Comments on: A Question Of Making a 69er Out Of A 29″er http://twentynineinches.com/2008/02/14/a-question-of-making-a-69er-out-of-a-29er/ 29er Bike Reviews, Rumors and News Sat, 05 Jul 2008 04:13:20 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: ssryder1 http://twentynineinches.com/2008/02/14/a-question-of-making-a-69er-out-of-a-29er/#comment-39046 ssryder1 Sun, 04 May 2008 18:15:49 +0000 http://twentynineinches.com/2008/02/14/a-question-of-making-a-69er-out-of-a-29er/#comment-39046 I have to say I converted my Vassago Jaberwockey to a 69er and love it. 2 years ago I won a Fisher Rig from Dirtrag and was very skeptical. I really wasn't a 29er guy. I felt like a 29er was like riding a horse. Tall and awkward. So I put a 26" wheel on the back and fell in love. I have yet to ride a carver but that is kind of in the works right now. Maybe the carver feel's better and more resposive but the only thing I think it affects, is that you lose some clearance. I dont feel like the handling was compromised at all. I've ran it with a Reba, Vassago Pitch fork and a Pace carbon and I perfer the ridgid. I also feel like I can push a bigger gear with the 26 opposed to the 29 rear. I run a 38 x 16. (note: I'm almost 40 years old and going to try this combo at the Lumberjack100). I did try the 26 frame with a disk fork- suspension corrrected, but it didn't feel as good as a 29 frame. I guess its all personal preference or may I'm just so screwed up I don't relize the difference. Either way I think I will keep it. I have to say I converted my Vassago Jaberwockey to a 69er and love it. 2 years ago I won a Fisher Rig from Dirtrag and was very skeptical. I really wasn’t a 29er guy. I felt like a 29er was like riding a horse. Tall and awkward. So I put a 26″ wheel on the back and fell in love. I have yet to ride a carver but that is kind of in the works right now. Maybe the carver feel’s better and more resposive but the only thing I think it affects, is that you lose some clearance. I dont feel like the handling was compromised at all. I’ve ran it with a Reba, Vassago Pitch fork and a Pace carbon and I perfer the ridgid. I also feel like I can push a bigger gear with the 26 opposed to the 29 rear. I run a 38 x 16. (note: I’m almost 40 years old and going to try this combo at the Lumberjack100). I did try the 26 frame with a disk fork- suspension corrrected, but it didn’t feel as good as a 29 frame. I guess its all personal preference or may I’m just so screwed up I don’t relize the difference. Either way I think I will keep it.

]]> By: Desert9r http://twentynineinches.com/2008/02/14/a-question-of-making-a-69er-out-of-a-29er/#comment-35207 Desert9r Fri, 15 Feb 2008 16:57:53 +0000 http://twentynineinches.com/2008/02/14/a-question-of-making-a-69er-out-of-a-29er/#comment-35207 1. I have often thought about putting a 26" fork/wheel "reverse 69er" Hill Climber, because for the serious climbs here in the Seirra, but I was told going down would be seriously wack. I just recently did an experiment with my 26" Inbred, it has an On*One steel 26" steel fork. and I actually fits my SpeedDiscs with the 2.2 Karma. 1. I have often thought about putting a 26″ fork/wheel “reverse 69er” Hill Climber, because for the serious climbs here in the Seirra, but I was told going down would be seriously wack.

I just recently did an experiment with my 26″ Inbred, it has an On*One steel 26″ steel fork. and I actually fits my SpeedDiscs with the 2.2 Karma.

