If you're easily upset by the relentless encroachment of big wheels, then 2016 could be a bad year for you as the good old wagon wheelin' 29er is set to make a come back, this time as a lower, slacker and far more playful machine. Evil Bikes took a punt on this and got the ball rolling with their hugely popular The Following, which has been turning heads and dropping jaws since it first appeared earlier this year.
So what can we expect to see next? Well, over the coming months we will most certainly start to see more and more brands (trust us on this one) releasing similar chassis - like Nukeproof for example - all of which aimed to amplify what a 29er can really do when accompanied by some progressive geometry. While they won't be for everyone, they do represent a shift in the way 29" wheels are perceived. In the meantime lets start the stereotype bashing with the PNW's Luke Strobel as he shows us what these machines are capable of...
The race is one of the North West Cups I believe and you can watch them on mtbmania.com . Its a pretty fun site I would watch these between WC races to get my fix.
Get him to come to the UK and race the bds on it.... No offence but he would have a much harder race. That track was wide open. I bet it doesn't fare as well in the Welsh woods...... Just my
26" is the stupidest thing ever. Zero rollover, zero traction, zero stability, and your handlebar is like a mile away from your wheel. IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE!!!
Hahaha, what a load of bollocks - A 6" 29er is too big for BDS but a frickin modern DH bike with 2-ply tyres, 63 head angle and 1200+ wheelbase isn't. Drop it baby... Like a Catholic preacher talking about downsides of shagging
I think I remember a road bike and a frenchie airing out A-Line this summer. good riders shred on any bike, bad riders (like myself) get hung up on wheel size and forks,
I was thinking the same thing too, tons of cameras.... I thought, "This must be a parody 29er commercial, thats why it has so many cameras." at least i did for the first few seconds... they need to get these guys to cover WC and EWS ASAP!!!!!!!!
And whenever somebody eyes mine, I say: "It is a bike with slightly smaller wheels. They used to come like this ā until the industry went NUTS. By the way, does yours have this boost thing they are talking about now?"
Don't knock them till you try one. I was a hater until I had a go on a specialized enduro 29er and boy was it fun 160mm of travel 430mm chain stays very playful and lively
I'm seriously contemplating one of the next-gen 29'ers (Evil Following, Wreckoning, etc)! Question for folks that like them: how tall are you? I'm only 5 '8" with a 30" inseam and my concerns are:
a: don't wanna be stuck with a clown bike that looks goofy b: when riding super steep trails, how often do you get buzzed by the rear tire when leaning way back?
Thanks for insights! BTW - how tall is Strobel? He looks pretty comfy on that 29'er.
@jaydubmah I'm 5'7 and loved my 29er, have since swapped to a 650 though and definitely notice it is less awkward feeling through technical stuff. I've never been buzzed by the rear tire no matter what the size...
I made the switch to an Enduro 29 after riding one for a day. Love it, hands down awesome all the time! I'm 5'8" and never feel like the bike is big/ getting buzzed by the rear tire. Also, about the people commenting about cracks in the carbon frame...I have 2 friends that have the full carbon version. They haven't had any problems at all. They both weigh probably 100lbs more than me and huck the bike off anything. Direct message me if you have any more questions.
Bought an Evil Following a few months ago and haven't looked back. Was on a Trek Slash and the Following dominates in every aspect. Obviously a little less suspension but it handles drops and chunk just as well. Despite all the Evil haters out there, I have been satisfied with their customer service and have had zero issues with the bike. I occasionally get buzzed on the rear tire but overall it's not that much more than a 27.5, I can tell 0 percent difference in descending capability with the 67.5 HT angle of the following compared to the slash 65.5. Go demo a few rides and see what you think, I believe you will be pleasantly surprised
So pinkbike, where's your review of the following? I have one and its rad! Only issue may be slack seat angle on really steep climbs (I'm running 140 so that doesn't help), but the bike does reward out of saddle efforts with very minimal rear suspension action. Delta is rad with its tune. ... Progressive-flat-progressive curve. Monsters trucks stuff, feels poppy n playful, and much deeper than 120 rear. Quick turning bike, even slacked out by 140 fork!
