[N8 v2.0]

Or is it because I have MAD skillz? No, that's not it.

To paraphrase Eydie Gorme, I blame it on the 29er.

Well, I could have invited Brady to ride with us... he can do all 11 miles of the Monkey in 52 minutes on a 29" Walt Works single speed...

 

[Echo]

We have some extremely tight twisty switchbacks here and no 29er has a problem... perhaps it's lack of skills..???

I find it beyond hilarous that you just questioned Westy's bike skills... not that you had any credibility to start with, but jeez

 

[N8 v2.0]

I find it beyond hilarous that you just questioned Westy's bike skills... not that you had any credibility to start with, but jeez

No i didn't.

 

[DNA]

Well, I could have invited Brady to ride with us... he can do all 11 miles of the Monkey in 52 minutes on a 29" Walt Works single speed...

Oh yeah!? I could have invited Westy and he would have ridden it in 50 minutes on a... <psst, Westy, what kind of bike do you ride?>.

 

[jacksonpt]

why the F does it matter? Find a bike you like and ride the snot out of it. Who cares how many gears it has or how big the wheels are - shut up and ride already.

 

[Westy]

Oh yeah!? I could have invited Westy and he would have ridden it in 50 minutes on a... <psst, Westy, what kind of bike do you ride?>.

Bigwheels, not 29" bikes but the plastic tricycle.

 

[N8 v2.0]

Bigwheels, not 29" bikes but the plastic tricycle.

Nice... a recumbent then...

 

[brungeman]

Today 09:14 AM
jacksonpt why the F does it matter? Find a bike you like and ride the snot out of it. Who cares how many gears it has or how big the wheels are - shut up and ride already.

DATS WHAT I SAY!!! ride more be more happy!!!

and

Today 08:45 AM
manhattanprjkt83 Listen to the brungeman, he is wise people...Last time we were out riding he was acting like he was on a trials bike but infact he was aboard the too nyne.

not quite but gettin better!!!

 

[DNA]

why the F does it matter? Find a bike you like and ride the snot out of it. Who cares how many gears it has or how big the wheels are - shut up and ride already.

Easy killer, maybe you need to go up a size on the tighty-whiteys. You are awfully uptight this fine morning. We're just having a little bipartisan debate on the merits of wheel size.

 

[Skookum]

i have no skill so i'm definately staying away from those 29ers.

 

[jacksonpt]

Easy killer, maybe you need to go up a size on the tighty-whiteys. You are awfully uptight this fine morning. We're just having a little bipartisan debate on the merits of wheel size.

first off... I'm not wearing underwear, so shut up.

second... it's not really a debate - everyone agrees that 29" wheels roll better over uneven terrain, everyone agrees that they do require slightly more effort to turn, the "debate" is about how they perform on tight trails, and let's face it... that really comes down to how familiar you are with the bike, regardless of wheelsize.

third... I'm just tired of N8's 29er threads. Hey RM - how about a 29er forum to get some of this junk organized it it's own forum?

 

[Westy]

Nice... a recumbent then...

I prefer to call myself a front wheel drive fixy rider. You get amazing traction when riding up hills backwards. It is the wave of the future.

 

[DNA]

first off... I'm not wearing underwear, so shut up.

Eghwwwww!

Where is the vomiting smilie when you need it?

 

[N8 v2.0]

I prefer to call myself a front wheel drive fixy rider. You get amazing traction when riding up hills backwards. It is the wave of the future.

You visonary you!

 

[hooples3]

32" is the 29'er

 

[douglas]

:Summary: Our major performance outcome was time to complete each trial, since race performance is determined by who completes a given distance in the shortest possible time. The average times of the 6 cyclists tested were 4% faster (17 sec) on the uphill course, and 3% (26 sec) on the XC course when riding the 29” equipped bicycle.

hold up, what kind of stupid test was this?
how about a real test on a real xc course...instead of some dumb tiny course that takes 14 minutes to finish?

3 % = 26 seconds

870 seconds * 3% = 26 seconds

870 seconds (14.5 minutes) to complete a XC course???

 

[N8 v2.0]

hold up, what kind of stupid test was this?
how about a real test on a real xc course...instead of some dumb tiny course that takes 14 minutes to finish?

3 % = 26 seconds

870 seconds * 3% = 26 seconds

870 seconds (14.5 minutes) to complete a XC course???

A short course?

 

[Westy]

The test provides no details on course conditions or any other differences in the bike. Could have been a 26" DH bike vs a 29" rigid hardtail.

Given certain course conditions a CX or Road bike would be faster than a 26" MTB.

