So is it 26 or 27.5"

[The History Man]

I took this around mayhem after a retro and to my shame got overconfident and binned it. Even with the off it was way quicker than a fs 26” much more stable and turned just fine.

Way way more capable than I am. But less of a grin factor pootling. I really need to be riding downhill with my hair on fire to get a decent grin going. Very sanitised.

 

[mattr]

Re: Re:

They roll very well but seem slow to turn and not that fun on twisty stuff.

29er geometry is being played around with a lot, it's coming on in leaps and bounds. Even 3 or 4 years ago to today will feel very different.

650b is almost best of both worlds. Still turns well but a bit extra rolling ability. Plus the fact that all the newest tech is aimed at it too.

A *bit*. Hmmmmm, a big 26er tyre is bigger than a racey 27.5 tyre. And the tech is being aimed at 29er too.
It's only 26 that has died on it's arse.

 

[d8mok]

Re:

I rode a Cannondale F29 last year so quite a new model. Didn’t feel fun but rolled well. Wasn’t a big enough improvement over my current 26 inch wheeled Cannondale to warrant the money to swap.

The only 29er I’m half interested in is the new Evil wreckoning as it’s like a monster truck apparently. However it’s too similar to my newly purchased insurgent which cost about £8k to build so it’s well out of question currently.

 

[brocklanders023]

Re: Re:

I had a Orange 5 about 3-4 years ago and I’d im honest I don’t know how they get away with charging what they do for a alloy frame with a 20 year old design

Well, it’s made in the uk for a start which people will pay extra for. As for the design, it’s no more out of date than any Horst link, 4 bar or any other design that’s been refined over the years. How many of the current designs are truly new as opposed to a new version of an old design?

 

[brocklanders023]

Re: Re:

Black one was a 2014 5 29 and the orange one a segment. The segment is long, low and slack but gobbles up xc. It's a great bike.

I had a quick look on the Orange website and the retail prices are ... quite something. I'm sure they're fantastic bikes, but for the time being a modern FS 29er is out of reach for me.

The key is to catch the sales at the right time. The Segment’s rrp was up near 3k but I got that one, as the current model for 2k. It also came with various upgrades that would normally cost more so I was quite happy with that.

Problem is these days that the desirable top end kit is hugely expensive. Forks for 1k+, groupset for 1k+, rear shock £800+, carbon wheels 2k+, etc. Add that to a frame that costs a bit and the cost becomes eye watering for top of the range bikes.

Saying that, if you stick to SLX standard with mid range forks etc the cost becomes a bit more sensible and you don’t lose much in performance.

 

[d8mok]

Re: Re:

I had a Orange 5 about 3-4 years ago and I’d im honest I don’t know how they get away with charging what they do for a alloy frame with a 20 year old design

Well, it’s made in the uk for a start which people will pay extra for. As for the design, it’s no more out of date than any Horst link, 4 bar or any other design that’s been refined over the years. How many of the current designs are truly new as opposed to a new version of an old design?

The made in the uk part Orange have been saying for years as the reason they are so expensive for what you get. Hope is made in the uk and great quality but the difference is that it’s fabulous stuff at a great price and they are constantly improving.

And like you said many bike designs are old systems but over the years are being more and more refined. Orange haven’t refined anything. Jump on a 20 year old Five and a newer one and it’s the same single pivot that has a terrible pedal platform and soggy small bump compliance. I like orange as a company I really do and I bought a £5k build one but it left me numb. Sold it and went Santa Cruz Bronson and the difference was night and day.

 

[dyna-ti]

Reckon I'l stick with 26" :?

Which of course has nothing to do with the 6 pairs of 26" wheels, 4 bikes and 20 or so 26" rims sitting in the spare room

 

[ultrazenith]

I took this around mayhem after a retro and to my shame got overconfident and binned it. Even with the off it was way quicker than a fs 26” much more stable and turned just fine.

Way way more capable than I am. But less of a grin factor pootling. I really need to be riding downhill with my hair on fire to get a decent grin going. Very sanitised.

How much faster would you say you were compared to the retro (or 26 FS)?

Hope you weren't hurt in the crash.

 

[tintin40]

A bicycle will only go as fast as the riders fitness will allow. I raced a mate. Him on a 27.5 Cube and me on my 26er. He is a soldier so has excellent fitness. But despite him on a modern 'better' mtb with all the toys and me on a rigid. I was faster by a long way. Its not what you ride its who is the rider. But the ad men say you have to have bigger wheels now. And people didn't even know they wanted them. They could sell ice cubes to eskimo's.

 

[brocklanders023]

Re: Re:

I had a Orange 5 about 3-4 years ago and I’d im honest I don’t know how they get away with charging what they do for a alloy frame with a 20 year old design

Well, it’s made in the uk for a start which people will pay extra for. As for the design, it’s no more out of date than any Horst link, 4 bar or any other design that’s been refined over the years. How many of the current designs are truly new as opposed to a new version of an old design?

The made in the uk part Orange have been saying for years as the reason they are so expensive for what you get. Hope is made in the uk and great quality but the difference is that it’s fabulous stuff at a great price and they are constantly improving.

And like you said many bike designs are old systems but over the years are being more and more refined. Orange haven’t refined anything. Jump on a 20 year old Five and a newer one and it’s the same single pivot that has a terrible pedal platform and soggy small bump compliance. I like orange as a company I really do and I bought a £5k build one but it left me numb. Sold it and went Santa Cruz Bronson and the difference was night and day.

Utter nonsense.