Roadie converts haven't got the balls to ride downhill.Cant wait till the DH rigs are 29 only.
I reckon you've hit the nail on the head Rone. "The trend" and "fashion" are fairly powerful things when people consider buying a bike. Admittedly, I'll buy a product based on the quality of the build and the parts fitted and I may tend to stay with that brand for my next purchase if I've had good times with it.The trend for the mass produced bike ranges will be for the bulk sellers, which at the moment seems to be the 29ers, next year will probably be 650b, as the fashion aspect of the new is exploited. The 26er is not dead, but Giant/Specialized/Scott et al will concentrate on whatever has the potential to bring in the biggest biccies.
This leaves space for the intermediate size manufacturers to plug the gaps, and I don't forsee a point where you can't buy a 26" hardtail, just not one with Giant on the downtube.
I still maintain that my 26" steel hardtail is about as much fun as you can have with clothes on.
What I can't stand is a person who is new to mountain biking who has just been sold a new bike with 29 inch wheels telling me that his bike is better and he will be quicker than me because of his wheel size. If that's the case then you're in it for the wrong reason champ! Start playing in traffic again.
I haven't liked much of what Giant has done over the last couple of years with their dual suspension range and if the no dually 26 inch wheel thing is true for 2013 then they'll lose a few Giant fan boys. God forbid...............