[J.B. Weld]

How many people do you see riding on a road bike in a foul weather? Not many on New Jersey roads

I can imagine, I'd be scared $hitless to ride New Jersey roads in any weather

Discs are better in any weather, people used to say the same about v-brakes. Face it, you're a curmudgeon.

 

[richj8990]

Sorry if I hurt your feelings, that's not my intent. But I'm entitled to my opinion and my opinion is that 26" wheels are drastically inferior to larger diameter wheels for *someone my size* and *where I ride* and *how I ride.*
=sParty

One thing I found as a surprise, really a bit of a shock, is that no one tells you the real diameter of a rim plus tire until you actually measure it yourself.

26 standard (1.95) is really 25.0 to 25.2 inches

27.5 standard (2.10) is really 27.0 to 27.2 inches

29 standard is...I have not measured but I think 29 x 2.3 is actually 29 inches

However, and this is key, 26" standard tires are not really mountain bike tires, at least not now in 2018. They were 20 years ago, but not now. If you go up at all in width to say, 2.10, or 2.25, or 2.40, the diameter suddenly jumps up an inch to 26.0 - 26.2, because the side casing is longer than on a 1.95, which is basically a relatively wide road bike tire with some extra tread on it.

So what's the gist of the post? If you ride a 26 x 1.95 on a trail, as Sparticus says it is drastically inferior. Clearance is horrible, bumps are amplified, downhill steering is handicapped. But...there is a solution. 2.5, 2.7, 2.8, 3.0 sizes. 26 x 2.5 and 2.7, maybe 2.8 should be able to fit in your front fork (the back may only be able to take 2.1 to 2.5). You can also buy a 27.5" fork and then put in a 26 x 3.0 tire. The wider 26" tires are not drastically inferior. They may not be as good all-around as 27.5 tires but they are at least in the same range of performance. My 26 x 2.8 can handle chunkier/ruttier stuff significantly better than my 27.5 x 2.5. So if you still have a 26" bike you should really try out wider 2.5, 2.7, or 2.8 tires, you might be surprised what they can do on the trail.

 

[fokof]

Like something between 80 to 130 dollar.
I can find only stuff for like 250 up to 500 dollar.

hub 50$ + Rim 40$ + spoke 40$ = 130$

Very easy to mount a wheel yourself

https://www.jensonusa.com/Shimano-SLX-HB-M7010-Boost-Front-Hub
https://www.jensonusa.com/Sun-Rhyno-ABT-Lite-Rim
https://www.jensonusa.com/Sapim-Race-Stainless-Steel-Spokes

 

[fokof]

One thing I found as a surprise, really a bit of a shock, is that no one tells you the real diameter of a rim plus tire until you actually measure it yourself.

A 26 with 4,8 tire is bigger in diameter than a 700 wheel with a 2.1 tire

 

[slimat99]

650b was in very limited use at the time it was chosen for mtb use compared to 26 and 29 when they were. It is not even close.

Early 26" mtbs were repurposed and modified balloon bikes and cruisers. THAT is why 26" was standard. Its not like the early 27.5 mtbs were repurposed randonneur bikes. They were purpose built mtbs, and the builders specifically chose 650b among a range of obscure sizes they could have chosen.

And no, 650b did not first come from people stuffing 650b tires in their 26". There were scant few 650b wheels and zero mtb tires to do it with. They did not have them to play with until 650b bikes were already in production.

You're missing my point that 650b was an off the shelf size not one derived from R&D specifically for MTB.

There is no dedicated MTB wheel size period. Only repurposed existing sizes from other bikes. 26" roots come from beach cruisers, 29" from road bikes, 650b from comfort bikes, fitness bikes, kids road bikes....

 

[Emax]

I can imagine, I'd be scared $hitless to ride New Jersey roads in any weather

Discs are better in any weather, people used to say the same about v-brakes. Face it, you're a curmudgeon.

Yeah...? you can't compare discs on the road bike to discs on a mountain bike - the conditions are vastly different, and discs are far superior to v-brakes in wet, muddy conditions that are much more commonly encountered on the trails. If the discs were so much better on road bikes - racers would have jumped on the opportunity to use them - but they don't and the truth is that the are not much of an improvement over calipers. And for a regular cyclist they are a nightmare to service....
BTW... no need to call me names - can't come up with a reasonable argument for your position - then just don't write... if you want to use latest tech - go forth and prosper, but this is forum where we're all allowed to state our opinions freely...

 

[Sparticus]

Discs are better in any weather

Agreed.
=sParty

 

[Pedalon2018]

Yeah...? you can't compare discs on the road bike to discs on a mountain bike - the conditions are vastly different, and discs are far superior to v-brakes in wet, muddy conditions that are much more commonly encountered on the trails. If the discs were so much better on road bikes - racers would have jumped on the opportunity to use them - but they don't and the truth is that the are not much of an improvement over calipers. And for a regular cyclist they are a nightmare to service....
BTW... no need to call me names - can't come up with a reasonable argument for your position - then just don't write... if you want to use latest tech - go forth and prosper, but this is forum where we're all allowed to state our opinions freely...

