I was just thinking....

[warpedboy2]

If 29 inch wheels are the way forward, how come mountain bikes didn't always have them?

 

[s_zigmond]

If 29 inch wheels are the way forward, how come mountain bikes didn't always have them?

Why 29? why not 30 etc etc?

 

[misteroo]

If 29 inch wheels are the way forward, how come mountain bikes didn't always have them?

Evolution baby..... you've seen the hover board on Back to The Future??

:shock:

 

[tintin40]

If 29 inch wheels are the way forward

I don't think they are. 26'' are perfectly round

 

[velomaniac]

Simply because of availability. The early USA builders could not get a reliable source of knobby 29er tyres but could get 26er tyres. Clelands over here had 29er tyres sourced from Finland in small batches.

 

[greenstiles]

27 1/2 nearly made it.........i think that was the perfect size for most adults.

 

[highlandsflyer]

As far as I know, forward has remained the same throughout.

I started riding off road on various bikes, bigger and smaller wheels make as much sense as not to me.

There is a good argument for smaller for certain courses and terrain where larger will limit you, but most seem to ride on prepped trails these days where everything is a little ironed out and the merits of large or small are more to do with other factors.

The weight penalty is of more concern to me than the slacker angles and things I have heard mentioned like gyroscopic effect, blah, blah, blah. Of course your Carbon 29-er is lighter than yer CroMo 26-er as a rule, but on a cost comparison basis 26-ers come in a little less expensive. That remains the deciding factor for a lot of us.

If you look outside the world of MTBs you would find most older bikes having larger wheels.

I think tyre availability was a factor, but one of several.

 

[warpedboy2]

Nice one fellas.

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER!!!

 

[Chopper the ex Copper]

29ers aren't the way forward over all. For small frames, full squidger etc 26 still reigns supreme. Even of HTs where they really shine most they weigh more and are more flexi than a 26 of equivalent quality, so at the cheaper to mid price point theyre still at a disadvantage. The best ones are HT and cost a few notes.

IIRC Geoff Apps was recently experimenting with 30 or 31" wheels.

 

[longun]

the very top xc racer/s is running 26, as is the downhill boys. ill be staying true to my retro routes and charging 26 all the way lol

tbh, i think the difference is marginal and another gimmick to boost interest and sales........