[OlMarin]

OlMarin I like the way you think. I'm debt free and buy almost everything used. I hope to retire one day as well

The OlMarin came to me used. The frame had been hanging in the sun behind a now defunct bike shop for roughly 18 months. The owner was a good friend and going outa bidness. Plus he had boxes of parts............
I built up a fugly commuter. 24 years later it finally got a refinish.

 

[kapusta]

In the beginning, mountain bikes were designed and tinkered by engineers and/or inventors with a knack for tech and a vision. Then came the big recession of 2008, and bike companies needed something new to boost sales, pushing the role of whats now product managers to create new market "categories". Armed with advanced marketing, pseudo science, and alternate facts, they created brand shiny new "holy grails" called 29ers and fat bikes.

Now both the 29er and fat bikes have their unique and special place in the biking world, but so much functionality has been sacrificed with the dropping of the 26er bike. Agility, acceleration, lightness, climbing ability, versatility, and frame stiffness, once the foundation of mountain bike tech standards, has been lost with these new bikes. 29ers and fat bikes will never achieve this in a simple and cost effective manner, hence why you have to pay so much more now to get a performance bike. You need more tech to achieve performance that was once so natural with the 26er.

I have no doubt that the 26er will return sometime in the 2020's, but first the industry will wait until most of the existing 26ers will age, disappear, and be almost forgotten to maximize full sales and profitability potential as the new "holy grail".

Welcome to the modern age of product marketing management. I've heard that the old top loading washer is back as new advanced tech...too funny :O

FWIW, 29ers were selling quite well before the recession.

But it is a moot point, because the final demise of 26" has little to do with 29ers or fat bikes. They were never going to replace 26" for a lot of trail riders.

27.5 is what put the nail in 26's coffin.

27.5 is the new 26.

I would not hold my breath for the return of 26" for anything but specialty niches (like dirt jumping and trials).

 

[OlMarin]

Kapusta, in the beginning, nuts decided to name a hill Repack. These nuts started with old 26" 'cruisers', a.k.a. junque. This hill became Repack because you'd have to repack the coaster brake hub after every run.
That said, the 26" wheel size will never go away. You can get tires everywhere, even in Bumflock Egypt.
If I were to tour the world on a bike, it would have 26" wheels, square taper English BB,
old school 1" headset, you get the idea.

 

[Mr Pig]

I think 26'' might come back for the same reason that vinyl has. Well, apart from the fact that vinyl is actually better!

There are a lot of young people who actively embrace old technology as a way of sticking the fingers up at the ********s who are trying to tell them what their future should look like.

 

[JPL65]

I think 26'' might come back for the same reason that vinyl has. Well, apart from the fact that vinyl is actually better!

There are a lot of young people who actively embrace old technology as a way of sticking the fingers up at the ********s who are trying to tell them what their future should look like.

I have to say I like this post.

 

[kapusta]

Kapusta, in the beginning, nuts decided to name a hill Repack. These nuts started with old 26" 'cruisers', a.k.a. junque. This hill became Repack because you'd have to repack the coaster brake hub after every run.
That said, the 26" wheel size will never go away. You can get tires everywhere, even in Bumflock Egypt.
If I were to tour the world on a bike, it would have 26" wheels, square taper English BB,
old school 1" headset, you get the idea.

Yes, everyone knows the story of Repack. It also illustrates why 26" became the standard: because it is what they had at hand to work with. And it is mostly just inertia that made it remain that way for all these years.

But now inertia is behind 27.5 for mid-to upper level mtbs, and every year that trickles down to lower price points.

No, 26" is not going away altogether (it has other uses), but it is only going to continue to decline in the mtb world. I agree with you on the world tour thing.... but what I (and 99% of riders out there) would want to tour remote regions of Africa with is very different from what we want to hit our local (or even destination) trails with. Seriously, how many rigid, rim braked, 26" bikes with 1" threaded forks do you think have been bought in the past 10 years for the primary purpose of mountain biking?

 

[Mr Pig]

Seriously, how many rigid, rim braked, 26" bikes with 1" threaded forks do you think have been bought in the past 10 years for the primary purpose of mountain biking?

Not the point. 1'' steerers and rim-brakes offer no advantage so there is no reason to actively choose them. Rigid bikes do and as a result are still sold today. The same may prove true of 26'' wheels.

 

[kapusta]

Not the point. 1'' steerers and rim-brakes offer no advantage so there is no reason to actively choose them. Rigid bikes do and as a result are still sold today. The same may prove true of 26'' wheels.

And you missed my point at well. Look at what I was responding to (what would you tour the world on).

 

[chazpat]

He's just saying you can find these parts in more corners of the world than you can 29 or 27.5 tires, wheels, etc.; disc brake parts, etc. You rip a sidewall in some remote part of Africa, good luck finding a 29er tire but a 26er probably will be available.

 

[chelboed]

Just thought I'd drop back in here and say how happy I am that this post was appreciated for it's intended purpose and is alive and sparking good opinion and theory mixed with fact and experience.

 

[OlMarin]

Just thought I'd drop back in here and say how happy I am that this post was appreciated for it's intended purpose and is alive and sparking good opinion and theory mixed with fact and experience.

By all means. I can see advantages to bigger wheels in general for many reasons. And when you're getting into any particular discipline, get what makes YOU fly. Some of us are poor, but try to keep a decent, general purpose bike under our butts. I can still get in the dirt a bit. I can go on roads. Rain? So?
BTW this thang's not bad in mud.

 

[bachman1961]

I've got a very basic rigid bike (Spec HardRock) from '91 that is perfectly functional and was my first mtn bike. Got it when I was 30 y/o or so.
I have it looking commuter with fenders and skinny tires after I got a Kona hardtail in 2003 and use it for the ease of kid seat set up. I have grandkids these days and the Blackburn rear rack works well with a kid seat that clamps like a vice and can be on/off in less than two minutes. I'm taking the fenders off and bumping up tires to a 2.2 block tread to gain some ride quality. My new plus bike is spoiling me; 27.5 x 3.0.

In fact, that theme is carrying over to the Kona as well. It works fine and I have no issues with either of my 26" bikes but I'm starting to think I want the ride characteristic's of wider tires so I'm in the process of doing just that.
As long as I keep the 26'r bikes and maintain them in good ride fashion, I'll be happy to rotate what I ride depending on plans or the areas I get to. Also, these bike are well worth keeping considering they can be back-up or spare bikes for visiting friends or family.
Here's the commuter look,

the front wheel cleaned up and a 2.2 put on

and the Kona with new Schwalbe 2.4 's

 

[CS2]

G

But it is a moot point, because the final demise of 26" has little to do with 29ers or fat bikes. They were never going to replace 26" for a lot of trail riders.

27.5 is what put the nail in 26's coffin.

27.5 is the new 26.

I would not hold my breath for the return of 26" for anything but specialty niches (like dirt jumping and trials).

There really is very little difference in a 26" or 27.5" when you come down to it.

 

[OlMarin]

G
There really is very little difference in a 26" or 27.5" when you come down to it.

Then why is everybody condemning a wheel size that will continue to exist longer than most here will be alive? If there's not much difference, why get rid of a perfectly good bike for something newer that isn't 'better'?
Racing is one thing. Having fun is a whole 'nother

 

[bachman1961]

If the hoops are obsolete, I guess you ride what you have or can get because they'd not reasonably or cost effectively replaceable or serviceable (the 26 wheels).
Yet who says the fun and joy or adventure and challenges of riding a bike are lost? They just changed spec slightly and just like any change or one who has went on to other (newer or different) bikes whence they began, minor adjustments or a tiny learning curve aligned you with the small variations.

My new bike has done a few things. It fits me better, it feels more forgiving in ride, handling and technical prowess and it serves up more confidence. Better or correct fit shouldn't imply my old bikes are less in any way or 'at fault'. The way the new bike rides and handle is related to some changes and some of that can be brought to the older bikes. Simpler drive train, wider tires, stem changes and wider bars etc...

Changes I incorporate won't be an attempt to modernize or change character of the earlier trends but more to benefit me in some things I've learned along the way. Improved fit = improved control and handling, some of that with the bigger rubber (adjacent to + size tires) provides hardtail comfort I need 20 or 30 years later.... and any technical prowess the bike has or even just that confidence inspiring attitude makes me feel like a better rider and allows me to stretch my comfort zone some.

This is why I'll keep my older 2 bikes and use them as creative variations of something different than my newer bike.

As for the naysayers of 26, they don't really have dog in the fight or could not care less but some of us that keep 26 rolling and well maintained may someday find our wheels and tire collection well worth more than the bikes themselves.

 

[BykerMike]

I keep thinking about rebuilding my 26" hardtail. It needs pretty much a new everything lol but it is still mostly functional. I took it for a ride the other day and one thing I noticed that I don't hear mentioned often is that roots don't seem to knock it around as much as my 650b and not nearly as much as my friends 29er. The bike seemed more prone to hop over just about anything rather then trying to roll over. Even when I purposely hit a root sideways the wheels didn't want to kick out as bad.

Even if I don't rebuild mine, I still think a freshly built 26er will be in my near future... Thinking about an old discounted Lynsky or something...

 

[Cornfield]

Then why is everybody condemning a wheel size that will continue to exist longer than most here will be alive? If there's not much difference, why get rid of a perfectly good bike for something newer that isn't 'better'?

I didn't get rid of mine, I just put some 27" shoes on it!

 

[Bigjunk1]

My 10 year old daughter rides my old BMX bike and she rides it OK but has outgrown it somewhat. I am in no hurry but plan to get her a new bike soon. I will most likely get her a 29er or 27.5'' that she can grow into but I am not against a 26'' because of her being a girl and small. Used 26'' bikes sell fairly cheap for high end bikes a few years old.
I have not come across a 26'' I like yet mostly because they have been a bit older than I want but I have no problem with one for my daughter.

 

[OlMarin]

I didn't get rid of mine, I just put some 27" shoes on it!

View attachment 1143418

One advantage to disc brakes.

 

[kapusta]

G
There really is very little difference in a 26" or 27.5" when you come down to it.

Not sure I follow your point.