Would someone please tell me which is the best for gravel and paved path as I ride both. I have a Trek 4300 now (26in) but interested in the 29er aspect. Maybe 9 speed with hydrolic dick brakes....is it worth the investment?
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You can make me grow old, but you can't make me grow up!:rolleyes:
I like the 29er, but not that much better than the 26. You get good rolling momentum, but loose the acceleration of the 26. I would not trade if I was happy with my 26 incn bike.
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A viler evil than to murder a man, is to sell him suicide as an act of virtue.
I really like my Trek MTB (which is a 26) and I haven't yet bought into the 29er craze. I am not saying that the 29ers don't have their benefits and I am not looking to piss anyone off. I am willing to admit I have only demoed a few 29ers here and there when I can. I just prefer that which I am comfortable with.
I have never rode or demoed one and really wish to. I have read so much and they look intriging and the logic is there to support the rolling effect. I can't wait to try one out.
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You can make me grow old, but you can't make me grow up!:rolleyes:
I have ridden 26 and 29s, but at different times for different uses. For a soft soil (like the volcanic stuff in Eastern Oregon) I like using a big tire 26 by 2.125 bike. On hard clay soil (like that in Portland OR) I like using a 700 by 30 cross tire( I guess they are a smaller version of a 29er). I am an old cyclocross geek and I like using the smaller diameter tires because of the lower rolling resistance.
Once you bump up the size of the 29er tire and ad the weight of a suspension you lose the advantages that make a cross bike so appealing on the dirt roads and smooth single track.
Think of where you are riding and then pick the bike accordingly.
With todays gearing and assuming you are what you said OLD I'd stay with the 26. A 29'r is better for young guys but you can ride uphill on a 26 with the correct gears until you go to the big bike store. I'm 59 and in great shape but the 29'r kill me on hills where the 26'r is fine. Perhaps someday they'll make lower gearing available for 29'r's but a 34 cassette is the lowest I've been able to find.
I think that a 29er shines when ridden flat out. For more technical stuff, a 26" wheel might be a better choice. Options are also more limited for 29ers when it comes to forks and tires.
and I agree when ridden flat out. But the majority of the peole I know who ride lots and spend even more money on their bikes it's all about being able to do things like climb a hill, even if it takes an hour. few of us are able to ride or do anything flat out. But hey, that's what makes the world such a cool place. different strokes for different folks. For me, I'd get another 29'r when the gears can make the gear inches I need to get'r done. The younger crowd can spend the heart beats and high rates, I'd rather spend money and time.
The thing about gearing is you have to have the right set up for you. I have made some bikes with very low gears. my cross bike had low gear of 20-32. It was almost to low. It was pretty tough to get going again if you had to stop in a steep hill and sometimes I had problems keeping my front wheel on the ground. It would start to bounce a bit when things got tough. I generally don't care what the high gear is on my off road bikes I figure that if I start to spin out I am going fast enough.
What I used to do was to make custom freewheels for folks(remember freewheels?) most people only use about three or four gears anyway. Its a matter of selecting the right gear for your needs. I like to use a low gear and spin it quickly. Most of my big chainrings have very little wear on them, but my inner rings are the ones I wear out.
mike
Last edited by retromike3; 02-18-2011 at 03:48 AM.
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