I am in the market for a new hardtail to do a little racing and 1 LBS says the only way to go is a 29er. What do you people think is the best way to go? I am 5'10", from what I gather the 29er adds more benefit to taller riders. Any feedback will be greatly appreciated.

get a 69er. 29 up front, with a 26 rear.
party up front, business out back.
also, SEARCH. that is the nicest anyone is going to put it. trust me.

You'll hear both side on here as well. I don't like 29r's at all but some will tell you they are the greatest thing rolling........but if want to be an ultra hipster you'll want a steel/SS/rigid/29r.

Search function on this new vB must be inoperable still.

Test ride, test ride, test ride. There are no clear cut answers.

I demoed a mid range geared GF 29er hardtail about a year ago.... didn't like the heavy wheels at all. On the flip side, the bike was notably easier to ride over moderately technical terrain and the big wheels were very forgiving when mistakes were made in choosing lines. There are way too many variables involved to claim one size is better than the other.

Well I'm a 29er rider and I love my bike. However I did not buy it for the purpose of riding off road. I bought it as a workout bike. 29ers have quite a following and are very popular as an off road bike. They are heavy and strong but can climb very well. Like the man says Test ride!

My ride is a 09 Redline Monocog 29er, 21" frame with disc brakes. Bought at LBS for $450.00 out the door! Great starter bike.

It all depends on what feels right to you and the type of riding you are doing. Demo both and make an educated decision. I owned both 26 and 29 wheeled bikes, my choice ended up being the 29er. For what it's worth I find the smaller wheels better for start-stop type riding, and the 29er is better for maintaining speed.