@jaydubmah I'm 6'0", bought a large and it fits perfect. When I first rode the bike the cockpit felt a bit small but that was because of the 35mm stem it comes equipped with, I quickly got use to the feel and really like it now, manuals and wheelies rather easy. I also was not able to demo prior to purchasing, I just read a ton and compared geometry to bikes that I have ridden, this bike is insanely fun down hill. @tblore It pedals uphill pretty good, the bike comes with maxxis minion f&r which are slow rollers. I swapped those out for some Nobby Nics snakeskin which are a little weak for my taste but roll considerably better. I have ridden an S-Works Enduro 29 which pedaled comparable (maybe slightly better than) the Following. However, the S-Works was lighter and had carbon wheels which obviously factors in. As far as descending, the Enduro 29 and Following are equally fun. I rode the Following down the same trail I demo'ed the Enduro on and they both were ridiculously playful and capable of monster trucking over stuff I couldn't manage as easy on my 650b. I'm running the 130mm Pike and there are very few occasions where I feel like I need more suspension. I have bottomed it out several times on bigger drops but even hammering the bike down rough terrain, it soaks up pretty much everything. Agree with @jrocksdh, the DELTA rear is rad, locks out well for the ascents and feels like much more than 120 on the descents. If you are on an Enduro 29 I wouldn't say the Following is a whole lot different, but for folks going up in a wheel size and want something that climbs well and blows your gord on the descents, the Following is a good bike to take a peek at.
@AirBud: thanks for the info. Been on sworks E29 for 9 months and love it, though I wish it maybe climbed a bit better (lock the Monarch+ - I am already running Nobbic nic for AM, and will order minion 2.5 for DH) and a slacker head option as I'm considering using it as my park bike and sell my dedicated DH bike (26" Glory). Will have to check the Wreckoning (ideal on paper and big fan of DW - had Iron horse then Ibis for years), but it sounds like the Following maybe isn't really a better climber to start with, and 120mm travel is too little for me (would pick an Ibis Ripley LS otherwise as I loved my Mojos over the years).
I will never go back to 26 after riding a fun 29 like the E29 is. I'm 6'3" 205lbs so XL bike make more sense to me anyway...
This article really annoys me. I mean, people need to get with the idea that the rules of how things should be were set a long time ago. We don't need any old hoohaas just thinking they can come along and not play by the same rules as everyone else... 'lets start the stereotype bashing'... Get that apostrophe in there right now!
It's simple. Progressive geo on a 29er? It's just going to track a little harder and roller over things easier. Same benefits a 27.5 was marketed for, but just not to the same extent. There are cons to a 29er but I figure in DH stuff, it's pretty debatable.
Things like gyroscopic weight (which the main issue of a bigger wheel is more of that) is less significant on a DH run, I'd think. The sacrifice that really matters is the travel. Maybe it evens out or works in favor, depending on the terrain and rider. I'd say that's very true.
Personally, I'd take a 27.5+ bike over a 29er in just about any situation. I feel like the extra cushion from the fat tires makes up for a lot of the lost travel, while still having the same wheel size benefits (and then some)
That being said...I have absolutely zero experience on a 27.5+ and barely any on a 29er. But the sizes and their benefits are pretty predictable. So I'm just not very surprised that someone won a competitive DH race, 1st place, on a 29er.
I know, I wish I couldve fixed it but Im not on a computer. It wouldnt let fix stuff from my I phone. I was irritated by my crappy grammar. This is why you shouldnt visit Pinkbike when you first wake up.
I`m riding my 29er Stumpjumper no in the third season (frame replacement approx. every half of a season)...it is by far the best to ride!!!
Did a couple of runs in schladming,Leogang DH, got 13th at the hobby world DH in Saalbach, did the megavalanche with it. It is the perfect allrounder.
Rode a couple of other Bikes (26" Spec Enduro, Ghost Riot, Giant reign, Santa cruz nomad,....) I will stick to my 29er!!! Frame cracked again so will get the 2016 StumpJ! Jej
Just a thought - you might want to dry a different frame material...or maybe work on your line choice. Just a thought. I know lots of kamikaze riders, and none of them go through frames like that.
It's not that he calls it a good bike...it IS a good bike. He just recognizes that. There are people who know the difference between defects and misuse and admit when they are the problem. I know they are rare, but they are out there.
One of my closest regular riding buddies is a destroyer of bikes. Doesn't matter the bike or what it's built for, he'll break it. But he never once has blamed the bike(s). He knows he's at fault.