 

[DNA]

third... I'm just tired of N8's threads.

fixed it for ya

 

[N8 v2.0]

fixed it for ya

:nuts:

:eviltongu

 

[douglas]

The test provides no details on course conditions or any other differences in the bike. Could have been a 26" DH bike vs a 29" rigid hardtail.

Given certain course conditions a CX or Road bike would be faster than a 26" MTB.

I'd guess" $4000 29" vs $120 26" Huffy from Walmart

 

[sanjuro]

I joke around about the 29 inch bicycle, but one thing that made me think was the Kokopelli race, about 140 miles. The top 3 finishers all did with 29 inch hardtails...

 

[N8 v2.0]

I joke around about the 29 inch bicycle, but one thing that made me think was the Kokopelli race, about 140 miles. The top 3 finishers all did with 29 inch hardtails...

And the Ouchita Challenge course record was set by a guy on a 29er as well....

Yep...... sounds like you've seen a glimmer of the future...

 

[Reactor]

And the Ouchita Challenge course record was set by a guy on a 29er as well....

Yep...... sounds like you've seen a glimmer of the future...

Yeah, really good riders will win races regardless of what bikes they ride!!

 

[N8 v2.0]

Yeah, really good riders will win races regardless of what bikes they ride!!

The question is why are they on 29ers to start with? I mean since they are heavier and slower and all..???

 

[Westy]

Yeah, really good riders will win races regardless of what bikes they ride!!

I have a friend that tries to figure out what people are riding who win races so he can do the same. I just laugh, when it comes to MTB racing it is the motor and the driver that win the races, not the bike.

 

[N8 v2.0]

I have a friend that tries to figure out what people are riding who win races so he can do the same. I just laugh, when it comes to MTB racing it is the motor and the driver that win the races, not the bike.

True, but just like in road biking, at a highly competive level the riders are similar in fitness so the bike performance does play a bigger part.

 

[narlus]

maybe if a perceived notion of 'going faster' was my reason for biking, i might be interested in a 29" bike.

but that's fairly far down the list of why i ride.

 

[Andyman_1970]

And the Ouchita Challenge course record was set by a guy on a 29er as well....

What was the previous record beat by, minutes, seconds, hours?

 

[N8 v2.0]

What was the previous record beat by, minutes, seconds, hours?

The course record is 4:39:10

 

[Westy]

True, but just like in road biking, at a highly competive level the riders are similar in fitness so the bike performance does play a bigger part.

I have honestly never seen a really close Expert or Pro XC MTB race before, winner usually has a good margin.

 

[Andyman_1970]

The course record is 4:39:10

What was the previous record, the "non 29'er" record.

 

[narlus]

What was the previous record beat by, minutes, seconds, hours?

The course record is 4:39:10

What was the previous record, the "non 29'er" record.

he's not so good @ reading comprehension, huh.

 

[kidwoo]

And the Ouchita Challenge course record was set by a guy on a 29er as well....

Yep...... sounds like you've seen a glimmer of the future...

That and the kokopelli race are mostly dirt roads aren't they?

 

[N8 v2.0]

That and the kokopelli race are mostly dirt roads aren't they?

In the case of the OC... !!!

Come ride it.

 

[kidwoo]

In the case of the OC... !!!

What does that mean?

That was actually a serious question. Maybe I'm thinking of leadville?

 

[sanjuro]

That and the kokopelli race are mostly dirt roads aren't they?

I rode Kokopelli on an unsupported bike tour once, which is why the race fascinates me.

99% of the ride is dirt road, which is why I think a 29er is good for it.

Would a 29er be good for the backwoods of the Berkshires? Maybe not...

 

[N8 v2.0]

What does that mean?

That was actually a serious question. Maybe I'm thinking of leadville?

It means no. While there is some road time, but the vast majority is two trail systems. The Womble and the Ouachita.

 

[kidwoo]

I rode Kokopelli on an unsupported bike tour once, which is why the race fascinates me.

99% of the ride is dirt road, which is why I think a 29er is good for it.
...

Yup. I did the continental divide route in 2000 down the rockies. If we weren't doing so much singletrack riding along the way sans gear, I would have bought a 29er.

 

[kidwoo]

It means no. While there is some road time, but the vast majority is two trail systems. The Womble and the Ouachita.

I must be thinking of leadville then.

It's interesting that what gets quoted both by you and others touting the greatness of 29ers addresses is long distance riding........mostly smoove terrain for the most part. Are Womble and Ouachita very rough or techy?

A lot of the stuff I ride is tight and to ride it the way I want to involves a lot of agressive turning and direction changes. I also bunny hop and lift the front wheel a lot on descents......even xc ones. This is where I didn't like the 29ers I've ridden. Going straight over stuff rules though. There's no question about that. I was just looking at some CS measurements on 29ers a while ago and that's a weakness too. Makes the rear end too long.