Help Needed for Bike Purchasing for a Newbie

[Doc_Boa1107]

Hello. I have a question but Im a new cyclist and dont know all the terms and bike part names so please bare with me. I just recently started mountain bike riding on beginner trails. Im riding on a 24" wheel dual suspension mountain bike. I chose the 24" because Im 5'4". My friends who are taller than me, are riding on 26" and 29" wheel bikes. When we go ride they pedal and take off effortlessly where Im struggling to keep up. But Im in far better shape than they are and couldnt understand it. It seemed as if I was continuosly pedaling where they would pedal every now and then and still be taking off on me. My friend told me I needed a bigger bike and to try his to see if theres a difference. I switched bikeswith my friend with the 26", made the adjustments to his bike to fit me, and sure enough there was a huge difference. I wasnt getting tired as easily and I was flying through the trails. Now Im looking for a 26" bike. Now Ive found one that I like and heres where my querstion is asked. The bike is 26" wheels but has a 13" frame. I think the same frame as my 24" bike. Now because its a 13" frame, will I still have the same struggle as my 24" bike Ive been riding on because its the same size frame? Thank you for you time and I appreciate and advice and help anyone could give me. Thank you Clint

 

[SteCenturion]

Hi Clint - aka Doc_Boa1107.

Sorry but I might not be best placed to give the best advice (in fact I know I am not).

I haven't ridden MTB for quite a while but I try to keep up with developments from time to time 'just in case'.

At this point in time the majority of bike mags & Mtb'ers are extolling the virtues of 29" or 29ers as they are now known.

In your case & because of your height I think you are right to go 26" wheels.

I don't quite understand how you came about to ride a 24" wheeled bike as this is a youths/child size but in any case you seem to be ready to make the right switch.

I am not sure exactly what a 13" frame is in Mtb world as I used to work off S, M, L & XL & more used to road bikes now.

Pretty sure if you go to a reputable LBS (local bike shop) that is well trusted in your area then they will do their best to 'size you' correctly for a 26.

If they do try to push a 29er though tell to hop it as it will certainly be to big & unwieldy for you.

I feel that IMO if you get the right frame size & 26"wheel set up then you will be happy with your next bike.

Maybe a thought is to repeat this thread on the Mtb section if you haven't already as although there are plenty Mtb riders this side, most seem to be 'roadies' of one sort or the other.

Sorry again not to be of any great help - just don't have the Mtb knowledge any longer.

 

[Profpointy]

whilst I don't know mountain bikes, nor really able to comment on wheel sizes - that said 26" is the normal size for mountain bikes, so 24" is unusually small even if you aren't basketball build.

However, I can't see why wheel size in and of itself should make a lot of difference to how hard work it is; the bike could be a worse bike - heavier or whatever, or the other chaps might just be a bit fitter. However my first bike - a 20" wheeled Raleigh shopper was indeed much worse than my friends' 27" racers and roadsters - but I think that was mainly weight and general crapitude. The others might have more suitable tyres - less nobbly = less work, albeit more mud grip.