29ers on the podiums more and more?

[Boeing]

At the world cup level very few is racing 29er tires like the ones that most people ride. Anybody racing a WC with any kind of success (with two exceptions) on a 29er is using a very light, skinny tire, with quite high air pressure.

If you look at the wheel set-ups you have three primary types at WCs.

(1) A large 26inch tubeless tire. This is most popular in the women's field, most of the top girls are running 2.2 or larger tires.

(2) Small Tubular MTB tires. Most of the top men are using Tubulars, for some reason the women aren't. I don't know why, maybe the top women are on teams which don't have tubulars available.

(3) 29ers with super light skinny tires.

There is a couple of riders running 29ers tublars who have had success, Maja and Vogel come to mind although both have had greater success on 26inch bikes. But many who have switched are struggling Craig, Brodrick, and McConneloug (the last two are not on tubulars) for example.

All three of the main set-ups come in about the same weight. Actually the 29er wheels are typically the lightest. But with the exception of Kulhavy and Wells most of the riders on 29ers struggle on the technical bits because of their tire choice.

Good post. What sort of technical bits do the riders struggle? Climbing or descending?

 

[MTBrider]

Good post. What sort of technical bits do the riders struggle? Climbing or descending?

Technical climbing doesn't play a big roll in world cup racing. There are few on the circuit (Mt. Saint Anne has a ton) but generally the climbing fairly open.

Those running skinny tires at high air-pressure tend to struggle on rough technical descents, regardless of rim diameter. Kulhavy's choice of a dually over comes this defficiency and Tod Wells superb technical skills allow him to hold his own.

Interesting Bontrager makes a superb mud tire (the mud-X). It is super slow on hard pack but it sticks like glue. Ever since they produced that tire for a 29er, the Subaru team has done really well when ever a course is wet.

People get to wrapped up in wheel size. What everybody is searching for is the best combination of durability (flat resistance), weight, grip, and ride quality. Everyone of those variable is equally important and there is a constant search for the optimal combination of tires and wheels for any course.

 

[Boeing]

Technical climbing doesn't play a big roll in world cup racing. There are few on the circuit (Mt. Saint Anne has a ton) but generally the climbing fairly open.

Those running skinny tires at high air-pressure tend to struggle on rough technical descents, regardless of rim diameter. Kulhavy's choice of a dually over comes this defficiency and Tod Wells superb technical skills allow him to hold his own.

Interesting Bontrager makes a superb mud tire (the mud-X). It is super slow on hard pack but it sticks like glue. Ever since they produced that tire for a 29er, the Subaru team has done really well when ever a course is wet.

People get to wrapped up in wheel size. What everybody is searching for is the best combination of durability (flat resistance), weight, grip, and ride quality. Everyone of those variable is equally important and there is a constant search for the optimal combination of tires and wheels for any course.

Are the non tubular running tubeless at all?

 

[MTBrider]

Are the non tubular running tubeless at all?

Very few riders use tubes nowadays.

Some of the riders running the 2.2 Race King Supersonic use tubes, mainly because the tire is too thin to be converted to tubeless.

Probably 95% of riders are on tubeless or tubulars.

 

[flyor64]

At the world cup level very few is racing 29er tires like the ones that most people ride. Anybody racing a WC with any kind of success (with two exceptions) on a 29er is using a very light, skinny tire, with quite high air pressure.

If you look at the wheel set-ups you have three primary types at WCs.

(1) A large 26inch tubeless tire. This is most popular in the women's field, most of the top girls are running 2.2 or larger tires.

(2) Small Tubular MTB tires. Most of the top men are using Tubulars, for some reason the women aren't. I don't know why, maybe the top women are on teams which don't have tubulars available.

(3) 29ers with super light skinny tires.
There is a couple of riders running 29ers tublars who have had success, Maja and Vogel come to mind although both have had greater success on 26inch bikes. But many who have switched are struggling Craig, Brodrick, and McConneloug (the last two are not on tubulars) for example.

All three of the main set-ups come in about the same weight. Actually the 29er wheels are typically the lightest. But with the exception of Kulhavy and Wells most of the riders on 29ers struggle on the technical bits because of their tire choice.

So they're basically running an "almost" cyclocross tyre?

Would make sense on a WC circuit that is fast and slick I guess...

 

[Boeing]

Very few riders use tubes nowadays.

Some of the riders running the 2.2 Race King Supersonic use tubes, mainly because the tire is too thin to be converted to tubeless.

Probably 95% of riders are on tubeless or tubulars.

So your reference to flats is in relation to the tubular tires?

