons where the 26 is so "agile" and "maneuverable" :) in the tight stuff.

I think you'd regret letting go of your hardtail mate.

Cheers, J

Bodin; said:
But the AX29 has become the dilemma. It's supposed to be my fun bike for challenging myself on gnarly stuff, but it just feels like too much bike anytime that it gets really challenging and I miss my old Stumpy FSR 26 around places like Castlemaine.

So, why not have a HT29 and DS26? Having different wheel sizes is a PITA, both from an equipment POV and also the fact that I personally find it difficult to adjust riding styles.

I suspect that I haven't found the right cockpit for my AX29 just yet, though, so new bar/stem/post on its way soon and if that works for me and gives me the confidence I used to have on the tricky stuff, I might have solved the dilemma. If it doesn't, I'm selling the 29ers and getting a sub-11kg 26" "one-bike", like I used to have with the Stumpy.
Click to expand...
 
Sumgy

Sumgy

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Bodin said:
Round about 35 using S-Works Fast Trak 2.0 (f) and S-Works Renegade 1.9 (r).

Not totally sure how accurate my floor pump is anymore, but I *think* that's pretty close to the mark.

Just as was the case in my 26" days, I hate tyre squirm, so I tend to run tyres a bit harder than most (used to run pretty close to 40 in my 26" tyres...).
Click to expand...
Yes, I would agree with "a little harder than most".
I run 24psi rear and 20 psi front (on my gauge).
I weigh 83kg.
Rode them this way on a fairly rocky OHV track for the Merida 24hr last weekend with no issues.
I find tyre squirm to be dependant upon what tyres I am running.
Crossmark rear seems to squirm slightly at this pressure but the Racing Ralph's I had on the Tallboy were rock solid.

I find that many riders are running their tubeless 29er tyres in the low 20's.
 
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