Interesting article. I’m in the “not large enough to comfortably ride 29ers” camp. Or at least I think I am. I’m a 5ft (0”) (152.5 cm) dude, who’s been riding since the mid-nineties, and like techy, steep, challenging trails. I bought a 27.5 (Transition Scout v2) even though I knew at the time that the “industry” seemed to heading towards 29ers. I just felt 29ers were too big for my short arse (especially with short legs / long torso). My wife has a 29er (Smuggler), and I have tried it and love it on mellower UK trailcentre type stuff but I just feel that a) the back wheel buzz would be too much for me on my preferred steeper / more natural terrain, and b) that I can't get my bars low enough with a 29er front wheel with any decent amount of suspension travel.
As the writing seems to the on the wall for full 27.5 ers, I keep on thinking I may be forced into riding a bike that isn’t a good fit for me, even with a mullet. I could mullet the Scout, the 20mm difference in front/rear suspension travel (150mm/130mm) means I could put a 130mm 29er fork in and the geo wouldn’t be that wildly different/kooky, but I keep on coming back to my bar height. My (lowish rise) bars are already currently as low as they can go (with a -1deg Works Components headset in) – whenever I’ve tried them higher I keep on lowering them back again. I know Seb Stott has written in the past that he feels bar height is critical and that shorter people may be better with a full 27.5 to get the bars at an appropriate height. One person’s opinion of course but I have genuinely tried riding with a higher bar and I just can’t get my weight over the front for front wheel grip in corners.
Then I think, if Isabeau Courdurier who’s also small can ride an enduro bike with a 29” front wheel, why the hell can’t I. Then I think some more, hang on she’s a super fast pro and I’m a man in his 40’s trying to ride his bike as often as he can in between the usual life stuff, so my riding ability bears zero resemblance to hers therefore what Isabeau does is probably irrelevant to me.
I’m not sure where I’m going with this ramble, other than I hope that full 27.5 bikes don’t die off, however it does seem inevitable. I guess In future I’ll be forced into having a 29er front wheel at least, assuming mullets stick around. I don’t change bikes often so the Scout will last a good few years yet but it will be interesting to see when new bike time does arrive, what will be available to me. I know I’m an outlier size wise though so I’ll always be on the periphery for bike brands.
July 5, 2022, 4:07 a.m. - Littleman
Interesting article. I’m in the “not large enough to comfortably ride 29ers” camp. Or at least I think I am. I’m a 5ft (0”) (152.5 cm) dude, who’s been riding since the mid-nineties, and like techy, steep, challenging trails. I bought a 27.5 (Transition Scout v2) even though I knew at the time that the “industry” seemed to heading towards 29ers. I just felt 29ers were too big for my short arse (especially with short legs / long torso). My wife has a 29er (Smuggler), and I have tried it and love it on mellower UK trailcentre type stuff but I just feel that a) the back wheel buzz would be too much for me on my preferred steeper / more natural terrain, and b) that I can't get my bars low enough with a 29er front wheel with any decent amount of suspension travel. As the writing seems to the on the wall for full 27.5 ers, I keep on thinking I may be forced into riding a bike that isn’t a good fit for me, even with a mullet. I could mullet the Scout, the 20mm difference in front/rear suspension travel (150mm/130mm) means I could put a 130mm 29er fork in and the geo wouldn’t be that wildly different/kooky, but I keep on coming back to my bar height. My (lowish rise) bars are already currently as low as they can go (with a -1deg Works Components headset in) – whenever I’ve tried them higher I keep on lowering them back again. I know Seb Stott has written in the past that he feels bar height is critical and that shorter people may be better with a full 27.5 to get the bars at an appropriate height. One person’s opinion of course but I have genuinely tried riding with a higher bar and I just can’t get my weight over the front for front wheel grip in corners. Then I think, if Isabeau Courdurier who’s also small can ride an enduro bike with a 29” front wheel, why the hell can’t I. Then I think some more, hang on she’s a super fast pro and I’m a man in his 40’s trying to ride his bike as often as he can in between the usual life stuff, so my riding ability bears zero resemblance to hers therefore what Isabeau does is probably irrelevant to me. I’m not sure where I’m going with this ramble, other than I hope that full 27.5 bikes don’t die off, however it does seem inevitable. I guess In future I’ll be forced into having a 29er front wheel at least, assuming mullets stick around. I don’t change bikes often so the Scout will last a good few years yet but it will be interesting to see when new bike time does arrive, what will be available to me. I know I’m an outlier size wise though so I’ll always be on the periphery for bike brands.