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If theres 26, 27.5, 29 in MTB, why still general diapproval of 24s?

Sep 12, 2004
261
0
I was thinking about this the other night. With the new 27.5in bandwagon trend - if you choose to go mtbing you can hop on a 26in for FR or DH, a 29er for XC rides, or a 27.5iner "for that all arounder" bike. And it seems some people are getting comfortable at accepting different wheel sizes for different riding styles.

With that being said, why are 24s in the states still such a small small market considering the wheel size fits MUCH better inside parks/ramps/tight sections. I remember vividly talking to a friend of mine a few years back who used to compete with top name riders in park/dirt contests. Everyone rode 26s and 24s were sort of shunned inside the comp circuit because its not a "true" mountain bike or its "cheating" because its easier.

Now, everyone is nitpicking wheel sizes with MTB and even fixed gear street kids riding 26in MTB wheels on their fixed gears. So why still the lack of 24in love? And what's a "true" mtb wheel size at this point?

Am i way off base here? I mean, other than me and my friends - i dont think I have ever seen another 24 despite them giving a better general feel to DJs, pump tracks, street, and park
 

rockofullr

confused
Jun 11, 2009
7,342
924
East Bay, Cali
I don't have any problem with 24" bikes for DJ or for small people. Some people probably wonder why a 24" DJ bike when you could just run a 24" BMX.

My wife is tiny and she rides a 24" bike. I love stealing it and hitting the jumps on occasion. So smooth and easy compared to my big boy bike.
 
Sep 12, 2004
261
0
i guess im leaning more towards say when you look at "mtb" dj contests - theyre all riding 26s. and not that there are many park/street contests in the US but when there are, theyre all riding 26s (like the Rays MTB videos). but then - watch any UK, polish, russian, euro vid of street, park, or dj and you have a whole bunch of 24in riders

i myself having grown up an mtber - i started out on 26s b/c 24s really didnt exist and being that i grew up mtb - ive always run a front fork. ive tried 26 and 24 rigid - just dont like them. maybe one day.
 

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
24s make you bar hump and buy 3.0 tires uncontrollably. It's not pretty. Total gateway wheel.


In all honesty, 24" wheel dirtjumpers rule. If I didn't care about compatibility with rims/wheels with my other bikes, I'd still be on them.
 
Sep 12, 2004
261
0
Maybe most of the MTB DJ folks you referenced ride 26 because that's what their sponsor sells? You don't ride what they don't have.
well thats more or less my question/comment - so with the advent of 27.5, will those bikes be allowed to race/ride in "MTB" contests? so one could see 26, 27.5 and 29in wheels all competing against each other. and being that 24in wheels are on a technical level better suited for DJs and ramp transitions, i was wondering if there would be a break down in the 24in US market at any point. obviously those two have nothing to do with each other but it would be nice

i mean most of the hardcore fixed gear street riders have all but ditched their track background of 700c wheels and gone to 26in wheels. so why cant "MTB" street/dj riders in the public eye (big name contests, media shoots,...) in the US ditch too?
 

sealclubber

Monkey
Nov 21, 2007
543
10
its the uncrossable line between bmx and mtb. bmx owns it for the cruiser class, and mtb wants it for durability, but there hasn't been any collective effort to bridge that gap yet on the official level.

i outgrew 20s, went to 26" djs, and have settled on 24" bmx. wont ride anything else for trails now.
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
24 is the best wheel for dj, no doubt.
Nope. If your dirtjumps are tech and trials like than yeah but then why not get a bmx? Same for street - I have nothing against 24'' in peticular. I just think park and street is a 20'' thing since it allows you to do the most.

On the other hand if you ride new school dj's with less vertical lips and huge sizes like the ones you often see on comps 26'' is a must.
 

eaterofdog

ass grabber
Sep 8, 2006
8,189
1,431
Central Florida
why not get a bmx?
Because I don't want to have to make everything perfectly smooth to make it ridable for a tiny-wheeled rigid bike. We often build crude one-off jumps in the woods.

Because overshooting a jump with no sus fork means sore wrists for a week.

And, finally, because BMX is the Fred Durst of the bike world.
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
Because I don't want to have to make everything perfectly smooth to make it ridable for a tiny-wheeled rigid bike. We often build crude one-off jumps in the woods.

Because overshooting a jump with no sus fork means sore wrists for a week.

And, finally, because BMX is the Fred Durst of the bike world.
If it's not trials even and a newer mtb school why not get a 26er? For stability on dirt it is much better. Also no pros don't ride 26 because the sponsors want it. They ride 26 because they prefer it. I've worked for a very sponsor happy dirt company, met quite a few fmba ranked guys and most top riders just prefer 26 inch. Well unless they lie to me.
 

Cru Jones

Turbo Monkey
Sep 2, 2006
3,025
2
Hell Track
The thing about wheel size is that they all have their own unique characteristics. In general, a bigger wheel will make the bike feel more stable and a smaller wheel will make the bike feel more nimble. So, as a rider, you should go after what you want and allows you to have the most fun. Some people want stable, some people want nimble, some people want a good balance of both. As to the OP's question - who knows why there is still a "general disapproval" of 24s? Maybe because it's different? I think they are slowly gaining more and more acceptance. But, really, who cares? BMX/Dirt Jumping is about having fun. So, you should look to be on a bike that allows you to have the most fun, no matter what other people think about it.
 

jasride

Turbo Monkey
Sep 23, 2006
1,069
5
PA
Your bike is you hotrod. It is your eye candy. It's a part of your style and your self esteem. Like any other vehicle or motorcycle class and or style, its a reflection of what you think has class and style. Function has been proven on any wheel size. Tail whips are being done on all wheel sizes. Flips are being done on all wheel sizes. It's what YOU think is RAD!
 
Sep 12, 2004
261
0
i totally agree with the different stoke/folks argument. as a mtber - i started riding "urban" on 26s, then some years later went to 24s. being 5'8, now when i ride a 26 i feel like im on a tractor. i love my 24s for my size and just being able to maneuver it around tight features a bit easier - for me personally. i wanted to draw comparison to the onslaught of MTB wheel sizes to the street market (leaving 20 and 22s out)

i always found it funny watching videos of 12 yr olds riding 26in at some indoor park on a bike that just seems GIANT for them, and thinking if they were just on a wheel fit for them they could be so much more comfortable in the air/moving around! give the kid a 24 you know...?

i really would love to see one day a street/dj shop that sells 18s, 20s, 22s, 24s, and 26s. that would be amazing. maybe even 26/700 fixed street just to not discriminate