Tuesday 21 May 2013

26 or 29er?


They're everywhere now. And it's a topic of much debate. Rolling resistance. Manoeuvrability. Speed. Efficiency.

I'm talking about 26 or 29 inch mountain bike wheels, of course. There is no other debate in mountain biking, really. (Well, maybe 27 inch?) 

Thing is, I'm still very firmly planted on the side of the 26 inch wheel. My height (not that tall! 165cm) plays a big part in this. Small frame 29ers look a bit silly to me. Especially if they have that crazy angle stem to get the bars down low. I'm wondering how a small rider can throw around a 29er on tight, technical tracks, given the longer wheel base. 

The other thing is that I haven't actually ridden a 29er. And this makes me feel like I'm clinging onto the past like the 90s gym junky clings onto fluoro g-string leotards and scrunchies. Like I'm grasping onto my Walkman while everyone else has an iPod. Oh yes, that's me over there in the faux denim Lycra and Bolle wrap sunglasses wearing a stackhat.

It's been a couple of years since I've worked in the bike industry, and in that time I guess I haven't really kept abreast of these changes as well as I could have.

What do you think? Have you converted to 29ers? Are you unsure which wheel size you prefer? Or are you like me, completely happy with your 26-inch and resisting the change?

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