Anyone gone from 29 back to 26" ??
- Thread starter spiderpig
- Start date
oriion
Likes Dirt
I had an 2012 Anthem 29er for 3 months, didn't like it too much, it had some great rolling qualities. but no agility in the twisty descents which sent me back to a 26er. Main reason was head angle geometry.
Loved my Santa Cruz Nickel for 12 months, it was so much fun to ride, it's now gone, and i'm waiting for my 2014 Banshee Spitfire to turn up, which i'll be setting up as 650b. best of both worlds, slacker geo, cant wait.
Different strokes.
Loved my Santa Cruz Nickel for 12 months, it was so much fun to ride, it's now gone, and i'm waiting for my 2014 Banshee Spitfire to turn up, which i'll be setting up as 650b. best of both worlds, slacker geo, cant wait.
Different strokes.
The 26" is dead. Move on.
Fatman
Likes Bikes and Dirt
Never really went away. I sold all mine for a number of reasons but I'll probably buy another one eventually.
For a larger rider like me I have heaps of problems with 29'r wheels buzzing the fork crown under braking and winding up regardless of manufacturer or axle type. Also buzzing the frame in hard corners.
For a larger rider like me I have heaps of problems with 29'r wheels buzzing the fork crown under braking and winding up regardless of manufacturer or axle type. Also buzzing the frame in hard corners.
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Knuckles
Lives under a bridge
26" bikes are a joke, 29 is the way forward, science has proven it.Unless you want to be left behind in the world of cycling, best you sell your 26ers to me, at a extremely low price that is reflective of their obsoleteness and general all round crappieness and get a 29er under your arse. PM me. :first:
Ha ha pm sent :heh:
Think i needed to try the other side to work out what i want
I'm no longer confused....On the hunt now for a runout 26" dually rocket. Trance X 1 or SL 0 is looking likely at the moment or a Trek Fuel or Remedy. I'm sure the 29er's are the bike of choice now for the racer but i just can't go past the punchy/lively feel of the 26 dually. Got back on my old school enduro pro today i hadn't sold yet and loved it.
booerns
Likes Dirt
I haven't owned a 29er myself, however my brother had a Trek Superfly 29er that was a demo bike from the store he works at. I got the chance to ride that thing a fair bit, mainly on-road and around the block type thing. However I did get to ride a small trail not too far from where I live, and I found the head angle was very different, which I really wasn't a fan of. I also found it very difficult to hit the tight and twisty sections as quick as I normally would. Overall it felt just TOO big for my riding style, and I will definitely be sticking with 26" in the foreseeable future.
The Reverend
Likes Bikes and Dirt
They each have their places. I have both 29" and 26" rigs on rotation and love them all. It just takes a little while to adjust to each.
I have more fun on the 26" generally, and it's more hard work to climb with it being a 6" travel bike.
I'm faster on the 29" bikes but in tight uphill corners they're less nimble.
What would I get next? Long travel 29" I think, although the geometry makes more of a difference for me than wheel size.
I have more fun on the 26" generally, and it's more hard work to climb with it being a 6" travel bike.
I'm faster on the 29" bikes but in tight uphill corners they're less nimble.
What would I get next? Long travel 29" I think, although the geometry makes more of a difference for me than wheel size.
And therein lies your problem I think. Shifting wheel sizes takes a while to get used to. It took me a good 3 months of pretty solid riding before I was as comfortable on my 29er. You have to ride it differently, particularly in tight stuff to get benefit out of it.
Kind of feel like that's a) somewhat obvious, and b) talked about as an issue all the time..?
Do it! You won't look back.
I agree 26" has its place. I haven't tried a 650b yet so I can't comment. But a Santa Cruz tall boy LT or the new enduro 29'r.... Awesome all rounder. Couldn't recommend one more highly.
In a perfect world I would buy a 6" 26'r for the days I just want to ride one. But garage space(in my wallet) is at a premium so the LT 29'rs have given me what I want.
