What Wheel Size Do You Ride?

[ahansen60]

Got an email from Bike Magazine with a link to a movie about the death of the 26 inch wheel. Video can be found here:

http://www.bikemag.com/videos/video-..._681079_681090

It got me thinking. I wouldn't have thought anyone would have even considered 26 inch in the minority. I would think it is still the vast majority. So I would like to do a poll and find out what you guys are riding and see what the percentages really are. At least in the Bogley world.

[RedSpecialized]

26" for 3 of my bikes, and my down hill bike has 26" front and 24" rear, all stock. I wouldn't think 26"is going anywhere. But I guess only time will tell.

Sent from my SPH-L900

[Iceaxe]

I've been heavily involved in cross country mountain bike racing over the past year. There is no way in hell a serious racer would even consider showing up with anything but a 29er. One of our racers this year switched from a 26 to a similar 29 mid-year and his race results really improved with just the bike switch. The kid went from running in in the top half of the pack to contending for the win. Myself and the kids dad were amazed what the change in wheel size did for his lap times.

FWIW: my daughter who is racing and only 5' tall is getting a new bike for Christmas and it's a 29er. It was really hard to find a 29 that would fit her but we finally got it dialed in.as Trek makes an extra small frame for their womens 29ers.

[ahansen60]

I would think it would depend on how tight and windy the course is. The tighter and more frequent the turns, the more the 26 inchers have the advantage.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk

[BruteForce]

I have 29"..

[accadacca]

26

[RedSpecialized]

I've been heavily involved in cross country mountain bike racing over the past year. There is no way in hell a serious racer would even consider showing up with anything but a 29er. One of our racers this year switched from a 26 to a similar 29 mid-year and his race results really improved with just the bike switch. The kid went from running in in the top half of the pack to contending for the win. Myself and the kids dad were amazed what the change in wheel size did for his lap times.

FWIW: my daughter who is racing and only 5' tall is getting a new bike for Christmas and it's a 29er. It was really hard to find a 29 that would fit her but we finally got it dialed in.as Trek makes an extra small frame for their womens 29ers.

I do think that if your riding CX then 29 is seems like the logical choice. For free ride and down hill riding, I don't tthink I even know of a manufacturer go makes a 29 version....? Maybe there are some? Just don't see 29 taking over the segment of the market, but stranger things have happened before I guess.....?

Sent from my SPH-L900

[mxerhale]

I took a 2 mile ride on a Fisher 29er when I was riding a Titus 26er and decided to switch right then and there. I'd like to ride a 27.5 to see if it's a nice compromise, but I don't expect it to sway me. Of course I didn't expect the Fisher to either...

[DOSS]

26 cuz thats what I have and rather throw my $$ at roadies :)

[Tystevens]

Two 26" here. I tend to think that wheel size is overstated somewhat -- it is more about bike geometry, suspension design, etc. than wheel size, but I don't care too much. Whatever is working when I buy my next bike is what I'll ride.

[Iceaxe]

My two cents is 26er's will be gone in anther five years. I don't know of any serious riders that have went back to a 26 after owning a 29. 26er's are a dinosaur.

Tap'n on my Galaxy G3

[Bootboy]

My two cents is 26er's will be gone in anther five years. I don't know of any serious riders that have went back to a 26 after owning a 29. 26er's are a dinosaur.

Tap'n on my Galaxy G3

26ers will be on the downhill and park scene for a while. They better lend themselves to shorter wheel bases, and are much easier to control in the air. In the lexicon of today's freeriders, they are "more flickable".

I could maybe see fronts going to 27.5 because it can be mounted on a 26" frame with a different fork without hacking the geometry too badly. But rears will stay 26" for gravity riding.

[BruteForce]

My Moab based Platinum 29'er (given to me free by my employer) is super lightweight and I've taken it ~22 miles trail riding. Sucks riding it uphill though.

Edited to add: Fat Tire bikes seem to be the new rage among the hard-core bikers at my office (I work adjacent both Cottonwood Canyons and Corner Canyon in the SE corner of SLC)

[REDFOX]

I have 3 bikes with 26" wheels, 1 bike that is a 27.5" wheel size and one of the bikes I built with a 26" front and 24" wheel in the rear for strength and for racing downhill. Giant has some interesting research regarding wheel size on their website. The only advantage that a 29" wheel has over something smaller in my opinion is that they can roll over sharp edges easier and faster on average trails. Take a traditional 29 " wheeled bike and fork on a downhill trail or lift served park and it will be disaster for the rider as well as the bike. For strength and weight nothing compares yet to a 26" set up. For cross country racing and mellow trails without drops or jumps, a 29er works well. The Giant 27.5 that I bought for my son seems to offer the best of everything. With that being said, I wonder how much of this is marketing to simply sell more product.

[REDFOX]

My Moab based Platinum 29'er (given to me free by my employer) is super lightweight and I've taken it ~22 miles trail riding. Sucks riding it uphill though.

Edited to add: Fat Tire bikes seem to be the new rage among the hard-core bikers at my office (I work adjacent both Cottonwood Canyons and Corner Canyon in the SE corner of SLC)

The only time that I pedaled a 29er uphill was in Moab a couple of years ago. Of course it pedaled easier than my 49lb bike that I lug around everywhere. I remember when I went from stock tires on my 1982 Toyota truck to 35" super swampers. The engine, gears, clutch, drivelines, and brakes got worked hard. I would think that some of this could apply to a 29er compared to a 26" bike.

[accadacca]

Bumping this thread. What wheel size are you riding today?

I'm looking to upgrade my MTB and I am leaning toward 27.5.

Thoughts on 29 vs. 27.5?

[Iceaxe]

What do you plan to ride and do with the bike?

If you are riding cross country anything but 29 is stupid. I spend a lot of time in the racing community and everyone rides 29.

I've never met anyone who rode 29 for any length of time that ever swapped down. In five years anything but 29 will be a dinosaur.

[dgw2jr]

What do you plan to ride and do with the bike?

If you are riding cross country anything but 29 is stupid. I spend a lot of time in the racing community and everyone rides 29.

I've never met anyone who rode 29 for any length of time that ever swapped down. In five years anything but 29 will be a dinosaur.

Agreed. Tried 27.5. Meh. Now I ride a Remedy 29 spring, summer and fall and a Moonlander for winter.

[devo_stevo]

I'll let you know in a month or two. I've only ever ridden 26" wheels up until now, but the new bike I got is a 29er. I'm looking forward to trying it out...

[BruteForce]

Now that I've figured out my 29" er, I find it a better peddling experience than my old 26". Sit position, shock adjustments..all make a world of difference running Slickrock or just trail riding!