[Fattirewilly]

Got to love MBA and RC. Page 45 of the May issue is a good laugh. I realize there's a lengthy thread on this already, but I just saw the issue today.

Where to start.."the 29" wheel is still popular in rural Asia, across the African Continent, and in isolated pockets within the state of Colorado where the abundance of spare parts or absence of modern technology has retarded the bicycles evolution..." The only thing retarded here is someone who doesn't appear to understand the difference between a tire and rim. The only 29"er in Africa and rural asia are probably the ones which have been posted to this site. If there is or ever had been an abundance of spare 29" tires around, the 26" standard might not exist as it is known today.

"big people can ride big wheeled bikes, but the concept reintroduces evils that the smaller 26" format solved, like tall standover heights, laterally flexible wheels, pedal and shoe overlap on short top tube frames..." You might have a very small arguement ..maybe.. if you were malnurished as a kid and can only ride and test medium size bikes. As for flexible wheels, RC should spend less time running his mouth and more time watching that little race heldin France each year.

"The concept is cool and simple, but everyone who is cool and simple already owns one by now. Stick a fork in it. It's almost done."...Tell that to the companies bringing new 29"er tires, frames, and forks to the market. Also, thanks for helping to keep the 29"er advantage away from the masses.

 

[mordecai]

More Buyers guides please!

Wow! That is abosolutly outragious. And just think about how many vulnerable people will believe this crap and never give it a try because some "expert", says otherwise. Sheesh. I wonder how much "they" pay him to print such propaganda.

 

[Soupboy]

RC is a turd and a flake...

...then again, he knows where his bread is buttered. His livelihood depends on schlepping high volume brands with big marketing budgets. Oh yeah, these brands, save Fisher, exclusively mfr 26" wheeled bikes (and smaller).

They've never seen a new bike they didn't like...as long as the mfr purchases ample ad space.

My MBA subscription can't expire soon enough... If anyone sees him at SO or FFTF be sure to throw a large stick in his 26" front wheel for me.

Sean

 

[mcgarry]

...then again, he knows where his bread is buttered. His livelihood depends on schlepping high volume brands with big marketing budgets. Oh yeah, these brands, save Fisher, exclusively mfr 26" wheeled bikes (and smaller).

They've never seen a new bike they didn't like...as long as the mfr purchases ample ad space.

My MBA subscription can expire soon enough... If anyone sees him at SO or FFTF be sure to throw a large stick in his 26" front wheel for me.

Sean

Yeah, I'm not defending what RC said-- I have yet to try a 29er, but I want to-- but I just looked at the April issue and it has ads from a lot of relatively 29er-friendly companies, like Fisher, Titus, Stan's, Marzocchi, and Salsa (half-page for the Dos Niner). Sure, they aren't all the biggest of marketing budgets, but it counts. So while I am inclined to agree with you about his comments in general, I'm not sure his motivations are purely advertiser-driven.

What I think might make the most difference is if those companies, among others, expressed their dissatisfaction directly! But I don't know.

 

[Speedub.Nate]

What I think might make the most difference is if those companies, among others, expressed their dissatisfaction directly! But I don't know.

But-but-but... wouldn't that be a prime case of catering to advertisers, too?

 

[Cloxxki]

Sometimes when respected bike icons have a different opinion than me, I start to doubt for a momnet. Today a mudrace. The speeds I did with my steel Nano's on some tacky grass straight, ended my doubts, hopefully forever. I was overtaking guys for position with about 10mph of difference at times, clearing slippery steeps most had to walk, etc. If only Nano's had side knobs, cornering, especially offcamber, makes the bike a handful on them. Also the amount of mud and gravel that manages to stick to those knobs less sidewalls is impressive, hardly ever seen that on other tires.
That a very so-so mud tire makes me fly like this, make quite a few people think today. Too bad I totally messed up the start, and found a pretty much empty course in front of me when I finally completed the first lap.

Those who resist the superior larger wheelsize now, are not only doing themselves a disfavor not riding them, but also make them selves look worse and worse as a bike authority, as our movement keeps doubling or tripling each year.

