The death of the 26" bike
- Thread starter jdog
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wonderturtle
Well-Known Member
sure. of course, but manufacters are only responding to a diversifying market. they wouldnt make 29ers if no one was buying them, or SS if no one was buying them, etc. etc.. it starts and ends with the consumer.
elzoller
El Guac-Oh
haha, you know I had to bring it back 😀
I forgot to mention this earlier....the 26er is STILL VERY MUCH ALIVE in Vermont.
We had a small mishap on the way to Kingdom, so we stopped at a big outdoor/bikeshop outside of Rutland (maybe it was still Rutland) and asked for 29er tires...The guy there gave me a WTF look...he asked "29, are you sure they arent 26?", he stumbled for a while, went to the back of the shop then came back. He had no idea what a 29er is...and of course he didnt have any 29er tires....If I remember correctly, the shop carried specialized, jamis and some other roadie brand..
I forgot to mention this earlier....the 26er is STILL VERY MUCH ALIVE in Vermont.
We had a small mishap on the way to Kingdom, so we stopped at a big outdoor/bikeshop outside of Rutland (maybe it was still Rutland) and asked for 29er tires...The guy there gave me a WTF look...he asked "29, are you sure they arent 26?", he stumbled for a while, went to the back of the shop then came back. He had no idea what a 29er is...and of course he didnt have any 29er tires....If I remember correctly, the shop carried specialized, jamis and some other roadie brand..
Did he have an abacus on the counter instead of a cash register?
Not that long ago I was the same way. One of the guys who worked for me bought a Karate Monkey and I thought that it was the dumbest thing I had ever seen. One day I bought one Mary SS for the shop as a demo and the rest is history.
Now we sell MORE high end 29er tire than 26". Overall we still sell more 26" tires but they are mostly low end repair tires.
I know that it is a regional thing and that in parts of the world it might never catch on like it has here in central NJ.
If you live around here and you want to get EXTREME when you ride, then maybe a 26" wheeled 6" travel bike might be right for you.
For the most part the average person, riding the average local trails can benefit from a 29er.
That is just my .02 and based on the results we have seen from our demo bikes, other people feel the same way.
bobkennelly
Member
Hey J,
Is this 29er thing big in California?
Im thinkin yea.
When I go up to Maine next Friday, the 14th, we are stopping in Portland for a day, I will take a survey at a local shop there, I am sure it will be a mystery bike to them, but I will give it a try for shits and giggles anyway.
On that note, please let me know when the geared 2010 29er c-dales are out so I can get one from you...😀
BOBKE
Is this 29er thing big in California?
Im thinkin yea.
When I go up to Maine next Friday, the 14th, we are stopping in Portland for a day, I will take a survey at a local shop there, I am sure it will be a mystery bike to them, but I will give it a try for shits and giggles anyway.
On that note, please let me know when the geared 2010 29er c-dales are out so I can get one from you...😀
BOBKE
J
jbaeng
Guest
This is all quite interesting…
Here is my .02!
I got back to NJ 3 months ago; I’ve been out in the SF Bay Area the last 23 years and started riding MTB on mount Tam about 20years ago. I’ve been riding all around the west coast in the dry season, then head up to the white stuff when the rain starts! (Perfect timing for the love of two sports; MTB-Skiing).
Back to the 29er topic. I never heard of 29ers until I got back here to NJ. When I saw/heard “29er” I was quite confused. It wasn’t until meeting up with an old friend at Chimney Rock I was initiated to the Roots and Rocks world and was educated about the 29er concept. It makes total sense though. I have not tried one yet but I’m looking forward to it. I grew up Enduro riding all around south Jersey in the Pine Barrens but loved the chance to do “Rock Runs” up in northern NJ or eastern PA. I never would have believed people would be riding MTB in that same terrain (and liking it!). But on dirt bikes we always had 21” front wheels and 18” on the rear. So it would make sense the larger diameter wheel would make the rocks easier to get over without getting stuck and doing an endo.
I’m really enjoying exploring the NJ mtb world. Way different then the west coast but it still rocks! (pun intended)
Here is my .02!
I got back to NJ 3 months ago; I’ve been out in the SF Bay Area the last 23 years and started riding MTB on mount Tam about 20years ago. I’ve been riding all around the west coast in the dry season, then head up to the white stuff when the rain starts! (Perfect timing for the love of two sports; MTB-Skiing).
