When did 26 inch wheels begin phaseout?
10-16-21, 07:42 AM
#1
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When did 26 inch wheels begin phaseout?
26" wheels are obsolete these days I'm told, yet were standard on mountain bikes since their beginning. When were the last bikes (widely available, commonplace ones) made with 26" wheels? I'm thinking perhaps 2005 or so.
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10-16-21, 07:55 AM
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On MTBs they are not phased out. There's a lot more diversity in wheel sizes now as well as many variants and specializations of "non-road bike."
What phase out are you talking about? On English 3-speeds?
Is there an underlying issue for you, perhaps tire availability?
Not to be snarky, but it doesn't seem very simple. Honestly, you can still build a road bike with 559 rims if you need to.
What phase out are you talking about? On English 3-speeds?
Is there an underlying issue for you, perhaps tire availability?
Not to be snarky, but it doesn't seem very simple. Honestly, you can still build a road bike with 559 rims if you need to.
Last edited by Road Fan; 10-16-21 at 08:00 AM.
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10-16-21, 07:55 AM
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Closer to 2013.
10-16-21, 08:29 AM
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26"/559mm wheels do seem to have become "obsolete" In the US and other wealthy countries, where MTB's are mostly ridden by people who can afford to spend money on bicycles for recreation, and equipment is subject to fads and fashions. But the size was so prevalent for such a long time that 26" rims and tires should be available for a long time to come. Also, 26" remains the standard for everyday transport and utility bikes among poorer people in countries like Mexico, and I suspect in much of the rest of the world as well. My Mexico touring bike is an old MTB with 26" wheels. I can find find low-end but serviceable parts for it in any village bike shop in the country.
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10-16-21, 08:36 AM
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Bianchi introduced the first 700c Mountain Bikes in 1992, although I don’t think they really envisioned these monsters with YUGE 700x200 tires.
I never used it off roads much but my Project 3 rode pretty well on New England single track with 700x41 tires.
I never used it off roads much but my Project 3 rode pretty well on New England single track with 700x41 tires.
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10-16-21, 08:46 AM
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they're not being phased out. i still see so many 26" mtb's on people's car rack frequently. in fact, i'd have to say in my area the size is as popular if not more than other sizes. those big wheels can be intimidating. perhaps 26" wheels are not as prevelant as before, but phased out....no
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10-16-21, 10:06 AM
#7
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Trek currently lists on its website 32 new bike models available with 26" wheels. Higher end mountain bikes tend to come with 27.5 or 700c/29er wheels now, but 26" certainly hasn't been phased out.
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10-16-21, 10:32 AM
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While we're on the topic, when did rim brakes and QR axles become obsolete? Asking for people who are on the wrong forum. 
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10-16-21, 10:47 AM
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26" wheels became obsolete for me when I sold my 1985 Univega Alpina Uno last month. Now it's just 700c in my stable. 
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10-16-21, 02:02 PM
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I’d guess that rim brake 26” wheels will be getting scarcer and scarcer given the prevalence of disc brakes these days. That said, I did buy a 26” rim brake wheelset (Sun rims, Shimano hubs) from Velomine fairly recently.
10-16-21, 02:12 PM
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Unfortunately it's turned into a kids bike wheel size. With some dirt jump and trials stuff. Also maybe those paratrooper folding bikes if they still make them?
10-16-21, 02:50 PM
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26" wheels are still used a fair amount for cruiser-style bikes... maybe not high-end, but "widely available, commonplace" for sure. 
10-17-21, 09:37 AM
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26" wheels became obsolete for me when I sold my 1985 Univega Alpina Uno last month. Now it's just 700c in my stable.
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10-17-21, 09:48 AM
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BTW, four different high performance (and price) 26" tires available right here.
Several less expensive 26" tires available here.
I could go on and on, a simple amazon search got me over 1,000 hits. I'm sure many were off-topic and/or duplicates, but scanning down I saw tires from over 10 bands just on page 1.
There's no phase out, 650b and 700c sizes are just taking up more of the market.
I'm focused on tires, but bikes, rims, and wheelsets are available in many different price points even now with supply chain issues.
Several less expensive 26" tires available here.
I could go on and on, a simple amazon search got me over 1,000 hits. I'm sure many were off-topic and/or duplicates, but scanning down I saw tires from over 10 bands just on page 1.
There's no phase out, 650b and 700c sizes are just taking up more of the market.
I'm focused on tires, but bikes, rims, and wheelsets are available in many different price points even now with supply chain issues.
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Last edited by gugie; 10-17-21 at 04:39 PM.