While we sit out 29" going global and adjusting standards, we get to laugh at those who were not ready to make the leap yet. I did that today, and enjoyed it thoroughly. Same for my rigid fork, H-bar and Thudbuster seatpost

 

[mcgarry]

But-but-but... wouldn't that be a prime case of catering to advertisers, too?

Exactly, that's why I said "I don't know." I think there is such a thing as editorial opinion, even at MBA, and it can certainly be wrong, but it can also actually be RC's, not his advertisers.

I remember when MBA's big tire shootout came out last year, and Kenda and Specialized won. Some on this forum said, oh, that's because they advertise with them. But the same issue contained even full-page ads from companies who makes tires, whose tires didn't even place, or did poorly. Ad space was not as simple a determinant of tire shootout glory as some would have it.

So while I won't say it has no impact, I really don't know what kind of impact it has; for the moment, I don't think editorial can be tied that directly to advertising, even at beloved MBA.

 

[Speedub.Nate]

Exactly, that's why I said "I don't know." I think there is such a thing as editorial opinion, even at MBA...

Sure makes for a slippery slope, doesn't it?

Even by all of us boycotting MBA (I've personally purchased only one issue in the past year and a half), one could argue we're trying to influence editorial opinion.

In reality, the only thing I'm protesting is their lack of content -- Dirt Rag and Bike do fine for my fix -- but I've questioned so many of their past [edit: non two-niner related] reviews, "articles" and editorial stances in the past that I really don't miss MBA one bit.

It's unfortunate that RC's ranting is the only exposure to 29"ers the majority of MBA readers will receive.

 

[mcgarry]

Sure makes for a slippery slope, doesn't it?
...

Slippery it is, I agree. Try we (and Salsa, etc.) can, I'm just not sure what difference it makes-- I don't mean that rhetorically, I mean I'm not sure.

And I subscribe to Bike, too! More importantly, I lurk here.

 

[virgil3]

Testing... Testing

So, I went to the MBA site to see the bad reviews they have given to all of the 29er's they have ridden.

I have copied and pasted the 29er reviews on their web site below.

Thanks for reading.

 

[Bigwheel]

Actually MBA was in a tie with Rodales MB mag for the first exposure in ink about 29"ers in Sept. of 99 that came out right before their first Interbike. Between Zap and RC the movement was not helped right from the start. In the meantime however the movement has proceeded without their blessing and will continue to. People that read their crap and believe it are not worthy anyway.

For that matter posting about 29"ers on MTBR in '99 was no picnic either. I was and got nothing but negative feedback at the time which took 2 solid years to mellow out.

29"ers are not for everyone, but to those that it works for, it usually works well enough that they can't help but spread the word. Now that there are more bikes, tires and gear to support them they are anything but done, and won't be for a good long time.

It is my prediction that RC will be using that fork to eat crow before it is all over.

 

[SoloWithOthers]

Well, I just finished the Oauchita Challenge on Saturday on a SS rigid Monkey with Jones Bars in less time that the previous 2 years on a 26" gearie with front suspension.

The 3rd overall finisher was Wooglin on a rigid 29er SS. (sandbagger!)

I will take my education about what works and what does'nt from the trail not some magazine!


Mike

 

[Trevor!]

I wouldn't be too worried. Most readers know RC words are far from 'gospel'...

Its a shame the article lacks any positiveness to it.

 

[mtbkendall]

Dont forget about Me!!

I also finished top 15 on 29er SS at the OC and talked to quite a few people on the trail on 29ers. I even talked to a few that had them on order and couldnt wait to get them..OC was a great ride!!! Long Live the Big Wheel!! BK

Oh yea, Slashed my rear Kenda Klaw in the sidewall and and up into the treads. Used a peices of a tuffy tire liner to make it out!! Are Kenda known for weak sidewall?? The rocks here were bad enough to rip any tire probably..

 

[Walt]

Any publicity is good publicity

If RC is even bothering to mention 29" bikes, it's a good thing, IMO. There are still plenty of folks who have never even heard of a 29er, and they'll be MORE likely to find out about them now, even if they think they suck. I say kudos - if RC gets up on his soapbox and bashes 29ers every issue, I'll be happy as can be.

Bottom line: if 29ers were on the way out (or passe, or whatever) RC would never bother to mention them. Ever read anyone bash, say, monoskiing in a ski mag? Yeah, didn't think so. If something truly sucks, you'll know because nobody will ever bother to talk about it. I'd say getting bashed in MBA is a sign of exactly the opposite.

-Walt

 

[Fattirewilly]

I wouldn't be too worried. Most readers know RC words are far from 'gospel'...

Its a shame the article lacks any positiveness to it.

I don't know about that, if you turn it sideways and read between the lines he kind of says the concept makes sense for bikes with little to no suspension, which to me is a hardtail. Combine that with his other thoughts about a ti hardtail lasting forever (no sure why he puts that off as a negative), and you might have RC's thoughts on the perfect bike after he has about a dozen beers in him.

 

[GlowBoy]

The fact that the 29"ers have gotten RC's attention is a good sign -- they're starting to catch on, and a lot of people are curious. He thinks they are "on the bubble" only because he doesn't believe in them, and believes most people won't like them and it is a fad that will soon peak and fade out. Given his previously held beliefs about 29"ers, there is no other way he could possibly see it.

He doesn't comprehend that 29"ers might actually work for a lot of people who try them, but he has correctly observed the increase in popularity and curiosity. This is causing (or soon will cause) him to experience cognitive dissonance. This can only resolved by 29"ers fading again in popularity (proving him "right" in his mind, thus avoiding a direct confrontation to his beliefs) -- or by him changing his beliefs. I hope we end up with the latter.

If the 29"er phenomenon continues this year as it has been doing, and especially if we get some prominent wins on the race circuit, expect a column from RC in the Feb-Apr timeframe next year touting the benefits of the big wheels.

 

[mvi]

Now what

Now what if we would start publishing all over the web, what a bubble MBA is creating for itself and its advertisers. Can somebody write a good piece that can be pasted and forwarded all over the web? A good piece listing the benefits of 29 ers would help too.
Maybe it would force a more serious response from the media and in the end lead to more , cheaper products.

 

[ssRoughRider]

If Yer Gonna Go...GO BIG!!!!

Hey BW,

I remember visiting you and Wes at the Willits booth both in '99 and '00. It was those conversations with you that promted me to go Big. I've been on them since early 2000 and you gave me wheel advice on this very board -well, the old one- but MTBR all the same. Thanks again for leading the way!!!!

ssRR

Actually MBA was in a tie with Rodales MB mag for the first exposure in ink about 29"ers in Sept. of 99 that came out right before their first Interbike. Between Zap and RC the movement was not helped right from the start. In the meantime however the movement has proceeded without their blessing and will continue to. People that read their crap and believe it are not worthy anyway.

For that matter posting about 29"ers on MTBR in '99 was no picnic either. I was and got nothing but negative feedback at the time which took 2 solid years to mellow out.

29"ers are not for everyone, but to those that it works for, it usually works well enough that they can't help but spread the word. Now that there are more bikes, tires and gear to support them they are anything but done, and won't be for a good long time.

It is my prediction that RC will be using that fork to eat crow before it is all over.

 

[Master Shake]

hhhwat?

and in the end lead to more , cheaper products.

Just what we need. More, cheaper products. As if there's not enough disposable crap being churned out every day. I think it's a grand time for 29ers. The fact that it's a small niche means that the majority of the builders entertaining it are enthusiasts doing honest, quality work. Compare that to the current 26" market, where the competition is so stiff, no one can afford to do quality work anymore, and it's shifted from a "sport" to an actual "industry", made up of middlemen outsourcing everything to asia to save a buck, and skimming said saved $$ off the top. If three measly inches at the wheel is all it takes to keep the bait-headed mongrels & shite-peddlers from breathing down our neck, then benefits aside, it's worth it.