[burner]

They did an interbike show coverage and gave "The 29-inch Award" to the Behemoth (the one with the eccentric front hub and fox fork). At least it was worth 1/2 a page to them.

They also did a write up on the Pugsley.

and in their Trail Access article there's a couple pics of a guy in a green shirt on a GF Paragon.

seems like more and more 29er stuff has crept into MBA over the last couple months.

 

[Surlydave]

Thats funny considering that when they reviewed the Karate Monkey a few years ago they called it "the last of a dying breed".

I gave up on MBA about the same time when they declared the hard tail dead.

 

[Drevil]

Maybe it was where I went, but when I was in San Francisco at the beginning of last month, the sampling of at least 10 bike shops I went into didn't have a single 29er (or parts - notably tires) in stock. Also, I did a few mtb rides, and I don't recall seeing a single person riding one. I was very surprised.

When I asked Francois during our ride at Skeggs why there aren't more 29ers around his area (SF), he said something to the effect of "People 'round here like their big travel". My buddy, a head mech at an REI in the Bay Area also said that his interactions with 29ers are few and far between.

Back home in the Mid Atlantic, at least in my circles and trails, there is usually a good showing of 29ers. At our local races, mostly in the singlespeed category, the 29er percentage is anywhere from 1/4 to 1/2 of the racers. Significant, considering last year people gave them funny looks.

Maybe that is a reason that Dirt Rag (in PA) has more coverage than 29ers than MBA (in CA), besides it being a cooler 'zine in general

 

[bikeanddrum]

Plus some of the guys at Dirt Rag are personally passionate about 29'ers, that helps a ton, but 29'ers are making a bigger impact year after year. Look at all the races and records set on 29'ers etc. All it would take is a downhill record to be set on a Lenz 5" 29'er and everyone will want one and MBA will be all over them talking about how great they are hahahahahaha. So there you go. Someone give Steve Peat a 29'er lol.

 

[surlytman]

They did an interbike show coverage and gave "The 29-inch Award" to the Behemoth (the one with the eccentric front hub and fox fork). At least it was worth 1/2 a page to them.

They also did a write up on the Pugsley.

and in their Trail Access article there's a couple pics of a guy in a green shirt on a GF Paragon.

seems like more and more 29er stuff has crept into MBA over the last couple months.

Mountain Bike Fiction? there is a reason I have called it that for 15 years............

 

[PattD]

We're seeing more and more in CO

The 29er movement is making some headway in Colorado. We had a gentleman come into the shop the other day that was looking at our Mrazek 29er and the GF's. The big wheels make a difference in my opinion.

Ordered up a new, custom painted Ventana El Capitan.....can't wait.

 

[number2]

If you want to ride with alot of fellow 29er's come to Michigan. In a state where 4" travel is overkill the 29" wheel is the best way to go. SS is a common thing as is hard tails and rigid forks. Come on over!

 

[Cloxxki]

All it would take is a downhill record to be set on a Lenz 5" 29'er and everyone will want one and MBA will be all over them talking about how great they are hahahahahaha. So there you go. Someone give Steve Peat a 29'er lol.

We've seen lance Canfield take a couple seconds of air time on the Behemoth, so what's next? Surely a DH racer can be found to try his own 26" bike back to back with a purposely setup Behemoth? If the course doesn't totally dismiss 2.3" Exiwolf tires, I bet the Behemoth can raise some eyebrows.

You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one.

 

[will951]

Maybe it was where I went, but when I was in San Francisco at the beginning of last month, the sampling of at least 10 bike shops I went into didn't have a single 29er (or parts - notably tires) in stock.

Here in CT I haven't found any shops that stock them. The only place I know that has parts is Newington Cycle. I haven't done a ton of searching....but most bike shops look at me like I have 2 heads when I ask if they have any 29ers in stock....

 

[AD4E]

29er's in Tallahassee, Florida

i'm estimating there may be 20 big-wheel bikes here in TLH. guessing 12 geared & 8 SS. about half of all of them here are probably GF's. (i could be off on these estimates).
this is a college town & there's plenty of cyclists around, both road & off-road, so this doesn't sound like too many 29ers. only one shop in town carry's 29er stuff: the GF dealer & they had two different tires on the wall for sale: Kenda & IRC.
i hope the KONA dealer picks up a Unit 2-9.

i'm probably one of the most recent folks to get one: a Salsa Dos Niner & the only one in N Florida that i know of riding a Dos.

think Big, live Large: Ride a 29er.

 

[Drevil]

Here in CT I haven't found any shops that stock them. The only place I know that has parts is Newington Cycle. I haven't done a ton of searching....but most bike shops look at me like I have 2 heads when I ask if they have any 29ers in stock....

Yeah I know, I still get that look at some shops around me, but the SF Bay Area is the "birthplace" of mountain biking. There are gobs more riders, shops, and trails there than here in the DC area and not one sighting of a 29er or parts while I was there last month? Like I said though, I may have been going to the wrong shops or not looking hard enough. No big deal, I was just surprised...

 

[Bigwheel]

Yeah I know, I still get that look at some shops around me, but the SF Bay Area is the "birthplace" of mountain biking. There are gobs more riders, shops, and trails there than here in the DC area and not one sighting of a 29er or parts while I was there last month? Like I said though, I may have been going to the wrong shops or not looking hard enough. No big deal, I was just surprised...

If you had come to Crested Butte, a town of around 1000 people, which has quite a bit of MTB history itself you would have sighted quite a few 29"ers per capita and been able to rent one in hardtail or FS. I would estimate at least 100 in the vicinity.

But mainly because 29"ers are perfect for the mostly high country hippie granola eating types that live here

The biggest reason that shops across the country for the most part don't have 29"ers or even tires in stock is that the industry has not accepted them yet. It is happening though and more will in the near future.

 

[WTB-rider]

Mountain Bike Fiction? there is a reason I have called it that for 15 years............

M ountain
B ike
A dvertising

What did ol' RC say a few months back, "Stick a fork in 'em, 29ers are done" ?

What a maroon

 

[OrBikbldr]

M ountain
B ike
A dvertising

What did ol' RC say a few months back, "Stick a fork in 'em, 29ers are done" ?

What a maroon

I liked MBA more before I became more of "purist." What I mean is when I was looking for the next sweet full suspension trend constantly, it was a great read. Now that I ride for the fun of it, on bikes that are working toward simplicity, they have less to offer. I am with the folks who enjoy DirtRag more. Their stories have more in common with my attitude now.

As far as RC goes, if I could have Zap back I would. Not that he was perfect, I just enjoyed his columns more than Mr Know-It-All Cunningham's.

 

[burner]

I definitely prefer DirtRag to MBA or any of the others, but it's not published as freq... and some of us are just junkies for any mtb info fix we can get (esp 29er), hence the popularity of this forum. I know what I'm getting when I pickup MBA.

As for RC, those of us around Los Angeles, that ride the Santa Monica mtns see him on the trails regularly. I'm not the preaching type, but I do say "29er" to him every time I pass.

I don't see many 29ers around here, I've seen 3 others (besides my dos niner), a pink Dean SS, a Rig, and just ran into a guy in Sullivan Cyn on a blue WaltWorks (the first I've ever seen in person).

 

[WTB-rider]

I liked MBA more before I became more of "purist." What I mean is when I was looking for the next sweet full suspension trend constantly, it was a great read. Now that I ride for the fun of it, on bikes that are working toward simplicity, they have less to offer. I am with the folks who enjoy DirtRag more. Their stories have more in common with my attitude now.

As far as RC goes, if I could have Zap back I would. Not that he was perfect, I just enjoyed his columns more than Mr Know-It-All Cunningham's.

I liked MBA back when it was about the only game in town and they were as enthusiastic as I was about riding a bicycle in the dirt. Zap was always entertaining, regardless of what he was writing. Dirt Rag came along and it was love at first sight although trying to get any sort of info from Maurice on the phone in the early days(when I worked in a shop) was like having your teeth pulled with a pair of rusty pliers. He has built himself quite an empire though, any truth to a rumor I heard that he and Elaine had gone their separate ways?

RC built some amazing bikes in his day but he just can't carry the magazine the way Zap did.

Crap, I really got off topic here, didn't I?

 

[edemtbs]

Sweet!

So cancelling my MBA subscription and sending in a protest note with the cancellation had an effect/affect (for all you grammar wonks, I don't care)!!! Nice!

Hey RC - Keep riding those ridiculously complicated and expensive contraptions. See you at the bottom

Ed E