Technically Speaking Just Go Ride
Look at that, 26", 26", 29", all co-exhisting on one tailgate.
The issue of wheel size and mountain bikes is cropping up once again. In a sense it had never left, but the talk had started to die down a touch now that manufacturers have been producing 29ers that handle well. This year the debate was opened up again with many manufacturers offering the 650b wheel size.
Okay maybe a lot of the online talk is for different reasons than the actual wheel sizing. The media needs to have something to write about, so what better than stirring up the waters with their sometimes educated, sometimes uneducated views. People on forums rant, rave and occasionally get downright insulting when discussing the topic, but that seems to be the flow of the forum anyways no matter what they are chatting about. In the end it is probably just a fun way to kill time for most. When I worked in a bike shop we always had debates among the staff about different parts, what you should be using, the pros and cons of wide bars vs. narrow etc. It made for fun, lively, sometimes beer fuelled discussion, but in the end it meant little and rarely changed our opinions.
Brian Onofrichunk rips up some Pemberton loam on 26" wheels. Betcha he isn't debating the merits of wheel size.
29ers have been with us for several years now and they are generally accepted. Sure when they first came out the frame geometry wasn't quite dialled, and wheel, tire and fork selection was very limited. All things that added to the generally poor handling characteristics of what was then an odd ball bike. But and it's a big but, most who rode and reviewed them did find some positive points. Now that the engineering wizards have caught up and built frames that rip, suspension and wheels are spot on and one can even get rubber that is sticky and made for serious downhill work, not just quickly spinning up a fire road, the 29er has been accepted and is now just another option for one's quiver, not a cause for on trail stares and debate.
With the introduction of the 650b wheel the debate has fired up again and frankly it is a boring one. Why can't people just accept that everyone can like whatever they want. There are advantages and disadvantages to each, whether it be 26", 29" or 650b and we can all choose what we want to have rolling under us.
Though you can't see it the author is smiling while rolling down the steeps of Billy's Epic on his two-niner. Whoever says they are no good for steep, technical riding probably hasn't ridden a well designed 29er frame. Photo: Toby Salin
Lindsay Trimble tries out a 650b wheelset on her Rocky Mountain Element in last year's Nimby Fifty. Would have to say if you can shred the loose, steep and rocky trails of that course then it proves that the wheel size is working.
I guess this really brings us to what I wanted to get across here, I am just frankly sick of all the technical shit in the mountain bike world. All of the big brands are now producing pretty wicked products and most importantly they generally have engineers working for them that know more than most of us laymen do about how to design and build a bike that rips. All the debating of what is good, what isn't good, what is garbage and slinging insults at anyone that doesn't agree with us is taking away from the sport.
Next time you need a part or even a new bike, instead of seeing what everyone online and the media thinks, try walking into your local bike shop and ask what the staff are riding. These are people who have usually dedicated their lives to bikes and with access to pretty much anything on the market you will generally see a trend in what style of bike they're riding, what components are being used (and this means they work and stand up to whatever your local style of riding is), tire selection, etc, etc, etc.
Toby Salin enjoying his 26" wheels in Lillooet. He spends most of his time pedalling with the occasional shuttle and bike park day, owns one bike and is considering a 29er for his next rig.
Make life simple, try a couple bikes out with a couple different tire sizes and see what works for you or do what most of us do and go buy whatever tickles your fancy, if it catches your eye you will probably enjoy it. Instead of all the boring technical talk how about we spend our time riding bikes and maybe talking about how much damn fun we are having out there. Snap some pics, take some video, have fun, share it if you want. That is the sort of stuff that the mountain bike culture is made of, the tech fashion of the week will always die by the wayside as the newest, bestest, next big thing comes out, but the memories of the rides we have, the friends we hang out with and the places a bike takes us will live on, stories for around the campfire that make up the lifestyle that is mountain biking.
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how about....buy a bike....and ride it?
After developing a heart condition that has not allowed me to ride for quite some time, things are VERY clear to me now:
Wheel size or parts mean nothing...
Being able to ride means everything!
34in wheels? Where did you get that from? Show me 34's on the market. Do you mean 24's? And yes, 24's have a massive following even in this era. Low stand over height, full travel, easy and slow turning. I rode 24's for a decade in BMX, and rode a rear 24 in DH MTB for 6 years. Don't judge me for what I like, judge me for how much more fun I had on the trail than you (plus how much more hot chick ass I got during also). You are ranting exactly about what the author told you to STFU about.
Basically, you said it keeps you in a job... no... it doesn't... you being courtious, good bike builder does, not some chum like me who likes weird shit. In the end you have a job because your shop either has a top notch reputation, or your a sleezy salesman... not because you built a 1 off weird job for 1 dude. Sales and jobs go over many people coming in, not one. If he bought a 50,000$ bike then that would cover your job for maybe a few months. The fact you talk like you do mean your another brainless tech that knows how to put something together in a decent mannar, but doesn't truly give a shit about the customer. Ultimately reflecting on your shop you work for.
You don't like 29in wheels, or 27ish wheels, what if I were to say... you riding 26's made you a lamer because 24's are twice as strong. Or that you can't get enough speed to clear a gap so you had to go to 26's, or more.
What if I told you my bikes will last 20 years longer than yours? Don't like the finger pointing game no more do ya.
After all i think manufacturers should be concentrate how to creat lighter, but still reliable gearboxes becouse the failure of the bikes is about 60% becouse of the snapped chain, or deralleur crashes in the trail. I would also change the handlebar clamp to wider becouse lots of handlebar becomes dead after just a single crash - winder clamp side would be stiffer and also prevents more in a crash (like Thomson and Easton did). But there are a lot of other way that can make our much loved bikes more reliable and stronger. I don't think 29 inch wheels is bad for xc, but i know it will limits the market that already has high prices.
But whatever...... Just go ride! You are dead right on that account! Ride, ride, and ride some more. :-)
This was a confusing article to read, author talks about how it was fun to debate about products when he worked at a shop, but now he doesn't want us to debate tech stuff? That's not fair, cause debating this stuff is fun! Not as much fun as riding, but it helps fuel the passion. And quite often, people do change their mind about stuff cause of the debates...especially if they are debating me. No, but there is a clear value to it, and even in hating on stuff. There is a good book called The Power of Pessimism, talks about how alot of progress actually comes from negativity.
If mountain biking is your main passion, you have no wife or kids, and some free time, you can't just let it stop once the ride ends. I love the ride, but I also love the bike, the trails, and the companies that try to improve the bike. There needs to be debates to keep the manufacturers in check, and to compare ideas and experiences, and the internet is the best place to do it, not on the trail.
The 29er debate sucked because 29ers suck and the 29er people claimed they were taking over everything when in fact they have taken over nothing, but the 650b debate is REAL. Those bikes are fun and fast.
Keep on hating, keep on debating, then go enjoy the ride!
I purely buy for looks... the usefulness just simply comes along with it... LOL
That said, I'm glad you are who you are and make a point to make sure the rider get's what's good for him or her. But (!!!!) you are the exception! A precious one too! Where I live, of the 4 shops I've been in, only ONE doesn't try to steer me into crap based on what they sell and what they perceive to be popular in the area. One even did a shoddy job on a bike build then blamed it on the frame being used while trying to get me to buy more expensive crap I didn't need.
That said, I'm still sorry I offended you, but the statement stands. Most shops STILL suck, but you are obviously one of those gems that I would keep coming back to week after week.
Also, "impress"... it's the internet. LOL. If someone wants to "impress" online, they really need to get some friends. Maybe a g/f, and start partying and having fun.
"impressing" online is just about the lamest thing I've ever heard of.