29 inch wheels are designed to deal with obstacle shock a lot better than the 26 inch version. They can easily roll over obstacles, whereas bumpy terrain tends to cause 26ers to lag on momentum. This obviously makes 26ers a lot more effort to cycle in these circumstances, and a lot less comfortable.
For a start, there are aspects in which 29er bikes completely surpass most 26ers in performance. 29er bikes have specific areas of greatness. They are almost unbeatable on the uneven terrain of XC. Due to their greater wheel span, 29er's deal with bumpy terrain extremely well. They absorb dips in the trail making them a generally more comfortable ride, not to mention lessening the chances of bike (and rider) unbalancing.
They also produce greater acceleration with minimal effort and their larger wheel mass provides superior traction. This ensures a more stable and comfortable ride. To get an average bike to surpass these standards would mean parting with considerable amounts of money for a state of the art quality dual suspension number.
The greater wheel mass of the twenty nine inch wheels also means more of the tread comes into contact with the floor surface at any one time, so all-important traction is increased. Greater traction will stabilise the bike, and make corners a safer endeavour. Despite their natural traction around corners, 29ers do make for a slower turn. Where 26ers can make tight manoeuvres, the increased size of the twenty-nine inch wheel causes a greater turning arc.
There is no doubt that 29 inch bikes excel at what they are designed for. They are most definitely not for everyone though, and it's too general a surmise to presume they are the sole future of cycling. It is fair to say they have a future, just perhaps not one that completely monopolises the biking business. Like anything else, 29er bikes are still a work in progress- models are constantly being updated and improved. They are not worth being completely discounted, just yet.
For a start, there are aspects in which 29er bikes completely surpass most 26ers in performance. 29er bikes have specific areas of greatness. They are almost unbeatable on the uneven terrain of XC. Due to their greater wheel span, 29er's deal with bumpy terrain extremely well. They absorb dips in the trail making them a generally more comfortable ride, not to mention lessening the chances of bike (and rider) unbalancing.
They also produce greater acceleration with minimal effort and their larger wheel mass provides superior traction. This ensures a more stable and comfortable ride. To get an average bike to surpass these standards would mean parting with considerable amounts of money for a state of the art quality dual suspension number.
The greater wheel mass of the twenty nine inch wheels also means more of the tread comes into contact with the floor surface at any one time, so all-important traction is increased. Greater traction will stabilise the bike, and make corners a safer endeavour. Despite their natural traction around corners, 29ers do make for a slower turn. Where 26ers can make tight manoeuvres, the increased size of the twenty-nine inch wheel causes a greater turning arc.
There is no doubt that 29 inch bikes excel at what they are designed for. They are most definitely not for everyone though, and it's too general a surmise to presume they are the sole future of cycling. It is fair to say they have a future, just perhaps not one that completely monopolises the biking business. Like anything else, 29er bikes are still a work in progress- models are constantly being updated and improved. They are not worth being completely discounted, just yet.
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