[Closed] Do folks still build up old bikes with 26" wheels?

Yep. And it's getting harder to find decent bits.

ive sold a 26" bike and some 9sp stuff recently. Had to sell it very cheap but it's better than sitting in my shed, someone got some good stuff for a bargain and we get to go on a trip with the cash.

So, get it advertised, just be sensible with the price I reckon.

Yeah, a quick gander at BPW buses at the weekend (I'm such a bike nerd) that about half the bikes on the trailers were 26".

I don't think there are many '26 for life' people left who are actively trying to stay 26, but if it's cheap someone will buy it - that's the best thing about 26" bikes - they're just as fun to ride as they were in 2013, but now you can build up nice, fun to ride bikes for very little.

pre-650b times.

they're just as fun to ride as they were in 2013

My sentiments exactly rob

[IMG] [/IMG]

Absolutely yes. I have a brand new 26 frame from 2012 still in the wrapper that I will get round to building, I have been considering chopping it in for a Soul of the same vintage - was miffed to miss one from an STWer outbid in tje last 30 seconds 🙁

As an aside I have 2 26 bikes one with forks from 2006 plus lots of bits. Never for 1 second have I thought that a chnage to 275 woukd make the slightest difference. IMO the industry tired it on with 29 and where too embarrased to go back to 26

pre-650b times.

Am i missing something here or don't 26" bikes work anymore.What a load of bull crap.

I think all the op means is in the time before the industry decided it wasn't going to make a decent volume of 26" stuff at the top end any more and before the second hand market bombed. There are great deals to be had I reckon.

I'm stringing as much life as I can out of the 3 x 26rs we have between us. But I also love my gate of a 29r too.

As for the op I'd rather give away than scrap but that's just me.

Stick it up in the classifieds, plenty of people still riding 26's! My 29er is in Turkey atm, and I took my old 26" hard tail jump bike around Cannock Chase centre the other day, following some mates on full sus 650b bikes, and had an absolute laugh! Certainly not the best XC bike, but I still love owning it, and I'm fit enough to have left them for dead on the ups!

no reason why you can't stick a 27.5 fork on the front and away you go, unless you're stuck with a 1 1/8th headset, in which case your choice will be reduced. at the point at which that 1 1/8th steerer fork becomes too pricey is when you move on, non?
so long as i can resist shiney shiney, and don't bend them, i'm pretty sure my chameleon and five will last a goodly while yet.

I have 2 26ers , fit me fine , use one for bike packing and the other is a 853 SS on-one, not sure the extra 1.5 inchs will change anything so will keep riding as long as i can get bits to fit, all my other bikes are 700c road and adventure bikes

After trying fatbikes and steel 29ers I go back to my 456 evo carbon. Its superlight, fast up and down, manouverable, all day comfortable accelerates better, lighter over gates, and most importantly instantly just friggin fun to ride. Its night and day to me. After riding 30 years I'm not sure if its my brain calibration and sub conscious muscle memory.

Its got a tapered headtube, but just lacks bolt throughs to be fully uptodate. Plan to upgrade it with some wider wtb kom rims, to hep it corner.

When you look on Chain Reaction, now in 2016 there are still more wheels and forks to choose from in 26 than any other size, and its cheaper to boot. You can put a very very good bike together thesedays in 26. I'd be more concerned with getting the 29 bits actually in a few years.

Tip? Good god man! Throwing perfectly good bikes away?! Not every MTBer is a flash Audi driving bike tart!

A 5 is a great bike, 'even' in 26 form, I'm sure plenty of people would love a frame that capable at a bargain price. Have some perspective!

I sold a very well used but sound 2007 5 last year for £150. Only because I also have a Patriot which is 26 and still ridden a lot and still bloody brilliant.

cotic is awaiting another batch of the 26" bfe...
and the "fast red" frames are already sold out just by preorders..
😀

Only asking as I'm trying to figure out whether to put an old Sub5 with a 5th element coil on the classifieds or the tip.

reading the OP shocker coming up...

I'd chuck it in the classifieds for best offers.

Skipping the sweeping generalisations picking up used bikes is about 3 things
Condition
Compatibility
Desire

Orange Sub 5 - must be at least 12 years old? 5th Element? No spares or service and a coil on a short travel XC bike
Overall (for me) 2/10
Compatibility - 1 1/8th forks only everything else is fine 6/10 (forks are really important)
Desire - 0/10 for me, demo'd one and hated it

Somewhere somebody will want one, just it might only be one person. It really depends how much hassle you want in your life. Selling means postage, dealing with people etc.

To get rid try ebay but again if it goes for 50 quid is it worth it?

To get rid try ebay but again if it goes for 50 quid is it worth it?

Compared to what, throwing it away. Of course it is worth it and of course it will sell for more than £50.

Put on eBay, local pickup only, buy it now with immediate payment and just wait. Not exactly a lot of hassle.

Compared to what, throwing it away. Of course it is worth it and of course it will sell for more than £50.

OK
Full bike - asking 200 - 0 Bids
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Orange-Sub-5-Frame-With-RP23-Shock-And-Chris-King-Headset-/191866399344?hash=item2cac20ea70:g:ijIAAOSw~oFXKLAM
Seller ended - no price
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Orange-Sub-5-Mountain-Bike-/162057065192?hash=item25bb5a92e8:g:G~IAAOSwiYFXE4~T
Full bike asking 250 - 0 bids
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ORANGE-SUB5-Special-Edition-Full-Suspension-/252330239160?hash=item3ac00de4b8%3Ag%3Ao1sAAOSwZ8ZW5dmE&nma=true&si=vJE4cc1d%252B%252BddJl9aqmgC7ZZY%252FUE%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
Full bike with some salvageable gear on it 4 bids 395
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Orange-Sub-5-Frame-/111937182865?hash=item1a0ff9dc91:g:44YAAOSwr7ZW6A3p
Frame with working shock 106 quid so yeah maybe more than 50, wouldn't expect to clear more than 100, knock off ebay fee's, relist fee's and all that and yeah is it worth the time? More of a question for the OP really.

Failing that donate it to one of the bike recycle charities.

I actually bought a brand new frame this year and it's a 26" one, rides spot on!

I'm considering getting a new 26" cos I want a rohloff and the gearing restriction is a bit tough on larger wheels.

My newest bike was made in 2001. I still think of it as my 'new' bike.

I ride a 26 and when I get to the bottom of an ace descent I'm smiling like a loon. If I were riding a 650 or 29 would my smile be any bigger?! Answer: wif.

thecaptain I think they have relaxed the lowest gearing restriction with the advent of 29 wheels. I could in theory lower it on my 26 currently 40x16 to 40x17 but it's already really low. I'm looking at frame options and the biggest restriction after chain tensioning with nothing dangly is rear hub spacing. The gearing itself I don't think would be an issue.

I'm about to dismantle my 26" Global titanium hardtail and I'm pretty confident I'll get a good price for the frame at least. The Hope brakes are fine and will sell, as should the wheels with discs. The rest of the kit is unfashionable triple chainset etc. and should go on Ebay to somebody who wants good quality and well-loved bits. It's only the sorry fashion victims who will turn up their noses.

avdave2, sorry should have mentioned it's a tandem where the 2.5 ratio still applies. I'm already undercutting that with 38/16 on another 26" rohloff tandem and would not want to go any higher. Which would mean about 2.1 on a 29" I think (depending on tyres etc). Perhaps we'd be ok with that (not hugely heavy), but it's a bit of a risk for a new bike.

I guess then you'll just need a fitter stoker 🙂

you'd better hope she doesn't read this thread 🙂

Yep, got a Bfe frame on the way ( Red ) so will be building that up with parts from an old FS that doesn't get used anymore. TBH looking forward to building it then giving it a damn got thrashing 🙂

Ebay or the Orange Riders group on FB for your Sub5.

Some mug will give you good money for it.

😉

I built up a Pipedream Sirius about 7yrs ago. Hope ProII, Chris King, RS Reba, XT & XTR. Quite a nice bike. Unfortunately i snapped part of my knee and it resulted in the bike only being used for about 12mths before it was mothballed. Its sat there practically unused since.

My 13yr old son has asked if he can use it but unfortunately i have let the seatpost become stuck in the seat tube. Its ruined the frame and post.

Have a onone Inbred arriving this week to build him up a nice little 26" hardtail which will do everything his mates 650b or whatever they go by these days. He's desperate for the frame to land so i can build it up for him.

So yes, we still build 26" bikes 🙂

to the classifieds it is then. Thanks for the inspiring 26" comments. Would have felt uncomfortable taking it to the recycling centre.

I built up a new 26 about three years ago - custom frame that I'd had on order for over a year. All the parts are available new even NOW; including 1/1/8th forks, UST tyres and rims - just that you have to order them. Fox emailed me just a few months back, and said they've no intention of stopping production of 1/18th forks, Mavic produce the latest 819 asymmetric rims in 26...and I could go on. It won't get any easier to get the parts in the future unless, there is a renaissance? It could happen.......

Oh, and it's my favourite bike and I rarely feel outdone by the smaller wheel! In fact I think it has the edge in a lot of situations.

I was given a 29er frame recently, and without wanting to sound ungrateful I would have preferred a 26er because to build this one up I'll need to buy forks & wheels when I have perfectly good 26" stuff sitting in the garage.

As fork headset size is an age thing and nothing to do with 26" wheels (as you can easily use a 650B fork) the only really specific 26" wheel thing is the tyre and rim.

