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Confused MTBer needs help?

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  • June 25, 2017 at 8:55 am #27267
    trohos

    Hello

    I need some opinions, please! Ι ‘m in a dillema.

    I  think of my new mtb. I ‘m a fan of 26″ (but first of all a mtb fun) and in the past i have buy an all new full suspension xc frame+rear shock and i already have stem+handlebar to build my new bike. Before some years a faced  knees problem so i think i need something smooth.

    My price range is about 1500euro, and the track  i ride most, consist of steep dirt road (10-25% gradient) and hiking trails uphill and downhill. My dillema is what is better for me, a lightweight 26″ full suspension or a better roll 29″ hardtail bike? I have heard many good words for the 29″ hardtail climb and descent ability and as  i say i need something smooth. I’m confused because in the past we have the gram war, how now a much heavier 29″ bike is better from a 26″ wheel for steep climb in the same price range? Also i don’t think of 27.5″.

    I know this is a road bike forum but many people are roadies and mtbers, Also the off-road cc has not yet a forum.

    Thanks in advance.

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  • June 28, 2017 at 9:41 am #895833
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    trohos
    surly_by_name wrote:
    You can still have fun on a 26″ MTB but they are becoming harder to buy and harder to find parts for. EUR1500 will get you a pretty mediocre full susser, will climb like a pig. What kind of riding do you intend to do? If it’s not racing (or not mostly racing or you are grown up enough to realise its probably not your bike stopping you winning races) then I’d suggest a hard tail with a 120mm (or more) fork, a dropper seat post and slacker geometry. 27.5″ or 29er doesn’t matter so much. One One Rango (bit above your price range, ask them to remove 27.5″+ tyres and swap for regular 27″ rubber), Kona Honzo AL/DL, Spesh Fuse (ditch the fat tyres), Trek Stache (ditto). These bikes will let you have a bit more fun on the downhill and – if you ditch the plus tyres – won’t kill you on the uphill.

    I want it for xc allround and propably some xc races (but most for fun!). But as i say my priority is safety, so, i want something smooth for my knees.

    June 27, 2017 at 4:04 pm #895831
    0
    surly_by_name

    You can still have fun on a

    You can still have fun on a 26″ MTB but they are becoming harder to buy and harder to find parts for. EUR1500 will get you a pretty mediocre full susser, will climb like a pig. What kind of riding do you intend to do? If it’s not racing (or not mostly racing or you are grown up enough to realise its probably not your bike stopping you winning races) then I’d suggest a hard tail with a 120mm (or more) fork, a dropper seat post and slacker geometry. 27.5″ or 29er doesn’t matter so much. One One Rango (bit above your price range, ask them to remove 27.5″+ tyres and swap for regular 27″ rubber), Kona Honzo AL/DL, Spesh Fuse (ditch the fat tyres), Trek Stache (ditto). These bikes will let you have a bit more fun on the downhill and – if you ditch the plus tyres – won’t kill you on the uphill.

    June 27, 2017 at 7:39 am #895829
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    Jimmy Ray Will

    Having recently converted

    Having recently converted myself, I’d say go for a 29er. It just rolls better everywhere.

    Is it any faster though? No, I don’t think it is, its just easier… or should I say nicer. 

    Now part of me thinks that I’m not fully tapping into the extra speed available on a 29er as after 20 years riding 26inch wheels, my mental limits are locked into what a 26inch wheel can do, not what is genuinely possible. Time will tell I guess. 

    What I would advise is investing as much as you can on wheels. On my bike these are the last remaining limiter, and you can really feel the extra weight when trying to accelerate on the hills. 

     

     

    June 27, 2017 at 7:34 am #895827
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    Daveyraveygravey

    I still have a 26er hardtail

    I still have a 26er hardtail for riding in the South Downs, it’s small and agile.  I only recently tried a 29er hardtail and it felt big, heavy and slow to change direction in comparison.  The only place I thought it was better was downhill, it seemed to blast over loose rocks and bumps that would knock me offline on the 26er. Trouble is, I already go downhill too fast so I don’t want something that is going to make me increase my risk/speed.

     

    Note this is for hardtails, and only my opinion/experience, maybe full sus bikes a 29er would come out better.

    June 26, 2017 at 6:59 pm #895825
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    pjm60

    Heresey incoming:

    Heresy incoming:

    Wheel size really is negligible imo. I’ve ridden all three. 29 might seem a bit different to start with but you’ll have just as much fun on any size wheels. 

    Weight is really also negligible imo. One or two kg really won’t make a difference.

     

    You’ll get a pretty mediocore full sus, or a pretty good hardtail. With the riding you describe I’d probably go for the hardtail.

    June 26, 2017 at 6:38 pm #895823
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    Russell Orgazoid

    I found a 29er was better for

    I found a 29er was better for climbing…it flatters you everywhere. Can’t comment on 650b things…never tried one.

    June 26, 2017 at 6:18 pm #895821
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    SingleSpeed

    26″ is dead, any thing €1500

    26″ is dead, any thing €1500 will be a 29 or 650b.

    For €1500 I’d look at something like an entry level carbon hardtail.

    June 26, 2017 at 2:10 pm #895819
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    adamthekiwi

    Hi trohos,

    Hi trohos,

    I’m not sold by the idea that a lighter bike is automatically a better climber – the geometry can play a significant part, too. Generally speaking, a 29er will have better traction in any like-for-like situation – if only because of the greater chainstay length – so that tends to outweigh (pun not intended) the potentially greater heft.

    Having said that, 26″ wheeled bikes can be great climbers too. I can’t really tell from your post, but if you have a 26″ frame, shock, stem and bars, I’d try building that up and see how it goes…

    If not, your budget should get you a great bike for whatever your trail needs are (“hiking trails” covers a multitude). So, if you don’t want to, or can’t, build on what you’ve already got – test ride as many bikes as you can; try to take them over the kind of terrain that you ride; buy the one that makes you grin the most – *this* is by far the most important criteria when it comes to a bike. If it makes you smile, it gets you out riding more often and with more confidence.

    Adam…

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