VTT29.com, the french 29ers web magazine, present 29ROCKS! supported by Sram. Full movie coming soon on 29 february 2012 ! Filmed and edited by Antoine Bussier (antoinebussier.fr) and Quentin Chevat (endurotribe.com) Music by : KBOSH - Dubstep Symphonie
It wasn't to long ago that every magazine was 8-9-10 inch travel bike and everyone was raising h..l about who needs that much travel, the are pogo sticks.... the next greatest thing will never end. On the subject of 29rs, if they can get the geometry right think about it a bigger wheel rolls faster, because of this the pedal section will be so much faster. A bigger wheel will smooth out the bumps better. if someone can make a stiffer wheel no real issue for bigger drops.
If you look at the video they it that last jump approx 3-4ft high 10-15ft distance I'd say for a teaser thats pretty good. I ride both and I find that as I ride the 29r more I have cut my times on most trails by at a min 1+ minutes, I have a custom made 5in travel 29r.
Amen to that Stubb. Did not renew my MBA subscription because of how they push 29. When I'm ready for a new bike, I'll check them out but I don't think a 29'er will offer what I need to ride in my area for the type of rider I am. I am no CG, and having a bike with about 6" of travel and handles well, helps me enjoy riding at the skill level I am at and has enough to challenge me to push my limits. From what I am hearing from my LBS's is that the 29'er fills a spot for some riders. So my thought is that for the vast majority of riders that can not afford a quiver of bikes and need one that can fill as many roles as possible, perhaps a 29"er is not the answer. To further muddy the water, I've read a bit lately how 650b(is that right? - 27.5") technology is being developed by more manufacturer's. By the time I can justify dropping $$$ on a new bike to replace my Blur LT, who knows where mtn biking will be at? Looking forward to that day though!
I know the hype is lame, but for a 6'5 dude, its a practical option that some people have never really considered until now, I personally want to see a 35lb 29ner downhill bike with an equivalent BB height as other downhill bikes
Jeezus guys, could you bitch any more??? A vast majority of any mountain bike magazines is showing, testing, and pushing new technologies, which 29ers are (relatively). When every magazine, website, and 29er rider raves about how much they love their 29 inch bike don't you think it might just be something good? I've got a 29er that I share with my old man for racing xc because it's just simply fast. I've got 26 inch bikes as well, which i love just as much. No one is forcing you to love, ride, or purchase a 29er but it's a big portion of the market right now and it would be stupid for the mountain bike media to ignore that.
an exceptional helping of brains, balls, style, and skill can be put on top of anything and start pedalling & it will have favorable results. Will CG drop in @ rampage on an SC Tallboy? being an "old" man myself, I tried the 29er kool-aid (with a little peer pressure from friends) and immediately spit it out. it's not that much "wow" factor to it. I think pinkbike is a good pulse to check on the 29 potential. These are the young guys with the $ale$ potential that do the ALL the progressive riding and clearly 26s is where that's gonna stay. no thanks.. I'm raising my kid on 20s/26s/and a little moto! haha
Consider why none of the big three (or anybody, for that matter) have tried to release a 29" DH race bike. All of their flagship XC racers are all 29", and they've got the resources to do it. Why would they not?
It's either impractical or impossible.
I say "impractical" because you can develope ways to get around issues, like say geometry and wheel strength, but it would require more R&D, which is expensive, and could quite possibly require new industry standards or other things like a different suspension design (which are both expensive and can be quite risky from a marketing point of view). Take for instance, wheel strength designs. The loss of lateral rigidity vs. a 26" bike is a big thing, but that can be helped by developing wider hubs designed to dish the spokes better. There's only so much lateral rigidity you can squeeze out of a hub 110mm or 150mm wide, though. You could come up with a new, wider hub standard, but by the time you do that, you've also racked up tons of expenses in researching and developing the new product (and possibly patenting it), and you've also taken a huge gamble in that people may not be willing to pay for it, especially since the price will inherently need to be higher due to the higher cost of R&D and marketing.
Now, to move on... I say impossible because it seems more likely to be the case when trying to optimize the geometry of a 29" bike for downhill. Wheel travel gets in the way. The higher center of gravity gets in the way. Longer chainstays get in the way. There are so many obstacles that can't all be overcome simultaneously that *need* to be taken care of in order to make a 29" DH bike better than a 26" inch DH bike. The design will have to compromise something, at which point the bike turns into something so specialized that even if it actually *is* possible, it turns back into the issue of being impractical.
@LindLtaylor; I couldn't have said it better myself - you are right on the money!
And regardless of 29er's being good or bad etc...
@stompeinator; 29er "technology" is NOT new! Gary Fisher did it ten years ago! And also the guys who rode klunkers did it on road bike (700c) wheels which are EXACTLY the same size as 29"ers. So shut up and get ur facts straight!
@ bowness8 - I have a Blur LT and putting 650b wheels on it was the best upgrade I've ever made. If you have a Fox fork, it is a no-brainer. Get some 650b Stan's Flows and Neo-motos and have at it. You're welcome.
Actually, 29ers have a lower center of gravity. If you take a hardtail 26er with a 12.5 inch bottom braver height, then the pedals are only half an inch below the axles. If you take a 29er with the same BB height, the pedals are now 2 inches below the axles. When the pedals are weighted, the CG of the bike will now be way below the axles, making for a more stable ride
@willsoffe: Carbon bikes have been around for a long time but in the mainstream sense they are fairly new, same goes for 29ers. 29ers didn't become big until a couple years ago when all the big companies realized the potential behind the idea and took off with it. It was then that 29 inch bikes became an effectively new technology. So yes, if you want to be hung up on the semantics of when the very first 29 inch bike was made then you are right; but if you want to look at when the technology was established for all intensive purposes then it is I who is right.
@stompeinator; Yeah I guess so, in that case all you're saying is "until now the geometry has been crap".
With carbon, the changes have come about because of improvements in vacuum forming, layup know-how and resin compounds etc. I'd argue that was a bit of a different case.
Who cares about it just ride the bike you like and shut up? 29ers are XC beasts that MAY have a downhill potential...... For a full DH 26 is obviously the choice.for now.....
i am a 26 rider too, but i really dont get all the hating on the 29ers...if u have never tested it, then in the first place u shouldnt be posting here...ive tested it, and all i can say is that once the stifness problem is gone, i dont see why no 29ers...what u ALL should be hating at is the new 27.5 inch trend that its starting...i cant open a magazine anymore without seeing things about 27.5 anymore...at least here in Ger...
Sorry Never gonna ride a 29er. U notice a lot of old guys ride them lol. 29ers only belong in XC. I gurantee after 3 rides with CG on a 29er the rims are absloutlley done. theres way too much forces on such a big wheel. U might as well put a road bike hoop on lol.
MNorris's comment about 29ers having lower center of gravity is complete nonsense! So a bike with 39" wheels would have a lower center of gravity than a 29er, according to that misguided logic. If the bottom brackets are the same height the bigger wheels give it a higher center of gravity regardless. Which is part of why 29ers turn slower, in addition to the longer wheelbase. The worst thing about 29ers is the owners, it's like it is with dogs.
Why is CG tarnishing his reputation by riding a bicycle with wagon wheels?
I think this vid does more harm than good to 29ers hype.
When adressed to die hard, leg shaving XCers it's like: yea this "29er is a truck", "29er can't fly" arguments are false! look what CG does with it" - yea he does with 29er what you will probably never do on 26er.
However when adressed to gravity community (like PB seems to be) it's like: CG can throw around a 35lbs DH bike on World Cup track like a BMX on dirt trails. Then on this 25lbs thing he looks kind of sluggy - kind of not CG - one of the most spectacular iders of all times - so who cares if he is faster on 29er when he looks slow?!
Ridden both, own 26er, thinking 29er for cross trekking and long journeys.... OH WAIT, THEY'VE MADE 700c SINCE I CAN REMEMBER... not new tech, new application!?!?!?
Good finds, but are there any more recent progressions? These look to be about two years old... two years can change a lot. I wasn't aware that Intense was going on this, and honestly, if they can do it, more power to them.
Or people telling you, How it changed their lives! If you really want to see a difference , start by not buying everything other idiots are suggesting and exercise more so you can get better at it
Enrico, some people need to be motivated. If having something "really cool" is the way to get more out of theirselves, then that's good. You can't change the world to think that one idea is best. Luckily, there is diversity, and that's good. The bad thing is people too proud of what they think and rubbing it all over everywhere.
You ride a 951, which is known for having a quite flexible rear triangle. Do you hear people complain about your choice? But you bought that bike because somewhere you read it was good and cool.
What up world? And you're an American.... Land of freedom my ass.
SLOW MOTION SUCKS BALLS! i have never ridden a 29er and probably never will. not that hate them like most of the fools on this subject if you stand over 6"4 it might be a better option. Im 6" and saying that i love 26ers there is so many different and killer bikes at 26" i would never go past 26". oh yeah did i tell you that SLOW MOTION SUCKS BALLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!............
Well,the 951 has a new rear end courtesy of intense ,at no cost,which is what happens when you buy in the United States. I don't need to purchase a 29er to go faster ,even on a flexy rear end still faster than the clown bike.
ive rode a 29er a bit before (a spesh stumpy full sus) i didnt think it was that amazing. i would still prefer 26" but other people can still ride them and test them, ect, its intresting. well, theres my 2c.
I just realized that 29ers are to 26" as 4-strokes are to 2-stroke motos. They will destroy the dh bicycle market and the sport of dh racing. Leave the unfair advantage and costlier maintenance (broken wheels) to the xc guys.
Agreed. While I'm all for the innovation and progression of 29ers, every time I see a video like this I feel like these pros are trying to force something that just doesn't look or feel natural, especially for DH.
HA! Made me think of that too; but they should have added someone saying "29ers are the bomb", 'cause I've heard that just about as often as that other line. Why can't we just agree to disagree.
I'm pretty sure Gracia will ride faster than you guys on any bike he uses, that is why companies pay him to ride their new bikes. I really don't understand the fuss, now you can choose between 26 inch wheels and 29 inch wheels - what is bad about that? It is just giving us more options
The Tallboy is a 4" XC bike, seeing someone in DH kit pinnin on it, jumping with those 29" hoops, just looks a tad off. Kinda like a windowless van parked by a playground, it seems a bit sketch and you don't really know if its OK or not, haha. But that's also why I liked the video, because its something different that I haven't really seen much of.
Great. At first everybody wanted lighter wheels, to have less rotating mass and what are they doing now? Make the wheels bigger and add an extra mass and eliminate style? 29? Not for me!
So CG shreds on a 29er for 1 video and everyone starts going "ohh maybe it is a good idea for gravity bikes." Remember this is CG. He could make riding just about anything look cool
lol .... i just got it this year.. it is an eye opener for sure... quite a machine. i would suggest anyone get the chance to ride one ... take it. still not for short people IMO.
I'm so sick of hearing about 29ers. I'm just really annoyed with people who own them and manufacturers telling me "you need to ride one!" I have, and I'm not a fan. I don't want a bike that handles like a Buick on singletrack and downhills just so I can "roll" over bumps better. It's bad at every single thing I love about mountain biking... not to mention, they look stupid!
Gracia is a good rider. Period. Be it 26, 29, 650b, an old school bike with a giant wheel on the front and a tiny wheel on the back etc., I imagine he can make most two wheeled products look good. Similar to the Godfather Wade. If it works for you enjoy it, if not... enjoy what you got. I will say that Cedric's kit (Jammy Jams) looked a bit like he got violated by a colour wheel (Said with full understanding that he is a legend and can wear what the shiz he likes). There is so much polarity in the decision of what wheel size you would like to ride. Let it go people. It's like people are comparing genital sizes. It's just a couple inches diameter on the wheel, some different geometry and different (No need for "better" or "worse" to come into it) ride that you can choose to partake in or not. It's like saying "OMG ORANGES ARE SOOOOOO MUCH BETTER THAN APPLES...I AM SO SICK OF PEOPLE SAYING THEY LIKE ORANGES. THEY ARE STUPID! WTF. I EAT LIKE TWO A DAY".... etc.
and remember a pro rider will get paid to ride a 29 and get a free bike so dont all go yeah he or she thinks they are great its all marketing to make you buy something else you dont really need
I don`t get the industry argument. They won´t sell more bikes, just different ones. Next year 50% of the people on this page will get a new bike, regarless of wheelsize or travel developements - won`t we? If 29ers will be faster on a DH track one day, than one guy will figure that out, use the advantage and win races. If not - than they will never enter the gravity market? Why? Because thats what true racers do - find a way to be faster than the one next to you. jm2c
Sweet video! That's the hardest I've seen a 29er be ridden. I Can't say I like the song though. Dubstep is taking over everything else, I was hoping mountain biking would be safe.
