Anyone else gone to the dark side? Confession: I’ve just bought a 29er..

[Hotwheels.]

Love the old gear but this thing is something else.

 

[greencat]

It certainly is.

 

[Jimmy oldskool]

Nice saddle.

Just awaiting the arrival of my flite for the 29er too, some things are sacred!

 

[al-onestare]

Nice saddle.

Good spot

 

[boy"O"boy]

My experience of this subject is almost identical to classic cars...

My classics were used on high days and holidays, taken out and given a gentle beasting, then cleaned and put away again ready for the next special occasion...Same as my retro bikes are.

My 2 29er's (a carbon stumpy HT and a carbon epic FSR) are used for shredding and generally hard riding and enable me to keep up with my pals on their 29ers...There isn't the emotional attachment to them like I have for the retros, they're more seen as tools to do a job, however they are a lot more resilient to punishment than the retro bikes, with those always needing something doing after a ride, whether that be a wheel true, nut and bolt session or just a mech readjustment...I can never seem to just pop one away and be sure that I can drag it straight out the next time and put it in the car ready to go!

With all that said, I can keep up with guys on their HT 29ers when out riding 26", I just have to work a lot harder and end up blowing out of my arse sooner!!!

There is also the attention the older bikes get...The 29ers just get walked by when getting them out of the car or stood up after a ride whilst getting a coffee...My Retro's always get some great comments and usually a couple of guys stood around them asking about them and reminiscing!!!

Ultimately, as with everything...the modern stuff becomes the workhorses and the retro stuff becomes the treasured pieces...

View attachment 769523

Absolutely this ^^^^

Whilst last summer was mainly spent riding retro...high days and mostly dry days, this summer's more 'varied' conditions (read that as wet) have meant I slipped into something more comfortable.
I was offered a MK5 Cotic Soul with 27.5" tubeless set-up - the ultimate evolution of this 'modern' 853 Reynolds steel before the model was replaced. The 'soul' had very little use and for the price it was a must have. Rides superbly....so much so that the 26" Orange Five was retired and put in the loft for a future renovation. Hedging my bets that the tapered Head tube models will become a future classic. Couldn't bring myself to sell it if I'm honest... and the soul better suits the riding I'm doing nowadays. London to Brighton Offroad on this in September.


The "O" gets a look in occasionally, but maybe less mud plugging than January's outing!


Cheers.
boy"O"boy

 

[Daipink]

Just wondered if anyone else here has gone up a couple of wheel sizes recently?
It’s not a decision I’ve made lightly, I worked really hard last year and work have been generous with a decent bonus in my December pay packet. My initial thoughts were to use it towards a ‘bucket list’ bike, I have a few that I’d like to build and ride, but..
I’ve got a garage full of exclusively 26” bikes, none have disc brakes. I love them all but trouble is - when the weather is like this I’m reluctant to use all but a couple of them for worry of getting them dirty or wearing out components which are getting harder to source for sensible money..
My New Year’s resolution is to ride more and tinker less and I’ve owned a hardtail 27.5er and full suss 29er (both Norco’s) in the past, both of which ate up miles with ease. I want to do that again, but with a foot still in the retro camp; I’ve opted for a Marin Pine Mountain 1. It’s steel, seems well specced and reviews suggest that with the upright riding position it’s designed to be ridden for miles at a time.
I’ll probably sell off a few retro bikes and parts in the spring to make space and free up some cash but slow down on building and ride some more.
Anyone feeling the same?

I bought an Orbea Alma 29er in 2018 and wasn't immediately impressed, a lot heavier than a 90s MTB. Only recently started using it at local trails in Cwmcarn and can see the benefits now, especially XT disc brakes!
Also bought a mid-2000s Kona Kula since then and built that up 3x9 with Carbon Exotic fork and choice of 26" or 27.5" wheels. Using that to ride local stuff like forest trails etc. with Gravelking tyres and it's fun to on and off tarmac. If I fitted a decent suspension fork and 2.3" tyres on the 26" wheels I think it wouldn't be too far off the 29er and lots lighter.

 

[DoctorRad]

My grown-up everyday bike is a gravel conversion of a Genesis Fortitude Adventure 29er, with an Alfine-11 rear hub, hecking full mudguards and Middleburn cranks with a bash guard.

If I could only have one bike, it would be this one... although the next frame size down would probably fit slightly better.

 

[kaydee]

You'll be buying a ebike next. I appreciate there are a number of forum posters who still ride rigid 26ers down double blacks and beat the pros to the bottom, but for the rest of us 20+ years of (mostly) improvements and innovation are hard to ignore.

Yep, 62 last month and I have shifted tons of stuff,my garage is now empty of clutter and I have only 2 bikes a Ducati TK01-RR Mullet ebike,and a very nice almost retro Castellano silk Ti soft tail,and I have to say it has made life simpler.
Technology isn’t always good but some is very very good indeedy.
All the best

 

[kaydee]

My experience of this subject is almost identical to classic cars...

My classics were used on high days and holidays, taken out and given a gentle beasting, then cleaned and put away again ready for the next special occasion...Same as my retro bikes are.

My 2 29er's (a carbon stumpy HT and a carbon epic FSR) are used for shredding and generally hard riding and enable me to keep up with my pals on their 29ers...There isn't the emotional attachment to them like I have for the retros, they're more seen as tools to do a job, however they are a lot more resilient to punishment than the retro bikes, with those always needing something doing after a ride, whether that be a wheel true, nut and bolt session or just a mech readjustment...I can never seem to just pop one away and be sure that I can drag it straight out the next time and put it in the car ready to go!

With all that said, I can keep up with guys on their HT 29ers when out riding 26", I just have to work a lot harder and end up blowing out of my arse sooner!!!

There is also the attention the older bikes get...The 29ers just get walked by when getting them out of the car or stood up after a ride whilst getting a coffee...My Retro's always get some great comments and usually a couple of guys stood around them asking about them and reminiscing!!!

Ultimately, as with everything...the modern stuff becomes the workhorses and the retro stuff becomes the treasured pieces...

View attachment 769523

For nearly 20 years this was my main ride and it hardly ever got a second glance.If it did it was by true retro geeks,my mates bikes were much more ordinary and got the looks,it has now been sold (on this site).Now the new hotness gets the looks,

 

[float]

I was specifically searching for a thread like this and am so glad to have found it. I've been riding vintage bikes hard and have really been enjoying them. I always knew I would ultimately find the perfect modern bike, but I was perfectly content on waiting potentially years for that to happen.

Well, with no warning, I just copped the perfect new bike - and it's a 29er. Incidentally, it's my first time riding a 1x drive train. The short of it is that the bike is incredible and I am actually scared that I will no longer wish to ride my vintage bikes once I've done some serious riding on my new bike. To be clear, my vintage bikes have been my main and only bikes for both street riding and trail shredding. I especially love taking them on trails, because it's just such a fun and unique challenge - and I still adore 26" wheels for their agility - but I know I will feel tempted to reserve my new bike for trail duty.

My hope is that I can at least still enjoy my vintage bikes on occasion. I am still reading through replies on this thread to see who is in the same boat as I am. Silly as it sounds, I almost swore off altogether the idea of buying a new bike because I felt like a decades-old MTB was all I realistically needed.