Mountain Bike Wheel Size 26 Or 29

These size labels come from an old french sizing standard which we ll cover in more detail in the french sizing section.

Mountain bike wheel size 26 or 29.

26 mountain bikes have for decades been the standard size for most mountain bikes. The latest forks wheels and tires are no longer available for the 26er wheel size so one must upgrade to either 27 5 or 29. Wheels retain a lot of the snappy feel of the original 26 in. Sometimes referred to as 650b the 27 5 inch wheel fits right in between the 26 and 29 inch offerings.

29 x 2 0. Most mountain bikes today are offered in one of two wheel sizes. While 26 inch wheels are still considered the standard for mountain bikes 29 inch wheels are fast on their heels. There are advocates for both 26 inch and 29 inch wheels and the debate continues in manufacturing and competitive arenas.

In terms of mountain bike wheels 650b is a standard 27 5 wheel and 700c is a standard 29 wheel. Mountain bikes have traditionally used 26 inch wheels but the introduction of the 29er. 27 5 wheels have essentially taken over that market to the point that you rarely even find a 26 tire on a long travel bike. If you regularly ride tight twisty trails you might prefer the feel of a 27 5 in.

Bike is more flexible due to the elongation of the frame that comes with the larger wheel size. Bike frames are measured from the middle of their bottom bracket to the end of their seat tube. This can result in a bike that feels harder to handle in tight turns. You can find them with 26 wheels 27 5 wheels or 29 wheels.

That wheel size has mostly been abandoned and is now seeing duty in kids bikes and dirt jump bikes. If you haven t shopped for a bike in quite a while chances are your last mountain bike had 26 wheels. These widely used measurements refer to the tire s diameter and are typically paired with a tire width in inches when written out i e. This all started to change around 2010 when 29er mountain bikes came onto the market and even more recently in 2013 when 27 5 mountain bikes also became a.

And right behind those big 29ers are wheels of yet another size. We ll now just refer to the 26 tire as the size dedicated to walmart bikes. 27 5 also know as 650b or 29 called 29ers with traditional 26 wheels reserved for dirt jump freeride and kids bikes. As of 2016 the 26 wheel is seeing its way to the remember when category.

In mountain biking choosing a wheel size is akin to choosing a sports team.