The 29er thread.

S

svenk

Likes Bikes
hey guys,

looking at getting back into riding after a many year hiatus, im loving the idea of a rigid 29er SS.

i went to all my LBS (and not so local ones) here in adelaide and only found FS 29ers.
anyone in adelaide into 29ers here? if not what are some decent sites that i could possibly order a complete or build up a bike from parts?

cheers
 
bdstorer

bdstorer

Likes Dirt
svenk said:
hey guys,

looking at getting back into riding after a many year hiatus, im loving the idea of a rigid 29er SS.

i went to all my LBS (and not so local ones) here in adelaide and only found FS 29ers.
anyone in adelaide into 29ers here? if not what are some decent sites that i could possibly order a complete or build up a bike from parts?

cheers
Click to expand...
Try Jensenusa for frames or complete.. good prices and here in 4 working days.. awesome..

Also the Surly Karate Monkey is a sweet bike.. Of the 29'ers I've seen in the flesh, the Voodoo Wanga and Zion are tops.. pm N Plus One for more info about 29'ers tho..
 
mhg

mhg

Likes Bikes
Niner versus Salsa

Hi Folks,

Looking to get a Niner SIR9 or an El Mariachi (think I've found one at a good price).

I'm 5'8" and looking at their geometries it seems the Niner has a lot better standover for about the same ETT.
El Mar size 18, ETT = 23.5, SO = 31.6
SIR9 size 16.5, ETT = 23.75, SO = 28.6 (even better on the 15.5 which is ETT of 23.1, SO= 27.9!)

Anyone have any experience of both frames? Is there really such a big difference or is it due to the vagaries of where SO is measured.

I've got a relatively short inseam and I want to get some reasonable clearance.
Anyone about my height riding a medium El Mar? Have you had any issues with clearance?

Cheers
 
S

svenk

Likes Bikes
thanks i used to be a member ages ago, its doing my head in getting back up to speed with everything. seems 95% of bike stores here just stock avanti and specialized.

i might not dive right into a SS straight off, i think i need a fitness level upgrade first.

i'm liking the sounds of the redlines though, anyone have one of the D series bikes?
 
Sumgy

Sumgy

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Well baseless upgradeitis sees a new 29er heading this way.
The new bike will be black, scandium and will hopefully come in around 2kg lighter than the Zion that it is replacing.
Stay tuned for pics and if my request for trading access ever gets approved I will also have a frame and some other 29er parts for sale..
 
Bodin

Bodin

GMBC
Sumgy said:
if my request for trading access ever gets approved I will also have a frame and some other 29er parts for sale..
Click to expand...
Just did yours. Trade and be merry. :)

Anyone got a spare Reba29 they'd consider swapping for a Reba26 ('05 Race, VGC, PopLock)? I might even buy it if a swap was outta the question. I could do with some half-decent 29er tyres and tubes, too, if anyone's got some just lying around...

I'm in the process of attempting a cheap conversion of my 29er commuter into an off-roader with parts I've got spare, but I don't think the current rigid fork is stiff enough - seems to have a lot of fore-aft flex and I'd rather an actual suspension fork - preferably something with a remote lockout, as I'll still commute on this bike.
 
Sumgy

Sumgy

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Bodin
Not looking to swap, but may be interested in selling mine.
Cheers for sorting out my trading access too.
 
dr.evil

dr.evil

Likes Dirt
Just a question about SS ratios

I prefer to run 34:17 (2:1) on my 26" SS and can cope on most types of tracks with it. ie Angry Doctor, Fling, 24hrs @ stromlo and majura (teams of 4). But I have recently purchased a Voodoo dambala 29er SS and I am not sold on my current ratio 36:18 (2:1). I assume because of the wheel diameter there is a difference but what advice do any you experienced 29er's have to offer?

Cheers.
 
Sumgy

Sumgy

Likes Bikes and Dirt
You will need approx 2 teeth extra on the back or 2 teeth less on the front to give you a similar ratio to wht you are used to.
So 34/19 or 32/17 is similar to your previous 26" ratio.
Using your existing Dambala chainring you could go with a 20 tooth cog to do the same.
 
n plus one

n plus one

Likes Bikes and Dirt
dr.evil said:
I prefer to run 34:17 (2:1) on my 26" SS and can cope on most types of tracks with it. ie Angry Doctor, Fling, 24hrs @ stromlo and majura (teams of 4). But I have recently purchased a Voodoo dambala 29er SS and I am not sold on my current ratio 36:18 (2:1). I assume because of the wheel diameter there is a difference but what advice do any you experienced 29er's have to offer?

Cheers.
Click to expand...
Like Sumgy said go up two teeth at the rear for the (virtually) same ratio i.e. 36:20 However you might want to look at just going one tooth - sounds silly but I find a 29er easier to pedal ss than a 26er. I ended up jumping up one gear as a result. This is definitely not the effet of increased fitness :D so I can only attribute it to the increased mometum from the big wheels.

Wierd eh?
 
Tazed

Tazed

Likes Bikes and Dirt
n plus one said:
Like Sumgy said go up two teeth at the rear for the (virtually) same ratio i.e. 36:20 However you might want to look at just going one tooth - sounds silly but I find a 29er easier to pedal ss than a 26er. I ended up jumping up one gear as a result. This is definitely not the effet of increased fitness :D so I can only attribute it to the increased mometum from the big wheels.

Wierd eh?
Click to expand...
No, I agree. I ran a 36-16 on mine and found it way easier to ride than my Kona 26" Unit SSer.
I don't have this any more (DOH! Shoulda kept it!) but I'll post it anyway...



07 Kona Unit 2-9er, with some King, Salsa, Avid, Race Face and Easton parts.
 
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dr.evil

dr.evil

Likes Dirt
Which Gear...

Thanks for your thoughts guys. I think I might pick up a 19T rear and see how that goes. The current 18T is almost there but it would be nice to see what another gear feels like. Running 36:19 for 8hrs at Stromlo should be a nice test.
 
2

24seven

Likes Dirt
Just wondering what people here think to the argument that 29ers are no good for tight and twisty singletrack.

I am very interested in one for the following reasons: roll over trail obstacles easier than a 26er, wheels keep momentum better than 26er and I love riding my rode bike (sacrilege I know) so I figure this will be as close as I'm going to get on a mtb.

However I don't really want to get one is I'm going to be overly compromising riding in the tight and twisty stuff. I'm thinking of getting a Niner S.I.R 9. Any comments on this bike?
 
Sumgy

Sumgy

Likes Bikes and Dirt
In very tight twisty singletrack you will notice slower handling.
On uphills, downhills and flat you may notice an improvement over a 26".
Some people will tell you that they are slower to accelerate, I have not noticed it.
Basically they have their positives and negatives.
If you are considering the Sir9 and can fit on a 24.5" TT, have a look at the Zion in my signature line. About 20% of the Sir's price and almost identical geometry. I have ridden an identically specced Sir and the Zion is lighter.
 
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2

24seven

Likes Dirt
Cheers for the information guys. Reading those articles now Macr. A 20" frame size is just a little big for me I'm afraid Smugy but I like the look of that frame. Any ideas where I could get one?
 
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