First ride on my new 29er

It's a Beast! We rode 11 miles single track, it will roll over anything. I had so much fun, could not stop grinning:D

I have a short inseam (28) and the medium was a perfect fit, more stand over than my old trek 4300.

I took the 4300 into the shop and let them switch out the pedals, had them weigh both bikes:

Trek 4300 (26) 29.6
Trek Cali SL (29) 28.6
Attachment 16142

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lisaknex

It's a Beast! We rode 11 miles single track, it will roll over anything. I had so much fun, could not stop grinning:D

I have a short inseam (28) and the medium was a perfect fit, more stand over than my old trek 4300.

I took the 4300 into the shop and let them switch out the pedals, had them weigh both bikes:

Trek 4300 (26) 29.6
Trek Cali SL (29) 28.6
Attachment 16142

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Thanks for the review! How tall are you overall if I may ask? I have a short inseam, too, and the Cali appears to offer one of the lowest standovers I've seen--for both 26ers and 29ers. How did it handle compared to your 4300? What kind of trails do your ride?

I am 5.4 with short legs and a long torso. I am more of a road bike rider and never felt very comfortable on technical trails. The two bikes are like night and day. I felt like the 29er was eating the trail! I rode over logs / drops that i would walk with the 4300.

We have a lot of SORBA Trails around my area, one of the reasons I wanted a new bike. We rode 11 miles just under 2 hours, trails are a combination of tight and twisty and up and down, a couple of log crossing and a rock garden. I rode it all clipped in:D
Hope that helps, let me know if you have any more questions about the Cali.

Lisa

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lisaknex

I am 5.4 with short legs and a long torso. I am more of a road bike rider and never felt very comfortable on technical trails. The two bikes are like night and day. I felt like the 29er was eating the trail! I rode over logs / drops that i would walk with the 4300.

We have a lot of SORBA Trails around my area, one of the reasons I wanted a new bike. We rode 11 miles just under 2 hours, trails are a combination of tight and twisty and up and down, a couple of log crossing and a rock garden. I rode it all clipped in:D
Hope that helps, let me know if you have any more questions about the Cali.

Lisa

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Thanks for the additonal info! I am SO not in the market for a 29er (I have a perfectly lovely Santa Cruz Juliana 26er), but it's nice to know that one exists out there that I could get my relatively short legs over (I'm 5'4 with a 29 inch inseam). I wish I could demo one just to see the difference. My husband rides a 29er and trying to keep up with him is difficult.

Thanks for the input, Lisa. I'm still hesitant to give up my '03 Klein dualie 26'er, although my DH made the switch last year to a Trek 29er, which he loves and says I should get one for the reasons you cited (rolling over everything that I'd normally walk). I'm taller, 5'8", but my Klein is a medium that fits me like a glove and I'm very much at home on it (even tho' I walk some things - mainly due to my own cowardice and the fact that I just don't ride it much). I rode my DH's size L Trek for about 10 minutes on one trail, and I felt like I was a mile up in the air. I felt very top heavy and not as "planted" as I felt on my 26'er. Did you ever get that feeling? DH said it goes away after about 15 minutes of riding and playing around on it (and likely better if I were on a bike more my size).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 7rider

Thanks for the input, Lisa. I'm still hesitant to give up my '03 Klein dualie 26'er, although my DH made the switch last year to a Trek 29er, which he loves and says I should get one for the reasons you cited (rolling over everything that I'd normally walk). I'm taller, 5'8", but my Klein is a medium that fits me like a glove and I'm very much at home on it (even tho' I walk some things - mainly due to my own cowardice and the fact that I just don't ride it much). I rode my DH's size L Trek for about 10 minutes on one trail, and I felt like I was a mile up in the air. I felt very top heavy and not as "planted" as I felt on my 26'er. Did you ever get that feeling? DH said it goes away after about 15 minutes of riding and playing around on it (and likely better if I were on a bike more my size).

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I put both bikes side by side and the Cali seat/handle bar is only half an inch taller. I did try out the large size and I felt like I was way up in the air. Not so with the medium.

I noticed a big difference with the ground covered per pedal stroke, I kept running up behind my boyfriend! Surprised us both:D

Edit: he is riding a 26

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lisaknex

I noticed a big difference with the ground covered per pedal stroke, I kept running up behind my boyfriend! Surprised us both:D

Edit: he is riding a 26

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Yeah - we have the opposite problem now - he rolls away from me at a faster rate than usual and I'm huffing and puffing trying to keep up!

Congrats on your new bike! You are totally beaming!