Blinded By Science: Why Testing Will Never Answer The Debate
August 22nd, 2006 by Guitar TedTim just posted up his reaction to the cyclingnews.com testing of a 29″er vs. a 26″er. I have written several times before on what I think of the “testing” procedure, but here it is for you Twenty Nine Inches readers.
First of all, the efforts and expenses that the folks at Cycling News are putting into this are astounding and impressive. Surely they are going to have one of, if not the most, detailed and intensive studies of 29″ers versus 26″ers to date. The trouble is that they won’t find out what is “best” for me or you. They won’t find out where a 29″er might work for me and on what course it won’t work for me. Here is why.
One word: Humans. That’s right. We are all different. We are all skilled at different levels. We all have differing perceptions. You can put 20, 200, or 2000 people on board the test bikes, yet you won’t have answered the question for everybody. Like Tim said, throw your leg over one and ride it. That’s really the test that each one of us will have to do before “you” will know what works best for “you”.
Throw in the several different terrain types and all the different bike set ups that “could” work for someone and you can start to see where this is a wasted effort, at worst, and at the very least, a misguiding effort. For example, I absolutely love my 29″er, single speed, drop bar equipped Karate Monkey. How many folks out there are riding something remotely close to this? Probably not many. Is it the “best”? Who cares! It works for me, and that’s all that really matters, right?
I’d like to see it all work out this way, where 26 inch wheels and 29 inch wheels co-exist. You have a choice that way. Choice = good, right? How about “you” pick which one is best for you, and forget about the “science”. It’s a wheel size. Get over it already!
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Way to put it mark..
there are times ethier format is gonna work better…
if your 5′1″ or 6′7″ there are also gonna be some choices thet you just can’t make.
interesting
I just got my 29er Salsa Delgado Disc rim from WebCyclery. That sure is a wide, light(ish) and round!
-M
I’m really kind of over all this bullsh!t about wheelsize and testing 26″ against 29″ and “which is best’ stuff.
After a while it gets rather boring and old.
In reality, all anyone has to do is beg, borrow or steal a ride on a well set - up 29′er. Take it to your well-known favourite stretch of trail, and ride it… preferably for at least a couple of hours.
If, after that … you aren’t convinced, or even slightly impressed by the big wheels, then stick with the little ones, and be happy.
If….. like me you are convinced that this big wheel thing all makes sense and works much better for riding trails than those little wheels, then DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
Go get a loaner, ride it for a week, ride it hard, try to endo it, climb it, descend on it…whatever.
If you are then convinced about 29′ers, [and you should be] go build one for yourself.
That is exactly what I did, and i’m a very happy 29′er rider who previously rode 26″ wheels for over 50 years…so I have some experience in this.
Forget the tests carried out by others…. YOU go test one yourself. Then ……. you’ll know.
R.
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