You better be riding a fully rigid SS then, cause the same could be said of gears and suspension
The thing I find with 29ers and test rides, is that you discover the differences, and never get to get past them.
First few rides go something like this, "man, this bike is more work... my little wheels are quicker in tight turns, etc" Ride it for a month, and that chorus fades, and is often replaced with "wow, I can pick a totally different line now, huh, I didn't pedal through that whole section, the bike just seemed on cruise control, etc" Once you stop comparing (the sole purpose of a test ride) you realize the larger benefits, and also, much like a SS, you just get stronger. If you simply trained with the same weight, all the time, you'd never get stronger beyond a certain point. Up the weight though, and you gain strength.
I never understood the whole "29ers are more work" arguement. So? It just makes you stronger. Do a dedicted two month 29er stint, go back to your little wheels, and tell me I'm wrong :thumbsup: