[Team Green Steve]

Hello all. I'm a 12/24 hour guy racing for Indy Fab on ti 26" hardtails, and I'm considering a switch over to two ti 29ers. This would be a big investment, so I want to make sure its gonna be worth it before I make the plunge. I'm wondering what's up with forks, wheels, and tires for 29ers.

I'm currently running the Crossmax SL / tubeless setup for 26". Are there any good offerings for tubeless 29" setups? I've seen the stans wheels, are they a good setup? Are low pressures (appx. 30 psi) feasible with a 29" setup?

Also, I'm used to running the Fox F100 RLT forks. What's the top offering in 29er forks? The RS Rebas look predominant. Do they perform?

Finally, is a 29er really going to give me a faster/smoother ride than my 26s? I'm slightly jonesin for a FS ride, and hoping the 29er hardtails will give me some of the relief I'm looking for - am I mistaken?

Thanks in advance for all of your input.

- Steve

 

[Cloxxki]

Please look in the archives for 1001 threads on tubeless, efectively telling yo to only use wire tires or just take a calculated risk. Put late in yor tubes and be flat-free just as well.

Lots of lauding reviews of Reba's, same for White Brothers.

Yes. Like a shopping cart is a pain on bad pavement, a 29"er is smoother on trails than a 26"er, all else being the same. More stable handling, even if you have a bike designed to be supa-quick steering.

 

[MendonCycleSmith]

Hello all. I'm a 12/24 hour guy racing for Indy Fab on ti 26" hardtails, and I'm considering a switch over to two ti 29ers. This would be a big investment, so I want to make sure its gonna be worth it before I make the plunge. I'm wondering what's up with forks, wheels, and tires for 29ers.

I'm currently running the Crossmax SL / tubeless setup for 26". Are there any good offerings for tubeless 29" setups? I've seen the stans wheels, are they a good setup? Are low pressures (appx. 30 psi) feasible with a 29" setup?

Also, I'm used to running the Fox F100 RLT forks. What's the top offering in 29er forks? The RS Rebas look predominant. Do they perform?

Finally, is a 29er really going to give me a faster/smoother ride than my 26s? I'm slightly jonesin for a FS ride, and hoping the 29er hardtails will give me some of the relief I'm looking for - am I mistaken?

Thanks in advance for all of your input.

- Steve

Hi Steve, you poor, poor man= You are teetering at the brink of a new love affair. My recommendation would be, save your bucks till you know you want it badly. By this I don't mean don't get a 29er, just get one (not two, yet), and a cheap fork, like a Winwood, a basic set of wheels, and cast off parts from an old rig. What this will do, is prove for you, how much better the concept is, without breaking the bank. Then, once you really get it, spending big bucks on nicer stuff, will be a treat! I too, wish for Xmax Sl's in 29er, no dice yet. The Industry 9's wheels are nice looking, haven't ridden them myself though. This is how I got into it, and now the bike is full XTR with a Reba. It felt good to check it out cheaply, as I too was dubious. They are truely all that, in my opinion now! Good luck

 

[rconceptsinc]

Hello all. I'm a 12/24 hour guy racing for Indy Fab on ti 26" hardtails, and I'm considering a switch over to two ti 29ers. This would be a big investment, so I want to make sure its gonna be worth it before I make the plunge. I'm wondering what's up with forks, wheels, and tires for 29ers.

I'm currently running the Crossmax SL / tubeless setup for 26". Are there any good offerings for tubeless 29" setups? I've seen the stans wheels, are they a good setup? Are low pressures (appx. 30 psi) feasible with a 29" setup?

Also, I'm used to running the Fox F100 RLT forks. What's the top offering in 29er forks? The RS Rebas look predominant. Do they perform?

Finally, is a 29er really going to give me a faster/smoother ride than my 26s? I'm slightly jonesin for a FS ride, and hoping the 29er hardtails will give me some of the relief I'm looking for - am I mistaken?

Thanks in advance for all of your input.

- Steve

Hey Steve. I took the plunge a few months ago....you will be happy. You can try mine out. I raced with you at Susquehanna a few times. I have a custom ti on order as we speak!

 

[Team Green Steve]

Cool.

Hey Steve. I took the plunge a few months ago....you will be happy. You can try mine out. I raced with you at Susquehanna a few times. I have a custom ti on order as we speak!

Are you riding gears or single speed? Where are you located? I'd love to get a test ride in.

 

[rconceptsinc]

Are you riding gears or single speed? Where are you located? I'd love to get a test ride in.

I bought a KM in September to try it out. I bought it complete from QBP w/ gears...fully rigid. But I converted it into a SS after the first couple of rides. PM me for meeting up to try it out.

 

[hairball_dh]

Test ride!!!

Finally, is a 29er really going to give me a faster/smoother ride than my 26s? I'm slightly jonesin for a FS ride, and hoping the 29er hardtails will give me some of the relief I'm looking for - am I mistaken?

Thanks in advance for all of your input.

- Steve

Hey Steve - you sound like me about 6 months ago. You've already been sucked into the whirlwind, ya just don't know it yet. I made the switch to 29ers in July, and IMO, the bikes were generally slower than my Trek Fuels (but not always - sand and descents are definitely faster on 29). As for the notion that 29er HTs are as easy on the backside as a 26" FS - not even close. My Fuels (which are pretty stiff as far as FS go) are way more plush than my *softail* Dos Niner with 1" rear suspension.

All that said, I still grab the 29 when I head out. They sure are fun.

Get your mits on a demo for a spin before you drop the coin on the Ti twins.

 

[frankenbike]

...I'm slightly jonesin for a FS ride, and hoping the 29er hardtails will give me some of the relief I'm looking for - am I mistaken?...

A hardtail will always be a hardtail, so the 29er will not offer the relief of a full suspension bike.

 

[Drevil]

Step up, baby! Ernesto's running one, and you know how he did at the last race I saw the two of yous at. It's the secret he didn't want you to find out about. (J/K, I don't know him at all.)

Seriously though, they're great. I'd offer mine, but you're bigger than me and you wouldn't get a real feel for it. Try one out, I'm pretty sure you'll dig it.