Good to see Stan's putting out their new wide Flow MK3 rim in 26" (current wide approach but with 'old' 26 size) although also bad as it means I will have to pay out for some new rims and spokes as I was after a wider rim but never had an option to buy them.

I love my 26" big and will never change it but if it got stolen I would buy a 650B because that is where the choices are now. As 26" is a used market thing that market will eventually get smaller and smaller unfortunately.

[url= https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7168/27412132481_bd0214f17b_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7168/27412132481_bd0214f17b_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/HLjkXP ]2016-06-05_08-25-24[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/85252658@N05/ ]davetheblade[/url], on Flickr

2 of these are 26" and no intention of either of them going to the tip. The Kona will remain my pub bike and the Enduro - will never be able to sell it for what it's worth to me, so forks (1" 1/8 steerer), stem, bars, Hope brakes, KS Lev dropper will probably be put on a Privee Shan frame. The forks will take a 650b wheel and I can get a headset reducer. I might even use the 26" wheels with a PP hanger kit to keep costs down until I can afford some new hoops

I built up a 2008 Alpitude a couple of years ago to use out here in Greece. With Marzocchi 55's with Avalanche damper and a -1 degree headset it's pretty much the dogs bollox for what I do. The only fault is the BB is a bit higher than I'd like but apart from that it's not at all bad - and I can't afford a PP Shan frame anyway......

Bought two 26 ers in the last two years

Reasonably priced for a lot of bike and I have all the bits required.

IMHO you could take the wheels of a 650 b and replace with 26 and the owners would not notice as its so marginal

I wanted to teach myself to build a bike, so chose an Inbred as the parts for a 26er seemed cheaper (£180 for a Pushloc Reba for example). Also got a four year old Ghost full sus 26er which I have replaced and fixed up rather than buy a new bike.

I kind of figured that if I point my bike down a hill it'll be fun whatever I'm riding and I can't see that a minor increase in wheel size is going to make that much difference to someone with my skills.

Besides, me and the Ghost, we've got memories. All those little scuffs and dinks from far flung corners of this island. I can't quite bring myself to move on yet. 🙂

Yes - just built one, gonna build another when I have sold enough old junk (I have sold 4 frames in the last two months and have crates of parts) to buy a 1x11 XT groupset for it.

The only issues I can see are -

(1) I love fox forks and in future it'll be "order and pay RRP" not "pick up discounted set" as you can with 650b.

(2) 27.2 Thomson droppers are expensive (but I just picked up one for a bit under £200 - used but impossible to tell by looking at it).

One day I might decide that it is too expensive to continue with 26", but I can't see it.

FWIW - I am not a total stuck in the mud - I do ride 650b too.

Also FWIW - I REALLY can't see why a 5'2" rider - possibly male, more likely female - would want to ride a bike so out of proportion to their body. I'm best part of 6' and 26" feels in proportion to me. Are all the top bods in the industry 6'7" and that explains why they can't work out why we don't all love 29ers?

I've just sold a 26" Spicy. The guy got a bargain.(I sold it because I don't ride like that).

Have also just bought forks for my son's next bike (which will be a small 456 when he grows out of his 14" Kona) and have just serviced the headset on my 26" Soul.

So - yes.

Oh yes, PGP: you've seen my lovely Blue Pig - I rode it on that skills course at Gisburn.

[b]or the tip.[/b]

never ever this, ever.

Either take it to a local bike project, or find a local kid to give it to, but never just scrap a working bike or decent frame with potential to be built up, there are people and charities that would bite your hand off for that kind of thing.

Sticking with 26" here, in fact the only bike out of my five I am not feeling the love for is my first foray into 29er land which on paper ought to be perfect for me, but then again I still like 2x9's & 3x9's & sub 700mm wide bars so what do I know.

Just bought a second hand Stumpy Evo 26er and I love it.
I don't think an extra inch and a half makes any difference (unless you're a porn star).
Marketing BS which seems to have reeled everyone in.

I still find 26" great on technical and twisty sections while 29" is sluggish to turn.

On plain track, 29" is faster and can roll better.

Frankenstein - you've nailed it for me.

26" is fun and nimble. If you want to ride faster on rides that aren't particularly fun then get bigger wheels. If you prefer twisty and aren't in a race then what's the point?

My first full sus is my first non-26" is my first 650b. The full sus means I feel less beat up at the end of a ride (a good thing!). The 650b makes me slightly faster - who gives a %*&£?

As things stand my next purchase is likely to be a cheap second hand 26" full sus... if I end up liking it I'll be semi-gutted at spending the best part of £2.5k on my newest bike. Not properly gutted cos I do love her!

Personally I don't notice any difference between my 26" & 27" wheels

Started building an recently purchased Ebay Vitus full suss for my 12 year old from a Trek Liquid I had yesterday,been in garage 7 years not used,been busy buying/machining all day as not ,much is a straight swap, going to end up costly!!!

