36 Inch Wheels: The Next “Big Thing”? Update
February 18th, 2007 by Guitar Ted
This weekend I had a chance, along with several others, to test ride the 36″er mountain bike developed by Ben Witt. Before I get to my thoughts on the bike, I’ll recap some of the salient features of this rig.
First, the wheels. The rims and tires are stock unicycle pieces that have the tires modified by using a tread cutter. Normally the 4 ply tires are slick treaded. Ben hand cut the tread pattern with a rear and front specific pattern. The cutting took about an hour and twenty minutes for both tires, but Ben says he can do it in 40 minutes now that he’s got it figured out.
The frame was fillet brazed from stock 29″er tubing by a local frame builder. Several small details abound in this specific design. One of the most obvious is the forward joint of the down tube/seat tube area. ahead of the bottom bracket. This allows the use of an “E” type front derailluer and give it room to do it’s job. Also rather diferent was the use of doubled chainstays. The idea was explained by Ben as actually yeilding a lighter weight than a single larger diameter chainstay and also figures to give the bike more vertical compliance. The bike had a dedicated mount for a Surly flask, and Ben says when the flask is full, the bike weighs 36lbs on the nose! (Kind of appropriate, don’t you think?)
The top tube is 24.5″, the seat tube 17.5″ and the overall wheelbase is only three inches longer than most 29″ers. The bike was equipped with a Profile rear six speed hub and a triple crank front for 18 useable gears. The bottom bracket sounds tallish at 13″, but it did not feel at all out of whack balance wise. Actually, it was quite the opposite!
Okay! Enough number crunching! How did it ride? Well…………..normally, I’m afraid to say. Actually, if you couldn’t see the bike, you wouldn’t think things were too bad at all. A bit more effort to bring up to speed: check, easy to keep it going: check, and manouverable: check again. The bike absolutely erased curbs and bumpy grass was muffled to almost non-existence. The angle of attack on these wheels is even more advantageous than 29″ers and it’s quite noticable. Slow speed handling was astounding. You could go slower than walking speed and it wouldn’t fall over in the rough gravel I rode it in. Those big gyros giving it loads of stability.
One thing that is noticeable is that hard braking yeilded some flex that was a bit disconcerting if you were not expecting it. All that can probably be accounted for by everything being so long: fork blades, spokes, and tire contact patch. The first two making flex felt and the tires causing it to be worse because of so much grip. Ben had spec’ed 8″ rotors on the bike but may go back to 6″ rotors to help negate some of that flexing.
So what is it? What would I peg this bike as? Well, for one thing, it’s a odd tool for most cycling jobs. For some, it will be the ultimate townie/ commuter. Erasing all pavement chatter and having the ability to roll up onto fancy European sports cars. (Just kidding about the last bit!) It might be the ultimate open, rolling course bike with it’s huge flywheel effect. It might do okay as a light duty single track/ fire roader. Who knows? One thing I do know, it’s fun, fun, fun to ride! And really, why else would you ride a bike anyway? There wasn’t a single person not smiling after they rode this bike. That’s what it’s all about for me.
Will it ever be available? Probably. No exact costs were given for a complete bike, but all the parts except the frame, fork, and modified tires are curently available parts. If any more information becomes available, we will post it here.
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omfg! and i thought riding a 29er was bad ask!
its like… surly ninja gorilla!
So, today I do about 50 mi. of various stages of cleared gravel and snowmobile trails thinking the 29″ thing is *all that* by smoothing out snow plow chatter bumps, snowmobile treads, and ease of transition between normal and slick snow pack… Now this has got me wondering, what if? How do ya reckon it’d handle river valley (flat) type snowbile trail/ditch riding?
David: Interestingly, I’m on the same page with you on that. I rode the bike through three to four inches of snow and it displayed absolutely no tendency to slip, get knocked off track, or be squirelly in any other way. I got to thinking abot the tires, which as you know, were the main hold up with 29″ers. What if…………….
bRian: If Surly were to pick up this design, I think you just nailed the perfect name for it!
Surly’s 26×3.7″ tires are likely world higher quality than those thick thick THICK grooved 36″ slicks. And already respected riders report these to be working so well… I say : keep the weight similar, and have Surly Endomorphs in 36×2.7 or 32×3.0 made. In Salsa speak : Moto Baby!
I am a friend of Ben’s from Northfield MN and I was there the first day this bike touched pavement and luckily got a chance to ride this monster. The first thing you feel is the rotating resistance, and as Ted said it isn’t much and once up to speed its an absolute monster. It moves qick and will not stop rolling, period. I also will agree and say that this has to be the most fun I have ever had riding anything on two wheels. The grip is unsettling and the steering agile. The satisfaction felt from riding this bike automatically made it my next dream bike. I would recommend that anyone in southern minnesota who feels like this bike might just be worth the trip to drive to Milltown Cycles drive there and ride this beautiful bike. Ben and the wrenches at Milltown are extremely nice guys and always willing to talk bikes. Great job Ben!
Anonymous:
I can see where you could get the idea that a 36 inch Endomorph could give the bike added traction, but its definitely not needed. The Pugsley rides like a cow in snow compared to how this thing can. I would liken it to cutting through butter with a tall thin knife rather than the blunt end of the handle. All of that added width doesn’t allow you to float like they say it does and just sinks the bike. All a wider Endomorph would do is offer more rotating resistance to a bike that already has god like traction. This is an extremely versatile and enjoyable bike and I hope people give it a chance.
Hey any more news? This looks like fun to me.
Steve: As a matter of fact, yes! The mind of Ben Witt hasn’t been idle and there are several things going on behind the scenes at the moment. Look for some news to be posted here on Twenty Nine Inches next weekend from the Big Wheeled Ballyhoo. (hint-hint!)
Dude, is there news? do you know where I can buy one?
Hello, I am an ex-mountain biker looking to get back into the sport. I have had the darndest time settling in on a bike that fit my needs. Also, my riding buddies would talk a lot of smack when I rode with them. I was looking at the 29er single speed bikes for one that would make a come back on. After seeing this article, I now think that this monster would so impress them and make my come back more exciting and fun. I hope there is a chance to buy this bike soon and I hope, for my wallet’s sake, that it will be reasonably priced. I am so pumped up about this bike. I hope to get my hands on it an then show up at a bike club meeting to watch everbody’s reaction. Am I just dreaming or is this thing going to be sold?
Cant wait for this thing to be for sale, (no I CANT wait) so in the process of getting one built. The wheels and tyres have been sourced, so frame building next. I am 203cm (6′7″) so its not as ridiculous an idea as it might be for others. Watch this space.
i would love to hear of any updates on these 36 inch wheels - i’m a bit of a sucker for something different. this bike ticks so many boxes. but a couple of serious questions -
– how strong are those rims when given a bit of stick off road?
– how sharp and responsive would you say its steering is on singletrack?
– are you actually thinking of building these , and if so how much and when?
Bodgit. Im in the process of getting one built by Jeff Anderson (Rotorua, New Zealand). He may be able to answer your questions, although the wheel strength and handling questions may only be answered after its built and ridden. Contact him at kiwibikes@xtra.co.nz.
Impressive project! Its a shame no-one is making 30″ or 32″ wheels like they used to use off road in the early 1900’s
In Australia at least, early cyclists tackled horrific conditions mainly on 30″ wheels until they stopped making tires for them
In the US as well, they used 30″ and bigger wheels on the early transcontinental rides.
A couple of good books are “The Bicycle and the Bush” and “The Bicycle in Wartime” by Dr Jim Fitzpatrick