10-17-21, 09:55 AM
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@Andy_K and @aggiegrads can verify, however, that dirt jumping is done at your own risk.
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10-17-21, 10:08 AM
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narrowing the question, one area where 26" wheels have been phased out is elite cross-country mountain bike racing, where even very small riders (for example Sina Frei who is under 5 feet tall) use 29" wheels. In that specific realm, the turning point was around 2012 or so. The Olympic Cross-country race in London that year included riders on all three wheel sizes (26, 27.5, 29), but 26" was least common. It was pretty quickly after that that 26" disappeared altogether from world cup and olympic level races, but I don't know the exact date of the last race in which someone rode 26".
10-17-21, 11:10 AM
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They lasted a little bit longer in downhill. For a few years, seven or eight years ago, some companies were trying to have 29 inch cross country bikes, 27.5 trail bikes, and 26 downhill bikes.
It’s an accident of history the 26 inch tires were ever used at all. When the Marin guys first sold mountain bikes, 26 inch was the US standard not-Schwinn beach cruiser tire size, that had recently featured in a fad for BMX cruisers. They were the only balloon tires that they could find with any tread.
https://g-tedproductions.blogspot.co...story.html?m=1
It’s an accident of history the 26 inch tires were ever used at all. When the Marin guys first sold mountain bikes, 26 inch was the US standard not-Schwinn beach cruiser tire size, that had recently featured in a fad for BMX cruisers. They were the only balloon tires that they could find with any tread.
https://g-tedproductions.blogspot.co...story.html?m=1
Last edited by Darth Lefty; 10-17-21 at 11:14 AM.
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10-17-21, 11:38 AM
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They lasted a little bit longer in downhill. For a few years, seven or eight years ago, some companies were trying to have 29 inch cross country bikes, 27.5 trail bikes, and 26 downhill bikes.
It’s an accident of history the 26 inch tires were ever used at all. When the Marin guys first sold mountain bikes, 26 inch was the US standard not-Schwinn beach cruiser tire size, that had recently featured in a fad for BMX cruisers. They were the only balloon tires that they could find with any tread.
https://g-tedproductions.blogspot.co...story.html?m=1
It’s an accident of history the 26 inch tires were ever used at all. When the Marin guys first sold mountain bikes, 26 inch was the US standard not-Schwinn beach cruiser tire size, that had recently featured in a fad for BMX cruisers. They were the only balloon tires that they could find with any tread.
https://g-tedproductions.blogspot.co...story.html?m=1
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10-17-21, 11:48 AM
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they're not being phased out. i still see so many 26" mtb's on people's car rack frequently. in fact, i'd have to say in my area the size is as popular if not more than other sizes. those big wheels can be intimidating. perhaps 26" wheels are not as prevelant as before, but phased out....no
There’s lots of 26er” out there in the used market but for use in new model bikes, 26” just about as dead as 27”.
Go back another 10 years. They really took off around 2013 but the writing on the wall was there in 2005.
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10-17-21, 11:56 AM
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Just to be clear, I’m not a fan of 29ers. They have a whole host of problems that make the marginal gain in rolling over things seem only, well, marginal.
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10-17-21, 12:27 PM
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No. They have been phased out on new bikes. With the exception of a few youth bikes, you won’t find them in any bicycle manufacturer’s catalog You can still get tires, rims, and wheels but they aren’t “cutting edge” stuff anymore.
There’s lots of 26er” out there in the used market but for use in new model bikes, 26” just about as dead as 27”.
.
There’s lots of 26er” out there in the used market but for use in new model bikes, 26” just about as dead as 27”.
.
10-17-21, 12:46 PM
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At any rate, I sold it to a nice fellow who is the head groundskeeper for the Portland Timbers.
10-17-21, 03:13 PM
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cutting edge...no. but, if they really have been phased out, it hasn't entirely caught up with part of what i see being sold as well as what people are purchasing. often when i go up to vehicles with bikes on the back....mtbs or otherwise...i'm surprised to see the mtb's are mostly 26'ers. 29ers are obvious, but i look because i wonder if people are getting 27.5'ers. i really don't see those very often
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10-17-21, 06:44 PM
#25
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I did forgot about the beach cruisers, and maybe BMX cruisers? Can't even really count the fat bikes, they started to use 27.5" rims/tires.
Currently have a dozen or so 26" bikes, it's not too bad getting tires/rims. Parts shortages have messed it up more than anything.
Currently have a dozen or so 26" bikes, it's not too bad getting tires/rims. Parts shortages have messed it up more than anything.