Before anyone starts yelling bad frame manufacture, please go ride with the gentleman. Some riders are super rough on equipment and somethings got to give. He may be a risk taker who is looking to gap and cut it close even if I means an ugly landing. Lots of variables can cause failure.
I have several friends that ride Specialized 29er Carbon Enduros exclusively. They've all cracked them at one time or another. They all seem to get a hairline crack on the downtube by the bottle mount. Ran into another guy with one on the trail, checked his and sure enough it had the crack there as well. Seem like great bikes otherwise, not sure what the deal is with cracking though. Might be something in the layup, but I'm certainly not a carbon expert.
No offense...but @rafbanax is riding some seriously tough tracks...and I know whenever I ride a long-travel trail bike on a dh track...I always feel like I'm abusing the poor little thing. : )
What is with this rider error crap? You've been force fed a line from bike manufacturers that you believe and are now repeating as if it is a justifiable cause to not warranty something. If you are on your bike riding a mountain, and all the terrain it may have, then you have not committed a 'rider error'. All bike companies know you will be casing gaps and taking big drops to flat. They need to make their bikes durable enough to take that or call them a commuter or hybrid bike. If you don't realize you are approaching a cliff and jump off your bike and send it flying 100ft down a canyon, I would actually consider that rider error. The truth is, if you are riding an XC bike down a DH trail, you will be going much slower anyway and that bike should not crack, although it's pivots and components would certainly wear a lot faster.
Bikes are designed for particular uses. Just to use Spec as an example - the Epic is for light XC, and should NEVER be used on "Enduro" or "AM" type trails. The Stumpjumper is for Trail or AM but should never be used on a downhill type trail. Etc.
Saying that a mountain bike should be able to handle all the terrain on a mountain is like saying a car should be able to drive anywhere. Use common sense. The Stumpjumper is lighter than the Demo for a REASON.
@The Raven I don't know why but i had cracks in my Demo to my Enduro had the same problem Giant went back after a few month because of cracks..... I haven't said that the stumpJ is the right bike for this kind of trails it's just possible to go Downhill and do big gaps with it without any troubles (except the frame). Most of the Endurobikes/Longtravellallmountain what ever.... Wan't be able to withstand the whole season anyway. BTW I have 65 kg and as a WC Mechanic I can say I'm definitely not one of the fastest....
A MOUNTAIN bike should be able to ride a mountain, just like an Off road truck should. A road bike should be able to travel 200 miles on a road like an Accord should be able to drive across country. Granted that if Gwin rode an Epic on a DH course it can break and be no fault of the manufacturer. but if i am. im going 15 mph, not 45 because, you know, Im human. And it shouldn't break. After all, most trails I take for the first time I don't quite k.ow what is in store. I'm not going to take my DH each time I ride something new in case theres a 4ft drop and I can be accused of "rider error".
So my Tahoe Z71 should be able to traverse "Hell's Revenge" with no modifications right? I mean it's an "off road truck" so it should be able to handle anything that's not on the road right?
I dont know what Hells Revenge is, but if Chevy is advertsing as built for that terrain rather than shuttling kids to soccer (as the vast majority of SUVs are sold to do) then yes. If Spesh is saying the Epic can only be ridden on fire roads and non-rocky trails then sure, dont take it down a rough trail, but if they don't then it should handle it. I see more than a few Epics every year at the bike park on the dh trail. i doubt they broke. My Blur XC sure didnt. But I wasnt able to handle it going over a moderate speed in such rough conditions.
I think that the Banshee Prime and Specialized Enduro 29, have been showing people what 29ers are capable of for some time now. All I can say is don't rule out a 29er for your next bike until you have a chance to test one out. It might feel odd for a few corners but once you adapt to the difference, they really can be amazing bikes!
psssttt............ it's an industry conspiracy to settle on 650B first for another 5 years before telling everyone that the holy grail is the 29er. Imagine telling you now and have no larger ridable wheels for the next major bike revolution. I have bikes with all wheel sizes cos I'm not sure which guru tells the truth. I thinks my son's 16er rocks cos it can be used in conjunction with another two 4ers. I got myself covered for the next 10 years!... I hope :')
Except that switching to 29ers makes more sence than switching to 27.5. Switching to 27.5 to me feels like imagine that all frames and forks were made to exactly fit 2.3" tyres, and that suddenly companies switch to only making 2.4" tyres, so you have to replace your frame and fork if you want to buy new non-second hand tyres.
