1. And what was that? I’ve read it a few times and can’t quite make it out.(now thats sarcasm!)

2. As i thought Michael was echoing the same theme as most others here.

Quote; I never said I was a “fair and unbiased voice of reason on
all things mtb�, you did. Quote

3. Correct.. I did as this was my impression of your work and reporting on the web.

Quote; And finally: Your doubt that anything I print or report on in
the future will hold any credibility supports the very quote
of mine that you used in your post. Excepting that it’s not
sarcasm at that point, but rather the truth. Assuming that
it was sarcasm, which it wasn’t by the way. You are certainly
free to your opinions.quote

4. I don’t understand this at all….. my head hurts (attempted humour to lighten the tension)

Hey Ted if I have offended you in any way I am sincerely sorry, I was trying to point out your bias on this subject.

Ride more Talk less
Cheers

“Ride more talk less”…….Likewise!
Guitar Ted

I’m sorry to say this Ted but with one statement you have in my eyes ruined your reputation for being a fair and unbaised voice of reason on all things MTB.I don’t think anyone can shake the chip on your shoulder that you have with this concept and it makes me wonder if anything you print or report on in the future will hold any credability.
Your level of sarcasm in the last post pretty well sums that up!!!!

Ride more talk less
Cheers

Good points here and may I say, you are the only person that I have ever seen comment on this issue with a reasoned and well thought out appologetic for the “96er” concept.

You ask,” So why is it so hard for most to accept that this 29/26 might offer an exceptional ride to a particular individual?” Well, it isn’t hard at all to say that, at least for me. I will say that in general, I don’t think it’s a good idea, (96ers), and most folks who think that a 29″er front wheel is awesome will really love the rear wheel as a 29 incher if they tried it. My opinion. Yes, and it is subjective, but that’s what I believe. I never, ever thought it would “end the argument”, as you say. (To wit: this thread) But as you also said, “I love this conversation. I love this argument….”. I just ask a simple question about the 26 inch rear wheel and that’s just a way to find out if there are any other reasonable, well thought out responses out there. So far, I’ve been disappointed, with the exception of you, Michael.

If I don’t ask, I don’t learn. The conversation is a way to bring about debate for the purpose of gaining new insights and knowledge. At least, that’s the way I see it. Don’t you agree? Isn’t that why we “love the conversation…the argument…”?

But I also agree, they are bikes, plain and simple. And if I had to ride a 96er for awhile, I’d still have fun, and I’d still ride as much or more than I do now. We are spoiled, really, and in the end, we have to look at all of this as being rather selfish and silly when you take it all in the proper perspective.

Thanks again, Michael. Hope to hear again from you soon!

I love this conversation. I love this argument, and I love the fact that every single time it comes up, Cloxxi is here with science, and any other 29er Kool-Aid drinkers are there en tandem, saying, “Show me the money!”

Let’s think about all this in a different way for just ONE second (alright, let’s shoot for more like a minute)…

Has anyone ever considered the RIDER? We’re talking about equipment endlessly, but has anyone considered that a person who spends the majority of his/her time on a 29er will feel most comfortable on a 29er? The same goes for the 26er rider.

I’ve seen many an individual adapt easily to a full 29er. I’ve also seen some struggle with the changes in center of balance or BB height or bike length or whatever other difference comes with the change in wheel size.

So why is it so hard for most to accept that this 29/26 might offer an exceptional ride to a particular individual?

I’ll put it this way: I’ve ridden nearly every tire on the market. I know each tire offers a little advantage in a given situation. But I also know that the way a seasoned veteran makes a given tire perform is drastically different than the way a newbie makes the tire perform.

Will Cloxxki and I agree on which tire to select for a given situation? I doubt it. Why? Because like all gear, tires come down to preference, experience and comfort more so than science. (shameless plug here…) That’s the reason Dirt Rag reviews get an author credit, written by someone readers are familiar with. Readers get personal with our authors and understand more than just a single review. They understand what that author likes in/on a given climate, terrain or bike choice…

But back to the 29/26…Think about it like this:

this isn’t auto racing where our engines and test tracks are exactly the same. This is the bicycle we’re talking about, where so much is highly subjective. And that’s why we all need to approach new concepts with an open mind, each time we try them. And consider that, no matter how much we’d like our opinions to be the end of the argument, they’re simply opinions. Everyone’s got them.

Okay, so why aren’t we seeing these geometry numbers in the pro XC ranks then? I’m guessing there is a good reason for that, perhaps? (Hint: yes, there is a good reason for that)

Axeman: So, you won’t be convinced until I have ridden one, eh? Well, that can be arranged. I highly doubt that you will then accept my points any better than today, however.