A woman I "know" from another forum did a write up for Bike Magainze on a new line of bikes manufactured by Santa Cruz under the name Juliana. It touches on the 26er versus 27.5er versus 29er issue a bit, especially as it relates to shorter riders.
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A woman I "know" from another forum did a write up for Bike Magainze on a new line of bikes manufactured by Santa Cruz under the name Juliana. It touches on the 26er versus 27.5er versus 29er issue a bit, especially as it relates to shorter riders.
Very interesting! This article re-confirms that for me (since I would take an XS in each of these bikes), the 26" wheel size is right -- just as I always figured. :DQuote:
Originally Posted by indysteel
I started this thread and I finally picked out an awesome bike. I went with a Devinci Atlas small frame 29. The second I got on it, it fit and rode great. When we got it out on the trails, it cornered great and quick. Later after some research I read that they designed it to ride like a 26 with 29 tires by not stretching out the frame to fit the bigger wheels. I definitely felt it. I think I'll really fall more in love with this bike the more I ride it. Thanks for all your tips and suggestions.
I'm 5'2 I have a specialized hardrock 29er. After struggling with this bike for a few months I decided a 26 is better for me. My hardrock rides beautifully over rocks and stumps. I love it for that type of trail. However, when I am trying to do the more technical trails I have little control over the bike. It is very frustrating. The last few strokes to get to the top of the hill is impossible. I fell backwards on my first ride and got a concussion. So I just bought a Cannondale Lexi 3. My advice would be to demo as many bikes as you can. Not just in a parking lot either, unless it has a giant dirt hill ;)
more --- I've been talking to my coaching buddies, and the consensus seems to be that 29ers take a lot more effort to corner properly with, and that this may be an issue for smaller riders.
I am currently riding a Niner EMD XS - and love it...but I am 5'1" and after demoing a 26" Pivot a few weeks ago I realized that for my size a 26" is for me. The climbing on my hardtail is awesome and the 29" wheels just roll over everything but it is not as nibble going around the corners.
I really like geometry on the 26", it is easier for me to handle, and it is so nibble on the corners...so now I am on the market for a full suspension bike. I love my 29" but I am in Colorado so I feel I would benefit more from the 26" wheel.
Try some out - they are all different.
I'm 5'5", and I just bought my first mountain bike after moving to the Keweenaw, which has amazing trails. I went to visit the local bike shops assuming I'd get a 29er hardtail (full suspension was financially impossible this summer).But after test-riding a lot of 29ers and one 26" Kona, the 26" bike felt a lot more nimble and controllable to me. As I get more experience, this may change, but for now, I'm happy with my new 26". (I also paddle a very agile, responsive, nimble kayak, so perhaps this is a theme for me.)
DH and I were revisiting this topic the other night and I think in a year or two that I will most likely start checking out a 650b, once there are more models to choose from. I think it's a bummer that I moved from my tank of a 26" wheeled bike when I did. Had I been able to try some 27.5" wheeled models I am reasonably certain that I would have gone that route. I have to admit that after breaking my wrist I'm more than a little gunshy to get back on the trails and my El Mariachi just feels a bit like too-much-bike. I love that it's a far better bike than what it replaced and I can keep up with people on uphills, but on twisty stuff it's not nimble.
If I decide to get a mountain bike, I'm on the fence now. After taking my CX bike on what's supposed to be an easy MTB trail, I can see where those big wheels are both an advantage and a disadvantage! (I realize a CX bike isn't going to be quite as nimble as a MTB!) I'm tall enough that I can find a 29er with not too much difficulty, so that part isn't a problem. The 650b sounds intriguing, though I'll wait a few years so that there's a good selection of models and tires on the market.
I have the same perception of my El Mariachi. I love it, but it's not a corner carver and it wasn't designed to be. My Niner has a totally different feel in the twisty stuff. Geometry is the key...although I've never compared the differences between the two.Quote:
Originally Posted by zoom-zoom