Comments on: Raleigh XXIX Updation

By: Alex

Alex — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 23:48:57 +0000

I read this on Sheldon Brown: http://sheldonbrown.com/skewers.html

“James Annan has recently created something of a storm in the industry by pointing out a serious safety risk to users of front disc brakes with traditional forks. He has identified a mechanism whereby the forces generated by the disc brake can cause the skewer to loosen up in use!

This failure mode is possible even with the better skewer designs, but it’s more likely with the external-cam type. ”

In addition Brown said this: http://sheldonbrown.com/singlespeed.html

“Disc brakes are increasingly popular for off-road use, and a number of high-end ready-made singlespeed bikes are supplied with front and rear disc brakes. In my opinion, this is not a good thing.

Personally I consider rear disc brakes a very poor choice for a singlespeed. It would preclude you from using a flip-flop hub . Also, as the chain wears and the axle is moved backward to take up the slack, the relationship of the disc to the caliper will change. That can’t be good.”

By: Girl Sucking Dicks

Girl Sucking Dicks — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 13:22:10 +0000

Girl Sucking Dicks…

Sorry, it just sounds like a crazy idea for me :)…

By: Paul

Paul — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 03:36:28 +0000

Ok guys…it’s been about year since all of those posts reagrding putting a short travel sus fork on the XXIX…any new updates with that experiment? Have any of you tried it out? If so, please send the details! I tried to read all of the postings for this bike to see if Raleigh approved of us ladies putting sus forks on this frame and I am not quite sure I saw the ‘go ahead’ from the Raleigh camp…..can anyone confirm that we all should be fine running sus forks on this frame? Sorry just a little paranoid about doing things to frames that may not be designed for sus forks…blah blah blah blah……

By: velo.velo

velo.velo — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 22:00:51 +0000

Just got my xxix last Friday and love it! The hour-glass seatstays are icing on the cake. I’ve installed a pair of Time Atac pedals (what I’ve been using). Many folks swear by the On-One ‘Mary’ handlebars, so I considering them or a set of less expensive ones from OriGin-8. what else? Who makes the lightest 29′er tire out there?

By: Dennis

Dennis — Thu, 14 Dec 2006 00:27:56 +0000

Can you put a suspension fork on this bike? I love the whole inexpensive 29er thing but it doesn’t look like the bike is designed for a suspension fork and I really prefer at least a little travel.

By: mark

mark — Tue, 19 Sep 2006 16:48:29 +0000

I put a 22t surley cog on back of my XXIXer and notice a little snappier takeoffs and in saddle climbing is better…again top end speed has been sacrificed….but the snappier lower end was what I was after…just sharing the experience…

By: Jffmark

Jffmark — Mon, 11 Sep 2006 00:09:40 +0000

Guitar Ted- Thanks very much for the input about the forks. However, I gotta tell you, I did my first race on the XXIX on Saturday in Santa Barbara and I really need to put a fork on this bike! It was really, really rough without the suspension fork and it defintely cost me some time, never mind feeling like my arms were going to blow out during the 3rd lap. I spoke to some people at the race and they really liked the Reba so I might look into that. The rigid is fork is great for “riding” but I need suspension for “racing”. Thanks again for the info. Take care, Jeff.

By: Guitar Ted

Guitar Ted — Sat, 09 Sep 2006 13:18:35 +0000

Andrew: I weighed the XXIX with stock components and Snafu BMX flat pedals at 27.5lbs. I weighed my Inbred 29″er, with my own custom, but durable spec, at 26lbs even, and that was with clipless pedals, three bottle cages, one water bottle (empty) and a Cat Eye wireless computer installed.

Alot of these “budget” 29″ers are not going to have high end, double butted, lightweight steel frames. The new Redline Flight Monocog being an exception, but that bike is $800.00, so not so “budget” anymore.

I could dump weight in a hurry on the XXIX. Saddle is heavy, Exi Wolfs are heavy, and some of the small parts could be exchanged for lighter ones. Without getting too crazy, I bet I could make this bike a sub 26 pounder in a hurry. With a metculous eye and alot of money, you could go further, but then you’ve got to ask, “Why?”, because you could get a custom frame, and start out with a lighter platform to begin with. Or go to a Fisher Rig frameset with the carbon Bontrager fork and start from there.

Anyway, these CroMo SS bikes are super durable, cheap, and should take a ton of abuse. Just what a single speed mountain bike should be!

By: Andrew

Andrew — Sat, 09 Sep 2006 06:14:06 +0000

About how much do these rigid single-speed 29′ers weigh? I would imagine one chromoly bike would be pretty close to the weight of any other, so I am not being brand specific.

By: Guitar Ted

Guitar Ted — Fri, 08 Sep 2006 22:11:01 +0000

Jffmark: Those forks are reliable, heavy, (compared to a Reba or White Brothers) and have had numerous complaints of flex from heavier/ more aggresive riders. They are a pretty decent buy, and actually, alot of people really like them.

Now as for putting one on a XXIX, I’m not sure about that, now that I actually have seen one. (I got mine just the other day) The front end is noticeably lower than my Inbred 29″er and I can not imagine that by putting even the 80mm travel Marz fork on there that you wouldn’t mess up the front end quickness at least somewhat.

That said, I’ll have to put a tape measure to it and my other two 29″ers and also compare axle to crown measurements for Marz forks before I could say anything with authority.

Right now, my guess is that it wouldn’t be a good idea. Raleigh is coming out with a geared version of this frame very soon. (Intro due at Interbike) and also you might check on Haro Marys in SS or geared garb. All of those bikes are truly suspension corrected for 80mm travel forks and are all very similar. They all use the same rear modular drop out insert.