the 29er hype

bonefishjake

Strong like bull, smart like tractor
Team MTBNJ Halter's
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
 

Frank

Sasquatch
no hype

One ride is all it will take.I'm 6'2" tall and I never felt so right on a bike.
P1050167.jpg

It rolls fast and handles great.Redline Monocog 29er.
 

bonefishjake

Strong like bull, smart like tractor
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Shaggz said:
how tall are you?

3 1/2 apples high, or 5'10".

one thing i forgot to mention was the problem that had plagued me with my other SS, the ping-pop BOOM of the driveline (hench my formation of the he-man singulator haters club) was non-existant. it was so smooth that it was never a thought in my mind. it was actually fun!!!
 
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mergs

Spokompton's Finest
JORBA.ORG
I'm believin the hype... so far anyway.

I rode a 29'er Redline (SS) a few weeks back and it was one of the sweetest rides I've ridden in a very long time. The only way I can describe it is I felt like I was in a cockpit... was very confidence inspiring and not all unstable feeling. (edit: I rode the same bike as Frank's above but in a smaller size.)

I don't know if this is the same feeling you'd get with all 29ers or its a geometry thing with the redline, but with a good fork, I'd actually consider it as my all-around bike and sell off some of the others.

But I am going to demo some more 29ers before I pull any triggers.
 

bonefishjake

Strong like bull, smart like tractor
Team MTBNJ Halter's
mergs said:
I'm believin the hype... so far anyway.

I rode a 29'er Redline (SS) a few weeks back and it was one of the sweetest rides I've ridden in a very long time. The only way I can describe it is I felt like I was in a cockpit... was very confidence inspiring and not all unstable feeling. (edit: I rode the same bike as Frank's above but in a smaller size.)

I don't know if this is the same feeling you'd get with all 29ers or its a geometry thing with the redline, but with a good fork, I'd actually consider it as my all-around bike and sell off some of the others.

But I am going to demo some more 29ers before I pull any triggers.

that's a perfect cliff-note version of my post mergs. i can tell you that the surly felt the same way, even though the frame was waaaay to big for me...and it was an 18!
 
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jdog

Shop: Halter's Cycles
Shop Keep
yep..

Thanks I am allways wrong too.. My wife still beats on me for running Magura rim brakes for years and swearing off v-brakes. (they were good but heavy)..


I blew off ss bikes and came late to the party but honestly I rarely ride a mt. bike with gears any longer. I have been playing with Pauls thumbies and a 1x9 setup.. I think a 1x4 would be fine.

I don't personally own a 29er yet but I do have a Haro Mary demo that I can ride whenever I want.

I spent a little more time on the new Cannondale 29er the other day and I am seriously close to making the jump. That is a sweet bike.

This is the plan:

Seven ti custom 29er with New Carbon Lefty sl.

DT single rear hub and Lefty front.

New Hutchinson 29 Python tires.

Ergon mag grips.

Surly rings and cogs.

All easton Carbon stuff.

Fizik alliante saddle

New Magura Loise's

Eccentric bb..

And no you can never have too many bikes. (or surfboards,snowboards,fishing rods,cds, and t-shirts)..

J_
 

anrothar

entirely thrilled
i still run magura rim brakes. if could kill them i would go to disk, but they just don't quit. only problem now is getting parts. bti has pads on permanent b/o. luckily, years of trials riding has left me plenty to scavenge from.
 

jdog

Shop: Halter's Cycles
Shop Keep
one left...

anrothar said:
i still run magura rim brakes. if could kill them i would go to disk, but they just don't quit. only problem now is getting parts. bti has pads on permanent b/o. luckily, years of trials riding has left me plenty to scavenge from.


I have a set of neon green hs22s in the shop.. Brand new. If you want them you can pretty much name the price.

I think all the parts are there but I am not 100%.

I used to go through rims all the time since they can easily crush a worn out rim.

I blew a rear rim 15 miles from the car at Blue Marsh PA thanks to those brakes..

Don't get me wrong.. They rule.

Jude at magura is a personal friend of mine. If you need anything I know he will have it.

J_
 

mergs

Spokompton's Finest
JORBA.ORG
did a quick SS "dawn patrol" at the tourne this am with phatbiker.

out at Interbike, he rode the turner sultan (their new FS 29er) and had really good things to say about it. He also rode 2-3 of the Niner's (http://www.ninerbikes.com/) and liked them all too, esp. the RIP.

another interesting comment he made: were all aware that the larger wheel diameter lessens the rolling resitance, esp on techy sections but he mentioned that the 29'er front wheel simulates about an inch of travel, compared to a 26" wheel. so all things being equal, a 26" on a rigid fork is going to feel much more harsh than a 29" wheel on a rigid. thought that was a cool li'l "factoid" :)
 
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bonefishjake

Strong like bull, smart like tractor
Team MTBNJ Halter's
mergs said:
did a quick SS "dawn patrol" at the tourne this am with phatbiker.

out at Interbike, he rode the turner sultan (their new FS 29er) and had really good things to say about it. He also rode 2-3 of the Niner's (http://www.ninerbikes.com/) and liked them all too, esp. the RIP.

another interesting comment he made: were all aware that the larger wheel diameter lessens the rolling resitance, esp on techy sections but he mentioned that the 29'er front wheel simulates about an inch of travel, compared to a 26" wheel. so all things being equal, a 26" on a rigid fork is going to feel much more harsh than a 29" wheel on a rigid. thought that was a cool li'l "factoid" :)

i checked out the niner's, at least researched them. seem to be real solid and the other site has some good reviews. unfortunately, i simply CAN NOT fork out eight bones for a frame.

the 69er/96er thing i don't think is a new concept. carver makes one that looks smooth along with trek and a couple others. they claim the best of all worlds. who knows...
 

anrothar

entirely thrilled
i don't buy into the whole 26/29 deal. i've been riding 29 for the whole summer/fall, and i really see no disadvantages, especially on a singlespeed. the difference in acceleration has got to be so negligable as to not even be really noticeable. i know that i have no problem with the acceleration on my km. i'm just waiting for trek to come out with an oclv 29er singlespeed.... now that would be some hot shlit right there.
 
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