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I like 26” wheels

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I like 26” wheels

Old 10-19-19, 09:52 AM
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OldCruiser
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I like 26” wheels

Weren’t sure where to put this , but since most cruisers are 26” and everybody here play nice , I thought this would be the best place for it .
I now own bikes that have 26”, 650b, and 29” wheels . Have some 700c’s also but they are just skinny 29 inchers.
All of these bikes have similar sized tires 2.3”- 2.5” . . The 29” and 26” have Maxxis Hookworms 2.5” on them . Although the 2.3” on the Specialized Roll look wider than the Hookworms.
After riding all three for awhile , I noticed the 29’ seems slower to me , especially starting off . The 26” are the quickest off the line and get up to speed faster . The 650b’s are sort of in between.
so I got researching and found I wasn’t crazy . My findings were correct . I read the bigger diameter tires are faster once you get up to speed ( around 10mph) , but since I average 9.5-10mph the bigger tires are a disadvantage IMO .
Also , it seems they’re a lot more cruiser type tires offered in 26” .
Another thing I found about the taller tires , is how much tougher they make the bike to get on and especially off . There’s times when I’ve had to stop at intersections , especially after I’ve ridden for awhile , I’ve almost fallen trying to get a foot down . If you have longer legs than I do , this wouldn’t be a problem.
The 26” bikes seem to handle better too . I’ve actually had to run up on the curb turning around with the taller bikes .
The 26” bikes feel like driving a sports car compared to driving a muscle car or a four wheel drive pickup .
In my opinion 26” is King of bike wheels and tires !
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Old 10-19-19, 10:23 PM
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I liked my 29 inch Moto once it was up and going and it fit well as far as reach went but standover height was a little tight. While liked the feel I felt it wouldve been better with a smaller wider tire and a few more gears , which is what they did a year later.

While the 29s would roll over things I feel more comfortable on the 26s as they just feel more nimble. A taller rider might feel better on the 29s but im 5-10 with a 31ish inseam and any more prefer 26s
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Old 11-06-19, 04:26 PM
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I've ridden 26inch for ages but realized 29's are fast and smooth.
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Old 11-07-19, 11:51 AM
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I prefer 29" wheels for their ability to cushion my ride a bit more, and traverse cracks and bumps a bit better. My area has a lot of back roads that area all destroyed and covered by ballast (1" ish or so rocks). 26" wheels don't handle it so well,...
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Old 11-07-19, 02:57 PM
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Originally Posted by tds101
I prefer 29" wheels for their ability to cushion my ride a bit more, and traverse cracks and bumps a bit better. My area has a lot of back roads that area all destroyed and covered by ballast (1" ish or so rocks). 26" wheels don't handle it so well,...
I get better cushion out of 26” with ballon size tires .
I guess if you have long legs , I could see an advantage to 29” wheels but I don’t . I like being able to stand over the crossbar without leaning the bike over with the crossbar giving me a wedgie .
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Old 11-07-19, 05:56 PM
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Originally Posted by kirby999
I get better cushion out of 26” with ballon size tires .
I guess if you have long legs , I could see an advantage to 29” wheels but I don’t . I like being able to stand over the crossbar without leaning the bike over with the crossbar giving me a wedgie .
I use balloon tires, Schwalbe Big Bens. And I'm not that tall,..5'11",... I don't particularly like wedgies myself. The Electra Super Moto 8i has 27.5" wheels,...I'd luv to be able to get that bike.
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Old 11-07-19, 06:04 PM
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Originally Posted by tds101
I use balloon tires, Schwalbe Big Bens. And I'm not that tall,..5'11",... I don't particularly like wedgies myself. The Electra Super Moto 8i has 27.5" wheels,...I'd luv to be able to get that bike.
I’d wouldn’t mind adding an Electra Super Moto 8i to my stable . Nice looking bike . Looks comfortable.
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