]]> By: Cloxxki http://twentynineinches.com/2008/02/14/a-question-of-making-a-69er-out-of-a-29er/#comment-35197 Cloxxki Fri, 15 Feb 2008 08:11:21 +0000 http://twentynineinches.com/2008/02/14/a-question-of-making-a-69er-out-of-a-29er/#comment-35197 I stand by my words, better try a 26"front wheel and longer travel fork. That's a setup that might actually end up riding well, for certain types of riding. You keep most of the 29" advantages for traction and speed, but add a long travel front with vast choice of front tires. Other than that, stick to the excellent 29" bikes being put on the market now. Fisher is quickly busting all myths that had negative things to say about 29"ers. As long as it's done well, larger wheels are better for anything resembling XC. Smaller, is worse. It's laws of physics, and not too hard to understand. Harder is to get the full potential out of large wheels. Some manufacturers found out how. I stand by my words, better try a 26″front wheel and longer travel fork. That’s a setup that might actually end up riding well, for certain types of riding. You keep most of the 29″ advantages for traction and speed, but add a long travel front with vast choice of front tires.
Other than that, stick to the excellent 29″ bikes being put on the market now. Fisher is quickly busting all myths that had negative things to say about 29″ers.
As long as it’s done well, larger wheels are better for anything resembling XC. Smaller, is worse. It’s laws of physics, and not too hard to understand. Harder is to get the full potential out of large wheels. Some manufacturers found out how.

]]> By: Tony http://twentynineinches.com/2008/02/14/a-question-of-making-a-69er-out-of-a-29er/#comment-35190 Tony Fri, 15 Feb 2008 04:21:14 +0000 http://twentynineinches.com/2008/02/14/a-question-of-making-a-69er-out-of-a-29er/#comment-35190 I rode 40 some miles on my El Rey with a 26" 2.5" Nokian DH rear wheel when my XC 29er rear wheel blew up. The bike rode just fine and probably descended a bit better with the huge 26er. Definitely was more work climbing and the pedal strikes were annoying, but it was better than riding a 44lb 7" bike on a 4000' climb :-D I think a 650B on a full-suss 29er could make sense as a main bike, depending on the frame, but 26ers are too small to replace a 29er wheel permanently without causing some annoyances. -Tony I rode 40 some miles on my El Rey with a 26″ 2.5″ Nokian DH rear wheel when my XC 29er rear wheel blew up. The bike rode just fine and probably descended a bit better with the huge 26er. Definitely was more work climbing and the pedal strikes were annoying, but it was better than riding a 44lb 7″ bike on a 4000′ climb :-D

I think a 650B on a full-suss 29er could make sense as a main bike, depending on the frame, but 26ers are too small to replace a 29er wheel permanently without causing some annoyances.

-Tony

]]> By: Guitar Ted http://twentynineinches.com/2008/02/14/a-question-of-making-a-69er-out-of-a-29er/#comment-35184 Guitar Ted Fri, 15 Feb 2008 01:53:03 +0000 http://twentynineinches.com/2008/02/14/a-question-of-making-a-69er-out-of-a-29er/#comment-35184 bryant: While you might get lucky and retain your angles for the head and seat tube, you still are lowering the bottom bracket, which usually will result in more pedal strikes and depending on the bike, may cause you to "case" the BB on log crossings and the like. All in all, I don't see where going to all the bother to get a fork and a rear wheel to turn a 29"er into a 69er is a good deal. I would, if the situation called for being cheap, rather go for converting a 26"er over to a 69"er. The geometry issues still might be a problem, but using a rigid 26" disc specific fork that is suspension corrected for 100mm fork should yield a fairly ridable bike for little coin. bryant: While you might get lucky and retain your angles for the head and seat tube, you still are lowering the bottom bracket, which usually will result in more pedal strikes and depending on the bike, may cause you to “case” the BB on log crossings and the like.

All in all, I don’t see where going to all the bother to get a fork and a rear wheel to turn a 29″er into a 69er is a good deal. I would, if the situation called for being cheap, rather go for converting a 26″er over to a 69″er. The geometry issues still might be a problem, but using a rigid 26″ disc specific fork that is suspension corrected for 100mm fork should yield a fairly ridable bike for little coin.

]]> By: bryant http://twentynineinches.com/2008/02/14/a-question-of-making-a-69er-out-of-a-29er/#comment-35183 bryant Fri, 15 Feb 2008 01:43:49 +0000 http://twentynineinches.com/2008/02/14/a-question-of-making-a-69er-out-of-a-29er/#comment-35183 what about doing this with a rigid 26" fork/29" front wheel on a 29" frame? what about doing this with a rigid 26″ fork/29″ front wheel on a 29″ frame?

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