First ride on my new 29er

[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

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

[indysteel]

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

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

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?

[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
Hope that helps, let me know if you have any more questions about the Cali.

Lisa

[indysteel]

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
Hope that helps, let me know if you have any more questions about the Cali.

Lisa

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.

[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).

[Lisaknex]

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).

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

Edit: he is riding a 26

[7rider]

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

Edit: he is riding a 26

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!

[TigerMom]

Congrats on your new bike! You are totally beaming!