Just thought I'd mention that I got my new issue of Bike, and they have an article on 29ers, and a roundup with some reviews on a few of them.
Just letting you crazy guys know
Just letting you crazy guys know
New 29er article in Bike magazine...
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Post up a summary BV!
Cycling news is also doing that boring and already been done comparison, and MTB Action has a review of the Soma Juice inside (but you know how those MBA reviews go right? - even with 26" wheeled bikes).
Cycling news is also doing that boring and already been done comparison, and MTB Action has a review of the Soma Juice inside (but you know how those MBA reviews go right? - even with 26" wheeled bikes).
Will do, tomorrow, after I read it 
- I just skimmed it and thought I'd mention it in case anyone was at their local magazine shop/book store and wanted to check it out.
- I just skimmed it and thought I'd mention it in case anyone was at their local magazine shop/book store and wanted to check it out.
Good article. The writer clearly likes his 29ers, so the bikes get a very positive spin, but he balances it out with some of the various disadvantages of the big wheels.
An interesting cross-section of bikes reviewed: a 5" travel all-mountain Lenz, a single speed rigid Redline, a soft-tail Salsa and the racy Titus Racer-X. Conclusions were positive all around, as Bike's reviews often are.
They marked the Lenz as being completely and unmovably stable and a lot of fun to ride, but a little long to handle in the switchbacks. The exact quote is, "It takes an act of congress to knock the Behemoth off its chosen line. And even then, there would have to be considerable debate in congress and possible enactment of Presedential veto powers to make things move."
The Redline is a budget machine with rim brakes and an inexpensive parts spec, but the reviewer says it is "well thought out" and "casual[ly] sensible". He marked it as "one of the most pleasantly suprising and capable bikes I've tested in years."
I got the impression they were fairly unimpressed with the Salsa. They claimed it seemed to be a race platform but that the handling was very wiggly and vague. They said it's low-speed handling was great and it climbs really well.
They really loved the Titus, execpt for the astronomic price tag. Even the office 29er-hater said that it felt good. They couldn't say enough good things about it.
The upshot: the writer likes the bikes and spins the article that way (as is his right, just pointing it out). There's not a lot of new information, though, and much of it consists of a pro/con checklist. Unless you're interested in the specific bikes they review, in which case give the article a read!
An interesting cross-section of bikes reviewed: a 5" travel all-mountain Lenz, a single speed rigid Redline, a soft-tail Salsa and the racy Titus Racer-X. Conclusions were positive all around, as Bike's reviews often are.
They marked the Lenz as being completely and unmovably stable and a lot of fun to ride, but a little long to handle in the switchbacks. The exact quote is, "It takes an act of congress to knock the Behemoth off its chosen line. And even then, there would have to be considerable debate in congress and possible enactment of Presedential veto powers to make things move."
The Redline is a budget machine with rim brakes and an inexpensive parts spec, but the reviewer says it is "well thought out" and "casual[ly] sensible". He marked it as "one of the most pleasantly suprising and capable bikes I've tested in years."
I got the impression they were fairly unimpressed with the Salsa. They claimed it seemed to be a race platform but that the handling was very wiggly and vague. They said it's low-speed handling was great and it climbs really well.
They really loved the Titus, execpt for the astronomic price tag. Even the office 29er-hater said that it felt good. They couldn't say enough good things about it.
The upshot: the writer likes the bikes and spins the article that way (as is his right, just pointing it out). There's not a lot of new information, though, and much of it consists of a pro/con checklist. Unless you're interested in the specific bikes they review, in which case give the article a read!
Thanks for the cliff notes version BV! 
Then does that mean you take your laptop in for your morning constitution? With Ferrentino at the helm BIKE mag is at least worth buying now for keeping next to the can. It won't last a whole month though unless you recycle it a few pages at a time and you can't wipe yourToshi said:
i haven't bought a paper bike magazine in years...
with a computer.I recently purchased a number of issues of Fat Tire Flyer from CK and they have provided months of morning pleasure, but they are not on the recycling plan.
Thanks for the report. Mags are slow to reach here and we all know the best thing about the internet is sometimes it is the next best thing to being there.
I've been kind of interested in getting a Redline 29er actually. I've got a 26'' monocog right now, and it is pretty kickass for what it cost me. The local shop guy says the Redline 29er is pretty hard to get right now though, so I'm out of luck unless I go with a Karate Monkey.
If you've got spare parts you could try picking up a Monocog frame from Webcyclery.com or Pricepoint.comfubar5 said:
Lots of other frame only options in the $400 to $500 range.
You make a good point. The frame on pricepoint is a good deal and with that I could definetly piece together something for around 500 bucks. I'm kinda dedicated to my local shop, so maybe I'll see what the shop guy there can do on the frame only.MMcG said: