Mountain Biking - Considering a 29er 80mm fork vs. 26er 100mm fork

Hi everyone,

My name's Alex. I live in the northern part of the lower peninsula of Michigan. I've been mountain biking for a few years on a 1998 Walmart Huffy mountain bike that used to belong to my dad. I'm 21 years old, 5 feet, 10 inches tall, and 170 pounds. The terrain that I ride usually ride consists of fire roads and single tracks.

The bike shop closest to me (I've been living in Detroit this summer, doing an internship) carries Specialized bikes, and I took a test drive on a Rockhopper with disc brakes. The one I tried had 26" wheels and a 100mm travel fork. I liked it a lot. I was curious if a 29er with an 80mm fork would have better quality ride or not? Does anyone have any experience comparing a 26/100mm versus a 29/80mm?

I was looking at getting my new bike in the next few weeks, or before the end of the year at the latest. Thanks for any help.

Not an answer to your question but just curious which bike shop it is that is close to you. I have been looking at shopping some of the new Specialized stuff.

Rallykid, the shop is called Bikes, Blades and Boards in Grosse Pointe Park (just east of Detroit), on the corner of Mack Avenue and Cadieaux Street.

Does anyone have an opinion on my question?

Rallykid, the shop is called Bikes, Blades and Boards in Grosse Pointe Park (just east of Detroit), on the corner of Mack Avenue and Cadieaux Street.

Does anyone have an opinion on my question?

29 with less travel will be smoother than 26 with more. A lot of the racers I know are switching to 29 because they can carry their momentum better as a result of the larger wheel size. My next xc bike will be 29.

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29 with less travel will be smoother than 26 with more.

That statement is ludicrous. Or have you actually tested a bunch of different bikes with your smooth-o-meter?

To the OP: ride a 29er. Compare it to the 26. See if you like it more, or less. Make your purchase accordingly.

Gastro makes a good point, however unnecessarily snappy, about riding both. Still, I'd venture a guess that you will find the 29" "smoother," though I that will depend largely on frame choice and suspension quality.

How tall are you? Many of my shorter amigos seem to think that the benefits of a 29er frame are lost on them because of the geometry compromises made to match a small rider to such large wheels, and so would probably steer you towards a longer-travel 26er. If you're short.

Thanks for the input guys. To answer your question Das, I'm 5'10". The 26er that I tested had a 19" frame which felt like a good size because I have long legs. I'm going to try another bike shop since I'm going home on home tomorrow. If they have a 29er I'll try it out.

I don't find my 29er to be relatively "smooher" than my old 26" bikes, but the Redline is a pretty stiff frame. I do find the 29er to carry momentum and roll over stuff better than the 26er, and is better when speeds o up and the trail isn't overly slow, tight, and techy, though it isn't awful there either (it's still a bike fer crissakes). I like a 29er hardtail better than the 26er for the majority of my riding, which I guess is just trail riding. Or XC. Whgatever the cool term is.

What the 29er does not seem to do very much is smooth out the bumps. It rolls over them well, but doesn't really smoth them out. Just one guy's experience.

Gastro makes a good point, however unnecessarily snappy, about riding both.

Gee, I'm sorry. I didn't realize that the official self-appointed forum necessity judge was going to be reading this thread.

That statement is ludicrous. Or have you actually tested a bunch of different bikes with your smooth-o-meter?

To the OP: ride a 29er. Compare it to the 26. See if you like it more, or less. Make your purchase accordingly.

When making an argument, one cannot assert that the other person is wrong without providing supporting reasons. Therefore, you are an idiot.

Gee, I'm sorry. I didn't realize that the official self-appointed forum necessity judge was going to be reading this thread.

I was appointed by peer panel, thank you.

When making an argument, one cannot assert that the other person is wrong without providing supporting reasons.

When making absurd assertions, one cannot expect that absurdity not to be pointed out by critically thinking humans.


Therefore, you are an idiot.

non sequitur