two words: BELIEVE IT!!!
first, i owe jdog an apology. i completely understand now why he is pushing the 29ers. i'm a big enough man, physically and mentally, to admit when i'm wrong. i was. lo ciento holmes. now, on to the good stuff.
the ride as tested @ KVSP: a surly karate monkey, 19" (waaaaaay too big for my smurf sized self), 18T rear cog, reba fork, wtb weir-something tires.
terrain: i did about eight or so miles and rode: switch, lower needle and the lake single track...just about everything but the needle loop. since it wasn't my bike, i didn't want to push it too hard (read, i'm outta shape BAD) and wanted to get a good ride in. as it was, i still managed to tweak the rear rim.
first reaction: vertigo. it felt huge b/c it was. riding along i had the feeling of being on a carnival bike in a circus.
the ride: vertigo wore off literally as soon as i got off the walking trail and on to the single track of lower needle. all the twitchy-ness that i get on my fuel was non-existent. i was shocked. the way the bike handled corners, was amazing. in reality, i'm not real good at tight turns at speed, but this bike made me better. someone who can really carve (Jay, i actually thought about you) would KILL on this thing. i'm sure it's due to the increased contact area with the 29" tire, and it made all the difference. uphills, the bike is WAY better than the 26". i noticed the climbing difference immediately. it just rolls soooooo much smoother. it may take a bitmore power, but i can't say for sure whether it was the bike or my lack of riding the last three weeks. what i do know is that it ROLLS! downhill was amazing. in spots that i would generally be on the brakes on the 26", i didn't so much as touch them. it feels so much more stable at speed that it's really hard to believe. i honestly felt like i was holding the bike back a little bit as it really wants to GO! the little roots and rocky sections that i would have normally had to slow up a bit didn't even faze me. i was in awe.
final thoughts: if you're like me, and didn't think that it was worth a look, i urge you to reconsider. i know a few of you are looking into new SS's and you would be doing yourself an enormous dis-service not to at least test ride a 29er. i can't stress this enough. i am so smitten with the 29er, that i am VERY seriously considering selling my fuel to build a bullet proof 29er SS, and making that my only ride. period.
if you have any other specific questions, let me know and i'll do my best to answer them. all i can say is that, for me at least, the 29er movement is very, very real.
jake
first, i owe jdog an apology. i completely understand now why he is pushing the 29ers. i'm a big enough man, physically and mentally, to admit when i'm wrong. i was. lo ciento holmes. now, on to the good stuff.
the ride as tested @ KVSP: a surly karate monkey, 19" (waaaaaay too big for my smurf sized self), 18T rear cog, reba fork, wtb weir-something tires.
terrain: i did about eight or so miles and rode: switch, lower needle and the lake single track...just about everything but the needle loop. since it wasn't my bike, i didn't want to push it too hard (read, i'm outta shape BAD) and wanted to get a good ride in. as it was, i still managed to tweak the rear rim.
first reaction: vertigo. it felt huge b/c it was. riding along i had the feeling of being on a carnival bike in a circus.
the ride: vertigo wore off literally as soon as i got off the walking trail and on to the single track of lower needle. all the twitchy-ness that i get on my fuel was non-existent. i was shocked. the way the bike handled corners, was amazing. in reality, i'm not real good at tight turns at speed, but this bike made me better. someone who can really carve (Jay, i actually thought about you) would KILL on this thing. i'm sure it's due to the increased contact area with the 29" tire, and it made all the difference. uphills, the bike is WAY better than the 26". i noticed the climbing difference immediately. it just rolls soooooo much smoother. it may take a bitmore power, but i can't say for sure whether it was the bike or my lack of riding the last three weeks. what i do know is that it ROLLS! downhill was amazing. in spots that i would generally be on the brakes on the 26", i didn't so much as touch them. it feels so much more stable at speed that it's really hard to believe. i honestly felt like i was holding the bike back a little bit as it really wants to GO! the little roots and rocky sections that i would have normally had to slow up a bit didn't even faze me. i was in awe.
final thoughts: if you're like me, and didn't think that it was worth a look, i urge you to reconsider. i know a few of you are looking into new SS's and you would be doing yourself an enormous dis-service not to at least test ride a 29er. i can't stress this enough. i am so smitten with the 29er, that i am VERY seriously considering selling my fuel to build a bullet proof 29er SS, and making that my only ride. period.
if you have any other specific questions, let me know and i'll do my best to answer them. all i can say is that, for me at least, the 29er movement is very, very real.
jake