Back to the 29er topic. I never heard of 29ers until I got back here to NJ. When I saw/heard “29er” I was quite confused. It wasn’t until meeting up with an old friend at Chimney Rock I was initiated to the Roots and Rocks world and was educated about the 29er concept. It makes total sense though. I have not tried one yet but I’m looking forward to it. I grew up Enduro riding all around south Jersey in the Pine Barrens but loved the chance to do “Rock Runs” up in northern NJ or eastern PA. I never would have believed people would be riding MTB in that same terrain (and liking it!). But on dirt bikes we always had 21” front wheels and 18” on the rear. So it would make sense the larger diameter wheel would make the rocks easier to get over without getting stuck and doing an endo.
I’m really enjoying exploring the NJ mtb world. Way different then the west coast but it still rocks! (pun intended)
THATmanMANNY
Well-Known Member
jbaeng and other westerners,
Really? Don't know what a 29er is? It's funny cause every movie shot with bikes in the Bay Area has a c-dale 29er in it.
-Heartbreak Kid with Ben Stiller
-and most recently Funny People
I just notice these things.
Really? Don't know what a 29er is? It's funny cause every movie shot with bikes in the Bay Area has a c-dale 29er in it.
-Heartbreak Kid with Ben Stiller
-and most recently Funny People
I just notice these things.
Sandler & Stiller are from the northeast, they brought there own bikes with them🙄
bobkennelly
Member
I just cant believe that the 29er kraze is only in central jersey, its crazy.
Is there any one out there who could give any percentage of the bike population is purchasing a 29er??
Can Halters be the nucleous of the world 29er people??
J, can you call anyone at c-dale to get numbers of sales of the 29er vs the 26er???
I gotsa know...
Bobke
When I was at the nat sales meeting in Utah i spoke with a lot of different dealers about 29ers.
Many dealers have never sold one. It seems that many dealers didn't want to risk bringing in a new wheel size.
Our region sells more c-dale 29ers than any other in the world. (NJ,PA,DE,MD,CT)
I think that 29ers would work in more regions but without a strong dealer backing they won't sell.
It is easy to say, you don't want those big dumb wheels.
when i bought my first real bike in 2007, I went to High Gear in Milburn because I went to HS with the manager there.
He pushed me hard to get a HT 29er. He said it was the new thing and he totally recommended it. But he had to order it and I needed immediate gratification so I bought a Trek FS off the floor.
He pushed me hard to get a HT 29er. He said it was the new thing and he totally recommended it. But he had to order it and I needed immediate gratification so I bought a Trek FS off the floor.
bobkennelly
Member
Well on that note, I noticed New York City was not on the list, I have gone to several bike shops here, and basiclly they say, oh, thoses things,
we only order one special at the request of the customer, even at Sids bike shop, which is a c-dale dealer, they had one on display, and when I asked if they sell, the guy said, not really, so NYC is not pushing them either.
NYC does not even know what Tayler ham(aka pork roll) is either, so go figure...
A 29er would be great in the city.
It might be a blast with this tire:
http://www.schwalbetires.com/big_apple
It might be a blast with this tire:
http://www.schwalbetires.com/big_apple
Doostur
New Member
Michael Jackson Buried with 29er
I had to go back and re-read my original post on this thread after being bashed on the other site about this posting.
I still stand behind it. I still think that for where we live and mostly ride, that a 29" wheel makes the most sense for me. I finally mad the jump to a custom 29er and I really love the bike. Maybe i am crazy but this just works well for me.
I will spend some more time in the coming months on a new 26" dual sus bike and post the results.
Clearly the 26" wheel size is not dead.
A better title might have been..
"Elvis spotted on 29" wheeled bike" or "Michael Jackson Buried with 29er"..
I had to go back and re-read my original post on this thread after being bashed on the other site about this posting.
I still stand behind it. I still think that for where we live and mostly ride, that a 29" wheel makes the most sense for me. I finally mad the jump to a custom 29er and I really love the bike. Maybe i am crazy but this just works well for me.
I will spend some more time in the coming months on a new 26" dual sus bike and post the results.
Clearly the 26" wheel size is not dead.
A better title might have been..
"Elvis spotted on 29" wheeled bike" or "Michael Jackson Buried with 29er"..
I was just reading all of the nonsense over there. Good reading, but just silly. I hear what those guys are saying about the 29er crew over here, but to also post if J even has 26ers in the store anymore is just stupid. Perfect example of people spouting off without being informed.
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