Back in the early spring of 2013 Gwin did an interview with Dirt magazine, where he said for non-dh riding 29ers were the fastest wheel size. I just went back and spend like 15 min trying to find it, but I can't.
650B was a plot to kill both 26 and 29: 650B vs 26 and 650BPlus / 6Fattie / Boost vs 29ers. Btw, they still can't seem to make good geo on many 650Bs. Right after 26 is super light and super stable, it had to die. Right after they dialed 29er geometry, it needs to get rid of via 650BPlus.
Actually, the reason 650b is so popular is that the benefits of 650b (approach angle and contact patch) are closer to 29" wheels, while weight, stiffness, durability, and geometry flexibility are closer to 26" wheels.
I have my pitiful share of experience with all wheel sizes and all I can it is about the whole bike not just the wheel. The best example is putting procore into the tyre which will dramatically change rolling and handling. That graph is a Giant piece of bovine feces. 5% of science, 95% Adobe Illustrator. It assumes a situation eliminating all other variables, that every single thing in the bike will remain the same, but the wheel diameter, which never happens in reality, even in the most favorable circumstances - NEVER
Yes, the wheel chart size is from Giant, it doesn't mean it's not true. I currently own all 3 wheel sizes, and I prefer 27.5 for everything except XC racing. 27.5 rolls over obstacles noticeably more easily than 26, yet they also handle better than 29 and are more durable and lighter. Obviously geometry and everything else makes a big impact too, but some bikes like the Enduro and Scott Spark are now available in both wheel sizes, so you can test out the wheel size differences for yourself with minimal distractions. I have, and I prefer the 27.5 models for the types of riding I do. I hope bike companies continue to make both 27.5 and 29 so riders can choose what works best for themselves.
1+ on that. I now have all wheel sizes as well. Bought a 27.5 Giant Trance and really dig it. If I had to only have one bike I think it would be a 27.5 trail bike. Side note... took the 29er s.s. ridged out today and it was a blast. They all rock.
That graph presents you with a situation where there are 3 paralell universes in which there are 3 Giants Trance 29ers which are exactly the same, the just have different wheels fitted to each one of them. They try to convince you that if you are the one with 27.5 then you are the fastest of them. Bravo! Alternative usages of this graph include: three genetically identical twins running around the woods, each with a different wheel, holding it by the stick put through the hub/ 3 rednecks tossing different wheels removed from bicycles down a hill/ a Priest, a Rabbi and Bill Maher riding unicycles. The only interesting question coming out of it is who rode which wheel. I am switching to 650B, not because of roll over or contact patch but because A - my 26" super bike drops down in value and next year it will be worth nothing, while I want a bike with more travel B - because there are new tyre patterns that will not be available in 27,5"
The difference between Giant Anthem 275 and Anthem X 275 is big. Between Enduro 29 and 275 is dramatic. But the difference between Trance 275 and Trance 29 is like wanking with right vs left hand. And presenting graphs to motivate a wheel choice is one of the dorkiest things out there. The true fool is not the guy with fat wallet having no will for consideration and buying what they tell him. It is the guy who reads tons, yet in the end does exactly as marketing tells him, finally adopting the claims as scientific fact in order to find excuse to make a purchase
Hasn't Tracey Moseley been crushing the EWS with a 29er for the past few years? This ain't nothing new... it just shows that its about the rider, not the bike.
I have an Ibis Ripley , used it for the BCBR this year , I realize that the BCBR is a different race to this one, but it was the perfect bike for the 7 day race !! A 29 er
Damn dudes. I used to race downhill at SkiBowl in 1995 on a hardtail with a RockShox Mag 10 fork (the non-adjustable Mag 21). Granted I was much slower and way more beat up at the end up the run than a modern racer.
Oh no! only 5" of travel! what is he going to do!? You can't race downhill with anything less than 8"!!! Well you know what, I will tell you what he is going to do, he is going to win the thing, thats what. Nice work Luke!
The mag10 was an upgrade fromm my Quadra, which was basically a stack of polyurethane cylinder sponges and no damper. Man, bikes were shitty back then...
My 1" threaded steerer Mag 10 (circa 1993?) had two positions to "adjust" the "damping"; access was under the air caps via a 5mm hex. 40mm of travel, baby.