Not sure what you're trying to say there pal. By "everywhere" I really do mean EVERYwhere. All other dubstep I've heard sounds like the same shit in this video.
Nice but where is the point in this? CG on whatsoever 26 inch bike would have been equally impressive. I mean, he could ride that (quite boring) trail on an Omafiets and would look more stylisch and fluent than 95% of us.
You know what really sucks, narrow minded people, haters and bang wagon jumping fools. Regardless of what bike you feel is better, it seems to me most everyone commenting on this thread fits the bill. Go ride the bike u own and love, and let the rest do the same with out prejudice.
You know what sucks? Boring peaceful people who are afraid to confront or debate anyone about any issue. It's a good discussion with some good perspectives and I haven't seen many personal insults on here, so quit trying to pretend you are holier than thou, and like you are at peace with everything and everyone. I have friends who ride 29ers but I still feel obligated to tell them their bikes suck for DH. If the 29er didn't look so un-stylish and perform so badly at DH then it wouldn't get ragged on.
Then provide me with some criticisms of the valid points I make, strawman. Instead you choose to call me names, really man?
Yesterday you established yourself as a complete sissy who doesn't want anybody to say anything bad, and today you come in here and prove you are a hypocrite! What next? How about if you get on with your daily leg shaving routine, rub some cream on the under-carriage, pull on the lycra, and go ride your Niner? Have a nice, mellow ride.
You dont really have a clue do you. have you ridden a 29er, where are ur "facts" coming from? You also have missed the point, and calling me a hypocrite, again doesnt make any sense. I simply feel that ur an idiot, one of the narrow minded fools on pinkbike. 29ers, are great bikes, they have there benefits and there draw backs, just as a 26 inch wheeled bike does, why do u think the 24inch wheel size has all but disappeared, because the bigger wheels just worked better. I dont think that they will take over, I still love 26 inch wheels. but innovation and refinement of our sports tools will only help to improve everyones enjoyment. If u dont wanna try something new, thats up to u. just wait next year there will be another new product out u can hate as well. 29ers are growing in popularity all the time, because they do perform better in a lot of ways. Every year they get better, the wheels get stronger and lighter, the geo is tweaked to make them handle better and more tire options come available. U dont have to ride one u dont even have to like them, but when u get passed on the trail just keep ur mouth shut. And lastly, CG is the man, he just proved that 29ers can do DH riding.
I love me some 29ers, but if you want to sway the people who doubt we need to see something a little bigger than that teaser. We need evidence that they can work on big hits and complex tricks (it may never come, and 29ers have their place).
The funny thing is, 2012 is the year of the 29'er... And maybe lots and lots of more years. But the frikkin' 29'ers have an existence of 10 years and everybody is so pumped they are on the market now. It's weird. The bikes are great to ride fast, climb and if you are a big guy it's even better. But they suck at handling on technical tracks and if you are to small for the bike, it will eat you... I hope the 26 stays where it has its proud, especially in dirt/fr/dh. Sorry for my english.
Your English is fine Maybe 2012 is the year of the 29er because they realized after 10 years "crap, no one is buying these things, ramp up the advertising ".
actually GF has kinda been consumed by Trek, and seems to be going the way of Lemond. First it was it's one company under the Trek roof. Now it's a line of the Trek brand, and now they're Trek with a very tiny Gary Fisher logo.
Can't we all just get along??????????????LOL As long as I am riding I don't care what size wheel !!!!!!!!!! As long as it's 26'!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm sure if the only thing to ride was a 29er we would ride it!!!!!!!!!! We are all mountain bikers and most do what ever we have to do to ride..................................
Gave up reading all the above posts. So sorry if my points have been made. 29ers are better for covering distance and saving energy. They handle worse than 26ers, and are less fun to those with any skill and a will to LIVE! 650b is a much better option as it's a combo of both, efficiency and handling. But alas, most 26er bikes and forks can get away with 650b, so it didn't help profit, and the marketeers/companies ignored it like a mutant brother, hoping it would die or remain quite for the time being. Cedric you sell out Mofo. Yes they'll creep up with 650b marketing, and push it on DH, with a new front axle standard. All the companies are already working on their inverted forks(not seen RockShox effort yet, waiting till the dust settles to cash in on hype) for big wheels. Hope they hold out until 650b is available at least(I'll prob stick with 26 for DH anyways).
yeah, who cares. everyone seems to have their panties in a twist. "what?! an innovation in the bicycle industry? not on my watch?!" take a pill people. buy what you want.
why so much hate? jesus... I have a 6" 26er and a 29er at home and I love both bikes equally and most of the time swap them out for the same trails sometimes. You might not be able to drop down a ski slope with a 29er as easily as a 6" 26er, but you'll just end up becoming a better rider!
I've got to chip in on your point. All the emphasis is put on how easy 29ers roll over stuff and how they smooth out a trail , Blah ,Blah,Blah. Making something easier "does not make you a better rider" CG will rip whatever he gets paid to, he's still a legend though
It's also hilarious that - as much as the bike industry wants us to, not just accept, but embrace 29ers - we as consumers will not accept it. Even after all the videos with top pro's, XC race wins, and magazine write-ups, we shall not be tricked. If consumers really do drive the market, I'm curious to see where 29ers end up in say five years.
Walk into a bike shop and ask how many 29ers they are selling, most shops are selling more and more nowadays. Customers do drive the market, that's a fact. And the fact is that 29ers are selling to a lot of people. Most of the AM/DH crowd are not demanding them so there are not many options out there, but a heavy percentage of the XC/Trail crowd are calling for them and manufacturers have began to meet the demand... So I don't think people are getting tricked, I think they just want a 29er. Or am I missing something? (for the record the last bike I bought was a 26)
If 29'rs are so great, why does there have to be a constant push in mags, geeky editorials, and videos like this saying "hey look at me! I realy am better that your wheel size.."? The 29's have been around long enough to be adopted by the gravity/jumping set IF they were better, stiffer, handled better, etc. Well the are NOT any of those qualities. They would have already been adopted by "us" IF they were superior. 29's...stay on the flowy, no-turn, XC/Marathon trails and away from us. Go do your thing somewhere else.
My god low frame-rate slow-mo is just a no, especially used to that extent!! Shots were nice but 80% low fps slow-mo wasn't, hope there's more full speed in the actual thing!
Exactly what I though, it almost looked like they run out of footage and tried to fix the problem by using way to much slow-mo. No matter what the guy who edited that was thinking, the slow-mo looks terrible and is also boring.
I predict 29er for XC, 650b for AM and 26er for DH as the standard. But in typical PB fashion, ignorant posters are more concerned that it doesn't look right over function. Am I surprised? Nope.
I second that.. Most people on pinkbike are biased and narrow minded. I have both 29" and 26" and can say that the 29er is my go-to bike 90% of the time. It's just much more fun to ride!
OMG this how wars start haha, i have an idea, how about you go do some mean skids and jumps on the bike YOU love!! who give a rats ass what the other fella or chick is rolling, i thought this awesome sport was meant to be fun, if you don`t like the way things are heading in the sport then f*ck OFF and go do something else!!! really why get all pissed off cos the size of a freaking wheel. just ride your own bike of choice have fun and have a beer with your mates.
Know that trail by heart. Too bad the vid doesnt show how fast and flowy it is. Once again 29ers make lots of comments... Is mtb a conservative sport? If 29ers are better for you that's great if not we can still buy 26 right? Soon more 650mm and that will be the real deal for 4 to 6 inchs bikes. Open minded doesnt mean skull fracture!
Cedric is awesome, I bet he could look just like in this video, in a walmart bike, now compare his style in a 26" bike, no comparison, the tail whips on the 29 are shy/lame the air is just average.... if someone like him can ride just this way on a 29, what is left for the "normal human'?
sick! but its not for everyone, here in our country ive seen many dudes with 29er but with the average height of 5'4" its like men siting on two big wheels and i haven't seen them ride this aggressive, mostly XC road and simple trails...
for everyone bitching about 29ers, if you don't like them then don't read the articles and don't buy one, it's that simple!
