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What are the pros and cons of a 29” wheel?
The 29” wheel has many pros and not as many cons. Most of the cons of the 29” wheel are misconceptions or can be addressed with proper geometry and wheel/tire choice. The Pros are as follows: 1. More stability. 29” wheels have more gyroscopic effect than their 26” wheeled little brothers, keeping the bike stable at speeds. In addition, the rider on a 29” wheel bike has a lower center of gravity in relationship to the wheel’s axle. The lower the center of gravity, the more stable the platform becomes. Think of it as riding “in” the bike, instead of on top of the bike. 2. Better grip. The contact patch of the 29” wheel is larger and therefore puts more of the tread on the ground which increases traction. This combined with the added stability of the gyroscopic effect means that you can lean into a corner and just hold on for the ride. As you learn to trust the Niner in the corners, you’ll be amazed at how far over the bike can lean and maintain traction. Let off those brakes and let the Niner take you for an amazing ride. 3. Faster, more controlled descending. The larger the tire, the more the bike will float above the terrain instead of getting stuck down in the terrain. Think of it like a monster truck being able to get up and over the top of cars with those huge honking wheels as apposed to a skateboard wheel that locks up on a small rock (this is an extreme example, obviously). The 29” wheel just doesn’t get caught in the ruts of technical terrain. 4. Added comfort. The 29” wheel allows for more compliance, damping the terrain and adding more comfort to the ride. 5. Better control. Because of all of the above traits, Niner’s simply have more control than their 26” wheel brethren do. The cons are as follows (and addressed as to their validity) 1. Added weight. The larger the wheel, the heavier it will be. This is true to an extent; however it depends on the wheel and tire choice used. Many 29” wheels have gotten down in weight and there are some extremely light tires now out on the market. Frame weight difference between a 29” wheel bike and a 26” wheel bike is nominal. 2. Slower acceleration. This is due in part to the above mentioned higher weight in the wheels. Lighter wheels and tires will help this, however, the larger the wheel, the harder it is to get up to speed if looked at scientifically. Many people have noticed this to be true on single speed starts, but they only notice in the first few pedal strokes. Once up to speed, the 29” wheel maintains its momentum much better than a 26” wheel. On a geared bike, the difference is imperceptible. 3. Slower handling. This is a misconception. Many of the early generation 29” wheel mountain bikes just adopted the standard 26” wheel geometry and made it longer to fit the 29” wheel, causing excessive wheelbase length, slack head tubes with bad fork trail, and high bottom bracket heights. Niner bikes geometry is designed around the 29” wheel and is every bit as agile as a 26” wheel bike. Tight switchbacks and technical terrain are no problem on a Niner.
And another question about short(er) riders:
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Are 29” wheels just for tall people?
Quite simply, no. They definitely make a larger bike look more correctly proportioned to the rider, but many people under average height ride 29ers and are totally stoked with the ride. Chris Sugai, co-founder of Niner bikes is 5’ 6” and his enthusiasm for the bigger wheels is contagious. The benefits that apply to the larger wheel are noticeable no matter what your height. That being said, riders under 5’ 4” are likely to find fitting a 29er a little more difficult. As the frame gets smaller, there are other issues that the larger wheel will bring up such as toe overlap to the front wheel and standover height. Standover height can easily be addressed with bent top tubes and other means, but the top tube length can only get so short before your toe starts hitting the front wheel while turning.
SadieKate, will we see you on a Niner?
