Its interesting that you bring this up. I've heard that the University of Waterloo is going to be doing a bunch of research into helmets and brain injury come the fall. I believe it has to do with crash/impact testing, and how well different helmets protect against different impacts.
Speaking of head-to-head (no pun intended) comparisons… I would be Very interested in seeing, scientific, comparisons of the impact energy absorbing characteristics of different models of helmets.
I think they are ugly, and over-priced, but I would line up to buy a POC Trabec if I thought it would actually do a better job of protecting my brain compared to my, relatively cheap and relatively less ugly, Giro Hex.
OT: I'm really looking forward to seeing the results of this test. I've had a couple of people come and ask me about 29ers as they relate to the riding in Ptown, and it would be nice to have some articles to point to with a direct comparison.
Mountain Bike Action (bastion of impartial testing that they are) tried to do a "scientific" head-to-head comparison of "identical" bikes a few years ago and succeeded in proving that an equivalent 26" bike will have lighter wheels and a 29" bike will maintain better traction in some situations and roll over things with less body english.
The only way to know what wheels size is best for you (based on whatever metric - tech climbing, tech descending, tight corners, how many people ask you about your bike - is important to you) is to do your own head-to-head test.
I predict that the NSMB.com conclusion will be:
1) Fully loaded Specialized Stumpy Evo bikes, in 26" and 29" wheel sizes, are both very fun. At this price point why do I not get the top-end fork?
2) Some of our test riders like to plow through shit and they thought the 29" was, slightly, more better. Some of our test riders like to rail fast corners and they thought the 26" was, slightly, more better.
-D
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