You guys don't even know what mountain biking is t'ill you've tried 28.3" wheels. But seriously why is anyone suprised that the bike was fast through rock garden's? That's litterally what it excels at the most IMO after trying a giant trance 26, 27.5 and 29.
Him riding a long travel 29er on a lightweight "DH" course isn't that crazy. I am sure you could crush it on a Nomad or Tracer just as well. All about the rider not the bike.
yah i honestly cant understand why everyone is so amazed. tracks not that rough. Also mitch tried this whole 29 on WC thing a few years back without much luck.
Totes propped. The limiting factor for me mashing into rock gardens is rarely travel but pinch flats. If you can solve that, You can ride pretty much most things on a mid travel bike - I assume that a larger wheel size really helps with reducing pinches and he's probably running tubeless anyway.
I have a Following and I'm interested in this bike, but the timing of this article is a little bit suspect since Evil is going to announce this bike any day. Paid hype train?
Guys, paid hype is called advertising, and it generally is why pinkbike exists. Someone is hosting this site out of the goodness of their heart. Ads pay bills. It's still decent to watch, and we paid no money to view. Take it for what it is, and enjoy!
@VwHarman; Great comment. Of course it's advertising! 90% of the video's on Pinkbike are advertising. You know which ones are not: The amateur videos that have no production value and suck to watch for anyone other than the people in them. People are so concerned with "not buying into the hype". Why? I watched this video, looked into the rumors of the new bike that Evil is releasing this month and now I want one. Embrace the marketing.
But just because the Great Media Conspiracy has you marching to their beat doesn't mean I'm going to let them manipulate me! Suckers! Back on topic, when do you think we'll be able to buy this bike?
Yes, you still have to use your own brain to make decisions on the products you buy, but there's nothing wrong with appreciating good marketing and using it to your advantage. This video clued me in to a new bike coming out that I didn't even know about. Turns out, the bike coming out is exactly what I've been waiting for: An Evil Following on steroids that can work as my "one bike". I wanted a Following, but bought a Patrol instead so I could still ride DH and XC. Now I can list my Patrol for sale and buy the Wreckoning in the spring (or the Canfield Riot).
The Following is such a sick bike! Ever since it came out its all I've been wanting to add to my stable for my next bike. Evil did an incredible job with bringing this bike out
Skibowl Pro Course Record 3:35:41 on 26's most likely or 27.5 Norco Aurum. Thanks Bryn. Strobel slays thou no doubt!!! And if u weigh 145lbs then u don't need 8 inches of travel, lol
Also Strobel was 2nd 3:37:42 at that race and track conditions were mint i believe. Cant remember but he was on 26's or 27.5 i think not sure. But i do think any top pro rider on a good suspension set up (depending on how rough the track) on 5in to 6in travel could put down the fastest time at a DH event. Especially if theres a ton of pedaling. Like on cannonball to the fire road section, the uphill to the rock garden and the long sprint to the finish area. It's pretty flat all in those areas
No offense to the other guys on the list. I am sure would all get two runs in for every one of mine but the only person other than Strobel I have heard of on that list is Team Robot's Charlie Sponsel and he is a self proclaimed failed DH racer. It would be really interesting to see some of the top guys riding various wheel sizes/setups on the same track to see what was actually preferable.
I am sure it is, still though, none of the top 10-20 world cup DH racers was there (or at least not on that leader board) so it doesn't tell me that much as I have no comparison of how fast those guys are with respect to each other. Would Strobel have won it on a DH bike as well? I don't know.
Whaaat? So what. There have been 6" 29ers around for ages. LS is quick on anything - could have even won on a 26er. That bike looked hard pressed in a few spots on that track. Great publicity (stunt) methinks.
That's what I was thinking when I read the title "Wait...don't I have a 5" travel 29..." *checks 2013 Stumpjumper Evo 29 in basement* "yup that's what I thought, with a 68 degree head angle from 3 years ago nonetheless...OK moving on".
The bike in the video is most likely the new Evil Wreckoning. Rumored to have a 65 degree head angle and 6" of travel. Your comment is still valid, but this is closer to a 29" enduro with a more DH oriented geometry. I would bet it is longer and lower also (only problem with the 29" enduro is the high BB). It is not an XC bike like a Stumpjumper Evo.
Every wheel size is beautiful. It's the experience of riding something different all the time if you have the privelage to. Something to learn from and adjust for the sake of experience and having fun. We all can get nit-picky about something, but in the end its two wheels and tons of fun!
The only thing that matters is that Luke annihilated it. The fact that the bike absolutely rules and looks unreal is secondary and if 26 wheels are still breathing then this might have helped put those tiny things out of their misery.
Isn't this also track dependent? I mean a pro could probably win the race in whistler on a 29er but could he do the same in schladming or val di sole??
Will PB do a review on the following first? Still waiting. So progressive and yet PB just sits on their laurels. Hey do some more mini tool reviews! Whoop whoop!
Yea I know that you meant no harm, but in which way is it negative to get sponsored? I am not defending him, he's a big boy. What bugs me is the trend to put distrust into brand ambassadors, especially considering the fact that whiny btchs who buy bikes for their own money are willing to stand by them to the grave, rarely being in position to provide meaningful comparison to a bunch of other current offerings. How is that unbiased?
Blogging is 1% success and 99% cumless masterbation. When you have a job and ride a lot, then it is really hard to find time to write sht and provide good content. Then all sorts of a-holes sht on you all the time so it is hard to stay motivated to keep it up. Team Robot has really poor fluffers. Be better fans for fks sake. So if he writes little that means that Charlie has a life, rides more than you, so be happy for him
Not knowing the fine details but +1 for your last comment @WAKIdesigns. Got to wonder how hands on a guy/gal is if they have time to constantly feed a blog.
I enjoy watching people ride bikes fast on just about anything.... especially when it is unexpected. But this really smacks of yet another publicity stunt. Evil has been pushing that bike in a few articles recently and it sort of sours me on a bike when you use hype to push it rather than an honest evaluation and talk about how/why it was designed.
Heck, using the logic of this article, I'm getting into trials, so I'd better go buy a road bike.
if you brought outa bike, and your rider won on it....wouldnt you push that too? every other advert in mags and online uses the results of race wins to justify performance.
I agree with that... but this seemed a little more contrived than that. Don't get me wrong, I actually like Evil Bikes, this video/article just struck me the wrong way for some reason.
Not because they are better. Just because something is popular doesn't make it better or even good .... people in general are very stupid ... present company excluded of course.
simple. 650b rolls faster and carries speed better over rough terrain. (very useful in DH) 26 is better for tight manoeuvring and throwing in tricks and style. (not so important in a timed race) Neither wheelsize is all round 'better' but for timed runs 27.5 is advantageous - hence it is most popular
29" wheels are too big to fit into a longer travel frame. To oversimplify what I mean: The rear tire would hit the seatpost/seattube at full travel unless the chain stay's were lengthened past the optimal 430mm or less number. It just doesn't work, or 29" DH bikes would already exist and be winning everything.
This article does not make any sense. It was not even a world cup where the top guys competed. It looks like the industry said to pinkbike:"hey you need to change the minds of pinkbike users about 29ers with an article today" So they found out that Luke Strobel had won a race on a 29er and posted it as the RETURN OF THE 29er!!!!!!!! DidnĀ“t work so well.
No offence but he would have a much harder race.
That track was wide open. I bet it doesn't fare as well in the Welsh woods......
Just my
"It's a bike with slightly bigger wheels"
"It is a bike with slightly smaller wheels. They used to come like this ā until the industry went NUTS. By the way, does yours have this boost thing they are talking about now?"
a: don't wanna be stuck with a clown bike that looks goofy
b: when riding super steep trails, how often do you get buzzed by the rear tire when leaning way back?
Thanks for insights! BTW - how tall is Strobel? He looks pretty comfy on that 29'er.
I made the switch to an Enduro 29 after riding one for a day. Love it, hands down awesome all the time! I'm 5'8" and never feel like the bike is big/ getting buzzed by the rear tire. Also, about the people commenting about cracks in the carbon frame...I have 2 friends that have the full carbon version. They haven't had any problems at all. They both weigh probably 100lbs more than me and huck the bike off anything. Direct message me if you have any more questions.
How does it pedal? I haven't gotten the chance to demo one yet. Sometimes I wonder if it is more effecient than my Enduro 29
I have one and its rad! Only issue may be slack seat angle on really steep climbs (I'm running 140 so that doesn't help), but the bike does reward out of saddle efforts with very minimal rear suspension action. Delta is rad with its tune. ...
