All posts related to the 29er side of mountain biking.
I think we have some great things to look forward to over the next year. These releases should make Interbike very interesting. I expect to see even more 650B offerings along with complete lineup changes from the major fork manufacturers.
I see no place for a long travel 29er. I ride a 36 lbs 6″ bike as my regular ride, and to get a 29er to fit the same bill…the geometry would not work. To get the slack angles required by 6″ + bikes, a 29ers wheelbase would have to be so long that it wouldn’t be turnable in tight dh situations.
Is Rock Shox testing a long travel 29″er fork? Rumors have been whispered that the fork maker would be introducing some sort of long travel 29″er fork for at least two years now. Now there is some evidence that this perhaps is true.
If you haven’t seen a set of Industry Nine wheels…you are missing out. Named one of Bike Magazines top 15 Editors Choice products in 2008, these wheelsets have hit the industry by storm over the past couple of years. Their precision machining and stunning good looks have put them at the top of the most wanted list for most cycling enthusiasts. Industry Nine’s goal was to produce the best wheels that money could buy. They have achieved their goal and surpassed most of our expectations.
Steve Stickel is a name that many of you probably don’t know…but should. His custom frames are hand made out of Asheville, NC and have incredible craftsmanship. For those of you local to the Atlanta area, you can see Lonestar’s white 26″ singlespeed made by Steve at the local trial head. LS will be the first to tell you how great the frame really is. Custom touches, like brake rotors used as gusseting, really set his frames apart from others I have seen.
Another incredible ss 29er. This Independent Fab belongs to Jason up in Asheville, NC. The component list ranges from Phil Wood, Eno, Fox, Brooks and Chris King. Independent Fabrication makes some of the best steel hardtails on the market and this one is no exception. The midnight blue against the white of the Fox F29 is a perfect mix.
What a ride! Fred Cuthbert makes a killer ride. By far the best 29er I have ever been on. The geometry is a close resemblance of what you see out of Jeff Jone’s stable. It eems to put you in the perfect stand and hammer climbing position that you are often forced into with rigid singlespeeding. The bike almost felt like it had suspension with the large volume tires and compliant rear end. Nothing quite beats the feeling of a custom steel ride.