[DSL]

I have been off the bike for awhile, and this may be a function of "supply chain" issues, but things seem less dynamic for 29+ than a few years ago.

Are these bikes going to be sold and supported into the future?

From what I am seeing, tire options are dwindling in the 29 x 3.0 and 3.25 sizes, and the frame options seem more limited as well.

Admin edit: Photo added for reference

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I have been making full suspension mountain bikes for 26 years now and have made every sort of suspension bike imaginable, and in my opinion 29+ is the best performing bikes we have ever made at Lenz Sport and is just about all we do for our summer dirt and rock bikes except for a bike model with even fatter tires up to 4"s. The industry accommodates plus bikes pretty well now and I don't see anything better for us to evolve to so I don't plan to stop making them anytime soon.

 

[mikesee]

Maxxis Chronicle, Surly Knard, Vee Bulldozer... I think the WTB Ranger got discontinued in 29, but still exists in 27.5?

No. Only the Chronicle is gone of those you listed here.

 

[Mebaru]

You seem to jump to conclusions And your passive aggressive assessment of my skills is adorable Turns out I'm a big fan of "a little" longer and slacker (not as much lower). I ride in super chunky central Texas where we have short, technical ups and downs and gnarly limestone rock gardens and ledges as far as the eye can see. And I ride rigid SS. I complained that folks are convinced that they need the "longest, lowest, slackest bikes they can get their hands on." That's not always best. My latest Waltworks is 2.25" longer and 2.5 degrees slacker than my previous one. They're both awesome in different ways.

Back to the topic at hand - the death of 29+. Nobody but you was speaking about gravity riding and nobody was claiming that 29+ worked great there. For me and where I ride, 29+ (and 27.5x3.8) is awesome. Unbeatable rollover, traction, pneumatic suspension and fun. I'm glad 29+ is your jam for adventure riding. Enjoy it and buy lots of tires.

I didn't mean to offend. And my assessment of skills was, well, my general observation. You've complained that these days some hypothetical folks are obsessed to get the most slackest bikes (an exaggeration at best) and that Pinkbike is not doing 29+ reviews - but Pinkbike is a digital magazine that publishes about gravity riding mostly and 29+ gravity riding doesn't exists for them (though some people definitely do it, I did it myself). That's why I've reacted in that way.

 

[Mebaru]

The problem is the marketing machines are humming away to support the most profitable products, and a 29+ rigid or hardtail sure ain't that.

But it actually works this way. If something doesn't sell well, it fades away or becomes a niche product. I think 29+ rigid is quite popular, many frames are available (from Surly, Salsa, Trek, Bombtrack and many other small manufactures), both flatbar and dropbar variants.

 

[*OneSpeed*]

I have been making full suspension mountain bikes for 26 years now and have made every sort of suspension bike imaginable, and in my opinion 29+ is the best performing bikes we have ever made at Lenz Sport and is just about all we do for our summer dirt and rock bikes except for a bike model with even fatter tires up to 4"s. The industry accommodates plus bikes pretty well now and I don't see anything better for us to evolve to so I don't plan to stop making them anytime soon.

I didn't know you had a presence here, thanks for taking a minute to chime in.

Good to hear your input!

 

[Mebaru]

No. Only the Chronicle is gone of those you listed here.

The tire I wish I could get again. For some reason I like it more than XR2, it's a little bit more versatile in my experience.

 

[mikesee]

The tire I wish I could get again. For some reason I like it more than XR2, it's a little bit more versatile in my experience.

I didn't find Chronicles to be better in any way on the trail. But they wore like iron. That was both good and bad.

 

[*OneSpeed*]

Yeah, nobody I know is going to miss the Chronicle. It's all wrong for local terrain.

 

[mikesee]

Yeah, nobody I know is going to miss the Chronicle. It's all wrong for local terrain.

Agreed.

That said, I get asked for/about them daily, and could've sold 400-500 of 'em last year if they still existed.

I think they were great for bikepackers that were interested in volume and durability above all else.

 

[desertwheelsltd]

I have been making full suspension mountain bikes for 26 years now and have made every sort of suspension bike imaginable, and in my opinion 29+ is the best performing bikes we have ever made at Lenz Sport and is just about all we do for our summer dirt and rock bikes except for a bike model with even fatter tires up to 4"s. The industry accommodates plus bikes pretty well now and I don't see anything better for us to evolve to so I don't plan to stop making them anytime soon.

Whoa! The man himself chimes in Thanks for the 5" rockers, my Behemoth is a happy bike now.

 

[Mtns2C]

I’ve been unable to get 3.0 tires for my Stache for months now. Bontrager Xr2, WTB Ranger, and Panaracer Fat B nimble have been unavailable since I started looking over the summer.

 

[huckleberry hound]

I’ve been unable to get 3.0 tires for my Stache for months now. Bontrager Xr2, WTB Ranger, and Panaracer Fat B nimble have been unavailable since I started looking over the summer.

Mikesee has them.

 

[CCSS]

I didn't mean to offend. And my assessment of skills was, well, my general observation. You've complained that these days some hypothetical folks are obsessed to get the most slackest bikes (an exaggeration at best) and that Pinkbike is not doing 29+ reviews - but Pinkbike is a digital magazine that publishes about gravity riding mostly and 29+ gravity riding doesn't exists for them (though some people definitely do it, I did it myself). That's why I've reacted in that way.

Thank you for not meaning to offend. And for the record, I was agreeing with you when I replied to this exact sentence that you wrote: "Fewer 29+ capable frames available also, for the most part from boutique manufactures only. You can't deny obvious facts. So, yes I agree that effectively a somewhat dead category for new bikes."

In response, I literally said: "For sure. I don’t disagree with the obvious. The big brand manufacturers aren’t rolling out new 29+ models and Pinkbike isn’t doing 29+ shootouts. The hordes of new MTB riders are convinced they need to be on the longest, lowest, slackest bikes they can get their hands on, and most barely even consider a hard tail a capable mountain bike!"

Everything I said was basically true, with perhaps a little hyperbole about folks convinced they need the longest/lowest/slackest setups, and that most barely consider a hard tail a capable MTB. I never complained or said they were obsessed with the "most slackest bikes." Words matter. Again, glad you dig 29+. But I'd be cool with it even if you didn't. Happy Friday.

 

[SVO]

But it actually works this way. If something doesn't sell well, it fades away or becomes a niche product. I think 29+ rigid is quite popular, many frames are available (from Surly, Salsa, Trek, Bombtrack and many other small manufactures), both flatbar and dropbar variants.

The problem is the tires (and to a lesser degree rims- see Stans Sentry recently discontinued): They have to be made in large batches to be sold at a profit. My point was that the industry does a disservice to the consumer (and hurts the long-term health of the sport) selling the beginner to intermediate rider what he or she thinks looks cool, rather than what really works on trail. Shop gets the sale today, but the bike collects dust in the garage.

I am describing 80% of my immediate neighbors- there is probably $100k worth of MTBs on my block alone, most of them RARELY see daylight.

Oh, and Devin and his bikes rock.

 

[Oogie]

The problem is the tires (and to a lesser degree rims- see Stans Sentry recently discontinued): They have to be made in large batches to be sold at a profit. My point was that the industry does a disservice to the consumer (and hurts the long-term health of the sport) selling the beginner to intermediate rider what he or she thinks looks cool, rather than what really works on trail. Shop gets the sale today, but the bike collects dust in the garage.

I am describing 80% of my immediate neighbors- there is probably $100k worth of MTBs on my block alone, most of them RARELY see daylight.

Oh, and Devin and his bikes rock.

Anyone neighbors with a large that they they wanna sell cheap?

 

[SVO]

Anyone neighbors with a large that they they wanna sell cheap?

Of course not- they tell themselves they are riders, all evidence to the contrary. Can't be a man in Colorado without a Yeti and a TRD! (Sprinter conversion acceptable substitute for latter)

 

[Sir kayakalot]

I’ve been unable to get 3.0 tires for my Stache for months now. Bontrager Xr2, WTB Ranger, and Panaracer Fat B nimble have been unavailable since I started looking over the summer.

You just haven’t been looking hard enough. I’ve purchased 3 sets (2 pairs Maxxis and a pair of WTB Rangers)

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

You just haven’t been looking hard enough. I’ve purchased 3 sets (2 pairs Maxxis and a pair of WTB Rangers)

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[Funoutside]

see Stans Sentry recently discontinued

I was interested in this rim but it was hard to find; so, I went with the Astrall i32 rim. Personally, I don't plan to go wider than 2.6 on this(also the frame max in 29). If I went 27.5+, I'd want a min of i40mm for 3.0.

 

[dinobiker]

You seem to be quite biased against modern mountain bike geo standards A little bit longer, slacker and lower geo definitely helps riding downhill. From my personal observation, people who actively protest against longer-slacker bikes aren't very capable mountain bikers with developed trail riding skills. And speaking about gravity riding, 29+ is inferior to skinnier tires in cornering and overall control - because big volume low pressure tires with thin sidewalls squirm so eagerly. 29+ is awesome but for me it shines mostly for adventure sort of mountain biking.

You have obviously never taken a properly set up 29+ through a corner effectively.