[MMcG]

I just saw on another forum that KHS will be releasing two, if not three, 29ers in the not too distant future. It got me to thinking - is the 29er the new affordable all mountain type hardtail?

Think about it:
Surly Karate Monkey - if you've got parts etc. it can be built up cheap.
Soma Juice - same applies
Redline Monocog - a complete bike for about $500 with good parts too
The upcoming Raleigh 29er SS - competitively priced - I think under a grand
Redline will be releasing a Reynolds 853 Monocog as well - I bet it will also be under $1K if the current Monocog is hovering around $500
I'm sure the KHS bikes will be very affordable
Fisher's Cobia - pretty well spec'd and pretty reasonable
Fisher Rig - again well equipped and affordable especially with the Reba up front
Q-Ball Bikes - sort of a refined Karate Monkey - frame under $500.00
On-One Inbred 29ers
On-One Scandal 29er

I'm sure I'm missing a few other "affordable" 29ers as well.

I mean you do have your wicked expensive 29er frames too, but it appears to me that there are many great values to be had in this segment of mountain biking.

What do others think?

 

[N8 v2.0]

Yes!

Not long from now there will be new riders who will have never ridden a 26" wheeled bike.

 

[bjanga]

Aren't hardtails generally affordable?

 

[Echo]

Kona is making an Explosif 29er now. If I was ever to get a 29er, that would be it.

 

[Cloxxki]

Already there are some. I read quite a few reports from cross-training triathletes and roadies that just skipped the 30 years of 26" evolution and went straight for revolution. They feel 29" rides pretty nice, but wouldn't know about 26"

I'd love to see how a Monocog would hold up with bigger fork (100mm Reba or Tora?) for AM use. Hope to own a Monocog 29er 17" for 4-cross racing soon. With light wheels it will double as small people xc loaner

 

[MMcG]

You are everywhere Cloxxki! Thanks for chiming in.

Echo - The Explosif 29er frame is already available. Are they doing a complete bike in 2007 too? They are definitely doing a complete Kula 29er, and I think a rigid and front suspended Unit 29.

 

[MMcG]

Aren't hardtails generally affordable?

I guess you are right. I dunno, maybe it is just me but in my case the 29er wheels on my Karate Monkey make it feel like an all mountain type hardtail. It is fun as hell descending and rolling through rock gardens and up and over big logs etc. etc. on this bike.

Moreso than the Surly Instigator with a 5" fork up front that I rode prior to going with the Karate Monkey (and I'm riding the KM rigid right now).

 

[bjanga]

Moreso than the Surly Instigator with a 5" fork up front that I rode prior to going with the Karate Monkey (and I'm riding the KM rigid right now).

Wow. I have ridden a rigid 26" and currently ride a 26" hardtail with a 5" fork and I can only imagine.

Personally, I think 29" hardtails with 80mm forks are going to replace some of the lighter "All mountain" FS 26" bikes, but have not ridden a 29"

 

[Echo]

Echo - The Explosif 29er frame is already available.

Yeah I know, I saw one at Victor's shop

 

[MMcG]

I like the color of that Explosif frame!

 

[Bicyclist]

That's exactly why I want a 29er. You just can't really get a 26er that's as capable for the same price. A rigid 26er is brutal, my wrists are testament to that. And an all mountain 26er requires more travel which adds weight for cheap stuff or adds a bunch o money for light stuff. 29er HTs are schweet, now I just need to buy one.

 

[Numero Uno]

I need to buy a MTB. I haven't been around biking for over 8 years. Now I discover that there are 29ers. Rather than buy a 26er, I'm going to buy a 29er. Prolly a Fisher if all goes well.

Thank you to everyone who contributes to this site to steer me in the right direction.:love:

Regards,
Mark

 

[N8 v2.0]

I need to buy a MTB. I haven't been around biking for over 8 years. Now I discover that there are 29ers. Rather than buy a 26er, I'm going to buy a 29er. Prolly a Fisher if all goes well.

Thank you to everyone who contributes to this site to steer me in the right direction.:love:

Regards,
Mark

Make sure if you do buy a Fisher that you keep the sales receipt as your proof of purchase. You may need to use it if your frame cracks.

 

[mastercycleman]

have there been problems with the frames cracking, or just problems with the company being ghey?

 

[jbogner]

have there been problems with the frames cracking, or just problems with the company being ghey?

Some frames have cracked (mainly at the seat tube/top tube junction), but seeing how Fisher 29ers outnumber other companies' by a significant margin (5:1?), you're obviously going to see more problems with their frames, as there's a lot more of them out there.

Plus, the Fisher hardtail frames are pretty light. About 3.5 lbs for a large frame, if I recall correctly.

My fully-loaded weight is about 230, and I've had no problems with my '05 Paragon, despite riding it hard on technical terrain for over a year now...

 

[N8 v2.0]

Fisher has an easy to use Lifetime Repalcement on their frames too...