My first ride on a 29er.

Trips, adventures, bikes, equipment, etc.
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Gearoidmuar
Posts: 2347
Joined: 29 Sep 2007, 7:35pm
Location: Cork, Ireland. Corcaigh, Éire má tá Gaeilge agat.

My first ride on a 29er.

Post by Gearoidmuar »

I got my first MTB way back when they first appeared on this side of the Atlantic. It was a long wheelbase heavy Motobecane. Since then I've had 9 other ones, 4 of which I still have. All 26 inchers.
While cycling with Spaniards in Andalucia where we have a flat, I noticed that two of them who had 29ers, descended faster than me on road, coasting, where I should've been coasting past one of them because I'm a bit heavier (I was on a 26) and my bike was heavier than theirs, and I also noticed that a particular stretch of cobbles from hell bothered them not and was torture to me.

So, I bought a cheap 29er and went on my first hilly road ride yesterday. Surface excellent to poor. What did I think?

I absolutely loved it. It handles really well and the ride is definitely less "robust". I did not push it and I averaged 12mph on a route with 1000ft climbing and riding knobblies. I reckon it's a mile an hour faster than its 26 equivalent.
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squeaker
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Joined: 12 Jan 2007, 11:43pm
Location: Sussex

Re: My first ride on a 29er.

Post by squeaker »

Any suspension (other than the annular pneumatics)?
"42"
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NATURAL ANKLING
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Location: English Riviera

Re: My first ride on a 29er.

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
Is that why Brompton riders are always grumpy old men in tweeds :)
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Gearoidmuar
Posts: 2347
Joined: 29 Sep 2007, 7:35pm
Location: Cork, Ireland. Corcaigh, Éire má tá Gaeilge agat.

Re: My first ride on a 29er.

Post by Gearoidmuar »

It's a bike called a Saracen Kili Pro and it has a Suntour XCR fork which is a pretty basic affair, but it does spring and you can lock it out. It plus the tyres are fine for me. I ain't going to be doing any jumping on this steed!
I've never ridden a Brompton, but I have two bikes with 20inch 406 wheels, a Moulton APB which is ancient and a Tern p24h. You don't really seek out rough roads with the Tern, at least not diligently... A Brompton would be a burst blister ahead of that...
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