Patrick, I didn't want to make it too complicated. IME, a 29er hardtail will "slow down and smooth out" any given trail from a subjective perspective compared to a 26er. This means tha for a beginner, it will be easier and less scary to learn the appropriate skills, have fun while doing so and get a potentially less "threatening" or "scary" experience in the process.
The 29er wheels will also roll over obstacles more smoothly than the 26er wheels. All these elements combined make the learning curve feel easier and more fun, IMO. For an experienced rider, a 26er may be more fun as it's more agile and feels quick, although that again will be a subjective preference. I haven't ridden any 29er hardtails to compare them to my DS 26er long teavel trail bike, but when I rode my Bombadil the first time as a mountain bike I had so much fun I couldn't wipe the grin off my face. I'm pretty sure the feeling will be very similar riding any Rivendell off road beyond flat gravel trails. The point I was trying to make was that IMO, a 29er will be a better choice for a beginner mountain biker and he/she will get a better package for the same amount of money that would buy a lesser dual suspension package. Smaller beginner riders may have the wheel overlap issue which may negate all these advantages for them. My son rides a 15" Specialized Rockhopper 29er and has no issues at all with toe/wheel overlap on that bike. He is of average height for a 12 year old. YMMV, Rene Sent from my iPhone 4 On Aug 9, 2011, at 12:16 PM, Patrick in VT <[email protected]> wrote: > On Aug 9, 12:11 pm, René Sterental <[email protected]> wrote: >> The big wheels have given him a sense of stability, the confidence to know >> that he >> can roll over pretty much anything that is still cross-country and has >> enabled him to acquire much better riding skills. > > so he didn't try a 26er? afterall, 26inch is bigger than 24inch. i > still don't understand what wheelsize has to do with riding skills or > stability. lots of touring bikes use 26 inch wheels. are they > unstable? > >> Maybe on a dual suspension 26er the experience would have been >> similar. > > if wheels size is the issue, why would 26er, regardless of suspension, > be similar? you say big wheels lead to a "sense" of stability, not > suspension. > >> I've been mountain biking since 1999, first with hardtails, then with >> DS bikes with progressively more travel, but my eyes were opened to >> the wonders of the larger wheels when I first mountain biked with my >> Bombadil. > > is the geometry of the Bombadil comparable to modern MTBs? > >> With the 29er wheels and fat tires, you really can do away without >> suspension and recover a lot of the pure fun that seems to have gotten >> lost with the super technical dual suspension bikes that call for >> higher speeds and/or gnarlier groomed trails to "have fun". > > i'd say the same about 26ers and fat tires. > >> Many of the trails where it's legal to mountain bike in the SF Bay >> Area are groomed and keep getting "sanitized" to make them easier and >> safer (and reduce liability) so they become boring to ride for expert >> riders. Riding them on the Hunqapillar or any other unsuspended 29er >> makes them a lot if fun to ride again. > > again, why wouldn't an unsuspended 26er be just as much fun? > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "RBW Owners Bunch" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en.
