Comments on: Giant XTC 29″er: Sneak Peek! http://twentynineinches.com/2009/02/27/giant-xtc-29er-sneak-peek/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=giant-xtc-29er-sneak-peek 29er Bike Reviews, Rumors and News Fri, 10 Feb 2012 02:51:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: pilotpapakilo http://twentynineinches.com/2009/02/27/giant-xtc-29er-sneak-peek/#comment-59817 pilotpapakilo Fri, 03 Jul 2009 04:04:19 +0000 http://twentynineinches.com/?p=2188#comment-59817 I just got my XTC 29 1 today and absolutely love it!!!! Great Bike!!!! I just got my XTC 29 1 today and absolutely love it!!!! Great Bike!!!!

]]> By: am_dude http://twentynineinches.com/2009/02/27/giant-xtc-29er-sneak-peek/#comment-58636 am_dude Tue, 17 Mar 2009 01:56:12 +0000 http://twentynineinches.com/?p=2188#comment-58636 I typically ride mostly technial AM, vs XC trails. I've ridden several 29'ers in the last year and like them, but do not think any of the current 29ers perform any better than the AM 26'ers. I ride a Giant reign with Fox 36 fork w 20QR -- so I have found that most of the 29ers are not stiff enough in the front. I would jump at the opp to buy a 29er with a stiffer front, and another 1 inch of travel. I typically ride mostly technial AM, vs XC trails. I’ve ridden several 29′ers in the last year and like them, but do not think any of the current 29ers perform any better than the AM 26′ers.

I ride a Giant reign with Fox 36 fork w 20QR — so I have found that most of the 29ers are not stiff enough in the front.

I would jump at the opp to buy a 29er with a stiffer front, and another 1 inch of travel.

]]> By: large and fit http://twentynineinches.com/2009/02/27/giant-xtc-29er-sneak-peek/#comment-58489 large and fit Wed, 04 Mar 2009 15:55:31 +0000 http://twentynineinches.com/?p=2188#comment-58489 I think I remember Marz sending out an industry wide memo stating that they would never make a tapered steer fork...not too long ago good thinkg we have all these new 29er frames poping up to push technology along... keep the new frames and products coming; big company or small nice work GTed I think I remember Marz sending out an industry wide memo stating that they would never make a tapered steer fork…not too long ago

good thinkg we have all these new 29er frames poping up to push technology along…

keep the new frames and products coming; big company or small

nice work GTed

]]> By: Dirt McGirt http://twentynineinches.com/2009/02/27/giant-xtc-29er-sneak-peek/#comment-58483 Dirt McGirt Wed, 04 Mar 2009 00:51:31 +0000 http://twentynineinches.com/?p=2188#comment-58483 Maximumradness- Here here. Kids bikes make the best jumpers... and they're cheap cuz you go through them so quick. Maximumradness-

Here here. Kids bikes make the best jumpers… and they’re cheap cuz you go through them so quick.

]]> By: Guitar Ted http://twentynineinches.com/2009/02/27/giant-xtc-29er-sneak-peek/#comment-58466 Guitar Ted Mon, 02 Mar 2009 23:12:45 +0000 http://twentynineinches.com/?p=2188#comment-58466 jimmythefly: Thanks for that information. I thought perhaps somebody had already done the tapered seer tube on a hardtail, but I wasn't sure. :) As to your comments on stiffness/steering precision, I think the tapered steer tube will absolutely make a difference. Keeping in mind that the 29"er, by nature of it's design, means longer top and down tubes which are generally mated to a short head tube to reduce front end height. All these things conspire to make for a twisty front end on many 29"ers. This, of course, gives you a vague steering feel and can cause big problems in handling through technical terrain. The tapered steer tube does a couple of things. First, it makes for a stiffer steer tube which will help with lever forces at the crown/steer tube junction- right where the taper is its largest. The taper will also dissapate energy in a better way as well. Secondly, the bigger diameter at the down tube/ head tube junction means larger cross section tubing can be utilised with a bigger weld surface area. This makes the front end stronger. Also, that bigger down tube resists twisting better, so the front end will feel more prescise. I really do not see any downside for 29"er freaks and I suspect that in five years the straight steer tube may be extinct. I do know that by 2010 all major fork manufacturers will have tapered steer tube 29"er forks in their lines. I think in conjunction with the through axle fork, the tapered steer tube fork will make 29"ers handle far more precisely than we are accustomed to now. jimmythefly: Thanks for that information. I thought perhaps somebody had already done the tapered seer tube on a hardtail, but I wasn’t sure. :)

As to your comments on stiffness/steering precision, I think the tapered steer tube will absolutely make a difference. Keeping in mind that the 29″er, by nature of it’s design, means longer top and down tubes which are generally mated to a short head tube to reduce front end height. All these things conspire to make for a twisty front end on many 29″ers. This, of course, gives you a vague steering feel and can cause big problems in handling through technical terrain.

The tapered steer tube does a couple of things. First, it makes for a stiffer steer tube which will help with lever forces at the crown/steer tube junction- right where the taper is its largest. The taper will also dissapate energy in a better way as well. Secondly, the bigger diameter at the down tube/ head tube junction means larger cross section tubing can be utilised with a bigger weld surface area. This makes the front end stronger. Also, that bigger down tube resists twisting better, so the front end will feel more prescise.

I really do not see any downside for 29″er freaks and I suspect that in five years the straight steer tube may be extinct. I do know that by 2010 all major fork manufacturers will have tapered steer tube 29″er forks in their lines. I think in conjunction with the through axle fork, the tapered steer tube fork will make 29″ers handle far more precisely than we are accustomed to now.

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