Why a 29er?
Santa Cruz Tallboy
Over the last few years there has been article upon article of 26″ vs. 29″ wheels. Depending on who you ask you’ll get a laundry list of pros and cons. Doing our best to create a debate free article we’ve just decided to give 29 its own voice in the form of this article. Not why it’s better, but why it’s good.
If you start with the basic premise that finding one mountain bike to do everything is a near impossible task you’ll be able to follow our path. In Austin we’re blessed with ample singletrack. Technical, rock-strewn, ledged trails that make you crave riding daily.
It’s on these trails that the 29 wheel shines, aside from a tight switchback now and then, there isn’t a time when the big wheels aren’t blissful. There are so many bits of information is out there on just why the wheels are better, but for the sake of this article it really boils down to two things, traction and the ability to devour technical terrain. In other words they improve your bike control when the going gets nasty.
Everyone that has ridden an MTB has experienced wheels skidding underneath them. This lack of traction invariably becomes your enemy, from climbing, to maintaining bike control in turns, traction is your number one friend, or on the wrong bike your enemy. Most of us aren’t graced with a big enough motor to constantly have to re-accelerate a bike that loses speed in corners and up hills because of loss of traction. A bike that can maintain the speed and deliver the power you put to the ground is your friend, and 29′ers deliver this in spades.
In terms of technical terrain the big wheels make you a better rider. For instance, the bigger wheels ability to handle rock gardens that slow or stop the momentum of smaller wheels is eye opening. For anyone that has had a slow speed or low speed over-the-bars experience you’ll know what we mean.
This advantage isn’t limited to low speed though, fast or slow the bigger wheel gives your bike an advantage that some riders relate to having extra travel. For instance, your 29 with 3 inches of travel feels like it has more like 4. For those that covet simplicity like single speed rigid fork models this mechanical advantage over the terrain has helped to grow their following.
For 2011 the big picture seems to show that public acceptance is on the upswing, even in Europe were the bikes were passed off as more of an American novelty. We’re proud to be aligned with the likes of Trek/Gary Fisher, who has 10 years of 29” wheel experience. His Hi Fi and Superfly models were a huge hit in 2010. We expect they will be again this year, and already have them in-stock along with models like the Marlin 29 which start at $599 and have made getting on 29 technology even easier for the masses. In the upper range we’re also proud to offer Seven and Cielo ti and Steel 29′ers, as well as the Santa Cruz Tallboy Carbon 29′er. We also have hardtail 29” rental demo models to try. We’d love for you to come by or call, maybe even ride some bikes and figure out what’s best for where and how you ride.
Drop a line to know more, or come into the shop.
