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So-so 29 experience

1298 Views 20 Replies 12 Participants Last post by teamdicky, Apr 4, 2005

teamdicky

Discussion Starter · Apr 4, 2005

Let me qualify this first. I was experimenting with a 29" front wheel on a 26" SS frame with an appropriate rigid fork. I wanted to see how it would feel.
Good things:
Switchbacks were so easy it was ridiculous. The front wheel would track like I had a Hopey Damper.
Getting over log piles, big log piles, was easy. I went over a few big logs that I felt I wouldn't have made it over on my 26" front.
Slow climbing over rooty sections was a smoother.

Bad things:
I am used to a 2.5 UST Diesel front tire. I can run pressures just under 20 psi without any worries. I bought the Exiwolf 2.3 thinking it would have enough volume, but it wasn't enough. I had to run closer to 30 psi to keep the tire from feeling like it would pinch flat. I rode it down Pilot Rock(probably the rockiest descent in Pisgah) and it beat the piss out of me compared to the Diesel I ran on the same trail two weeks ago. It just wouldn't roll over stuff as smoothly at speed, and I could really feel the difference in my hands and forearms.
If the Exiwolf is one of the most aggressive tires out there(yet) it wasn't enough for me. It didn't like leafy turns, wet root, and slippery rocks. It was fast as all get out in dry conditions though.

I know I wasn't riding a full 29" frame. I only want one bike though, and I don't think 29" wheels fit my particular style of riding so I won't swap over. I do like to play, jump, and do generally stupid things along with long trail rides. I can see where a full 29" bike would be a superior bike in alot of situations, unfortunately I need the jack of all trades/master of none.
At least I didn't invest too much in the experience and I can probably sell off my experiment for a small loss. I am glad I tried it, and I can see why some of y'all choose to go that way and not look back.

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Padre

· #2 · Apr 4, 2005

I have a hard time understanding that.
I'm 220lbs and can run the Exi easily at that pressure with no worries.
Perhaps your "feeling" should be sidelined until evidence say's otherwise?
Give Pigsah another shot at 20psi!

ozlongboarder

· #3 · Apr 4, 2005

Just curious, how many rides have you had with this set up?

ncj01

· #4 · Apr 4, 2005

teamdicky said:
Let me qualify this first. I was experimenting with a 29" front wheel on a 26" SS frame.

I know I wasn't riding a 29" frame.

I only want one bike though, and I don't think 29" wheels fit my particular style of riding so I won't swap over. I do like to play, jump, and do generally stupid things along with long trail rides.

I am glad I tried it, and I can see why some of y'all choose to go that way and not look back.

I agree, it's very possible 29ers aren't for you.

It's realtively clear you haven't ridden one yet though...so I would borrow one and ride it before dismissing it. Strapping a too-large-for-your-frame wheel on your 26" bike isn't at all the same thing as riding a true 29er. At best you gained a little front end traction and messed up your geomety.

This is somewhat similar to me throwing some slicks on a mtbike, riding down the street and back, and summarily dismissing Road Riding.

There is a great FAQ in here somewhere where people log in and tell thier city/state, and bike/size for purposes of letting 29newbies borrow bikes w/out having to first purchase. Highly recommended....get a true test ride, and let us know. Also, it's not really fair to make the judgment after only 1 ride, even if you were on a 29er. It's going to feel "different" at first, and you need to first get over that difference, then focus on the ride quality.

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teamdicky

Discussion Starter · #5 · Apr 4, 2005

Answers

My bike is usually setup for a 500mm c-a length sus fork. With the rigid fork and 29er it was very close to where I started geometry wise.
I have tooled around on a friends Walt Works. He really loves it and he is the same size I am. I observed (and he agreed) that it was a great bike for "two wheels on the ground" style riding. That isn't quite my cup of tea. I tried the 29er in the front to see how well it might improve the ride with a rigid fork.
It was actually my third ride on this set up. I really liked it on the local Charlotte trails. It seemed a lot faster on the dry, twisty, rolling trails typical to the area.
At 30 psi I had at least on hit hard enough to bottom the tire out on the rim(that I noticed). Pilot Rock is an extremely rocky, long descent, but I thought it would be a great test since I just rode it recently on the 2.5 26'er. I would love to see UST happen for the 29 scene.
I am not dismissing the ride quality of 29's at all. I am doing the Trans-Rockies in August and I believe the 29'er would be a superior bike for the race. My partner will be on one. Most of the endurance racing I have done would have been better on a full 29'er

