This is one of the reasons I went back to 26" bikes. My older version RIP-9 had horrible flex in it. Then add in wheel flex and fork flex and you could not hold a line on rocky downhills.
The last 29er I had was a Lenz Behemoth, so frame flex was no issue, but even Flow rims in 29" size have more flex than the same size rim in 26". Plus try to find a 36mm diameter fork, so fork flex is a factor.
My current ride is a Knolly Endorphin, using Sun Ringle Charger Pro wheels, which have a deeper, stronger profile than a Flow, and straight pull spokes going into eyelets and using much higher tensions than Flow rims. This, combined with a Talas 36 fork makes for a bike that goes where you point it even on rough, rocky downhills.
Plus the slack geometry of this bike flat out works everywhere, and does all the things a 29" wheel does. It pushes up over rocks with ease, like a big wheel, and across sand and loose gravel it tracks across it better than the 29er's I have ridden. And yet it drops into corners like a big wheel just does not want to do. The slack head angle gives it all the benefits of a 29er, yet retains all the benefits of a 26er. Win, Win.:thumbsup:
