[Closed] Buying a 26er now - bad move?

IMHO one of the big upsides of the whole bigger wheel thing is that there's going to be some real 26er bargains out there, particularly second hand, for anyone just getting into biking. I were you dh I'd be trying to get a bit more off, you've got nowt to lose!

dont think ive ever bought a brand spank me new bike so my point is probably not worth much, but im not looking to change from 26" anytime soon, besides all these new gimics mean i can buy all your 'old fashioned' bikes for a bargain, i mean 26" has been fine for how many years now? maybe mountains are getting taller or something else im missing?

besides who cares as long as your happy with it!

Sounds like a bargain to me!!

If you like how 26" rides and have tried 650/29 then go for it.

I'm not selling my 26" bikes and just built up an expensive frame with 26" wheels.

It's shop soiled so in v good nick

If you're the type to upgrade a bike a lot, then it'll get harder & harder to get higher end 26" stuff in the next while. But a £6.2K bike should be reasonably well upgraded to begin with. And a bargain is a bargain.

With those kinds of savings you could get a spare set of wheels, forks and a few sets of tyres and be sorted for many years to come and still have LOTS of change from the RRP 🙂

Of course, your trails won't feel as alive…

I ride 26". The trails feels as good as they ever did. No plans to switch to 29" ever. I have never been out riding and thought 'I'd enjoy this more with bigger wheels..'

Let people with too much disposable income pay top dollar for the latest fashion...

I just enjoy riding bikes. Makes no odds on the wheel size..

I've never tried 27.5 or 29, bit of a virgin in that there

I suppose are they really that much better , considering saving?

I took advantage of the move by Orange to 650b to pick up the 26" Five that I've always fancied at a price I could justify. I wouldn't just buy a bike because it was a bargain (any bike you don't enjoy riding is still a waste of money at any price) but if you wanted the bike at the original price then why wouldn't you want it at half the price?

By the way, I've got a 29er too and I think the whole wheel size thing is the biggest irrelevance ever dreamt up by a marketing team. A good designer can design a bike to feel the way you want it to using any of the three wheel sizes and a bike that doesn't suit your riding style doesn't become any better just because it has a certain sized wheel.

By the way, I've got a 29er too and I think the whole wheel size thing is the biggest irrelevance ever dreamt up by a marketing team. A good designer can design a bike to feel the way you want it to using any of the three wheel sizes.

Wrong. No 26" can have a 40mm BB drop and it's the fundamental reason 29" ride like they do and why no 26" will feel like a 29".

Not saying that the ride characteristics are desired by everyone though.

If you're the type to upgrade a bike a lot, then it'll get harder & harder to get higher end 26" stuff in the next while.

Won't the only real differences come in rims and tires? What else is there?

Unless you mean frames too, but even there...

I bought a merida 96 carbon team frame new for the same discount and am very happy. It will be harder to shift if you sell later.

Wrong. No 26" can have a 40mm BB drop and it's the fundamental reason 29" ride like they do and why no 26" will feel like a 29".

Genuine question - why does such a large BB drop feel good?

Must admit im going to try and grab a 26" pike in the sales before they stop making them so that my 26" bandit is about as good as it can be before i think of replacing in 5-6 years time...unless they stop making 26" tyres and then i'll be ****ed regardless.

"Wrong. No 26" can have a 40mm BB drop and it's the fundamental reason 29" ride like they do and why no 26" will feel like a 29".

Not saying that the ride characteristics are desired by everyone though."

Nothing to do with having bigger wheels then?

I switched from 29er to 26er. Albeit I did add front suspension as well. The two bikes have almost the same geometry and they don't feel very different. In fact it was quite a non-event. I won't be going rigid 26er in a hurry.

That Trek sounds like excellent value. Good bikes do not stop being good.

It's the BB drop. Seems to have a massive effect on where the C of G feels it is. Disproportionally larger if you ride a big frame.

Innit utterly ridiculous how the marketing men and mags have got people thinking about bikes?!
Should I not buy this bargain bike that I really like because the wheels are the same size mountain bike wheels have been for the last 30 years, but a bit smaller than the ones they've been trying to flog us for the last few years... 😆

People who ride bikes should not be allowed on the internet. It enables to spend to much time absorbing the shite marketing men want them to absorb and then spend thousands on new bits with an extra mm here or there in tte belief that it'll utterly transform how they ride their bikes, which they previously enjoyed anyhow.

Then, they come back on Internet forums and argue about the minutiae of bollox in the misguided belief that it's remotely important.

It's utterly laughable and pathetic.

Get what you want. I would have thought that forks will be the only problem but there is not that much difference between 26 and 27.5 forks. Tyres, but then if lots of people still have 26 bikes and there is a market for them then companies are going to keep making them as they wear out more than other parts.

I've seen some insane deals on 26ers. Really after a 26er hardtail and I'm stumped for choice right now because there are so many good offers.

Where are all these great deals?

If I was you (which im obviously not) I would sacrifice the 1.3 kg ish weight saving of a carbon frame and go for a 27.5. Which you can then upgrade over time. Then when you come to sell the frame or bike your going to get more for it in a few years...plus in my experience they do give a nicer ride.

Genuine question - why does such a large BB drop feel good?

I think it's subjective if it feels good or not. It adds stability which one rider may be able to exploit, but another rider may find hinders agility.

Nothing to do with having bigger wheels then?

No, the larger wheels do have lower rolling resistance but the reason people like or dislike 29" is the change in geometry/weight distribution made possible by the larger wheels.

Umm well thanks guys , that cleared it all up

For the guy that was interested it's on the trek outlet www with other deals on 29rrs too

I seriously didnt think they were getting rid of 26. sad times im going to miss my wheels, any idea how long we got left?

also what will the children do? will they have to jump from 24's to 29

also what will the children do? will they have to jump from 24's to 29

the marketing departments are working on 25.5

I can't find any of these amazing bargain 26" bikes.

Find me a super AM bike at silly money!

There are lots of ways to make a bike more stable. My 26" (trail) bike is more stable than my 29er (XC) bike, for example. Despite the 60mm BB drop on the (large) 29er I have more of a feeling of being perched on top, but that's due to the overall geometry not just the wheels.

I've never understood the logic that lowering the CoG will increase stability though. Recall the old example of balancing a broom vs a pencil on your finger. If you are balancing by moving the base around (as you do on a bike) then it is easier to balance an object with a higher CoG. It's part of the reason why a recumbent can be tricky to ride at first. The lower C0G makes it feel less stable. A lower CoG does allow you to go round corners faster (which is possibly the real reason why people report that their 29er has better grip) but it shouldn't make a bike feel more stable.

Maybe there is some interaction between the CoG and the height of the axles that comes into play. All these factors can affect the feel, which is kind of my point. There are lots of ways to fiddle with the design to get a feel that you want.

also what will the children do? will they have to jump from 24's to [s]29[/s] 27

They'll manage.

I've never understood the logic that lowering the CoG will increase stability though. Recall the old example of balancing a broom vs a pencil on your finger. If you are balancing by moving the base around (as you do on a bike) then it is easier to balance an object with a higher CoG. It's part of the reason why a recumbent can be tricky to ride at first. The lower C0G makes it feel less stable. A lower CoG does allow you to go round corners faster (which is possibly the real reason why people report that their 29er has better grip) but it shouldn't make a bike feel more stable.

The broom/pencil analogy doesn't really translate as a finger moving in air has a lot less friction than a bike traveling along the ground. Also a recumbent has a really low roll centre (the opposite of a 29") which is why they're unstable.

It's all about the roll centre to CoG relationship. The closer they are together the more stability a vehicle has and they are usually closer together on a 29".

My other love of Trail and Enduro Motorcycles has seen some changes over the last 10 years.

The majority of people rode 2 stroke and old reliable 4 stroke technology, the manufacturers spotted an oppertunity to push fast modern 4 stroke bikes. Getting the sports organising bodies for MX involved. These machines were pushed and 2 strokes phased out.

The press said it was they way it was all going.

Lots of people spents lots of money on expensive equipment they would likely go no faster on.

The bubble burst and people decided to go back to riding 2 strokes again because you cant beat the cheap simplicity of a 2x.

Few people can strip a fuel injected 4x motor in a field with 2 screwdrivers and a pair of plyers.

I think there is a lesson to be learnt from this, don't listen to the manufacturers, they do not have your best interests at heart. They just want to sell you things.

Those things may be good for you, they may not.

Please ride and try but think, is your riding life going to be better in 6 months because you bought x bike?

I have rode 29ers, yes some were very nice, some not so. Did I want to sell my current bikes I love. No. Will it change where or how I ride. No. Do I think there will be no parts available to buy next year. No.

If someone gave me a 29er would I ride it? If I liked it, yes.

Im going now.

Here is the www for some of the sale bikes

[url= http://www.trekdemosale.co.uk/1129/ ]Link[/url]

I'd say buy it.

I have no intention of buying anything other than 26, I do not subscribe to the view that components will go 27.5/29 only. The bike industry is playing a dangerous game changing products and moving away from what customers actually want and have been happily buying in large quantities.

In 5 years there is a decent chance everything is just 26 again.

The trails will be dead to you.

I don't really see "value" and "£6.2K bike" in the same sentence, even at that price.

Do you need/want a bike like that? Pricey servicing etc?

It will still ride the same in 5 years but there will be less 26ers around.

""I ride 26". The trails feels as good as they ever did. No plans to switch to 29" ever. I have never been out riding and thought 'I'd enjoy this more with bigger wheels..'

Let people with too much disposable income pay top dollar for the latest fashion...
I just enjoy riding bikes. Makes no odds on the wheel size""

Whereas I ride an ibis mojo, current mojo frame costs minimum £1800 rrp
i bought a titus fireline 29er for £700 us people with "too much " disposable income possibly are clever with their money and DONT pay top dollar and follow the latest fashion or make stupid statements like that

When I come to replace my 26 incher good luck to them if they think I'm buying a steam roller.

I worked through uni as a bike mechanic and had access to all sorts of machinery, and I don't buy into all this wheel size ersing about. It's tinkering mainly for sales growth, and choice is good, but why not smaller wheels for their benefits - better acceleration, less gyroscopic steering effect, more ability to alter frame geometry, accommodate suspension gubbins, or even fit panniers, racks and frame bags etc.

It's all about the roll centre to CoG relationship. The closer they are together the more stability a vehicle has and they are usually closer together on a 29".

JCL, i understand what you are getting at, but even a bmx going 30mph+ isn't particularly unstable and they [insert pseudo-physics waffle here]. Just how fast were you going on your 26 inch wheeled bike that you felt instability issues? 50? 60? 70mph?

To the OP, buying a 26 isn't a bad move, but maybe buying that particular 26 is? The type of riding that Trek is aimed at falls into the [i]bigger wheels might actually work a little better[/i] category, and looking at the Trek lineup for 2014, i don't see any 26ers (Session excluded) so frame spares might be an issue.

Specialized (boo...hiss...yawn) as others are i'm sure, are still doing the Stumpy Evo in 26 and i'd spend 2.5k of my money on that without hesitation.

A fuel 9.anything will be a riot. be prepared to spend some of the money you saved getting brakes, bb and shocks back to spec though.

With reference to the Trek Fuel, I recently had a customer in with a pringled wheel from one of those and there were no replacement rims anywhere to be found. He was prepared to pay for a complete wheel but no-one had the same colours. He ended up changing both wheels so the bike still looked matched.
I don't think that's any indication that DT Swiss are phasing out 26 inch, just that they're crap at spares availability for anything much more than a year old.

Whereas I ride an ibis mojo, current mojo frame costs minimum £1800 rrp
i bought a titus fireline 29er for £700 us people with "too much " disposable income possibly are clever with their money and DONT pay top dollar and follow the latest fashion or make stupid statements like that

🙄

Exhibit A...

Exhibit A
another daft answer

i have had the mojo frame for 6 years and i paid £700 (even though i had more disposable income available and could have bought a new one) and it was like new, ive ridden it every week nearly and the frame is still worth at least £500, but i dont intend to sell it ever.

if you hope to win the case with exhibit a as an example im glad you are not my solicitor

and if you check my forum activity you will see i paid £1600 for my whole hd mojo bike which is NOT a 650b so i didnt get sucked in there.
the thing is about having too much disposable income is, you have the choice of what you do with it, like buying over priced forks say

I'm still waiting for adjustable diameter wheels before I commit.

I'm still waiting for adjustable diameter wheels before I commit.

You mean a sort of dropper post device for wheels? Push the lever and get any one of 3 positions, 26", 27.5" and 29"!

Seriously though, get the 26", the industry will realize sales are down with all this wheel size rubbish and re-invent 26" again within 3 years.

They ran out of ideas to make us buy a new 26" every year so they went to work on the wheels. Then to stop making 26" all together to enforce 27.5" on new bike owners is the pits. I really hope it backfires and there sales are massively down.

Stay 26", the parts will be around for the 3 years it takes the industry to get back to what most riders actually want, 26".

Hope not. Bought a liteville 301 and will be running it as a 26er rather than a 650b as a new build (not swapping bits around). I suppose I've hedged my bets (by coincidence) but given the number of 26ers around there's a market for spares there (Rims and tyres) that'll keep going for years.

Recently picked up a second hand 26" trance as I didn't want a new 29er the stock level of 26" rims/ tyres will be around for allot longer than I will be 😆

JCL, i understand what you are getting at, but even a bmx going 30mph+ isn't particularly unstable and they [insert pseudo-physics waffle here]. Just how fast were you going on your 26 inch wheeled bike that you felt instability issues? 50? 60? 70mph?

Depends on the trail doesn't it? If it's rowdy enough 10mph is more than enough to feel the extra stability. Say you're cornering over some chunder and the back end steps out. In a number of situations like that I'd have been on my arse if I was riding a 26" regardless of the head angle, tires etc.

I'm not dissing 26" in the slightest and guys like Graves can adapt and go pretty much as fast as possible on any trail no matter what they're riding. But for an old chump Ike me, I can go way quicker on a good (not all) 29".

I wold have thought it would be a great idea. Actually this year the piss-taking with 29ers seems to have abated with better offers than last year.

So the other bargain may be 29ers (think Giant) and when demand for 650bs proves disappointing you can smile the marketing spin for how 29ers are still ok!!!

Depends on the trail doesn't it? If it's rowdy enough 10mph is more than enough to feel the extra stability. Say you're cornering over some chunder and the back end steps out. In a number of situations like that I'd have been on my arse if I was riding a 26" regardless of the head angle, tires etc

I'm not trying to be argumentative, but my experience is the opposite. I crash my (XC) 29er more than my 26" (trail) bike. The 29er is faster, but when it goes wrong it goes wrong quickly. With the 26" bike it can be all over the place, but somehow I still stay upright. Of course that is just my two bikes. I'm sure there are great 29er trail bikes as well, but all those DH folk still seem to be able to ride 26" bikes on trails that are much more rowdy than anything I'd ever attempt at speeds of which I'd never dream.

Well to make a comparison the bikes have to be designed for a similar use. You can't compare a 26" AM bike with a 29" HT.

26" DH bikes have a lot more BB drop than the average 26" trail bike when sag is taken into consideration. That's why (to me at least) a fairly slack 29" trail bike has closer ride characteristics to a DH bike than a 26" trail bike.

Stay 26", the parts will be around for the 3 years it takes the industry to get back to what most riders actually want, 26".

Think you'll be waiting longer then 3 years as most riders (outside the STW bubble) want the latest thing which is 650b. Either that or they don't care and will buy what's in stock or what the sales person tells them is best.

The only people really bothered are those who like to build up bikes from bits they have or want to buy a new frame but stick old parts on it. Unfortunately the powers that be don't care about you as you don't buy enough or make them enough money. There's also not enough of you to make a difference. I should say 'us' really as I like arsing around with different bits but tbh I'm not worried about parts drying up any time soon and if I buy a new bike I'll just get 650b or another 29er. You all say 650b's no different to 26" anyway. 😉

OP- If you like the bike go for it. That seems a good saving and it'll still be ace, 26, 27.5 or 29".

the marketing spin for how 29ers are still ok!!!

Well, 29ers are still ok! As are 26ers*
Good to have a third option as well.

Back to the original post.... when getting any "previous model" in the sales, think/ask about the support for that model from the manufacturer, esp if buying carbon and bouncy. If it starts to come apart a few years down the line, you want to know that there are spare parts available. Getting spare frame parts would be more of a concern then whether you can get new rims/tyres/forks, because, well, you will be able to get them from sources other than the original manufacturers if need be.

[i][b]*[/b]get used to people having to say that now[/i]

My 3 month old 26er was awesome to ride today, trails where very much alive and very windy 😀

considering times seem to be a changing with 27.5 and 29

*Considering the marketing men are telling us to buy 29ers... no wait they don't suit everyone or bring the trails alive like we first said... so let's er... push 650B as it's something different but still like 26*

and the fact it is a 2012 model

Not at all relevant!

is it a bit if of a false economy trying to get it? I'd hope to get at least 5yrs out if it

Not at all false economy! How is buying a 26er possible bad economy? In 5 years it'll be worth the same as any other 5 year old bike (i.e. it should hopefully be pretty damned used by then). We've had a few years of the 29er push and manufacturers are doing a bit of a U-Turn with now largely pushing 650B instead. A few more years of manufacturer indecision will keep 26er component sales alive and chances are we'll go full circle in 3-5 years and just stick to 26ers (or stubbornly insist on 650B just to not go back to 26). Real question is, is 29/ 650B a poor investment for the future 😉

Just buy the bike that suites your riding the best...

which should be 26" wheels ...but with large tyres ...."FATBIKE" init

If its a Trek, I don't think there will be any isue with spares / warranty support regardless of wheel size. They're a big company with a reputation to keep - imagine how many Treks there are already out in the world with 26" wheels.

What frame spares are you likely to need? Fuels aren't especially known for breakages and the bearings are lifetime warrantied now aren't they?

26" wheels and tyres will be available for years.

Bigger wheels or not, the limiting factor unless you're a pro, is always the rider.

Was seriously considering going to 29er, was testing the water with selling this
Transition Bandit in stealth black 26 (large)

Built as:
Large stealth black frame 2013 ridden only twice since built, heli-taped from new,fox kashima CTD shock.
Rockshox Revelation RLT 150mm mint and also heli-taped.
Stan's flows on hope pro2 EVO hubs front 20mm rear 142x12
Raceface Sixc carbon bars 730mm
Raceface turbines 70mm stem
Odi TLD grips
Thomson seatpost and Chromag seatclamp
Syncros AM saddle
Full 2x10 XT transmission with E13 Trs+1 chain device
XT trail pedals
Brand new Magura MT brakes 203mm & 180mm Magura Storm Rotors
Running tubeless on RQ's black chili protection tyres.

Today got a run out on a guys 29er FS, felt strange at first and yes it was great uphill, rolled over obstacles with ease and was fast on the straight parts of the trail. BUT overall (for me) I felt disconnected with not much feedback or feel from the trail.

I jumped back on my own bike and there was more feedback or I suppose you could call it FUN which to me is the reason to jump on my bike. It is for me my hobby and to be enjoyed and not competitive. I am not in any way slagging off other wheel choices I was after all considering changing.
But for me it has to be 26" and my exceedingly capable Bandit

I have a 9.9 misbuild its the full carbon frame but with a trek remedy 9 build on it its fantastic. For that money id snap their arms off and run if I were you. Very light bike sub 27lbs.i will email u photo of my 9.9 if u message me .

IMO a 6.2k bike is a false economy as it'll depreciate faster than you can ride it so lucky it has so much off.

I also wouldn't be tempted just because of the huge discount, the 6.2 K price tag is just daft to begin with. Get something that'll last, and feels right to you.

29'er if you want an XC bike for mile munching or XC race. 650B for everything else especially more techy trails.

For that money you could get a decent 650b Whyte. You know you want it.

It's shop soiled so in v good nick

Having looked at your link the bike isn't "shop soiled", it is a full on used and abused demo bike. As good as the build is I wouldn't be paying the asking price when it is as scratched up as it is.

It looks to have been crashed a good few times if the forks are anything to go by for starters! Even the stanchions are scratched so it isn't just cosmetic. If you replaced the forks you might still have an ok condition bike but who knows what crashes punters and journos have put the bike through? It is essentially a used bike so not the bargain it first appears.

Personally I'd stay away from that bike. If is was genuinely new and shop soiled then it's be an easy yes.

[img] http://images.tribe.net/tribe/upload/photo/1ea/ce7/1eace7ca-517b-480b-af7a-c82138a53445 [/img]

So, are 650b the best sneetches on the beaches?

"It'll all come back to 26 in time. Big wheels spin slower and are heavier - it's just physics. There are benefits in certain situations but lighter wheels and better suspension will always be the solution."

So says Chris Porter of Mojo.

OK, he's got a vested interest (working for a suspension company) but that is the clearest and most logical argument I've heard on the subject for a long time. Ever since the dawn of the bicycle we've been looking for lighter wheels. Everybody, from road racers to DH racers ride the lightest wheel they can get away with. I get the advantages of a bigger wheel but, if you really want to do smooth the trails out, better suspension will get you further than a slightly bigger wheel.

I am by no means a fan of Chris Porter but I have to agree with that statement. What rarely gets mentioned is that mountain biking is a sport of constant acceleration and deceleration- a situation where the lightest (26) and quickest accelerating (26) wheels will be best (even for the average weekend mincer).

It is rare to have long stretches of road or fireroad in MTB where a constant velocity is maintained... more often than not the trail conditions, even on an extended stretch that looks to be a constant gradient, require change of direction around a pot hole/ deep patch of mud/ corner/ whatever, then accelerate on again etc. MTB is far less controlled than road riding.

If you watch enduro or XC racing for example the top guys rarely hold a constant speed for any real length of time. It's all about constant acceleration and deceleration where a larger wheel will always struggle (comparatively speaking)

Only on STW can £2.5k for a push bike considered a "bargain"....

Loving the "adjustable wheels" suggestion 🙂

there are arguments for 29ers and against 29ers and the same for the other 2 wheel sizes, but at the end of the day when all is said and done 29ers look f---ing ridiculous on anything other than an xl frame.there thats solved that argument

If you want a 26 inch wheel bike, get it. And if later you feel you should have bought a 650b bike, just write 650b on the tyres in massive letters in tippex. Nobody will ever know the difference. (there's a reason the logos are so damn massive- 4.5% difference in wheel size, but 50% increase in font size so you know about it)

Think you'll be waiting longer then 3 years as most riders (outside the STW bubble) want the latest thing which is 650b.

Exactly what I said. Within 3 years the latest craze will not be 650b, it will be the re-invention of 26".

Exactly what I said. Within 3 years the latest craze will not be 650b, it will be the re-invention of 26".

