Mountain bikers. What size bike do you ride?

I've been looking at some of the deals to be had on NOS 2014/2015 bikes. £150+ off the price of the new models with the same (or sometimes better) spec seems good.
Still not keen on the 29" wheeled bikes. Rode one a mate just got and it felt a bit wrong. Kinda like a donk.

 

29ers are good for going fast on smoother flat trails all bikes have their uses that's why you really need more than one.

 

The smaller the frame the stiffer it will be and the less weight. I would go for standard 26 inch wheels because they are common

 

but so are 29 and 650b nowadays

 

Dunno if you`ve ever popped in here ??

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/forum/classifieds

Not your average run-of-the-mill cycling website

 

... Spotted this on Singletrack , couple of hours up the road

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/santa-cruz-butcher-4

 

I ride a large santa cruz ... i'm 5' 10" its a 2004 Blur.

 

Couldn't disagree more, I've not found a trail yet that I can't ride better and faster on my 29er than I used to on my 26, that's up and down hill, trail centres and natural stuff, love it!

 

£4k of bike for £400. Thats quite a bargain.

 

I think most (decent) manufacturers are phasing out or already have stopped 26

 

Hmm , originally owned by a mtb guide in Scotland and needing tlc, might not be so much of a bargain

 

My mate has just put this up for sale, it is immaculate, I've ridden it in the past, he looks after his stuff
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/322044150678?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

 

26ers are extinct in terms of new purchases and as far as some parts go you will have fun - forks especially.

29ers are in a bit of a funny place - the market seems to have settled for 650b

 

There is of course much more to consider than just the age of the bike and the size of the wheels..... newer frame designs have much slacker head angles, longer frames, lower C of G.. which makes the bike much more comfortable on steep inclines, much wider bars which provides more leverage thus more stability.....The difference between my Gary Fisher and my Lappierre are huge.


The lappiere is a massive skills compensator it takes everything in its stride and provides unflappable traction and a feeling of confidence.

On the older fisher with the steep head angle you end up with much more of your body over the front wheel, the bars are narrow and twitchy the whole thing is faster in its communication and far less stable, it makes you have to concentrate that much harder at staying on......

 

And yet back in 05 when my Prophet was brand new it felt magnificent hurtling down the Alps

 

In 1988 my Raliegh Mustang was the mutts components...... things move on....

 

But it wasn't though was it, it was a peice of crap, a decent bike from 10 years ago is still a decent bike and potentially in the OPs budget, he's got £400 not £3k.
10 years ago we had good full suss, disc brakes, big bars , dropper posts, huge variety of head angles and chain sets.
What's really new? Slightly bigger wheels and huge price tags for 1x11 gears which are a backward step anyway.
Don't even get me started on Fatbikes

 

Agreed......? Don't think I was suggesting a £3k budget is needed.... just that the frame size isn't the only consideration. I didn't realise this when I bought my eBay special to start out and have ended up with what is now my second bike being a right twitchy bugger. Compounded when I replaced the forks as the original Forks were bespoke to the fisher with some extra angle dialed in. Hence my comments re being careful with 26ers as some parts are becoming scarce new..... Now I have no interest in getting into forum row - this isn't the place however I really do not appreciate your tone, this is a place for helping people not taking shots at trying to make people look silly.

 

That's the problem with the written word, sorry if you've read a tone into my post that I didn't intend putting there, I've never had a row with anyone real or cyber
Keep on biking, I love the sport far more than VWs

 

Not just other bikers - events are also overtaking me it seems