29″er Rumor Mill
October 4th, 2006 by Guitar TedGotta love the rumors that you read on the forums these days. Rumors of tires and rumors of bikes coming out. Here are some of the hottest topics for disscussion around your 29 inch diameter water cooler today.
Specialized, who have publicly poo-poo’d the idea of 29″ers on several occaisions are said to be preparing themselves a very large Humble Pie. Supposedly, they have been “secretly” developing a couple of 29″ers for an ‘08 introduction. Now, with about everybody on board the 29″er kool aid wagon but Trek, Giant, and Specialized, the Big Red S has apparently decided to move up it’s intro to the end of the month. It wouldn’t surprise me, quite frankly, and it makes sense, especially when considering the fact that they now have two tires in the size 29 and no bikes to fit them! ( A fact that I find totally hilarious)
Also, I have heard that Trek is now considering entering a line of 29″ers soon as well. Apparently looking at what has been happening down the hall at Fisher has some brows furrowed up in Waterloo. I’ll keep my ears pricked for any more juicy rumors from the Cheese State in the future.
And finally………Tires! Yes the things that the whole enchilada rolls down the trail on. Several new models are coming out and have been confirmed, but the truly fat, bulbous, high volume tread that several of you out there seem to be lusting after hasn’t materialized yet. It seems that this is due in part to a restriction imposed by the currently employed tire making equipment. It seems that 29″er tires have the machines maxed out and a larger volume casing with tread suitable for off roading is just not possible at this point. Hopefully with the trend towards more 29″ers being manufactured and hopefully sold, we will see a manufacturer invest in a machine capable of making that larger volume 29″er tire. Until then, the rumor is that Kenda has in fact made that investment, so we’ll see about that. All I know is that as soon as the Smallblock 8 tread hits the shelves I’m going to have a pair! That tire is hawt doode!
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On the tire front I think that the limits of the machines to make them are hand in hand with the current frames and forks to fit them perhaps? Larger yet than those in the pipeline tires will require reworking of the lowers for the currently available suspension forks with cast lowers and arches I believe and rear triangles of many bikes too. Once again the custom folks will adapt sooner than the corps I predict and give them another small window of opportunity to make a few months rent before they can get the containers rolling in from overseas.
I like how the left hand writes criticism for koolaide-wagon-jumping while the right hand whips out the credit card.
Don’t you think the real reason manfuacturers are slow to step up is because the vast majority of bikers aren’t going to replace their equipment everytime a new product comes out?
-M
I still have not receiveda follow up “confirmation” from Specialized from the 29″er email yesterday…I will keep everyone posted if they get back with me, but I wouldn’t surprised if they don’t, considering how tight lipped they have been thus far…maybe the guy that sent me the email realized his mistake when my “ears perked up”, so to speak. I am heading to an “in the know” Spesh dealer today (see paragraph below), and will fish for as much info as I can get.
Also, on the subject of tires, I got an email from Bikemine on the Geax Saguaro tire this morning. Unfortunately they are now saying January for availability. This come only 2 weeks after they told me November…so I guess we’ll see.
I personally can’t wait any longer for all of these new tires, and am disappointed to say I will have to go buy something that has been available all along, the Fast Traks. I have torn the sidewall on my Ignitor front tire, and flatted out twice with the tubes I had up front once it ripped…I was hoping to get something new, but I guess that’s not in the cards. I’ll just have to ride more to wear the FT’s out so when everything else is available I’ll need something new as well.
Well, there are already several frames out there ready and waiting for bigger tires. I know that the Inbred and the Haro Mary are two that come to mind that are ready for 2.5″ rubber. Not all are going to take tires that size, that’s correct, but several will.
Hardtails are not going to force the hand of the tire manufacturers, in my opinion. The big tires are really needed for the coming full suspension designs like the Ellsworth, Turner, and Niner offerings. Bikes like the Lenz Behemoth are actually being held back in performance for lack of big meaty tires.
Forks like the White Brothers thru axle 130mm travel fork have plenty of clearance for 2.5″ tires and really, any 29″er fork out there is probably much like it’s 26″er cousins in that moderately fat tires are no problem. 2.5-3″ aren’t probably doable, but the whole point is moot if tire manufacturers can not produce such a tire at any costs due to the limitations of current manufacturing technology.
Until new machinery is invested in, and a return on that investment is seen as being a reasonable proposition, we aren’t going to see anything bigger than we have now.
I think you may have misunderstood me as I was not saying it isn’t/shouldn’t going to happen nor are there bikes able to take a larger tire right now, but when it does some designs will be found lacking in clearances and the builders/manufacturers need to design for the larger meats.
.downhillfaster. “Also, on the subject of tires, I got an email from Bikemine on the Geax Saguaro tire this morning. Unfortunately they are now saying January for availability. This come only 2 weeks after they told me November…so I guess we’ll see.”
And you did not believe me when I told you the same thing last week!
Bad .dhf., bad!
I seem to recall a huge american buzz when betamax videos came out and would be the only videos to ever use or 8 track stereos, call me old and synical but on a global scale dont go wetting your bed sheets yet boys and girls
I was told yesterday by our outside rep and it was confirmed by our inside rep…SPECIALIZED WILL HAVE A 29er FOR 2008!!! They said they were trying for a 2007.5 release, but didn’t think it would happen.
I thought one of the great things about 29ers was that they don’t need big wide tires. The 2.0’s on my 29er bite better than the 2.5’s on my 26er. Has anyone else noticed this or is it just me?