Also FWIW - I REALLY can't see why a 5'2" rider - possibly male, more likely female - would want to ride a bike so out of proportion to their body. I'm best part of 6' and 26" feels in proportion to me. Are all the top bods in the industry 6'7" and that explains why they can't work out why we don't all love 29ers?

Mike

Why do kids bikes have 12" then 14" then 18" then 20" then 24" wheels? Why don't eight year olds (or five year olds for that matter) get straight on a 26er (or a 29er for that matter?)

Surely the smaller you are the more cumbersome large wheels are?

Why do adult BMXer get the piss ripped out of them for riding kids bike is its not that the wheels are not in proportion to the person riding it (Bromptons etc are the exeptions that prove the rule as you get massively odd shaped bikes which make compromises in order to acheive a certain feature (foldability))?

Why do most adult road bikes have 700c wheels but they make ones 650c front a rear for smaller women?

Surely the smaller you are the more cumbersome large wheels are?

My point is that - whilst I can see why a smaller rider would rider big wheels for rolling properties and speed, and a bigger rider would ride small wheels for fun, surely there is a basic rule that the bigger you are the bigger wheels fit you better and vice versa?

surely there is a basic rule that the bigger you are the bigger wheels fit you better and vice versa?

Why do kids bikes have 12" then 14" then 18" then 20" then 24" wheels? Why don't eight year olds (or five year olds for that matter) get straight on a 26er (or a 29er for that matter?)

Surely the smaller you are the more cumbersome large wheels are?

It's called received wisdom and abounds in all areas of life and thinking. It is passed on belief that when you actually look for the tested evidence to back it up you simply can't find it.

Cooking pasta you leave the lid off. Why? Yes i know it can be tricky to get a perfect setting to stop it boiling over but try and find any explanation as to how it affects the end result. I haven't been able to, it seems its just the same old thing passed on and on with no one stopping to say why.

So when someone tells you a "thing" ask them why.

God forbid you'd see an adult on a BMX

Wheel size for bike purpose innit, not wheel size for person size (although I'll admit 29'ers probs don't suit hobbits)

But there are genuine wheelsize packing issues for the very small (kids and adults), on road and MTB, especially at the front end in terms of fitting a 'big' front wheel in front of the riders feet without having to deal with massive toe overlap or kinked geometry to accommodate it.

Same with getting bars at the right height when using big wheels (worse with bouncy forks), you end up with teeny tiny headtubes and massively negative angle stems.

I'm not saying you can't make it all fit (look at Batty for example) but there are compromises that have to be made, sometimes they're worth it for a particular benefit, and sometimes not, sometimes a smaller wheel is the better option if it gets round a load of other issues with fit or geo.

As always, it's nice to have the choice, but it's not so nice to have the choice dictated to you by someone else.

Havent got any picture hosting but just built up

16" On One Inbred White Frame
26" Hope ProII Wheelset
HTII XT Chainset with E13 Bash
XTR Rear Mech
XT Front Mech
LX Shifter
Avid Juicy 5 Brakes
Charge Saddle
RS Rebas SL forks
Raceface bars
Lock On Grips

Most of the gear is off my own bike which was redundant. Have really enjoyed building it for my 13yr old son. Finish it off tonight when i adjust the gears etc. He is chomping at the bit to get it.

Not a bad first proper mountain bike for him and he has helped build it so now has some understanding of how bikes work.

As always, it's nice to have the choice, but it's not so nice to have the choice dictated to you by someone else.

I just paid good money for a Dialled PA frame, about to sell Zesty carbon frame and Revelation forks.
Yes, some of us do buld up 'old' and are quite happy.

I would echo the general guidance that small riders fit smaller wheels better - but it's down to choice of rider. I would love to see a manufacturer who can make an XS/12.5" framed 29er for 5' rider...

Exhibit A - today's labour, just needing a few extra bits (as ever).
[url= https://c3.staticflickr.com/8/7697/27501581722_b74d7998a4_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://c3.staticflickr.com/8/7697/27501581722_b74d7998a4_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/HUdN77 ]IMG_20160611_145556119[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/matt_outandabout/ ]Matt Robinson[/url], on Flickr

What like somebody telling you what wheel size based on your height?

Exactly that, but it works both ways, like having big wheels forced on you because 'we can make it fit' rather than being given the option to pick based on which compromises/benefits are important to you personally.

I'm all for the choice, big or small, and choose based on preferences and characteristics you want.

I have a 26" kili flyer hardtail for rufty tufty stuff and a cannondale 29er for long XC days. Don't see the point in 27.5 for what I do. Each to their own I suppose.

Finally got round to bleeding the brakes on my yet to be ridden Orange P7. Picked the frame up cheap off eBay last year. Can't wait to ride it.

Just finishing off my 26er race bike. What's not to like???
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