A 29er......thoughts?

[tomw2000]

Erm, so after a long lay off (due to being injured, fat and lazy) I'm trying to force myself into regular biking. A) for fitness sake, but B) mainly because I love it.

I have a road bike which spends most of it's time sat on turbo trainer. tbh it's probably marginally too small anyway, so not ideal for long rides (my back is the injury issue and poor fit bikes isn't helping).

I have a hardtail (old) Specialized Stumpjumper. Rarely used, winter hack really. Light. And not that comfy.

My main regular ride (again relatively old now) is a rocky mountain etsx full suspension bike. Comfy. And 'fits' me.

So in a 'guys and shiny new things' way....and having chatted to some biking buddies (who since I went off the scene for a while have got them) I was pondering a 29er.

I was just after general thoughts, links to any online forums/resources or any gotchas I need to bear in mind.

My feeling is it would become my regular ride and I'd be interested to hear arguments for and against fully-rigid or front susp (I'd not want a full suss one) and single speed or geared.

[Gizmo!]

To ride off-road or on-road?

Off-road I'm not convinced of the benefit (I bounce along some trails on my 700C hybrid). Plus you need to be careful with stepover height.

On-road they're much faster.

[tomw2000]

Both - if it was really bumpy off-road stuff, I'd take my full suss anyway.

[timbo48]

The latest edition of Singletrack magazine has a test on 3 29ers. From reading this it would seem that the major obstacle with a 29er is the riders height and mentions 5' 7" as minimum. No problems with the 'bikes themselves as frame angles, etc have changed a lot since 29ers first emerged on the scene. Don't know how this would affect the OP.

[tomw2000]

I am 6'2"+ innit

[mojjo1]

I have one, a Niner One 9 (single speed thing)

Super light and super expensive (well ish 2.5k) but for me and the trials around the south it's brilliant. If its a bargain then just do it. .. So many people come up to me and ask me how it rides and how it feels, like i'm a leppa or something! and all i say is that like it's great, no leap forward in anything and no leap backwards in anything...my previous bike was a Genesis io and it pisses all over that in all aspects, other than price , lighter faster, more supple)

I think you'll notice a bigger difference from going from a heavy to lightweight regular MTB.

Please note I have only ever tried one 29er so not sure how a heavier, geared and suspended one would feel.

Ed

[Engineer1]

Reading round I get the impression 29ers are meant to be at most front suspension as the larger wheel and tyre should smooth things, and go geared as single speed will wear thin when you are half way round a trail sucking air or pushing your lungs back in cooling your legs.

[JPJ]

I've been riding a 29er for a litle over a year and I really enjoy mine. In normal form it's set up singlespeed with a rigid fork (yep, I've gone the more niche option) but for some longer off road 'sportives' that I've done I've thrown a cassette on the back for some flexibility. Equally, having ridden the Brighton Big Dog race in August and been beaten to death on the roots by the rigid fork, I've now got a suspension fork which I use occasionally, but will probably leave off for most of the winter.

So good or bad? I'm a similar height to you, and I like the fact that I sit 'in the bike' a little more than on an equivalent 26" bike where you would be more perched on top.

The wheels definitely roll over small bumps, roots etc far beter than a 26" wheel, and it cruises better than an equivalent 26" bike. It may not be quite as agile, but for all the local singletrack I ride then it isn't an issue - alpine switchbacks may be more tricky.

I ride a steel Inbred 29er, which is a nice, comfy frame. In the past I've had a 26" Inbred frame and then a Scandal, so I can at least make a reasonable comparison between them. I like the geometry of their bikes and the longish top tube, but the steel frames aren't light. My big suggestion would be for whichever bike you try, make sure you get the best wheels you can afford, as the rotational mass is probably more noticeable on a big wheeler than a standard bike.

If you can, try and get out on some test rides with a 29er - they are different. In many areas they are better, but not everything and only you will know if it works for you.

[Digga]

A few mates have 29ers - singlespeed, with rigid (very tasty Niner) forks and they appear a bit cumbersome in the twisty stuff, but otherwise good. Seem better able to keep a decent pace on straighter, faster trails.

Another mate has a Trek 69er which is a really good compromise idea; 26 rear and 29 front. Just a thought.

This is my winter, singlespeed beater:


FWIW I'm undecided on the rigid forks...

[tomw2000]

Thanks for the info and comments guys all useful.

I'll update when I've bought something.

(OT but related: I emailed 4 places for info on 29er stock and quotes for a build price where it was a frame only jobby. Only 1 replied. I know there's a vertible retail boom out there currently, but surprised only one company wanted my £2k+ business....lol).

[jshell]

Paul's Cycles are doing the 2011 Cannondale Trail SL2 29'er for less than £700!!

[tomw2000]

http://www.pacecycles.com/?page_id=913

ordered

(order black frame, 'enthusiast' XT spec - rather than bank balance busting XTR. will post pics when it arrves).

[rhinochopig]

Digga said:

A few mates have 29ers - singlespeed, with rigid (very tasty Niner) forks and they appear a bit cumbersome in the twisty stuff, but otherwise good. Seem better able to keep a decent pace on straighter, faster trails.

Another mate has a Trek 69er which is a really good compromise idea; 26 rear and 29 front. Just a thought.

This is my winter, singlespeed beater:


FWIW I'm undecided on the rigid forks...

Given you've not got sliding drop outs, why not go 9 speed - there's not much in it weight wise. Three or four hundred grams.

[RGambo]

I'm really enjoying my yeti big top 29n'er. Tolls well and fly down hills . Light, responsive, stiff to pedal, but carbon rear triangle gives it a more compliant feel over the bumps.
I'm doing trams Rockies and plan to take at full sus 29n'er, speed and comfort.,