BUT

awhile back I decided that I only wanted one mtn bike to do everything. It took a lot of tries, but I found my true love do-it-all bike. I look for ways to improve the ride, but I want this bike to be IT.

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OneGearGuy

· #6 · Apr 4, 2005

thanks for the great, honest post and review.
i have committed to 29" wheels, and my Waltworks is on the way soon.
my real question is about the Exiwolf tire. i am planning on running a pair on my heavy/everyday wheels. i live in Asheville and Pilot Rock is one of my favs... if these tires are sketchy on roots and rocks when wet and slippery, i may have to rethink my tire choice for everyday wheels.
one point- you don't have to wait for UST. the Exi appears to be one of the best tires for DIY tubeless applications. Walt has run his down to 20 psi. this will of course gain traction in all conditions and soften up the ride- prolly similar to your Diesel. of course, a rigid fork is still a rigid fork. but 20 psi is a heck of a difference from 30 psi. and tubeless makes another big change in for the better in rolling, traction and ride quality. try it before you abandon it and let us know, quick, lol!

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teamdicky

Discussion Starter · #7 · Apr 4, 2005

No Stans

OneGearGuy said:
thanks for the great, honest post and review.
i have committed to 29" wheels, and my Waltworks is on the way soon.
my real question is about the Exiwolf tire. i am planning on running a pair on my heavy/everyday wheels. i live in Asheville and Pilot Rock is one of my favs... if these tires are sketchy on roots and rocks when wet and slippery, i may have to rethink my tire choice for everyday wheels.
one point- you don't have to wait for UST. the Exi appears to be one of the best tires for DIY tubeless applications. Walt has run his down to 20 psi. this will of course gain traction in all conditions and soften up the ride- prolly similar to your Diesel. of course, a rigid fork is still a rigid fork. but 20 psi is a heck of a difference from 30 psi. and tubeless makes another big change in for the better in rolling, traction and ride quality. try it before you abandon it and let us know, quick, lol!

I used to be big into Stan's. I was using it back when it was tape and a stem. Stan even stopped by my house to help install it (he was visiting relatives in CLT). I had ups and downs with the system. The biggest down was changing tires quickly. The other down was blow offs. Matt from Biowheels could tell you a pretty bad story about his experience. I think he is still injured. Stan actaully had one of my tires blow off in his hands twice while he was over. Granted, the tire was out of spec (a little too large diameter at the bead), but it was exciting to witness.
I am aware that you get the benefit of running much lighter tires with Stan's, but having done both the UST's (and their extra weight) have been worth it. I jumped over to UST last Sept and it has been great. I still use Stan's juice. Tire changes are fast, and since I only have one bike I need to change my tires to suit the conditions often.

You would probably be OK with the Exi's. Padre has me by 80+ lbs and he said they were great at 20psi. I am sure the traction would increase over the wet stuff with lower pressure. The tread just lends itself better to drier conditions. I would liken the tread to an agressive Python, and I don't run those in Pisgah either.

I wanted the 29 thing to work for me, honestly. I see the advatages, but it probably doesn't completely suit me.

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Nat

· #8 · Apr 4, 2005

teamdicky said:
awhile back I decided that I only wanted one mtn bike to do everything.

Does...not...compute...