Progressive-flat-progressive curve. Monsters trucks stuff, feels poppy n playful, and much deeper than 120 rear. Quick turning bike, even slacked out by 140 fork!
@tblore It pedals uphill pretty good, the bike comes with maxxis minion f&r which are slow rollers. I swapped those out for some Nobby Nics snakeskin which are a little weak for my taste but roll considerably better. I have ridden an S-Works Enduro 29 which pedaled comparable (maybe slightly better than) the Following. However, the S-Works was lighter and had carbon wheels which obviously factors in. As far as descending, the Enduro 29 and Following are equally fun. I rode the Following down the same trail I demo'ed the Enduro on and they both were ridiculously playful and capable of monster trucking over stuff I couldn't manage as easy on my 650b. I'm running the 130mm Pike and there are very few occasions where I feel like I need more suspension. I have bottomed it out several times on bigger drops but even hammering the bike down rough terrain, it soaks up pretty much everything. Agree with @jrocksdh, the DELTA rear is rad, locks out well for the ascents and feels like much more than 120 on the descents. If you are on an Enduro 29 I wouldn't say the Following is a whole lot different, but for folks going up in a wheel size and want something that climbs well and blows your gord on the descents, the Following is a good bike to take a peek at.
I will never go back to 26 after riding a fun 29 like the E29 is. I'm 6'3" 205lbs so XL bike make more sense to me anyway...
Things like gyroscopic weight (which the main issue of a bigger wheel is more of that) is less significant on a DH run, I'd think. The sacrifice that really matters is the travel. Maybe it evens out or works in favor, depending on the terrain and rider. I'd say that's very true.
Personally, I'd take a 27.5+ bike over a 29er in just about any situation. I feel like the extra cushion from the fat tires makes up for a lot of the lost travel, while still having the same wheel size benefits (and then some)
That being said...I have absolutely zero experience on a 27.5+ and barely any on a 29er. But the sizes and their benefits are pretty predictable. So I'm just not very surprised that someone won a competitive DH race, 1st place, on a 29er.
Did a couple of runs in schladming,Leogang DH, got 13th at the hobby world DH in Saalbach, did the megavalanche with it. It is the perfect allrounder.
Rode a couple of other Bikes (26" Spec Enduro, Ghost Riot, Giant reign, Santa cruz nomad,....) I will stick to my 29er!!!
Frame cracked again so will get the 2016 StumpJ! Jej
One of my closest regular riding buddies is a destroyer of bikes. Doesn't matter the bike or what it's built for, he'll break it. But he never once has blamed the bike(s). He knows he's at fault.
No offense...but @rafbanax is riding some seriously tough tracks...and I know whenever I ride a long-travel trail bike on a dh track...I always feel like I'm abusing the poor little thing. : )
Bikes are designed for particular uses. Just to use Spec as an example - the Epic is for light XC, and should NEVER be used on "Enduro" or "AM" type trails. The Stumpjumper is for Trail or AM but should never be used on a downhill type trail. Etc.
Saying that a mountain bike should be able to handle all the terrain on a mountain is like saying a car should be able to drive anywhere. Use common sense. The Stumpjumper is lighter than the Demo for a REASON.
BTW I have 65 kg and as a WC Mechanic I can say I'm definitely not one of the fastest....
Too much troubles for not enough difference.
Actually, the reason 650b is so popular is that the benefits of 650b (approach angle and contact patch) are closer to 29" wheels, while weight, stiffness, durability, and geometry flexibility are closer to 26" wheels.
www.pittcycle.com/images/library/features/composite15.gif
I now have all wheel sizes as well. Bought a 27.5 Giant Trance and really dig it. If I had to only have one bike I think it would be a 27.5 trail bike. Side note... took the 29er s.s. ridged out today and it was a blast. They all rock.
Oh no! only 5" of travel! what is he going to do!? You can't race downhill with anything less than 8"!!! Well you know what, I will tell you what he is going to do, he is going to win the thing, thats what.
Nice work Luke!
www.hurricaneracingoregon.com/assets/results/2014/nwCup3-2014.pdf?=06-30-2014
I mean a pro could probably win the race in whistler on a 29er but could he do the same in schladming or val di sole??
@ollyforster - does it hurt you inside?
"go 29er"
Heck, using the logic of this article, I'm getting into trials, so I'd better go buy a road bike.
DidnĀ“t work so well.