Now 26" is really dead

[bonefishjake]

Ban me now please.

no freaking way. nope, nope, nope. you're gold on this topic.

so my thoughts, not that anyone cares, is that it's marketing. 29er are killing it. people love them and are running from 26" wheels like santa from the sun. so what now? well, market a new wheel size, that's what. ramp up production, push new products, spin new spin.

this is not to say that i don't think there's a place for it, in fact i think i'd love a 650b FS...i'm also fairly sure i stated that just after the internet was invented. or at least a year ago.

anyway, yeah, there are benefits (as jay has mentioned) so it'll be interesting. lou will be recovered just in time to hop on the band wagon.

 

[soulchild]

I'll be the noob that asks this question... Is 650b slightly bigger then a 26 inch wheel? I feel like I know this, but is it kind of in between 26 and 29? If so, I like this idea. Since 29 is freaking massive for little people

this fit perfectly...

 

[Maurice]

no freaking way. nope, nope, nope. you're gold on this topic.

so my thoughts, not that anyone cares, is that it's marketing. 29er are killing it. people love them and are running from 26" wheels like santa from the sun. so what now? well, market a new wheel size, that's what. ramp up production, push new products, spin new spin.

this is not to say that i don't think there's a place for it, in fact i think i'd love a 650b FS...i'm also fairly sure i stated that just after the internet was invented. or at least a year ago.

anyway, yeah, there are benefits (as jay has mentioned) so it'll be interesting. lou will be recovered just in time to hop on the band wagon.

I wonder how long it will take to go full circle, so to speak.

 

[bonefishjake]

I wonder how long it will take to go full circle, so to speak.

you mean when 26" wheels become nimble, quick and perfectly suited for xc racing?

 

[alex_k]

look at the last world cup stage:

1st place - 26'er
2d place - 650b'er
3d place - 29'er

 

[trailhead]

you may want to look at the SantaCruz Superlight 29
FS
27" standover
22" TT

I'll be the noob that asks this question... Is 650b slightly bigger then a 26 inch wheel? I feel like I know this, but is it kind of in between 26 and 29? If so, I like this idea. Since 29 is freaking massive for little people

 

[michael.su]

"Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit sniffing glue!"

Or buy a 26".

This comment just couldn't be ignored.......

I've got nothing useful to add, I ride an old 26er and have a blast!

carry on...

 

[bonefishjake]

look at the last world cup stage:

1st place - 26'er
2d place - 650b'er
3d place - 29'er

i don't think that's indicative of anything. these guys could, for the most part, ride walmart bikes and smoke 99.9% of everyone on earth.

 

[Dr Superb]

I'd be really curious to know the bike preference distribution by location...29er may be huge in NJ, but what about out west? France? etc...

 

[alex_k]

i don't think that's indicative of anything. these guys could, for the most part, ride walmart bikes and smoke 99.9% of everyone on earth.

yes and no, everyone but themself.

 

[1speed]

yes and no, everyone but themself.

Kulhavy won like four World Cups in a row last year on a 29er. And a lot of people suspect that the reason he isn't winning right now is he's timing his fitness for the Olympics. (Although I have to say that watching him in Houffalize it looked like more than that. He looked awful.)

I think 650 is a great option for a lot of people, and I used to think that was going to be my only option for a bigger wheel since I'm only 5'6", but I was wrong about that. Yeah, I think 26ers are more nimble than 29ers, and that's great, but in my experience the additional roll-over capability of 29 is more valuable to overall ride experience (especially on a singlespeed when you really don't want to lose your momentum on a climb.) Again, I can't speak to the ride feel of 650 -- if it feels more like 29 or 26 or if it's completely different than both.

At any rate, I'm not sure 26ers are ever going to go away altogether. Even if they become the boutique or even custom bikes, I think there will always be people who are happier on them so they'll stick around. I won't ever get rid of mine, but that's more out of nostalgia than any desire to ride them. I've got a basement full of bikes and I won't be getting rid of any of them anytime soon. But I almost never ride anythign but my Misfit now. And the next bike I buy is going to likely be a second 29er SS.

Because one is great, but two is better.

 

[FFT]

I wasnt gonna tell anyone this but I did have an opportunity to ride a 29er this spring while my quick, corner railing, massive air catching 26 was getting tuned.

Here the deal: 29er sucks cock, period, end of story, not up for debate. If you ride like me, and severly slay corners, and have the front wheel off the ground 40% of the time, and both off the ground another 40%, and push the bars down in turns and huck anything, at all, even worm carcasses, 29er is dumb.

I rode a rumblefish, and it was goofy, didnt accelerate out of a hole shot, front wheel didnt lift as easy as a 26.

I sent it off a few jumps, not little ***** jumps, but real ones. I flat tabled it, it was like trying to fvck a prostitue through a chain link fence, it felt horrible and down rite dangerous. I landed with one leg behind the bike and blew the next set. Their use is limited. I gave it an honest try and my friends ever agreed that Im twice as fast on a 26, and i aint kidding when I tell you I'll rip a fvcking 26 off anything, 29er - not so much.


The 650b is just a gimmick, like 5 hour energy. If you want big wheels just get a 29er, if you want 5 hours of energy, just snort chalk. Im out of this one, once again.

 

[soundz]

I think it's interesting that 650B has suddenly started to gain momentum in the last year after being around for so long before that. It's like some tipping point was hit or something.

well now that everyone has a 29er, the manufacturers need something else to sell us

 

[Pearl]

that analogy was a top 5 analogy in the history of this website

 

[Frank]

:hysterica:hitsfan::hysterica FFT, crude and effective.:hysterica

 

[walter]

I cant wait to get my Klein Attitude put together, that thing is gonna shred.

 

[loggerhead]

I cant wait to get my Klein Attitude put together, that thing is gonna shred.

What year is the attitude?

 

[THATmanMANNY]

it was like trying to fvck a prostitue through a chain link fence, it felt horrible and down rite dangerous

I'm going to Columbia next week. I'll take this advice and run with it. Or I may do it but I just won't pay the b!tch.

 

[MikeP]

I'd love to get a 650 FS bike w 100-130 travel up front. Wish I could convert my Top Fuel but neither the frame or fork will except 650 wheels.

 

[walter]

What year is the attitude?

one of the last years they were sold, 06 or 07 maybe. Its that burned orange color.
Its gonna be my ride around with the family/spare in case of emergency break glass bike. Im putting it together out of used parts/donations/trades etc. Though as it sits with all its parts its going to be pretty well specced.