Stodgy
Retro Guru
I hear what everyone is saying - big wheels are generally faster, you can make 26ers fast with tyres, the cost of new bikes is just silly, changing standards are annoying, and I agree with all of them.
My own observations are that the bigger the wheel the better it rolls - 29+ on the front of my Stooge just ignores bumps, roots, rocks, small mammals, medium sized horses, cattle and just rolls over them. I've got B+ on the back and it a great machine. However, it's not the whole story, as when I get back on a 26er, albeit a retro model with steeper angles, the quickness of the handling is really noticeable and they are just great fun to ride. I am in no doubt it is slower, but I don't really care; it's fun, it's different and I get used to it after about 5 minutes. The Stooge is fun too, so is the fat bike, so is the CX/adventure bike, they're all good.
As for the fat bike, I did an interesting test (not very scientific) when out with a few mates on skinnier tyres. On a a slightly downhill road section I would outpace them without pedalling despite really chunky tyres. The same thing on the trails of the Surrey Hills - constantly having to brake as gaining speed without pedalling.
A recent video I took on my 1989 Marin was so bumpy it was quite hard to watch - the same trails on the fat bike were smooth. Both rigid. Both fun in a different way, and I crashed the fat bike, not the retro despite the front letting go on a few corners.
As for the price of bikes - if a company like Specialized can sell a bike for £7500 then they will make one - so would I. It is crazy money though, and I even double take at the accepted price of "normal" bikes now that seem to be around £3000. But if someone wants to spend that on a bike then who am I to argue with them? I am often a bit smug inside at times though...
But, you can pick a really good second hand model after a couple of years when people have moved on to the latest thing. Wait 30 years and you have an absolute bargain, but I doubt many bikes that are around now will last 30 years, unlike the stuff we love.
My own observations are that the bigger the wheel the better it rolls - 29+ on the front of my Stooge just ignores bumps, roots, rocks, small mammals, medium sized horses, cattle and just rolls over them. I've got B+ on the back and it a great machine. However, it's not the whole story, as when I get back on a 26er, albeit a retro model with steeper angles, the quickness of the handling is really noticeable and they are just great fun to ride. I am in no doubt it is slower, but I don't really care; it's fun, it's different and I get used to it after about 5 minutes. The Stooge is fun too, so is the fat bike, so is the CX/adventure bike, they're all good.
As for the fat bike, I did an interesting test (not very scientific) when out with a few mates on skinnier tyres. On a a slightly downhill road section I would outpace them without pedalling despite really chunky tyres. The same thing on the trails of the Surrey Hills - constantly having to brake as gaining speed without pedalling.
A recent video I took on my 1989 Marin was so bumpy it was quite hard to watch - the same trails on the fat bike were smooth. Both rigid. Both fun in a different way, and I crashed the fat bike, not the retro despite the front letting go on a few corners.
As for the price of bikes - if a company like Specialized can sell a bike for £7500 then they will make one - so would I. It is crazy money though, and I even double take at the accepted price of "normal" bikes now that seem to be around £3000. But if someone wants to spend that on a bike then who am I to argue with them? I am often a bit smug inside at times though...
But, you can pick a really good second hand model after a couple of years when people have moved on to the latest thing. Wait 30 years and you have an absolute bargain, but I doubt many bikes that are around now will last 30 years, unlike the stuff we love.
