Cycling UK Forum

I asked Blackjack (wheels) the company about getting anew set of XC 400 wheels for my sons bike.

They told me

" Actually, 26” wheels are getting less and less popular as 27,5” and 29” bikes are selling more and more."


If this is true can they be fitted to existing bikes, at 60 and just returning to cycling what the heck ???????????????

One assume that it is an obvious NO because of lack of clearance

You probably need to start with the question is why did mountain bikes always have 26" wheels? The answer isn't that these are the best sized wheels it's that when mountain bikes started to be produced 26" were already being made and it was therefore easy to use them.
If you are going to ride a mountain off road larger wheels can roll over rough ground more easily.

http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/artic ... 9er-28684/

Thank you

If this is true can they be fitted to existing bikes

Quite easily if they have disc brakes.

Plenty of room in my frame and forks for larger (and of course smaller) wheel rim sizes on some of the bikes.

whoof wrote:You probably need to start with the question is why did mountain bikes always have 26" wheels? The answer isn't that these are the best sized wheels it's that when mountain bikes started to be produced 26" were already being made and it was therefore easy to use them.
If you are going to ride a mountain off road larger wheels can roll over rough ground more easily.

http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/artic ... 9er-28684/

that really surprises me if the off road has twists and turns and is not flat but has sharp dips ands ups; a large wheel wont track them well but feel clumsy?

Thanks all, so in fact they are either a way to get people to "upgrade" for no reason or a marketing ploy.

As MY idea of "off road" is a cycle path not needed

Bigger wheels for MTBs might be becoming more popular, and for good reasons, but I don't expect 26" ones to become hard to obtain any time soon - even if the big bike shops stop selling them, eBay sellers will surely keep going for years.

I wouldn't be persuaded by any marketing ploy to try to fit bigger wheels to my MTB - in fact, I've just got a nice pair of 26" disc wheels so that I can easily run two kinds of tyres.

Alan

mercalia wrote:

whoof wrote:You probably need to start with the question is why did mountain bikes always have 26" wheels? The answer isn't that these are the best sized wheels it's that when mountain bikes started to be produced 26" were already being made and it was therefore easy to use them.
If you are going to ride a mountain off road larger wheels can roll over rough ground more easily.

http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/artic ... 9er-28684/

that really surprises me if the off road has twists and turns and is not flat but has sharp dips ands ups; a large wheel wont track them well but feel clumsy?

It depends on what type of riding you do. Larger wheels also means a longer wheelbase. This can improve stability but reduce maneuverability. They are also a bit heavier and therefore accelerate more slowly. But they will roll over rough ground more easily than a smaller wheel.
Whilst some swear by them and others swear at them there is a reason for them, it's not just fashion.

Whilst 26" wheels are still easily obtainable (even ready built) the choice in new 26" frames is getting narrower, with most MTB manufacturers ditching 26 altogether.

The choice in suspension forks (at least at the higher end) is getting narrower too. I only had a choice of two "air-sprung" forks for my single-speed build that would fit the frame.

whoof wrote:

mercalia wrote:

whoof wrote:You probably need to start with the question is why did mountain bikes always have 26" wheels? The answer isn't that these are the best sized wheels it's that when mountain bikes started to be produced 26" were already being made and it was therefore easy to use them.
If you are going to ride a mountain off road larger wheels can roll over rough ground more easily.

http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/artic ... 9er-28684/

that really surprises me if the off road has twists and turns and is not flat but has sharp dips ands ups; a large wheel wont track them well but feel clumsy?

It depends on what type of riding you do. Larger wheels also means a longer wheelbase. This can improve stability but reduce maneuverability. They are also a bit heavier and therefore accelerate more slowly. But they will roll over rough ground more easily than a smaller wheel.
Whilst some swear by them and others swear at them there is a reason for them, it's not just fashion.

ah for the fahionista "off road " cyclists for whom off road means a canal path like the lee and stort

mercalia wrote:

whoof wrote:

mercalia wrote:
that really surprises me if the off road has twists and turns and is not flat but has sharp dips ands ups; a large wheel wont track them well but feel clumsy?

It depends on what type of riding you do. Larger wheels also means a longer wheelbase. This can improve stability but reduce maneuverability. They are also a bit heavier and therefore accelerate more slowly. But they will roll over rough ground more easily than a smaller wheel.
Whilst some swear by them and others swear at them there is a reason for them, it's not just fashion.

ah for the fahionista "off road " cyclists for whom off road means a canal path like the lee and stort

This is from a report on UCI world cup cross-country race. "While most were on 29ers, a few were sporting 27.5 wheels" The winner of the race Julian Absolon was riding 29" wheels. You are of course free to ride whatever you wish but do you need to make derisory comments about people who chose different wheels?

whoof wrote:

mercalia wrote:

whoof wrote:
It depends on what type of riding you do. Larger wheels also means a longer wheelbase. This can improve stability but reduce maneuverability. They are also a bit heavier and therefore accelerate more slowly. But they will roll over rough ground more easily than a smaller wheel.
Whilst some swear by them and others swear at them there is a reason for them, it's not just fashion.

ah for the fahionista "off road " cyclists for whom off road means a canal path like the lee and stort

This is from a report on UCI world cup cross-country race. "While most were on 29ers, a few were sporting 27.5 wheels" The winner of the race Julian Absolon was riding 29" wheels. You are of course free to ride whatever you wish but do you need to make derisory comments about people who chose different wheels?

+++ A1 but I don't think it was meant in a bad way

whoof wrote:

mercalia wrote:

whoof wrote:
It depends on what type of riding you do. Larger wheels also means a longer wheelbase. This can improve stability but reduce maneuverability. They are also a bit heavier and therefore accelerate more slowly. But they will roll over rough ground more easily than a smaller wheel.
Whilst some swear by them and others swear at them there is a reason for them, it's not just fashion.

ah for the fahionista "off road " cyclists for whom off road means a canal path like the lee and stort

This is from a report on UCI world cup cross-country race. "While most were on 29ers, a few were sporting 27.5 wheels" The winner of the race Julian Absolon was riding 29" wheels. You are of course free to ride whatever you wish but do you need to make derisory comments about people who chose different wheels?

Yes. It is all about choice.

We don't all have to follow what the professionals do. Recreational riders have different needs.

That's why many now choose disc brakes for their road bikes when the professionals have shown very little interest in them, and quite a bit of hostility.

I still ride my 1990s MTB with 26 inch wheels and V brakes. I can see why 29 inch wheels are slightly better in rolling over bumpy ground, but on challenging terrain like the harder routes at places like Coed-y-Brenin, Glentress etc it is the skill level of the rider which is by far the most important factor in the rideability of the routes.

I thought Disks were THE way to go,

Given that 29 is better because it's bigger - why not 30, or 31?