[ View All Other Bicycle Types ]

Selected 29er mountain bikes Online

The 29er mountain bikes are a relatively new trend. If you have been riding a mountain bike for many years, you are probably riding a 26er bicycle. The 29er wheels are not new: these large wheels are commonly used for road racing bicycles, touring and hybrid bicycles. They all have the same wheel diameter. The main question is whether switching to a 29er bike would be the right move. Before trying to answer this question, let’s first try to understand what exactly a 29er mountain bike is.

What are 29er Mountain Bikes?

29er mountain bikes are equipped with 29″ wheels, (also called 700c, or ISO 622 mm wheels). As a reference, the “standard size” 26er bicycles are equipped with about 26″ outside tire diameter wheels (also called ISO 559 mm wheels). Here is an important note: when we say “29er wheels” or 26″ wheels, we measure the OUTSIDE diameter. While different bicycle tires for 29er bikes (or for any other bicycle size) have the same inner diameter, they might have different outer sizes. As a result, not all 29er wheels have the same outside diameter.

The history of 29er bikes in Brief

Mountain bikes with 29er wheels (the “Nanoraptor”) were first introduced in 1999, by Wilderness Trail Bikes.

At that time the 29″ suspension forks became available, and that gave the trigger to this new trend.

As with many new trends, the 29er bikes were mainly made by small, almost unknown bicycle manufacturers. Gary Fisher Bicycles, a division of Trek Bicycles, became the first of the major manufacturers to offer a line of 29″ bikes.

Now-a-days, most if not all bicycle manufacturers worldwide, including the major makers such as Specialized and Cannondale are offering 29″ bicycles or frames. All bicycle makers admit that the 29er bikes are not a passing trend.

29er Bikes vs. 26er bikes

During the last fall we had our bicycle tours in Slovenia. We were a group of 11 friends: 9 of us had standard-size (26er) mountain bikes, and two had 29er mountain bikes. We had the chance to compare the two types.

There is a real debate now over the issue of which bikes are best, and for whom. I have to admit that for now, I stick to my good old 26er Santa Cruz bikes, but I am not sure that my decision will hold for long.

Not surprisingly, those who have switched to a 29er mountain bike are claiming that their new bike is superior. In their view, they have now improved rolling resistance, increased stability, and an enhanced ability to roll over obstacles.

The conservative group is claiming against the new trend that 29er bikes tend to be heavier, and slightly more sluggish, in addition to the reduced front wheel/toe clearance. There is also a real problem in getting technical support for the 29er bikes, but this problem is gradually disappearing. The best way to compare between the two bicycle types is to put it all together in a table:

Factor	26er	29er	Comments
Weight	+		29ers have heavier frames, and heavier wheels (spokes, rims, and tires)
Finding spare parts	+		26ers are more common. (the increasing popularity of the 29ers is minimizing this problem)
Fitted to taller cyclists		+	The taller cyclist may find the 29" bikes more comfortable
Fitted to smaller cyclists	+		29" bikes might be hard to fit to smaller cyclists
Ground clearance		+	The larger 29er wheels tend to raise the bottom bracket height, supplying a better ground clearance.
Roll over obstacles		+	The 29er bikes are better, due to a decrease in approach angle.
Maintaining speed while on obstacles and rough sections		+	29er tend to lose less speed on rough trails due to higher angular (and liner) momentum
Acceleration and braking	+		The 29ers are harder to accelerate (or to brake) due to their increased mass

As you can see, the verdict is not clear, and there are advantages and disadvantages to each bicycle type. Let's try another approach!

The Compromise - 96ers and 69ers

As there is no clear winner between the 26ers and the 29ers, bicycle makers are trying to come up with new ideas for the perfect mountain bike, and to combine the two.

• The 96er has a 29" front wheel and a 26" rear wheel. There are more options for rear suspension here, and the smaller rear wheel allows shorter and quicker handling frames. In addition, these bikes are lighter. One disadvantage with this type of bicycle is the need to maintain two wheel sizes and to carry with you on your ride two types of bicycle tires.
• The 69er is another less common variation: it has a 26" front wheel with a 29" rear wheel.

Buying 29er Mountain Bikes Online

	MONDRAKER - Level RR 29 Bike Silver Yellow (e-MTB Super Enduro) Mountain (New - 7560 USD)
	Fenrir M820e - Spec Build, Soft Tail Downhill Electric MTB 29'er - Free Shipping (New - 3999.99 USD)
	2022 Specialized Kenevo Expert 29 Medium(3) Super Light E-MTB BRAND NEW (New - 6500 USD)
	Trek Rail 7 XT Size (M) Full Suspension E-Mountain Bike 29, ebike MTB, Class 1 (Used - 6100 USD)

Other E-Stores Where You Can Buy 29er Mountain Bikes

If you are interested in buying 29er mountain bikes you can buy them in one of these trusted online stores:

Final Word about 29er Mountain Bikes

As I said, there is no clear winner here. The bigger 29-inch wheels (with lower pressures) will absorb small bumps and holes. The main downside is its weight. 29er mountain bikes are more suited to taller riders, but it comes down to how you ride, and to your personal preference.

"One of the most important days of my life was when I learned to ride a bicycle"
Michael Palin

[ View All Other Bicycle Types ]