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What 26" full sus 100mm bikes are left?
NB: Originally posted elsewhere on the Global Riders Network and appears via syndication.
I'm not looking to buy, but since I'm fixing my Spesh Stumpjumper FSR 100 up currently I idly searched around and I didn't find a single XT level 26" bike, or race light frame, from any of the big brands.
They all appear to be fully pushing 29ers, even though they may prove to be a fad and/or get superseded by 650b.
I'm only about 170cm tall so I can't imagine a 29er working for me, especially as I like to carve through singletrack best.
It looks like 26" is available on 120mm plus bikes though. Is today's suspension tech at 120-130mm comparable/raceable to 100mm from 10 years ago?
Cheers.
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Three point something inches is useless. Go with four inches. Bikes are getting bigger travel year on year for a reason.
Little-ditty do you know how many millimetres are in an inch?
Yes, I meant 5.
But my intention was that 120mm will make for a better bike so go with 120mm.
On topic. I've bought another 26 inch frame of the bike I'm presently riding as they're no longer making them in 26 inch. Since I already have an investment in 26 inch wheels it makes economic sense to use them as long as possible. Additionally, 29ers will never be as light as an equivalent 26er. I reckon going to 29 adds half a kilo to the overall weight.
It's always been my point of view that 29ers aren't for everyone. Although I've been feeling a bit lonely with my 26er on the last couple races.
Shame specialized dropped the epic but there's still a few brilliant 100mm 26ers out there.
I got this one here earlier in the year and haven't looked back.
http://www.santacruzbicycles.com/blurxc_carbon/
maybe a disadvantage in 5years, but right now, 26ers are so unpopular, they're dirt cheap.
Personally, i reckon things will swing round to a bit of balance - at mount annan the other week, damn i noticed how tight some of the corners were on a 29er.
rocky mountain do a 100mm element .... the top of the line is 29er but imsure there are still 26 carbon frames from the importers from '12 .... '13 models have four alloy and four carbon !!!!
i have a RM carbon altitude from '09 awesome .... just to make things difficult the '13 models are coming in 650B!!! i know thats 5 1/2 inch but still yet another bloody wheel size!
when i was ready to upgrade from my hard tail I road a few 29 bikes just to se what they are about(mainly because its all you can get) Yes they made trails easier, which to me is kind of pointless as i ride for fun and enjoyment, i like to chose lines, but the 29er ment you didn't need to, just point and pedal
went straight out and bought a 26 pivot mach 4 how much fun is it! so glad i never follwed 29er trend, as when riding them i alway's felt like i was cheating, and a bit like road riding, would have to ride further and longer to feel like the ride was worth it.
If your doing enduro's with non technical riding lots of coregations and fire trails buy a 29er
If you want to have fun buy a 26er .... if you can find one
Buy a Pivot Mach 4 fast and fun
Agree totally with Timepoor the Mach 4 is an awesome bike, im lucky enough to have one too but if buying right now I would more likely go the Mach 5.7 based on the fact I like to jump and have fun and am not super quick anyway.
Yes they are an expensive frame and or complete bike but it is worth it if you can afford it.
If you have any questions about them feel free to ask or pop into cycles bespoke in Bayswater and have a chat with Gus & Chris as they are very helpfull.
Chris
It's a shame to see the 26 becoming less popular. I find myself riding my 26 HT as much as my 29er dually. Nothing better than blazing your favourite trails on a 26. It definitely feels faster.
In fact next year I'm going to purchase a 26 dually, purely for the fun a 26 dishes out.
Midland Cycels has a 2012 Giant Trance 26 top of the range full xt with dropper post for $2100..... What a bargain.... Chrissie pressssiieee
Thanks for the suggestions and comments. Getting pretty rare then, even the SC Blur XC has to be bought frame only since all the builds use 120 forks.
I think I read that part of the idea with 650b is that these wheels can just be swapped into a 26er bike. Does this mean a 650b bike is still a 26er which you could swap your existing 26" wheels into, or have they adapted the geometry for the bigger wheels too?
Anybody racing on a 120mm 26"? Does it feel right? Have you raced on less travel or a hardtail before? It's true I mostly trail ride but I like to race too, very much middle of the pack in Sport, but even when I ride trail I rarely use the rear fully open.
Jeronimo, I have a 100mm travel 26" .HT that I raced on for a couple of years until June this year when I bought my 29er. The 26 was good in the most part until it came to the downhill sections. It was just too rough, I was losing a lot of time to both 26 duallies and 29ers. After buying the 29.er I have found my times have improved and even managed a 3rd place in C grade at an Ourimbah club race. I now use the 26 as a road training bike or use as a spare if my 29.er is out of action.
I race on a 130mm 26er at the moment. A hardtail is faster up the climbs, but not by much.
One trick I've found helps make the HT easier is to run the tyre pressures lower (say under 30psi) to take the harshness out of the ride, but I'd only recommend this with full UST rubber with the thicker sidewalls so the tyre doesn't squirm or burp. Mine has a 110mm fork (Lefty)
However, anything longer than Manly Dam becomes acutely uncomfortable for my lower back on a HT unless it's groomed singletrack. Trying to maintain proper muscle recruitment to protect the lower back while hopping over obstacles and continuing to pedal with power all at the same time becomes too much to maintain after awhile for my ageing brain on longer rides, and the back suffers.
On a dually I can sit and spin, and the rear suspension just sucks up the bumps and keeps the rear tyre on the ground producing traction without kicking me in the sit bones, so it's very much the better option as the ride gets longer
The reason I went full sus was because my back was hurting so much by the 4th lap on a Stumpy M4 S-Works HT that I was having to pull out. This was back when I was a podium contender almost 10 years ago.
Conversely, if I ride my Stumpy FSR 100 with the rear travel fully open that gives me a bad back too! The pedal platform setting of my Fox Triad rear shock is perfect for me. In addition to ride feel that's why I'm wary of longer travel because it's bound to be plusher, starting from the sag. Yeah, yeah, core strength and all, but I'm just not that committed any more.
A 29er would benefit me comfort-wise I guess.
To give you a further idea I also had to graduate from running 80mm forks because it didn't feel balanced with 100mm in the rear. Luckily I had a Fox fork that allowed me to change the travel up, in fact I still ride it.
gt zaskar hans ray
Australia says yes!
why not just buy an older model , eg 2011 - 2012 , planty of killer deals out there save yourself a heap of money and get a better spec bike for less.
eg epic s-works / stumpjumper 26ers can be had for 3-5k . alot of bike for those kinda prices
Merida still has the Ninety-Nine series of bikes. I've got a Ninety-Six from 2 years back that I absolutely love.
Morewood still make the zula 100mm, it's basicly a cannondale Rush in design and geo. Belrose Bikes has a few on run-out sale at the moment.
Santa Cruz still do the Blur in 26 as well if I remember correctly.
Commencal I think also do a 26 still.
650b is possibly another thing to look at. But if you're already invested with wheelsets etc, there are some great frames still around. Just need to think outside the box a bit.