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Is this the definitive death knell for 26" wheels?

iRider

Turbo Monkey
Apr 5, 2008
5,648
3,089
From what I see around here, and from my time in Seattle, trails are being built around big wheeled wide bar bikes. Old trails are having trees cut and corners opened up in the same way. Makes me a sad panda but I no longer care about having the latest and greatest and have about 6 years worth of bikes and parts to ride before I need something new.
This!
If your big wheels are so superior and faster, why do you have to modify (sanitize) all trails so that you can ride on them fast? :rant: Dirt roadies!
 
My '07 Heckler is, of course, rolling on 26" wheels. When pigboy and I went to Sisters and Bend, OR last August we rented bikes which happened to be on 29" wheels, Specialized, I think, with their abominable thunky brain suspension. For the life of me I could not discern any difference. They had pedals. They moved from point A to point B. We had fun.

When the Heckler frame finally breaks, I guess I'll have to transition, probably to 27.5, and no crabon, TYVM.
 

dump

Turbo Monkey
Oct 12, 2001
8,195
4,419
Speaking of 650b ... crankworx dh race reminded me of 2005 - 650b flat, flat, flat. Wake me up when these are ready for prime time.
 

dan-o

Turbo Monkey
Jun 30, 2004
6,499
2,805
From what I see around here, and from my time in Seattle, trails are being built around big wheeled wide bar bikes. Old trails are having trees cut and corners opened up in the same way. Makes me a sad panda but I no longer care about having the latest and greatest and have about 6 years worth of bikes and parts to ride before I need something new.
I see that around here too, but for a different reason.
While dirt roadies are creating lots of B lines, the blown out corners are being caused by people riding at speeds the trails weren't designed for.
New singletrack is remaining narrow but the stuff built 10+ years ago just can't support higher speeds and winds up getting blown out in the corners.
 

MinorThreat

Turbo Monkey
Nov 15, 2005
1,630
41
Nine Mile Falls, WA
This!
If your big wheels are so superior and faster, why do you have to modify (sanitize) all trails so that you can ride on them fast? :rant: Dirt roadies!
I asked myself a similar question all winter as the fatbike craze is seemingly swallowing the Pacific Northwest. Owners gush about how ". . . they'll go through anything!"

Yet, Nirvana for a winter fatbike rider around here is snow that has been buffed out for them with a trail groomer. Huh? :wtf:
 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,232
20,015
Sleazattle
Wheel size specific trails? Give me a break. Seattle seems like it would be hipster HQ, doesnt count.
Not what I was saying. Now that noobs can go out and buy big wheeled plough bikes with meter wide bars, trails are being built to suit those bikes and the people who don't know how to ride them.
 

berkshire_rider

Growler
Feb 5, 2003
2,552
10
The Blackstone Valley
I asked myself a similar question all winter as the fatbike craze is seemingly swallowing the Pacific Northwest. Owners gush about how ". . . they'll go through anything!"

Yet, Nirvana for a winter fatbike rider around here is snow that has been buffed out for them with a trail groomer. Huh? :wtf:

Even more comical, (to me, anyway) regarding the "they will go anywhere" comments they love to throw around - is the constant bitching about post-holing (hikers) and <gasp> skinny (normal mtb) tire tracks f-ing up "their" trails. :rofl:
 

StiHacka

Compensating for something
Jan 4, 2013
21,560
12,504
In hell. Welcome!
Even more comical, (to me, anyway) regarding the "they will go anywhere" comments they love to throw around - is the constant bitching about post-holing (hikers) and <gasp> skinny (normal mtb) tire tracks f-ing up "their" trails. :rofl:
Fatties here are becoming quite obnoxious and aggressive. What pisses them off most is when you run circles around them on a skinny bike. Or when I kick their ass on my Walmart fat beach cruiser. ;)
 
I asked myself a similar question all winter as the fatbike craze is seemingly swallowing the Pacific Northwest. Owners gush about how ". . . they'll go through anything!"

Yet, Nirvana for a winter fatbike rider around here is snow that has been buffed out for them with a trail groomer. Huh? :wtf:
I'm guessing that you haven't spent significant time on a fatbike. In deep snow, one is pretty dependent on snowshoers/hikers/skiers/grooming to provide a packed surface. The go through anything kicks in in some sand and mud conditions that a 2.3" tire can't go in or goes with inordinate difficulty and damage to trail tread. They'll also wallow over some boulder piles and logs that I can't manage on my Heckler, and on my own trails I have one very tight left hand ascending switchback that almost always causes me to stall on the Heckler, but the Moonlander galumphs around it without a pause. I have no idea why it's better on that turn, it just is.
 

weedkilla

Monkey
Jul 6, 2008
362
10
I dunno about second hand bike prices in the rest of the world, but when I looked at my bikes a year ago and realised that it was 27.5 for the future of downhill I decided they were worth f-all and would be worth half f-all in another year and decided to hold out for some gen2 27.5 bikes to come out.
Who really believes that they have nailed the geometry on these bikes as many manufacturers have rushed a 27.5 bike to market? I'm prepared to wager that half of them will get an upgrade in 2016.
 

Bikael Molton

goofy for life
Jun 9, 2003
4,010
1,146
El Lay
for reals... isn't this thread like 6 mos old? is the forum software screwing up and just telling me all these posts are New?
 

MinorThreat

Turbo Monkey
Nov 15, 2005
1,630
41
Nine Mile Falls, WA
I'm guessing that you haven't spent significant time on a fatbike. In deep snow, one is pretty dependent on snowshoers/hikers/skiers/grooming to provide a packed surface.
I haven't spent any time on a fatbike. I was merely pointing out that the owners of them are quick to brag at length about how invincible the things are; yet b**** if the snow is too deep...or too uneven...or too soggy.