 You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
S'cuse me if it's been done recently but I'd be keen to hear what the consensus is about us little people on 29ers. I'm 5'7" with a 29" inseam.
What I'm reading about the Spesh Camber Evo sounds like just the thing for what I do and where I go, will the joys of the big wheels be wasted on me.
Its not a problem, my partner is 5ft2 and loons around on an xs niner
I'm probably a similar size and ride a medium transition smuggler it doesn't feel like a big wheeled bike to me
I'm on a small but long 29er hardtail and I'm only 5ft 7".
I'm 5'7 1/2" and on a med 29er.
5'7 isn't short anyway 😉
5ft 8in and 30in inside leg here - happily riding a couple of medium 29ers.
Would prefer the large frame on one of them TBH.
I'm 5'8''-9'' with a 30'' inseam and ride all medium 29ers.
There is no way I'd be comfy on anything smaller than medium.
Really depends on what you want to do with it...
5'8" here & regular bike is a Niner HT, & it feels perfect. (About as perfect a bike as I've ever ridden). FS is a 27.5" though, as I just feels more in control if really pushing it. Tried a 29" FS for XC & it was spot on, really fast, but wouldn't be my first choice for somewhere like Bike Park Wales.
mate is 5'7 and just went from a 26 whyte carbon FS to a camber evo 29er. He loves it and is quicker everywhere, only noticed its a bit harder to manhandle in tight twisty stuff but there isnt much of that around here anyway.
I'm 5'6 with a 30 leg and ive ridden his 17.5" trek stache a couple of times. Completely changed my mind about 29ers for my size on our local stuff, so much so that im tempted to change my soul for one. My FS is a bandit 275 which does feel perfect though.
Currently got a Kinesis FF29 frame for sale in small if anyone is interested. Was my GF's, didn't get much use before we realised that at 5ft8, it's actually a bit small for her. She now rides a 17" Stanton Sherpa which is spot on for her size wise.
I'm 5'9" with a 30" leg and I went from a large frame 26er Cape Wrath to a large 29er Charge Cooker. At first it felt like my riding my Dad's bike when I was a kid, and handled like a canal barge. I've been on it for a year and just recently re-built the old 26er back up as a winter bike, now it feels too small, and really slow. The 29er might be harder to ride but you'll get there a lot quicker. As @tazzymtb said above you will loom, which can be fun. The main downside is anything too technical isn't as fun/possible for a crap rider like me.
5ft 9 ish with 30" leg here too and have a 16" scandal 29er. In all honesty I need an 18" as its a bit too small but being a mk 1 scandal I am waiting for a similar 18" to turn up.
When I was selling my large Spesh Carve, the buyer pulled out, so my son (5'9ish and 31"leg) begged to borrow it for a couple of rides as it was so much better spec than his Hardrock Disc. He ended up talking me into letting him keep it and the HR got sold instead. Even though it isn;t really aimed at the type of riding he likes, he just loves the speed and stability it gives.
OK folks thanks for the feedback, glad to hear such a positive response to this idea. So now if anyone is selling such a machine or can point me to an outstanding deal from a retailer......