No chance. They would not spend so much money changing the rules just to change them back again. Like it or not, 650b is now the standard size wheel for most bikes. 26" and 29" will have a place but 650b will be what most bikes have. The powers that be have decided and they don't care what a handful of people on here think.

I'm not saying it's right, I don't have 650b and don't think it's the best thing since sliced bread and would prefer people to be able to make their own choice instead of having 'standards' forced on them but it is what it is and isn't changing.

I didn't ask for tapered steerers so I can't get decent forks for my 1 1/8th, I didn't ask for 15mm to become the standard when I was running 20mm front wheels, I didn't ask for 30.9/31.6 seat tubes when all my bikes had 27.2. It still happened though and the world didn't stop turning. Add 650b to that list.

No chance. They would not spend so much money changing the rules just to change them back again. Like it or not, 650b is now the standard size wheel for most bikes. 26" and 29" will have a place but 650b will be what most bikes have. The powers that be have decided and they don't care what a handful of people on here think

That's not how capitalism works though. It's not the producer that gets to decide what the market wants. Of course they can try to influence the market. That's what marketing departments are for. But if there is a demand for 26" bikes then the the manufacturers will satisfy that demand (or lose sales).

All the examples you gave are things that, for whatever reason, the market accepted. Maybe it will accept 650b too, but it's too early to tell just yet.

But if there is a demand for 26" bikes then the the manufacturers will satisfy that demand

That's exactly the point though, I don't see any huge movement against 650b or that many people demanding 26ers. Yes, there's some grumpy threads on here but how many of these people were actually going to buy a new bike but have decided against now? Of those that have, how many will never get a new bike ever again in protest? My bet is that they'll be grumpy while it's fashionable on here to do so then in a year or two get a 650b.

As mentioned before, if the margins are so slim between 650b and 26" why would any one buying a full bike care? I have no proof but imagine the market for frame only sales will be tiny compared to full bikes so not worth worrying about for the big boys and the big boys will always dictate the market.

Looking closer to home, even the outraged threads on here have slowed right down so I if the STW Hit Squad can't maintain their outrage for more then a few months then I'm afraid there's no hope.

Just to be clear, I'm not particularly fussed whether 650b becomes the dominant wheel size or not. For the sort of mincing around that I do, wheel size (even 26 vs 29) makes precious little different. I'm just surprised that anybody can be so confident in predicting the future. All it would take to stimulate demand for 26" bikes again are a few high profile people to say they prefer 26" or a few high profile wins, or a few magazine articles telling us that the smaller wheel is more fun or any one of a mass of other plausible scenarios. None of that may happen, of course. I don't know, but I suspect that nobody else does either.

roverpig - Member

Just to be clear, I'm not particularly fussed whether 650b becomes the dominant wheel size or not. For the sort of mincing around that I do, wheel size (even 26 vs 29) makes precious little different. I'm just surprised that anybody can be so confident in predicting the future. All it would take to stimulate demand for 26" bikes again are a few high profile people to say they prefer 26" or a few high profile wins, or a few magazine articles telling us that the smaller wheel is more fun or any one of a mass of other plausible scenarios. None of that may happen, of course. I don't know, but I suspect that nobody else does either.

I'm with you when it comes to not being fussed. If and when I get a new bike I'll have a look what's around.

I also agree with your points but just can't see any thing other then what's being pushed. High profile riders will ride the bikes their sponsor wants them to, which means high profile wins for 26" will be thin on the ground. Even if a rider wanted a 26" option, how many sponsors are actually making that option this year? As for the mags, I don't think I've ever seen them go against what the industry is pushing and seem fully onboard with 650b.

It seems it'll be 26" for DH (for the time being), 29er for cross country and 650b for everything else. I could be wrong as I'm no expert but I'd be confident betting against 26" coming back as the 'everything else' size any time soon and I'm not a betting man. I just can't see there being a demand for it. How many of those that grumble on here have done anything other then grumble?