Worth buying a 29er?

[Phooey]

Just popped to a Specialized Concept store and they have 20% off Rockhopper bikes


Are 29er's popular? The nice chappie reckoned i should maybe go for one over the 26" models.

Are Specialized bikes good for resale if i get bored of it?

Are Specialized bikes good or overpriced?

Cheers all!

[AC43]

Phooey said:

Just popped to a Specialized Concept store and they have 20% off Rockhopper bikes


Are 29er's popular? The nice chappie reckoned i should maybe go for one over the 26" models.

Are Specialized bikes good for resale if i get bored of it?

Are Specialized bikes good or overpriced?

Cheers all!

I use a 2103 Trek Cobia 29er for urban stuff/commuting and it's fine but I still like jumping on my lashed up old Specialized 26er and miss my Diamondback 26er. There's something about their flickability that I like when carving across the city.

Maybe I'm just stuck in my ways but I have a hankering after a modern 26er with disks now....

Can't comment on pricing but they are all often available a bit cheaper than list, My Trek listed at £950 but a lot of people seemed to have paid £100 less in one promo or other. I bought mine 6 mths old. To get the sizing right I tried both the Specialized and the Trek and had I being buying new I'd have gone for the Spesh as I preferred the frame set up/lower top tube.

[Phooey]

AC43 said:

I use a 2103 Trek Cobia 29er for urban stuff/commuting and it's fine but I still like jumping on my lashed up old Specialized 26er and miss my Diamondback 26er. There's something about their flickability that I like when carving across the city.

Maybe I'm just stuck in my ways but I have a hankering after a modern 26er with disks now....

Can't comment on pricing but they are all often available a bit cheaper than list, My Trek listed at £950 but a lot of people seemed to have paid £100 less in one promo or other. I bought mine 6 mths old. To get the sizing right I tried both the Specialized and the Trek and had I being buying new I'd have gone for the Spesh as I preferred the frame set up/lower top tube.

Thanks AC43. I think i'll probably go for the 29er. It looks pretty cool anyway


Have you seen the 'FatBoy' MTB....

[rhinochopig]

Phooey said:

AC43 said:

I use a 2103 Trek Cobia 29er for urban stuff/commuting and it's fine but I still like jumping on my lashed up old Specialized 26er and miss my Diamondback 26er. There's something about their flickability that I like when carving across the city.

Maybe I'm just stuck in my ways but I have a hankering after a modern 26er with disks now....

Can't comment on pricing but they are all often available a bit cheaper than list, My Trek listed at £950 but a lot of people seemed to have paid £100 less in one promo or other. I bought mine 6 mths old. To get the sizing right I tried both the Specialized and the Trek and had I being buying new I'd have gone for the Spesh as I preferred the frame set up/lower top tube.

Thanks AC43. I think i'll probably go for the 29er. It looks pretty cool anyway


Have you seen the 'FatBoy' MTB....

I was looking at the Fatboy last week. My next N+1. I was surprised how light it is given the size of wheel / tyre. Lad at my work commutes on his fat-bike. He says it attracts some odd looks but that it is surprisingly usuable on the commute

[Phooey]

rhinochopig said:

I was looking at the Fatboy last week. My next N+1. I was surprised how light it is given the size of wheel / tyre. Lad at my work commutes on his fat-bike. He says it attracts some odd looks but that it is surprisingly usuable on the commute

Reviews seems really good. I don't think i could justify £1500-£2000 on a bike yet. I think i recall the chap in the shop saying they had "sold out" of the FatBoy's. Could be a pita transporting it due to the wide tyres?

[rhinochopig]

Phooey said:

rhinochopig said:

I was looking at the Fatboy last week. My next N+1. I was surprised how light it is given the size of wheel / tyre. Lad at my work commutes on his fat-bike. He says it attracts some odd looks but that it is surprisingly usuable on the commute

Reviews seems really good. I don't think i could justify £1500-£2000 on a bike yet. I think i recall the chap in the shop saying they had "sold out" of the FatBoy's. Could be a pita transporting it due to the wide tyres?

I have a pendle rack so bikes hangs from the frame so not an issue for me. I was in the shop buying some proper shorts for my 6 year old when I saw it. It was his favourite bike too. He thought it was a desert racer bike Just goes to show that men stop developing mentally around the age of 6

[Justin S]

For a long distance bike the 29 er is great. For a blast in the woods , the 26 er is better. Choice is yours, but something a 29er buyer has found out this year. I do have both sizes to play on.

[jshell]

I suspect that the industry will settle on 27.5" and that 29ers were a bit of a flash in the pan. I certainly don't think the 29ers look 'right' to my eye and I ride XL mtb's. I've built a 26" ful bouncer and spent st-loads on it so it'll be a while before I up-size. 29er just looks ungainly on anything technical apart from uneven surfaces where the greater circumference is a boost.

[rhinochopig]

jshell said:

I suspect that the industry will settle on 27.5" and that 29ers were a bit of a flash in the pan. I certainly don't think the 29ers look 'right' to my eye and I ride XL mtb's. I've built a 26" ful bouncer and spent st-loads on it so it'll be a while before I up-size. 29er just looks ungainly on anything technical apart from uneven surfaces where the greater circumference is a boost.

I suspect 27.5 will be the norm for the general do anything MTB be that HT or FS. 29ers are demonstrably faster xc than the other two hough so I think they'll stay for pure xc bikes.

[Bolebroke]

You know you need a Fat bike....everyone needs a fat bike...

[anonymous-user]

I'd probably go with a 27.5 (650b), as these are the current trend, but new sizes are already on the horizon.

As above, 29" for commuting and cross country and 26"/27.5" for twisty tracks.

Go for a ride first and settle on what you like most (obviously), you won't go wrong with a Spesh, there are better bikes for the same money, but they are pretty solid and easily upgradeable.

[Phooey]

CoinSl0t said:

I'd probably go with a 27.5 (650b), as these are the current trend, but new sizes are already on the horizon.

As above, 29" for commuting and cross country and 26"/27.5" for twisty tracks.

Go for a ride first and settle on what you like most (obviously), you won't go wrong with a Spesh, there are better bikes for the same money, but they are pretty solid and easily upgradeable.

Cheers Coin. I'd not heard of a '650b' until your post - I thought it was either 26 or 29! Mmmmm.... choices choices

[Bobley]

29ers are certainly putting up a good fight at the moment. I bought a Spec 29er last year and love it. I still appreciate my old 26er occasionally but for big XC trips I'll be on the 29er.

Look at the reviews for the Spec Enduro 29er compared to the 650b for example. Or things like the Intense Carbine 29. Both awesome bikes.

[BadgerBenji]

29ers brilliant for fast cross country, they are more nimble than they were.

As for Fatboy's they are awesome, I've got one, love it, great fun bike, more capable than a lot of people give them credit for. Line choice is a different thing, you can put it on line that would break a normal bike.

[Phooey]

Thanks again guys for replies. Bike purchased today - Rockhopper Expert Evo 650B.