29ers

[SSmatty]

I'm shallow.
I went for a 29er because I'm quite tall and i thought the larger wheels look better proportioned for me (shame about that 26er crud guard though).
Maybe there's not as much in it as i thought, though it did give me the opportunity for a different build with the carbon rigid fork and high volume tyres.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

I'm shallow.
I went for a 29er because I'm quite tall and i thought the larger wheels look better proportioned for me (shame about that 26er crud guard though).
Maybe there's not as much in it as i thought, though it did give me the opportunity for a different build with the carbon rigid fork and high volume tyres.
View attachment 89918 View attachment 89919

I agree that on large frames a 29" looks better proportioned. Also, our acceptance of balance changes with exposure. For instance, years ago bike frames were skinny and saddles huge. Now bike frames are fat and saddles skinny. Yet, when someone restores a period bike from say the 1980s, a fat period saddle looks out of proportion. There was one on here just yesterday, beautifully restored, yet with a modern skinny saddle that just looked right. But it was wrong. Small 29ers look wrong. large 26" look wrong.

 

[Spoked Wheels]

My gut feel would be that the 26er would be less likely to get bent than the 29er due to the smaller size, shorter spokes, less "torque" (if that's the right term) etc, but I have no science to back this up.

All things being equal, the 29er, having a larger diameter would have the spokes further apart, making the Load Affected Zone (Jobs Brandt) less crowded with spokes, hence less strong.

 

[Nigel-YZ1]

From the point of view of someone looking for a new bike after 15 years on a 26er I'm hoping not to buy the one that goes the way of the Betamax video.

 

[SSmatty]

From the point of view of someone looking for a new bike after 15 years on a 26er I'm hoping not to buy the one that goes the way of the Betamax video.

For a while it seemed the 26er already had.
Is that still the case?

 

[marzjennings]

For a while it seemed the 26er already had.
Is that still the case?

Looking at chainreaction's list of available wheels sizes... 75 bikes with 27.5in wheels, 51 29er bikes, 40 26ers and 1 24er.

Checking a few manufactures you'll see 27.5 is the new black, 29er's still hanging in there and 26er is either a niche bike DJ or DH or lower end models.

 

[Crackle]

I'm going for a ride on my 29er now. I shall remember to feel angst about whether I've chosen the right wheel size, worry about the momentum taking me in a direction I don't want to go and also whether my wheel will collapse, as wheel as feeling conspicuous that my oversize clown wheels are attracting possible ridicule. Adios.

 

[marzjennings]

For a while it seemed the 26er already had.
Is that still the case?

Sorry, crappy answer on my part. The industry seems to be heading/forcing folks towards 27.5 as the norm, but with the millions of 26ers still owned and available I can't seen them killing off 26ers for at least 5 years.