Mountain bike 26 or 29 in?

[SandEagle]

which better? need to know asap

 

[Dirigible]

What sort of riding do you do? What's your skill level?


I love my Turner Sultan (29") and haven't touched a 26" bike for xc or light am riding in years.

 

[TheSlamma]

All the bike guys I know like the 29's guess it's ability to go over bigger rocks/logs/things easier.

 

[SandEagle]

What sort of riding do you do? What's your skill level?


I love my Turner Sultan (29") and haven't touched a 26" bike for xc or light am riding in years.

none. going to be hitting the trails though

 

[Dirigible]

I'd say go with 29" then. I like 'em better. You'll be fine either way though.

 

[wetomb]

It depends entirely on what sort of riding you do, where you ride and personal preference. Some like 26", some like 29".

 

[SandEagle]

29 it is. mongoose deception. $199 walmart

 

[mugs]

29 it is. mongoose deception. $199 walmart

I haven't been into mountain biking much for the last... nearly 10 years. But I would look at a local bike store and be prepared to spend $300 (maybe a bit more... inflation and all). The difference between a toy store bike (what you get at Walmart) and even a low-end bike store bike is pretty significant. Like, the difference between a bike you hate riding and a bike you enjoy riding.

All I can find on that bike is that it has Shimano components - no name for the component group. Go to Shimano's website and look at the list of component groups: http://bike.shimano.com/. Deore or Alivio is probably the best you can hope for on a cheap bike, but years ago they also had lower-end components that had no names, just part numbers beginning with TY-. They put those components on toy store bikes, and they suck. I assume they still do that. Look at the derailleurs and brakes, if you don't the name (aside from the Shimano brand) it's junk.

You could also check out http://bikesdirect.com/. Ignore the names on the bikes, they're all fake - they just take inexpensive frames (which you're going to get regardless at your price range) and add components.

Smart move picking a hardtail though.

Rapid-fire > grip shift.

Saying that you'd hate a $200 is overstating it a bit, but it is a big jump up in quality if you go to the next price level.

 

[cerebusPu]

should i get a 29er with a short standover? would it be unwieldy? something for 29-30 inseam.

 

[SandEagle]

good info mugs, thanks. i'm just getting started off so i'll keep it cheap for now. i liked the ride of the bike and it will do for now. next summer i'll look into a trek or diamondback...move up a bit slowly

 

[TheAdvocate]

good info mugs, thanks. i'm just getting started off so i'll keep it cheap for now. i liked the ride of the bike and it will do for now. next summer i'll look into a trek or diamondback...move up a bit slowly

trek and diamondback aren't in the same class. You're going to get a better bike with the Trek.

Personally I wouldn't settle for anything less than this, but that's just me.

In all seriousness, it's not what you're looking for, but I just bought one of these (Brown,not red), and I love it. Their 29 bikes are even better. I'd look into them.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

OUCH MY BRAIN

OP, how tall are you? I had a 29" a 6' tall. If I were 5' 6", I probably would not get a 29".

Seriously, go to a bike shop and ask them or start googling. People here are just answering for no reason.

If you live in Connecticut by chance, I'd be willing to sell you my Schwinn 4-Banger which was a $2K bike in 2001.

 

[thedarkwolf]

Buying a mtn bike from walmart just to see if you like mtn biking is a good way turn yourself off from it. Super heavy, shitty shifting, shitty suspension, shitty brakes, and it falls apart. You would be better off taking that $200 and finding a used bike on craigslist.

I wouldn't worry about the wheel size for now.

 

[DrVos]

Buying a mtn bike from walmart just to see if you like mtn biking is a good way turn yourself off from it. Super heavy, shitty shifting, shitty suspension, shitty brakes, and it falls apart. You would be better off taking that $200 and finding a used bike on craigslist.

I wouldn't worry about the wheel size for now.

This is the truth. Please, please don't get the walmart bike. You can get a used hardrock or trek 4500 not much more than $300 and it will serve you infinitely better than the walmart bike.

 

[spacejamz]

This is the truth. Please, please don't get the walmart bike. You can get a used hardrock or trek 4500 not much more than $300 and it will serve you infinitely better than the walmart bike.

I went from a $100 Target special to a $500 Kona and the difference was like going from a Ford Pinto to a Ferrari...You can't even begin to describe the difference in ride quality between these two bikes...

 

[Aharami]

I was asking the same question when I was looking into bikes to get just a couple weeks ago. from my research, i gathered that while a 29er will be faster, it won't be as nimble as a traditional 26". Also, all else being equal, a 29" will be slightly heavier than a 26". And finally, a 29" will be more expensive. If you're looking to spend only $200, I would not get a 29" because you'll get a lot of low quality parts that might break soon.

Why don't you go to a local bike shop and try out both a 26" and a 29"?

edit: after testing out a 29", I decided to get a 26" because a 29" would've been too big for me (I'm 5'7")

 

[Aharami]

You could also check out http://bikesdirect.com/. Ignore the names on the bikes, they're all fake - they just take inexpensive frames (which you're going to get regardless at your price range) and add components.

I bought my Motobecane 600HT from BD. Spent an extra $50 having the LBS do final assembly, adjustment, and truing. Got it this sat and have already logged over 30 miles of trail riding. Love my bike.

 

[DivideBYZero]

I went from a $100 Target special to a $500 Kona and the difference was like going from a Ford Pinto to a Ferrari...You can't even begin to describe the difference in ride quality between these two bikes...

This is truth. Rather than worrying about wheel size, worry about getting something that will last and be fun to ride. If you buy cheap crap now, you'll be buying more cheap crap in a year or two. Buy cheap, buy twice.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Buying a mtn bike from walmart just to see if you like mtn biking is a good way turn yourself off from it. Super heavy, shitty shifting, shitty suspension, shitty brakes, and it falls apart. You would be better off taking that $200 and finding a used bike on craigslist.

I wouldn't worry about the wheel size for now.

Get an entry level bike that is like $500. Most bike shops do trade ins. If you like mountain biking, you can step up to a $1500 bike. This is the path to take. Like dak wolf said, bikes from Wal-mart are junk and you'll quickly become frustrated.

If you eventually get a $1500 bike you'll get cool things like a lightweight bike (half the weight or better than a bike from Wal-mart) and disk brakes (so nice to have). Yes, disk brakes matter. More consistant braking since you don't have to deal with bent and dented rims. Mine are hydraulic! Super nice stuff! And clipless pedels (these clip in, jsut wierd naming convention) are awesome.

And get a hardtail (shock only up front) unless you have a good reason to go full suspension. Hardtails are lighter and more maneuverable.

 

[sleep]

i still ride my 20" bmx bike from time to time.

if you're going to be riding trails then get something more worth value.

go to your local bike shop and ask them questions of what kind of riding you do. and yes! the bike will be expensive, but i'm sure some pawnshops might have some good options in better than wal-mart bikes.