Will a 29er spoil my love of all things 26 and old?

[KondratievsBike]

Sounds like a question for an agony aunt!

Posting this here because the real interest is not the 29er but the old bikes. Hope that's okay.

So I have a mate who swears that after riding a 29er he wont ride smaller wheels now. I have the opportunity to get a swanky modern thing on bike to work but I don't want to get one if it's going to poison my love for old relics.

Any thoughts? Anybody running a super speedy cross country contraption without going off their old friends?

 

[The History Man]

You will appreciate the difference...…..

 

[mattr]

Any thoughts? Anybody running a super speedy cross country contraption without going off their old friends?

My old 26" racebike (~8.5 kilos of HT rocket machine, 10 years old) is now dismantled and stripped for parts. The 11 kilo FS 29er is more competent in every way, even on the twisties. The geometry is better, the wheel size is better (faster, smoother, run over obstacles better) it's just, better.

My long travel 26" is still in use. So is my winter shitter. But they only get taken out when i'm going on a specific sort of ride. Rather than just another choice as they were before.

I still only ride the retro on occasion. Just for fun.

I've bought another 29er FS as well.

 

[hamster]

Modern bikes don't suddenly make your existing bikes worse. If it's fun to ride, then enjoy it.
My diesel estate is faster, has better cornering and is more furgal than a 1960's sports car. But is it more fun?

What I find dull is that modern bikes are SO competent that ordinary stuff you can just roll over it - on my retro MTB I have to concentrate, pick lines etc. That is more involving, so more fun in my book.

Do you measure fun by lap times?

 

[jimo746]

You will appreciate the difference...…..

This is very true.

I found getting a 29'er a bit of a revelation to be honest, smoother and quicker just about everywhere, no less "fun" than a 26'er either, just a more "accomplished" ride.
And I thought "no way could I ever ride 26" wheels again! ", but I did end up selling my (On-One inbred) 29er for something a little more" rowdy" with a bit more travel, and it happened to have 26" wheels.
Current 26er is great, I'm sure I might be a little quicker or easier with bigger wheels, but for now it's fine for me.

So, yes things will be different, you'll probably appreciate the differences between the two wheel sizes more, but it shouldn't spoil 26" wheels for you.

 

[d8mok]

Modern bikes don't suddenly make your existing bikes worse. If it's fun to ride, then enjoy it.
My diesel estate is faster, has better cornering and is more furgal than a 1960's sports car. But is it more fun?

What I find dull is that modern bikes are SO competent that ordinary stuff you can just roll over it - on my retro MTB I have to concentrate, pick lines etc. That is more involving, so more fun in my book.

Do you measure fun by lap times?

I just find I ride bigger stuff as the bike is better and allows me to ride harder stuff than I could on a older bike

 

[hamster]

I just find I ride bigger stuff as the bike is better and allows me to ride harder stuff than I could on a older bike

Depends hugely on where you live. I refuse to drive to my riding and do bikepacking etc. Probably I'm therefore more immune to the charms of something with monster travel. If I lived in the Peak District it would be different.
My main ride choice is a rigid singlespeed, so maybe I'm the 'gravy on salad' type.

 

[d8mok]

Re:

I live in the Peak District so yeh that’s the type of stuff I’m talking about. I mostly use retro stuff just for knocking about it along canal with mrs etc. Modern bikes just do everything better. But old bikes are just cooler

 

[forrest]

Re:

Unfortunately yes, you will notice the difference, but that needn't spoil your 26" passion....
I've ridden a carbon 29er hardtail on ungroomed trails in Italy and it was a breeze - big wheels roll pretty much everything, so you don't have to carefully pick a line and control your speed (as much....). Does that make for a better rider? Whole separate topic.
I love riding my XC full suss 650b, my 'fun bike'. It handles brilliantly, encourages lots of leaning onto the shoulders of the tyres and provides much grin factor.

BUT

I still race my 1996 DynaTech Torus. Bits that have worn out have been replaced with updated kit but it's still fun tackling XC courses on a bike that makes it just as much about the skill as about the engine. Against decent riders a 26" is certainly a handicap but I can't justify a new lightweight 29er equivalent as I just don't take racing and training that seriously any more. I'm convinced there are a lot of folks out there who'd struggle on a 26" through lack of basic riding skills (judging by the number I see falling off 29ers on technical sections - there's just no excuse for this :roll: !)

No harm in taking the plunge but don't forget your first love!

 

[mk one]

Modern bikes don't suddenly make your existing bikes worse. If it's fun to ride, then enjoy it.
My diesel estate is faster, has better cornering and is more furgal than a 1960's sports car. But is it more fun?

What I find dull is that modern bikes are SO competent that ordinary stuff you can just roll over it - on my retro MTB I have to concentrate, pick lines etc. That is more involving, so more fun in my book.

Do you measure fun by lap times?

^^^this^^^

oh, and i used to live and ride in peak, still prefer hardtail, as above, its more involving.

Hey, an engine makes it even easier and your able to ride even bigger stuff, which i used to up the peak, still not better, just different!