KrisPistofferson

ax0n

+1.

bkrownd

That sounds like a frame design difference, not a wheel size difference.

Cfiber

I don't know of too many bicycle brands that offer "purpose-built commuters" with 26 in wheels and I question how that would be an advantage with a commuter bike with a higher profile that has 700c wheels. I really don't comprehend how a 26er commuter bike will allow its rider to benefit from the same type of visibility that a 700c or 29er commuter would enjoy. Other than the advantage of possibly having a wider width of tire, I just don't quite see any major benefit of commuting on a 26er.

Medic Zero

My girlfriend has a Safari. It seems unnecessarily heavy. I just built her up a rigid mountain bike from the 90's for around town use that is much lighter (although it is aluminum). I commute every day on a '93 GT Outpost set up for city use.

IMO the way to go in city is a rigid fork mountain bike from the early 90's. Roads are awful and you are stopping every five blocks at least anyway, do it on comfy tires and an upright riding position where you can see the hazards, approaching cars and they can see you.

Also, unless the Safari's have changed, they are 26" in the smaller sizes and 700c in the larger.

Medic Zero

That's nothing! I've put $2K into a low end early 90's mountain bike, that I picked up for $10!

agent pombero

Loving my Surly Troll 26'' MTB.

bikemig 

Yep, old mtbs with rigid forks make great commuters; you have great choices on tires and they're cheap. My 1988 specialized stumpjumper comp was a CL find. I overhauled the bike, bought new tires, and replaced the brake and derailleur cables but the bike was otherwise in fine shape:

Medic Zero

Wouldn't know to compare as I've never ridden skinny 700c tires, but 26" slicks come in high pressures too. Several posters have mentioned running 1" at 100 PSI. I used to run 1 & 1/8 Conti Gatorskins at 120 PSI (recommended PSI 116), but the ride was harsh and after about 6 months they were shredded from the streets here.

26 x 1.5 Marathons: 100 PSI, 26 x 1.5 Vittoria Randoneur Pros 90 PSI, nominally 26 x 1.5* Panaracer T-Serv Protex's 75 PSI, I run all these regularly, 60 PSI is not the max for 26" slicks at all.

* These Panaracers run small, the ones labeled 26 x 1.75 " are somewhere between 1.4 and 1.6"

tarwheel 

Why do you people dredge up these 5-year-old threads and respond to them as if it's an on-going discussion? The OP might be dead by now for all you know or, even worse, not commuting any more.

xlDooM

Either way he's dead to us

krobinson103

Made my own using a 27 1 1/4 roadie that was about to be scrapped. Live those 27s super comfy at 32c.

Cfiber

I dunno...People die daily. That doesn't mean that their previous interests expired right along with them. IMO, the OP raised an interesting point concerning the practicality of 26er commuters versus 700c commuters. While I personally prefer a 700c wheeled commuter, I think that I'm slowly beginning to see some of the advantages of commuting on a 26er. However, I'm not sure...

Therefore, I just thought I'd resurrect an old thread that still addressed some of the same issues with regards to 26er commuter mtbikes. Since the elapse of time has occurred, I was just wondering if most commuters still feel the same or differently.

I was also hoping to infuse perhaps another thought or question:

Are 26er commuter bicycle platforms as safe and efficient as 700c or 29er bicycle platforms?

What about visibility?

Can a 26er mtb commuter see approaching traffic as well as a 700c or 29er mtb commuter?

Which commuter is more easily observed by approaching drivers, a 26er or a 700c commuter?

Is a 26er more or less manuerverable in traffic than a 700c or 29er?

Or for that matter, do any of these questions actually make any sense?

Are these relevant questions?

If so,

Why? ..or Why not?

Cfiber

I think this might be the case with certain bicycles like the average 26er mtb geomerty versus bikes like the Townie and the Giant Sedona.

cplager

None of the questions are relevant. The differences between the height or efficiency of 26" versus 700c wheels is dwarfed by the different types of bikes that have all of those wheels.

If you want a bike with 26" wheels, get one. If you want a bike with 700c wheels, get one.

Hope that clears things up.

Charles

tarwheel 

All fine and dandy, but why not just create a new thread? You've got people responding to questions in a 5-year old post. The OP and many people who were contributing to the original thread are long gone.

Cfiber

This statement makes no sense to me....

tjspiel

You can find efficient bikes and bikes with excellent visibility in a variety of wheel sizes. For example folders have small wheels but can put their riders in a position where they have good visibility.

xlDooM

He means that other factors such as flat bar vs. drop bar make more of a difference than what size the wheels are.

On topic though, I don't think manoeverability is a big factor in many people's commuting. And on pretty much all other fronts except cost, it's hard to argue with 700c wheels.

I use a 29er mtb with big apple tires, converted to single chainring with a road cassette in the back. It is very comfortable, and plenty fast.

Cfiber

Well that makes sense for sure!

Cfiber

Agreed!

DX-MAN

Okay, either somebody else is OVERthinking this, or I'm UNDERthinking it....

"Dedicated commuter bike" -- what IS that? It's a BIKE, an inherently GOOD thing, the BEST invention produced by the mind of man! You find one that FITS you, does what you want it to DO, and you buy it and ride it 'til it dies! If you want ONE for one purpose, and another for something else 'cause that's how you "ROLL" (no pun), then buy up, player. To ME, a "dedicated commuter" is the bike you have CHOSEN to BE the one you ride for COMMUTING.

I'm not the guy (right now) who feels the need for more than one bike. (I'm looking, down the line, to pick up an Electra Rat Rod for play) The bike for me right now is a Kona Coiler Supreme, full-suspension MTB. I will replace it when it dies (as I did its predecessor, the Jamis Dakar XLT). It rolls wonderfully, handles whatever silliness comes to mind while I'm riding, fits me, and protects my 'poor old bad back'. I commute on it, do fun rides with the kids, run errands, and do some distance by myself every now and again (50 miles is about the limit).

Cfiber

Yep! Well, that's how I roll then, player!

N+1 forever...

Erwin8r

Specialized offers the Globe San Francisco (and others in the Globe line) as 26" commuters or "city" bikes. I had a Globe that I used in Seattle for about a year--26" wheels, shod with slicks, and Sram X5 running gear. I know they make it with an Alfine 8 speed rear hub and a dynamo front hub too--very decent, lightweight commuters. Visibility in traffic wasn't an issue--it was a fairly tall bike with a large head tube. Coupled with the lights, I don't see how it was any less visible than any other type of bike. Although I like the way my slick-shod 26" commuter rolls now (its a mountain bike), I am going to "upgrade" to a 700c bike.

A pic of the Globe:



Here is the bike parked outside a Seattle Grocery store (in the Ravenna area, next to the wife's Cannondale B-Boy):

Cfiber

Now those are some really nice bikes!

I didn't even know about the San Francisco...That's one awesome steed, for sure!

...Always did like that Bad Boy 9!