You of course are entitled to your opinion and no name calling here. I must state that your comment on disc brakes being a nightmare for the regular rider is not really accurate. I bought the world's worst hydraulic disc brakes in 1998 made by Hayes on a Trek 8900 that I just gave away after 20 years. As bad as they were in term of acting like a light switch, I rode that bike 20,000 miles and could not count one day where using the brakes or servicing them could be any where close to being a nightmare. I do recall one day where a few of us rode down Aliaska Ski Resort mountain in Alaska very well. Grass was waist deep and wet with moose standing in the thickest parts with only their Racks visible. My Friends with rim brakes were basically out of control the whole way down. My discs allowed me a very safe and controlled descent. Lastly, road racing hydraulic discs are still new to the racing scene where tradition often trumps improvement in equipment for sometime after introduction. Some riders were complaining about the safety of the discs with the possibility of a slicing injury. So ride what you like but the best hydraulic discs are way superior to rim brakes. When I was living in Germany, I rode the Alps with a 18 mile downhill and I was scared all the down on my rim brakes. Actually I was terrified way back in 1973. That was a road bike I bought in Paris. Rim brakes may weight a bit less but disc are way safer in some situations if not all. I hate slowing down but when you must, I want the best stopping power available, Road or Mountain applications. Safe Travels all!

 

[Pedalon2018]

I actually have this specific post bookmarked, as it may be my favorite on MTBR of all time.

I ride in many places all the time and just never see riders acting that way. I ride expensive equipment and most folks I meet do not even know what they are looking at. Riding just seems like folks I do not know much if at all enjoying the sport. Most could care less what you ride. If you are having fun and being safe, the make or model of your bikes means nothing. I rode my 26 for 20 years and in the last several years rode it mostly to MSU football games while leaving the big dollar bikes safe at home. Often folks would yell as I rode by, nice Trek. Ride what you like and for the few that *****, you know what to tell the losers.

 

[J.B. Weld]

If the discs were so much better on road bikes - racers would have jumped on the opportunity to use them - but they don't and the truth is that the are not much of an improvement over calipers. And for a regular cyclist they are a nightmare to service....

Most world tour pros are using them now and within a few years disc brakes will be ubiquitous on road bikes. Most riers who use them seem to think they're better.

Also disagree that they're a nightmare to service, different yes but not rocket science.

 

[J.B. Weld]

BTW... no need to call me names - can't come up with a reasonable argument for your position - then just don't write...

Sorry I didn't mean to offend, only joking around. I'll tread more lightly in the future.

 

[kapusta]

Sorry I didn't mean to offend, only joking around. I'll tread more lightly in the future.

RoadBikeReview.com and BikeForums.com have entire subforums dedicated to arguing about disc brakes on road bikes.

It's a raw subject for a lot of folks.

 

[J.B. Weld]

RoadBikeReview.com and BikeForums.com have entire subforums dedicated to arguing about disc brakes on road bikes.

It's a raw subject for a lot of folks.

Weird. I don't see any argument, just something that's happening. Most see it as an improvement but some don't. Same as it ever was.

There will be options for calipers for decades.

 

[kapusta]

Weird. I don't see any argument, just something that's happening. Most see it as an improvement but some don't. Same as it ever was.

There will be options for calipers for decades.

Go look around some road biking sites and you will see epic ones

 

[J.B. Weld]

Go look around some road biking sites and you will see epic ones

I believe that they're arguing but I just can't figure out why. Sort of like most of this thread.

 

[Emax]

I must state that your comment on disc brakes being a nightmare for the regular rider is not really accurate. I bought the world's worst hydraulic disc brakes in 1998 made by Hayes on a Trek 8900 that I just gave away after 20 years. As bad as they were in term of acting like a light switch, I rode that bike 20,000 miles and could not count one day where using the brakes or servicing them could be any where close to being a nightmare.

The early Hayes cable actuated hydraulic brakes were weird (not sure if these are the ones you had but 1998 brings those to my mind)... I'm a happy user of Hope Mono Minis, and Hope Tech disc brakes, and before that I used Magura Marta's that leaked, and the totally worry free Avid BB7s, so this is not an argument about discs not being great for stopping. I've had much of issues with my Marta SL's and that is what I'm basing my comments on - I've had bent rotors, contaminated pads, master cylinder leaking, air in the line, inconsistent feel - left to right... granted most of these were due to a leaky cylinder. I've spent many hours trying bleed the system before I figured out that the master cylinder was leaking. On the other hand my Hopes have been worry free... So I get that you can travel down crazy downhills and need the discs - or not... but if I live in flat lands - do I need discs? Not really. But pretty soon that's all that will be on sale - whether we need it or not... and at that extra cost that we are willing to pay for it.

 

[93EXCivic]

And for a regular cyclist they are a nightmare to service....

I don't get this. As a newer cyclist, I have found disc way easier to service then V-brakes. Bleeding brakes is so easy versus the seeming constant need to adjust V-brakes.

 

[fokof]

Funny how everyone compares 20 year old 26 with modern/recent 650 or 700 bikes.

I have a custom made Ti bike made to my specs ,26er ,modern geometry.
Perfect. (see answer 571)
Haven't try a 650/700 bike that comes close with handling and accelerating , climbing.

BTW , I'm 6'2''

 

[fokof]

Mass production and standardization of parts - the same thing we (myself included) lament - allow us AMAZING choices as consumers.

Maybe but the problem is that the industry changes the standards every couple of years so as a consumer , I don't have the choice of buying new stuff.

One example : I got a bike as a commuter 5 years ago , cool bike. The frame broke but it was lifetime warrantied, so now the new bikes are 700 wheeled , boost , thru axle , they couldn't just swap the parts on a new frame , so the company offered me instead a brand new complete bike.
Very cool (in theory) but now I have a bike that I'm unable to put any of my tires , my wheels , my cassettes (11 sp) ..... And I have lots and lots of parts/tires.....
All new standard that forces me to buy new stuff all over again.
(I won't , I'll probably sell it)

Luckily , the 26er standard have been there for so long that there's still a lots of parts available. No such luck with newest frames though....... got to go custom.

 

[DaveRider]

Because the 26" is paid for. I am faster on a 29er though.