29ers Gaining Momentum?

There have been more than a few times when I have seen a 29er and thought to myself, "what a circus bike! How can a bike with such big wheels be ridden aggressively?" All that changed when I spent a day actually riding a couple 29ers and kept an open mind toward it. I had to see, first hand, why these big wheels were gaining so much popularity.

I grabbed my shop demo bikes and headed out to some trails I often ride. I figured that would be a good way to judge how the bike handled and reacted on the descent. When I first hopped on the bike and started climbing the wheels felt big, but it pedaled with ease. Getting those wheels going was a little bit more work than on a 26" wheel bike, but once they were up to speed they were rolling fast. I was impressed with the way the bike rolled through single track and over logs. The bike seemed to carry momentum and wasn't disrupted by obstacles that would easily rattle a smaller wheel. Since the dirt has been a little dry lately, you can expect the front tire to drift on fast, flat turns, but the longer contact patch of the 29er felt stable and predictable.
For me, the climb and flat bits are just a way to get to the descent. I look forward to riding downhill and it seems we can never get there quick enough. At the top of the descent I was a little cautious because the bike felt so different (with less travel, steeper head angle, and bigger wheels). I was blown away, however, with how much fun it was on the downhill! I felt I had to pick the bike up a little earlier than my 26" bike to jump similar lines, but the bike felt amazingly nimble for its size. Cornering was also a slightly up wider for the turn seemed to make a smoother line that suited the big wheels well. Rolling over braking bumps was not nearly as rough as I thought a 100mm travel would have been. (I think carbon wheels helped on that as well)

By the time I made it to the bottom I was loving the bike and having to swallow some of my words and push aside some of my preconceived thoughts about a 29er.

A 29er is a great bike to have in the stable. I will always keep my 26" bike and love the way the bike rides through the rough, but the 29er has grown on me and I feel is bike that is here to stay.