I'm thinking about doing some mountain biking during the winter months - snowy trails. What's with the 29er bikes? Is this the way to go or just a plain old hardtail??? I really don't want to spend alot of $$$$ on a bike.
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I'm thinking about doing some mountain biking during the winter months - snowy trails. What's with the 29er bikes? Is this the way to go or just a plain old hardtail??? I really don't want to spend alot of $$$$ on a bike.
If you don't want to spend a lot of $$$$, try getting a plain ol' used mtb? Get something you can have fun on without worrying about messing it up, and just have a blast in the snow!
29ers have their pros and cons compared to a standard mtb with 26inch wheels. Greater rolling resistance and harder to get up to speed, but carry that speed really well. Harder to manage in the tight, twisty stuff, but smooths out the bumps better. There's enough of a market that most manufacturers are coming out with 29er versions of things like forks, wheels and tyres, but oddly enough, 29er tubes can be quite hard to come by. If you are quite short, a 29er probably just won't feel right, but if you are tall, it may just feel like a match made. :)
So, um, no easy answer, eh. Go ride some bikes. :D
Gary Fisher 29ers have the new Genesis 2 technology. Short version is the fork has been offset which allows for a quicker/tighter turn ability. This change is quite evident and makes their 29ers very fun. Fisher models start around $900. You could always go with their new carbon 29er, the Superfly, that weighs in around 24lbs - now that was fun.
I agree with DirtDiva on the size of the bike and your height. If you are taller, 29ers are going to be easier for you to handle than if you are shorter. One advantage not mentioned is I feel they climb easier than a 26" bike.
The big wheels on a 29er take a little more motor effort to accelerate, simply because you're turning a lot more mass there... but the reward is that you hold your momentum a whole lot better, and because the wheel is bigger, you can roll over stuff much more easily and a lot smoother ride. I find I get a lot more traction as well, which makes it easier to climb and to get through tight/slick places.
I have both a Specialized hardtail and a Gary Fisher full-suspension 29er in the stable, and strongly support what Bike4Ever said about the Genesis geometry and the way it improves bike handling for both their 26 and 29-inch models.
Size-wise, the rumor is that 29ers are for big/tall folks, but the reality is that if the bike fits you, and they do make 29ers for smaller folk, you'll like the way the 29ers ride.