I agree. 2 months in on my new camber 29er, after over 15 years on 26" bikes, and I've found trying to ride the 29er bike fast was quite a learning curve. Getting front end setup right was the key for me. After learning to really take advantage of the strengths of the 29er, ie holding speed and line through the rough shit, I reckon I'm riding faster than ever. I personally don't have any desire to go back to 26" wheels at the moment, and after having a spin on a 650b dually the other day I really didn't notice much difference between the 26/650b size TBH.
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Big JD
Wheel size expert
there is a Turner Flux for sale here - exceptional alrounder 4 inch bikeHa ha pm sent :heh:
Think i needed to try the other side to work out what i want
On the hunt now for a runout 26" dually rocket. Trance X 1 or SL 0 is looking likely at the moment or a Trek Fuel or Remedy. I'm sure the 29er's are the bike of choice now for the racer but i just can't go past the punchy/lively feel of the 26 dually. Got back on my old school enduro pro today i hadn't sold yet and loved it.
oriion
Likes Dirt
If you get the opportunity to ride a Transition Bandit 29er or a Banshee Prime 29er, you might change your mind on 29'ers in general, they both have much slacker head angles, and will be much more playful than most generic Giants and such in the 29er range.
Don't just limit yourself to one size, bikes are evolving at a rapid rate, people who stubbornly pigeon hole themselves into 1 size are only hurting themselves.
Don't just limit yourself to one size, bikes are evolving at a rapid rate, people who stubbornly pigeon hole themselves into 1 size are only hurting themselves.
Big JD
Wheel size expert
I love riding a bike
After 8 years on 29ers exclusively i went back to a 5 inch 26er and really enjoyed it. It was light fast flick-able and very capable - but it was slower and required more effort to maintain momentum. In the tight stuff the 26er excelled, it was alot of fun to ride - Yeti 5.
I am 6.4 and 105kgs and 29ers just fit so much better for me. I can do everything i want on my current 29er - Yeti 95 and dont need something for bigger hits - I dont have the testicles.
I am a firm believer in getting the best bike for the money - with fit paramount, followed by suitability for intended use, suspension design and wheelsize. Choose the bike that will give you the biggest smile. For some that might be a steel rigid SS 29er , a 6 inch thumper, a carbon wonderbike or a cyclocrosser.
After nearly 40 years on BMXs and MTBs, I recently got a CX bike and must be honest and say it has been a revelation to me. I commute 25 kms a day on it, always hunting for a bit of dirt or gutter to launch off. i have improved my pedalling and endurance for MTBing and enjoy to challenge of taking it off road.
Wheelsize plays a roll but at the end of the day - f*ck it is good to ride a bike.
After 8 years on 29ers exclusively i went back to a 5 inch 26er and really enjoyed it. It was light fast flick-able and very capable - but it was slower and required more effort to maintain momentum. In the tight stuff the 26er excelled, it was alot of fun to ride - Yeti 5.
I am 6.4 and 105kgs and 29ers just fit so much better for me. I can do everything i want on my current 29er - Yeti 95 and dont need something for bigger hits - I dont have the testicles.
I am a firm believer in getting the best bike for the money - with fit paramount, followed by suitability for intended use, suspension design and wheelsize. Choose the bike that will give you the biggest smile. For some that might be a steel rigid SS 29er , a 6 inch thumper, a carbon wonderbike or a cyclocrosser.
After nearly 40 years on BMXs and MTBs, I recently got a CX bike and must be honest and say it has been a revelation to me. I commute 25 kms a day on it, always hunting for a bit of dirt or gutter to launch off. i have improved my pedalling and endurance for MTBing and enjoy to challenge of taking it off road.
Wheelsize plays a roll but at the end of the day - f*ck it is good to ride a bike.
pharmaboy
Eats Squid
So the answer to the question of the hundreds of users who have seen the thread, is
2
Seems a lot to me.........
stinkytodamax
Likes Dirt
I've just built a very cheap steel 26 single speed can't believe how much more nimble it is compared to my 650B conversion santa cruz. I think I might put the 26 wheels on the Blur and see how I feel.
Ideally I'd like.
Convertable 26/27.5 Trail/AM
29 Hardtail
29 100mm dual XC
He with the most toys wins.
Ideally I'd like.
Convertable 26/27.5 Trail/AM
29 Hardtail
29 100mm dual XC
He with the most toys wins.