 

[MTBrider]

So they're basically running an "almost" cyclocross tyre?

Would make sense on a WC circuit that is fast and slick I guess...

Except the typical WC course are anything but smooth and fast. The modern WC course are steepest and most technical XC courses on the planet. The features that are on them require too high of a skill level for most amatures.

Personally, I think running an "almost cyclocross tire" is not the way to go. But it seems (or at least is thought) that in order for the riders to be competative on 29ers they have to.

 

[Boeing]

Except the typical WC course are anything but smooth and fast. The modern WC course are steepest and most technical XC courses on the planet. The features that are on them require too high of a skill level for most amatures.

Personally, I think running an "almost cyclocross tire" is not the way to go. But it seems (or at least is thought) that in order for the riders to be competative on 29ers they have to.

Do you know of riders who trade between both sizes based on course design and approach? Like for lack of a better description Down Hill skis for some super g courses and visaversa?

 

[MTBrider]

Do you know of riders who trade between both sizes based on course design and approach? Like for lack of a better description Down Hill skis for some super g courses and visaversa?

There are a few, but generally riders tend to choose a bike and then stick with it for the season.

The 26er and 29ers do handle quite a bit differently and require a fair bit of adaptation of riding style to be able to ride them really fast. Most are better off sticking with what they ride well then riding some thing that is theoretically a bit faster.

 

[Boeing]

There are a few, but generally riders tend to choose a bike and then stick with it for the season.

The 26er and 29ers do handle quite a bit differently and require a fair bit of adaptation of riding style to be able to ride them really fast. Most are better off sticking with what they ride well then riding some thing that is theoretically a bit faster.

I must say I have trouble still handling a 29er fast technical. so difficult to counter and float into turns. tire patch is like a monorail down hill a lot and the transition turn to turn takes forever if I must compare the 2

there is a video of a dude airing it out on an intense proto DH 29. he he gets air but manipulating the bike looks cumbersome and the space needed to pull airs is bigger of course

 

[MTBrider]

I must say I have trouble still handling a 29er fast technical. so difficult to counter and float into turns. tire patch is like a monorail down hill a lot and the transition turn to turn takes forever if I must compare the 2

there is a video of a dude airing it out on an intense proto DH 29. he he gets air but manipulating the bike looks cumbersome and the space needed to pull airs is bigger of course

I really struggle with front end grip. To get the front end to bite requires a signficant weight transfer. Not particularly fond of them on steep climbs either.

The certainly are good in a straight line though. Remind me of a slack angled 26inch bike.

 

[Boeing]

I really struggle with front end grip. To get the front end to bite requires a signficant weight transfer. Not particularly fond of them on steep climbs either.

The certainly are good in a straight line though. Remind me of a slack angled 26inch bike.

I have adjusted my stem and bars. Way more over the front than on the 26.

However I find climbing to be the best advantage for me. As long as I am positioned well the front doesnt lift and the wheel size actually helps with momentum at slower speed rolling over objects that typically slow or stall progress on a 26 where I might have to un weight the front altogether lifting the front wheel (which for me is problematic when I am full anaerobic max ) those obstacles always rear their heads at the top of a climb.....

its the back side of a climb down hill technical I struggle. As you say weighting the front. I typically rely totally on the front end on a 26 almost in a porpoise effect weighting and unweighting turn to turn or counter steering. Its a catch 22 for a guy my height. The 29 is a better fit but its a cumbersome task to manipulate it as effectively as I can a 26 cornering at speed

just a fact I deal with and not an indictment of either size

 

[simo1733]

Does anyone have any expierience of the Willier XC303.i just saw it on Wiggle.Seems like a lot of bike for the money.
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/wilier-303-xc-shimano-slx-2012/

 

[silverrocket]

Really?? Which bike industry would you be talking about??

You're clearly not talking about the one that sells the stuff that I buy. That one routinely develops new standards for bottom bracket sizes, head set diameters, handlebar diameters, groupset indexing (in the old days, you could mix and match across all manufacturers), matching of chainrings, makes spares available to pro teams but not the public, etc ... All stuff that forces you to change out perfectly good equipment when one relatively minor part wears out/fails ...

The industry is one of the worst/best (pick your adjective - both mean the same in this context) at hyping up and convincing consumers that yesterday's product is hopeless and that it all comes down to equipment ...

(And before I get the usual slamming for being a flat earther - I ride a mix of alloy and carbon frames, Record Ergo on my roadie and Veloce Ergo on my cross bike, X.0 and discs on my fully, etc ... I just believe that, over a relatively basic level, vast majority of riding is about the rider and the gear is really so much less of a difference than we're hyped into believing ...)