OneGearGuy

· #9 · Apr 4, 2005

teamdicky said:
I used to be big into Stan's. I was using it back when it was tape and a stem. Stan even stopped by my house to help install it (he was visiting relatives in CLT). I had ups and downs with the system. The biggest down was changing tires quickly. The other down was blow offs. Matt from Biowheels could tell you a pretty bad story about his experience. I think he is still injured. Stan actaully had one of my tires blow off in his hands twice while he was over. Granted, the tire was out of spec (a little too large diameter at the bead), but it was exciting to witness.
I am aware that you get the benefit of running much lighter tires with Stan's, but having done both the UST's (and their extra weight) have been worth it. I jumped over to UST last Sept and it has been great. I still use Stan's juice. Tire changes are fast, and since I only have one bike I need to change my tires to suit the conditions often.

You would probably be OK with the Exi's. Padre has me by 80+ lbs and he said they were great at 20psi. I am sure the traction would increase over the wet stuff with lower pressure. The tread just lends itself better to drier conditions. I would liken the tread to an agressive Python, and I don't run those in Pisgah either.

I wanted the 29 thing to work for me, honestly. I see the advatages, but it probably doesn't completely suit me.

i hear you about Stans being hit or miss. from what i understand, Walt has setup almost all of the current crop of niner tires tubeless, and he said the Exi's are by far the best. choice of rim has lots to do with it, of course. that's so cool that Stan was over your joint mounting tires for you.

interesting that you compare the Exi to a more aggressive Python, because that was my fav 26" tire when i lived in s. Oregon and the summers were very dry. i now use 2.4 Mutano's which remind me of the Python's good qualities with a bit more aggressive tread- but most of the time, they are not aggessive enough in the wetter, sloppier conditions that Pisgah dishes out. i make up for it with air volume and running them under 30psi, with tubes. in fact, i am looking into what tires to run for the Death March. maybe Kenda Blue Groove 2.3's...

i spoke with Matt about his wreck- lucky he wasn't hurt even worse. he credits Yoga for keeping him strong and flexible...
his tire situation was kinda weird anyway, but that's a story for another time.
let me know when you are in town sometime and we can grab a coffee or a beer and chat.
Adam

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SingingSingleTracker

· #10 · Apr 4, 2005

teamdicky said:
I know I wasn't riding a full 29" frame. I only want one bike though,...

Well......there's your biggggg problem. Only one bike. What a JOKE!

Get a job. Build a stable of many bikes starting with 2, maybe 3 and then keep adding to live life to the fullest.

Only 1 bike. Please!

S

teamdicky

Discussion Starter · #11 · Apr 4, 2005

Alright, 3 bikes

I have a fixed gear for my messenger job, a Colnago for the less then 10 road rides I do a year, and my Dean. I used to have as many as three mtn bikes, but I got sick of seeing some of them hang on the wall for months at a time. When I had my last gearie (Ellsworth Id built up real nice) I never wanted to ride it. I kept grabbing my Spicer SS. I realized that my destiny was certain.
I sold the Id at a decent loss in less than four months. I have no regrets. I love my SS. I went through a similar progression to end up on a fixed bike for work years ago.

slim_pickens

· #12 · Apr 4, 2005

teamdicky said:
I have a fixed gear for my messenger job, a Colnago for the less then 10 road rides I do a year, and my Dean. I used to have as many as three mtn bikes, but I got sick of seeing some of them hang on the wall for months at a time. When I had my last gearie (Ellsworth Id built up real nice) I never wanted to ride it. I kept grabbing my Spicer SS. I realized that my destiny was certain.
I sold the Id at a decent loss in less than four months. I have no regrets. I love my SS. I went through a similar progression to end up on a fixed bike for work years ago.

Yeah, it's hard to keep more than 2 bikes well ridden, and there's something vain about having a bike for every condition.

Endomaniac

· #13 · Apr 4, 2005

Pisgah and Exiwolf

I live just on the other side of the mountains in Knoxville but I ride in Pisgah allot. I have a few rides on some Exiwolfs now and recently took them back of and remounted my Kenda Klaws. I think the Exi will be great in the summer and fall when things start to dry out but right now they don't work for me. They remind me allot of the Mutanoraptors I run on my 26" bike in the summer they rock most of the time but add a little mud and roots and you are destin for a crash. My kenda Klaws have been excellent winter Pisgah tires though.

GlowBoy

· #14 · Apr 4, 2005

Sounds like ...

we have yet another potential buyer for a 2.4+ tire -- Ritchey, are you listening?! I agree, the ExiWolf is big, but not huge. I'd still try some lower pressures -- I'm lighter (165) but I get away with 18 psi no problem. It does sound like you recognize the advantages of the 29"er in rolling over obstacles more easily, but the biggest real obstacle is the lack of big tires.

Wish I could give you better news, but so far all of the tire makers have been too chicken to offer us anything, and with the word that Ritchey is canceling their project the ExiWolf may be the biggest tire we have for some time to come. Personally, at a minimum I'd like to see another tire at least the size of the ExiWolf but with bigger knobs and a more open pattern. Not that the ExiWolf isn't already a great tire, but that would be even better for many of the places I ride.

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teamdicky

Discussion Starter · #15 · Apr 4, 2005

Agree about the bigger tire

I am real light at 130 lbs, but I did bottom the tire out at 30 psi. I love a tire with alot of float. Before the Diesel I was running a 2.6 Stickee DH. I prefer the 1000 gram 2.5 UST over the 1300 gram tubed tire,but when it gets really slick nothing sticks like the Stickee. I rode the free ride park at Snowshoe on my "do it all" Dean and we had to deal with alot of rain. Traction was never an issue. Those tires suck on the climbs, but they have no equal(that I know of) when it gets real nasty
I have been lurking on the 29'er forum for a long time. Ever since I rode my messenger bike over a rooty trail my interest has been piqued. Like I said, I still think the 29'er is superior in many ways, it would just be too much of a drawback in others. I don't think I would want to ride a 29'er at the freeride park in Snowshoe.

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Cloxxki

· #16 · Apr 4, 2005

Perhaps what you're missing is the 100+mm suspension of your 26" experience, bottoming that Exi at 30psi. 80mm+ Exi might already be a different story for you altogether?

1 MTB to do it all, wow. I only had one MTB when I used that one for riding the 6km to school, and the very odd offroad excursion. The came my '97 VooDoo FS bike, a '00 VooDoo hardtail, another like like that hardtail, etc, etc.
I now really couldn't be happy without at least one rigid singlespeed, one rigid/hardtail racer and one FS for more adventurous stuff. So I'm not, my SS is now temprarily a 1x9 racer, but a new racer is in the works. I desperately want a 29" FS to complete the stable (a bit more), but since I own a Thudbuster, that desire won't keep me awake anymore.

Fillet-brazed

· #17 · Apr 4, 2005

ncj01 said:
This is somewhat similar to me throwing some slicks on a mtbike, riding down the street and back, and summarily dismissing Road Riding.

Or putting a road front wheel on your bike for a couple rides and not liking it.

ncj01

· #18 · Apr 4, 2005

teamdicky said:
I am real light at 130 lbs

How tall are you? It could be you wouldn't benifit that well from 29ers anyway.

teamdicky

Discussion Starter · #19 · Apr 4, 2005

Noy really missing the fork

Cloxxki said:
Perhaps what you're missing is the 100+mm suspension of your 26" experience, bottoming that Exi at 30psi. 80mm+ Exi might already be a different story for you altogether?

I haven't had the sus fork on the bike since early January. I will be putting it on sometime soon as I have a 24 hour race coming up and I probably need to get used to it. I definitely don't need to be throwing the $$$'s down for an 80mm 29'er fork.

teamdicky

Discussion Starter · #20 · Apr 4, 2005

I put a little more thought into it than that.

Fillet-brazed said:
Or putting a road front wheel on your bike for a couple rides and not liking it.

I've been lurking this forum since it started, so I have been gathering info before I jumped in. It wasn't "a road wheel" tecnically. It was a Ritchey disc hub laced to a wider touring sized rim, and I mounted a proper 29'er tire to it. I have been thinking about doing it for awhile and when the Exiwolf was introduced I was convincd enough to try it.

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