DH 29er. sorta.

[frorider]

from FB page:



proto version of the wfo w/ 170 mm travel supposedly, and a special dorado up front. 29er tires and rims have come a long way in the last year or so, so there are some decent options.

although 29er rigid and hardtail bikes are a worthy part of a quiver, i'm not one of those chomping at the bit for a dh 29er. interesting nonetheless.

[stuckathuntermtn]

I dig it.

[squatch]

yuck.

678

[HankScorpio]

a DH 29er was bound to happen sooner or later.

[beaterdit]

File under: Huh.

[Mani_UT]

a DH 29er was bound to happen sooner or later.

Well Alex from BCD was riding one like... 3 years ago?

[kidwoo]

That thing would be fun as hell to go really fast on......in a straight line.

[Greguar]

seems like a 29 front and 26 rear might have been a good idea....

[iscariot]

That thing would be fun as hell to go really fast on......in a straight line.

Exactly. The increased gyroscopic effect would make turning that thing through tight section hell.

[Daywalker]

Does 1/2 of MTBR have a massive boner for this thing?

[pechelman]

might be appealing with a 26" rear wheel depending on what the geo is right now

[VTskibum]

yuck.

678

I'd think you of all peeps on this board would benefit from something like this. Provided it's built strong enough.

[HankScorpio]

Well Alex from BCD was riding one like... 3 years ago?

I had no idea.

[squatch]

I'd think you of all peeps on this board would benefit from something like this. Provided it's built strong enough.

That's how much I think a 29er DH bike is a bad idea. If I'm the target market and I'm not interested, that should be a good indicator. I have a 29er and love it, but it just flat-out doesn't descend as well.

[kidwoo]

That's how much I think a 29er DH bike is a bad idea. If I'm the target market and I'm not interested, that should be a good indicator. I have a 29er and love it, but it just flat-out doesn't descend as well.

So even at your size, you notice it's harder to turn than 26" wheels?

That actually surprises me a little.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

So even at your size, you notice it's harder to turn than 26" wheels?

That actually surprises me a little.

that surprised me too.

I love my 29'er single speed, but like everyone else, it's downfall is definitely in tighter technical sections. Feels kinda tippy. (FYI - I'm only 5'10" in my heels).

[Z]

thing would probably make extended rockgardens it's bitch.

[kidwoo]

thing would probably make extended rockgardens it's bitch.

Would make the gnarliest sections giggle worthy.

I'd love to ride one.

[squatch]

So even at your size, you notice it's harder to turn than 26" wheels?

That actually surprises me a little.

i'm sure the hudge wheelbase doesn't help (or maybe is what's most of the feeling), but it feels like it adds insult to injury on switchbacks.

[rideit]

1/2 of Porcupine would rool on that thing...the other 1/2 would be teh suck.

[kidwoo]

i'm sure the hudge wheelbase doesn't help (or maybe is what's most of the feeling), but it feels like it adds insult to injury on switchbacks.

So.......


As tall as you are..........that's what 26" wheeled bikes feel like to me

[marshalolson]

you should totally put a 24" wheel on the back.

[Z]

you should totally put a 24" wheel on the back.

42 deg. HA? Pechelman is psyched.

[SchralphMacchio]

Remember this thread? Funny to re-read it not even 8 years later ...

The rainy mess at Lourdes 2 weeks ago left things moot until the next World Cup stop, but the 29er Santa Cruz V10's did actually do very well:
* SC Syndicate places 1, 3, and 6 in qualifying: https://www.redbull.com/us-en/lourde...nd-action-2017
* Of top 10 riders (due to totally different track conditions), SC Syndicate places 1, 7 and 8 in finals: https://www.instagram.com/p/BTiuffdlXBG/?hl=en

And more details about the design of the 29er V10:
http://www.redbull.com/en/bike/stori...-cruz-29er-v10

Just shows you how much bike tech has changed in 9 years - carbon wheels, new headsets, compact linkage designs, updates to Maxxis rubber, forward geometry ... and most people in this forum were crapping all over the idea in 2008 and 2009.

And I make no claims about whether one size is more fun than the other - for me as a 5' 8" guy I have more fun on 26" format. But I have a good feeling that SC will prove to people that 29" is faster on WC DH courses, and now is also durable enough to take the abuse.

[kidwoo]

* Of top 10 riders (due to totally different track conditions), SC Syndicate places 1, 7 and 8 in finals: https://www.instagram.com/p/BTiuffdlXBG/?hl=en

fake math

Small wheels also "placed" 2,3,4,5,6,9 (higher points!) and the guy who 'won' is the most seasoned, winningest rider in WC history, and ALSO was down earlier in the rain than most.

And they were going FAR from normal wc speeds. Those runs were just survival. Not a whole lot to glean from it IMO.