Back when cyclingnews.com had a "letters page" I submitted a letter complaining about the "forced redundancy" inherent in the bike industry. They never published the letter, but I got a personal reply from the website tech editor telling me I was off-base.

 

[Boeing]

Back when cyclingnews.com had a "letters page" I submitted a letter complaining about the "forced redundancy" inherent in the bike industry. They never published the letter, but I got a personal reply from the website tech editor telling me I was off-base.

what he might have been politely implying is that your personal explanation of 'things' and observation isnt a sample survey enough to support the claim worthy of print.

with that said i.m running a way shorter stem 60 on my xc 29er now and it improved handling. surprisingly less steer twitching on slow techy climbs. interesting combo, short stem like my dh bike but low like xc. I find the slow technical climbing suits a bigger wheel for a guy my size. it has to do with surface area on objects. it rolls over better for me therefore more momentum at a slow speed

(before you blast me please read my posts above where I describe the disadvantages I experience.)

 

[mad black]

And again, probably the most technical course of the world-cup circuit with MSA over the weekend and which wheel size reigns supreme in the men's and women's???

26 INCHES ARE BIG ENOUGH!!! (for those who can mountain bike...)

 

[Boeing]

And again, probably the most technical course of the world-cup circuit with MSA over the weekend and which wheel size reigns supreme in the men's and women's???

26 INCHES ARE BIG ENOUGH!!! (for those who can mountain bike...)

Or taking your bias out of it, a horse for a course

 

[PCutter]

After a weekend out riding the MTB for a change, I've started to think of upgrading - my MTB is quite old and battered now so time to put on some flat pedals and relegate it to shop bike - which has of course brought the 29" to my attention for the first time (I'm road focused more than MTB). I saw this article by Lennard Zinn where he mentions 29" bikes introduce too many compromises in geometry for shorter riders (towards the bottom after discussing 650b wheels ???).

He's talking about an extreme 5ft women, but there must be some point where there's a cross over. Does anyone have any experience/discussion on at what size a 29" becomes an issue? I guess I fit a S to S/M in a 26" (53cm preferred road TT)

http://singletrack.competitor.com/2012/06/bikes-tech/tech-faq-whats-the-big-deal-with-650b_32195

 

[MD FACG FACP]

I have a Santa Cruz Tallboy. I've had it for @14 months, I liked it at first but I recently dialed the fit in and now love that bike. I'm not sure if it's faster or not, or I'm faster on it, but I really enjoy the ride. Great bike 26 lbs. size large.

 

[Parera]

After a weekend out riding the MTB for a change, I've started to think of upgrading - my MTB is quite old and battered now so time to put on some flat pedals and relegate it to shop bike - which has of course brought the 29" to my attention for the first time (I'm road focused more than MTB). I saw this article by Lennard Zinn where he mentions 29" bikes introduce too many compromises in geometry for shorter riders (towards the bottom after discussing 650b wheels ???).

He's talking about an extreme 5ft women, but there must be some point where there's a cross over. Does anyone have any experience/discussion on at what size a 29" becomes an issue? I guess I fit a S to S/M in a 26" (53cm preferred road TT)

http://singletrack.competitor.com/2012/06/bikes-tech/tech-faq-whats-the-big-deal-with-650b_32195

I've seen pro women who are tiny (5'1") racing 29ers in the PNW this summer. They did just fine. Also, it's hard to say what size frame size you need without first riding a bike since stem length is a huge deal for mountain bikes. For example, for an AM bike I would choose a larger frame so I can run a 50mm stem without having a cramped feeling cockpit.

 

[durianrider]

So is vegan boy right again? 29ers pretty much taking out the top 10's of the recent US nationals on all xc races?

What was the best ranked 26er in the few races at the US nationals?

 

[Boeing]

So is vegan boy right again? 29ers pretty much taking out the top 10's of the recent US nationals on all xc races?

What was the best ranked 26er in the few races at the US nationals?

everyone on a downhill bike

 

[Chris85]

I have a specialized hardtail 29er. It's like riding a bus...in a good way. I dont ride the trail, i plough it.

 

[durianrider]

No more 26er epics for 2013...

http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/news/article/specialized-2013-mountain-bikes-launched-34567/

 

[Turner29]

Every bicycle choice is a compromise. As a relatively large person, 29er geometry and minor weight issues were not a concern for me. I liked that 29ers essentially transform a 125mm travel bike into a 140mm travel one and my choice has not disappointed me.