Myself, I'm indifferent, I've never tried one, however I would like to. I won't pass judgement until I have, as that would be stupid (like the majority of people commenting on this article seem to be)
not even CG can make them look cool, should do another edit, the one where they are in the shop the next day having the 29er wheels made round again. lol
As far as manufacturers pushing 29er's "in your face"... well, they are manufacturers, that's what they do to sell PRODUCT. If it weren't a 29er, it would be something else. Yeah, and ALL the 29er hype on Pinkbike is just overwhelming... right.
Funny the comments and rationalizing... especially about standards - there really aren't any standards anymore. Tapered head tube, oversized, 1.5, 1.125, BB30, maxle, axle, 10mm, 12mm, qr, 20mm thru... That's the ridiculous thing, IMO...
If 29ers are bugging you so badly, you should all bow out now... Fat bikes are next, as are 650b, and then it will be something else.
To all you 29er haters; you're right, eveything about 29ers suck! With all the extra rotational weight making things easier and not to mention the angle of attack to eat up rocks, did you watch that video.............................please don't get me started with that crap. I mean, why stop there, suspension sucks too along with drop seatposts, tubless tires and carbon fiber. Give me steel and, narrow bars, straps on my pedals, rubber tubes and rim brakes please! Innovate or die?
we should be thankful about a industry that gives every option we are looking for, if you want a dh bike, buy a dh bike, if you want to buy a 29er buy a 29er....by the way great to see cg doing what he's known for: destroying trails...cheers
I feel like, if 29ers catch on, what's next?! Those super old timey bikes with HUGE front wheel with a crank and no chain? $hit, with the hipster/fixie movement we might just see that... along with the apparel - gloriously clad with tweed and leather boots/helmets.
I have a few questions for all of you rabid teenage Pinkbike "readers:"
1. Why are things that are scary and/or scary to you referred to as "gay?" 2. Are cool things "heterosexual?" Please give examples of heterosexual bike stuff. For example, "Fox 40's are so straight!" 3. How does one determine the sexual orientation of bike gear? Do you hit on it and see if it returns your advances?
Thanks - I'm so excited to hear about heterosexual bike stuff! I know girls will like me so much more once I know what size wheels to ride!
Hey, by the way, how much testing have you done on a five inch travel bike with 29" wheels? Just wondering. You know, since you seem to be so sure about all of this stuff. And its relationship to your sexual orientation.
don't knock it till you try...I thought the hype on 29ers was BS too, but then I tried one recently, the Trek Superfly, the handling was UNREAL, I felt like I was on my Trek Scratch...can't say I'd give up my long travel bike for one, but they are killer for trail and xc riding...
whatever you say,many of you guys are acting like you got flaps on eyes, never try 29er and commenting it,my Rumblefish smashing rock gardens like crazy,close to DH bike, and it's only 120mm and 110mm on the back, and fox offering 140 mm fork,you really need less travel on 29er wheels,and washing out front wheel not so often, but still complaining about something proves we ALL ALIVE,and industry need pushing technology forward to exist,do you will change often bike if technology will not going forward? don't think so, BIKE FOR LIFE whatever wheel size is.
Bikes are Bikes, don't be lame. I have fun riding 20" wheel on bmx, I've had fun riding 24" and 26" wheels on my various mountain bikes, and I've ridden the Tallboy a few times and it is a blast! They all have their advantages and disadvantages, but nobody can call one better than the other for anybody else. all you can do is have an opinion based on your own personal experience. A good rider on a f'ed up walmart bike will make sh'ty riders on $5000 dollar bikes look like fools if you give them the chance. It is never about the bike, but about the rider. Chill out and enjoy your next ride! http://www.bikefat.com/featured-posts/
I just saw five seconds of riding in 94 seconds of video because it was all in slow motion. Some sequences were just different angles of the same section.
How about a video that actually shows some riding for more than just 100 feet? And maybe even some video in real-time would be nice just to indicate the actual speed and skill of the riders?
29 will never live in dh - it's technically impossible to design a 29er dh bike without a forward axle path, if you made it rearward it would have ridiculous amounts of pedal feedback with a decently low bb. idler pulley can fix this but no one really wants to design a bike that uses one it would seem. the forward axle path makes for playful, jumpy bikes and 29" wheels kill that with their sluggishness, it's a loose-loose situation for a 29er dh bike.
i just look at this as more of a CG article than about 29ers.. the guy can ride anything and be good at it.. he could ride a donkey down a mountain and do manuals and tables!!
It's just annoying how 29 are being pushed. First manufactures try to say you will be ahead of the pack because your bigger wheels roll over rough grounds faster. Now every body got one, so that sucker is back to holding up the rear struggling to keep up. And now it's worst for the poor sucker, because 29 do not accelerate well.
I ride a Trek Remedy that I have built up from scratch to feel just how I want it to. I love the thing. Apart from my buddy who races pro XC, I am the fastest person in my town (trust me, I'm not bragging). Had a Specialized Demo Day at the bike shop here this fall. Rode everything 26 and 29 from the 18# XC hartails up to the enduro. All on the same trails. Fastest bike that day (and that I have ever ridden) was the Stumpy 29er FSR. Felt more like my bike than my bike. Lighter, faster, stiffer. Yes, a 29er. Stiffer than my Remedy. Disclaimer: I do not like any other 29er I have ridden, and do not like Specialized suspension. Not that there is anything wrong with either; they just don't do it for me.
I will not tell anyone that they have to ride a 29er because I know that many people would not like them, and why waste the use of a good bike on someone who would not appreciate it? However I will say that 29ers fill a niche, one that that is becoming increasingly significant in the industry and in the sport. So y'all haters should quit hating. Let people ride what they ride and get stoked by whatever stokes them.
Man its like everywhere you go you are attacked by the "29er Pushers" - in the mags, at the LBS, on the trail. Just let me ride and enjoy the sport. I just say no to 29ers. If you have a 29er good for you, just not my cup of tea, flavor of the month or drug of choice.
29ers are ugly and i understand that they offer more control and they make it easier to get over bumps but its a game changer its like nascar and formula 1 you can have races with both types
29ers ftw, you 26 fan boys have never properly experienced a new age 29er if you thought it sucked cause the 2012 specialized 29er lineup handles the same as the 26ers but make you faster at the same time
Lies, lies, lies. Your "new age" Specialized handles and jumps the same as most other 29ers, slow, bulky, and awkward. Just cause Specialized says something doesn't make it true, the most innovative part of that crap company is their advertising department.
have you ridden any of the new specialized 29ers? cause my team spent a whole day testing out the new demo epic, camber, and stumpjumper. they felt awesome, light and were easy to move around underneath you. thank you very much
I'm not buying it at all, Billy Goat. There is nothing special about the Specialized 29er geometry, other companies use similar. I now hate 29ers, but the best one I've tried is the Gary Fisher with the G2 geometry, that is the one bike that takes a progressive approach to 29er geometry with the special offset forks and slacker head angles.
Only one way to settle this! Just like in Anchor Man with Will Ferrall only 29", 26" and 20" riders converge and engage in an all out street fight to the death.
wow putting this up has had a similar reaction to kicking a wasps nest!!! i think it will be like the minidisc revolution it was a good idea but everybody already liked good old cd,s so it faded away again!
i think people should stop doing f*cking SLOW MO VIDEOS.... and every music is awolnation or dubstep nowadays..... not hating, just throwing my pov about video editors nowadays with 0 creativity.
I know we all sound like retro grouches here, but 29'ers are not made for the gravity/etreme market. They are fine for the long distance, not worried about handling crowd. I am all for new tech. I have a 2012 5" Transistion Bandit 2x10, Jedi DH bike, etc. However I really believe the 29 thing is the industry trying to shove a product down our throat. Most of us here on Pink Bike DONT want or care about them! Just like Rapid Rise rear derr, Dual control shifter/brake levers on MTB's and Biopace Chainrings (way back for that reference). Keep the 29'er's out of our world RC and crew. We like tech, just not weenie junk. That is all...
we can all agree that both riders are very good all round riders. that french guy has proven that a few times. is it just me or did cg on a 29er just not look as smooth as a cg on a 26?
This isnt a very good example and I love 29ers. Cedric could rip like that on a 200$ department store bike. Once we get some serious 6" travel 29ers then we will see some ripping. The new Yeti-SB95 is pretty sick and I am sure SantaCruz will have a 5-6" version of the tallboy out soon or even a 29er Nomad. I think they are great as 0-6" bikes but as a DH bike I only think they will be beneficial on certain tracks. I foresee a DH team having a quiver of both 29ers and 26" and will use either depending on the course. You can fight it all you want, the 29er market is here, growing crazy fast and won't go away. Try it to like it, if you dont then you will have the ability to actually say they suck. But you cant knock what you havent tried(really tried, parking lots dont count)
Holy Crap!!! These bikes are game changers!!! And this whole time I thought upside down forks that don't work were going to be the next step in the evolution of this awesome industry!
From my experiences if you want to go really fast on really easy sections you can ride a 29er, but if you are gonna ride real shit that requires your bike to react as quickly as possible, 26 all the way!
Why does it bother so many people that theres another wheel size out there and some people like riding it. No one is forcing you to get rid of your 26" Just like no one forced you to get rid of your 24" DH bikes of yesteryear. They are here to stay like it or not, quit bitching and go ride your bikes, no matter what size the wheels
what's the big deal. that looked like a lot of fun. people need to chill. no ones holding a gun to your head. if you don't want to buy one then don't. stop belly-achin' about it.
I WOULD like too try a 29r but being a bit of a short arse, May be not great advantage but what the hell, It seems that 29r is going to be faster. Roll on Dh World cups to see the truth!!!
Try being a free-ride-leaning trail rider in a part of the country where there on NO downhill courses and 95% of the riders are 150lbs XC race geeks. All you see is 29r's.
a santa cruz 29er tallboy and full face helmet? just doesn't fit. that's like riding an XC helmet on a DH bike on the other end of the spectrum. but that's just me.
I dont think 29" wheels will ever make it into world cups as the tracks are too demanding. They will be more suited to fast flowy tracks without tight corners.
Those are legit concerns because of the higher COG, but my biggest concern would be wheel rigidity. Anybody who's seen Kyle Marshall's taco to faceplant would agree that building a wheel with less lateral rigidity will only make DH racing more dangerous.
BB height may "virtually" be lower in relation to the axles of the wheel, but the fact of the matter is that the larger diameter of the wheels makes it difficult to design a long-travel DH bike with 29" wheels that will allow the geometry to emphasize that strength.
Regardless, if you'd taken the time to understand the point of my post, my main point is about wheelbuild strength, not just center of gravity. Remember Kyle Marshall's taco-to-faceplant in Bromont? It would have happened much sooner had the diameter of his wheels been 29".
Another rider that never won (or did he? i'm not sure) but is getting on a bit and is still consistently in the top 20 or so riders in the WORLD and is considerably more gnarly than you will ever be. Nor is he one of those riders that's just in it for the money. CG is a total dude, keep your ignorant opinions to yourself.
Ah there we go then, I'm relatively new to the mtb scene (only been riding like 3 years), and even newer to DH, so you'll have to forgive my poor knowledge of the WC circuit
Forget about 29ers for a second , Rocky Mountain Slayer? Really?, It has to be worse than anything out there . Ignorant comments ? For you its more like ignorant choices!, but anything coming from the UK its no surprise .
Oh, and about the slayer (not that it had anything to do with the topic in hand, nicely done resorting to childish comments on each other's rides), it climbs really well, descends even better and weighs very little for the way it's built. Say what you want about my bike, you haven't ridden it. If I wasn't happy with the way it rode, I wouldn't own it, simple as that.
Does anyone even read comments? I'm not going to comment about this video at all. Just commenting for the sake of commenting. Did you read this? ↑ this if you read it....amazing!!
I'm sorry, but no. No there will not be barks5133. XC, all mountain maybe. But DH....just.. no. You can come watch me eat my own hat when that happens.
Maybe 2012 is the year of the 29er because they realized after 10 years "crap, no one is buying these things, ramp up the advertising ".
