Small Frame Size 29ers

Tinkerbell · *by **Tinkerbell** on Wed 22/Feb/12 5:35pm*

deal (I'm guessing you won't be coming down the weekend of the 6hr Enduro in Q'town)

Butch · *by **Butch** on Wed 22/Feb/12 9:14pm*

Tinkerbell wrote:I'm going to test ride a Trek Mamba this arvo, am 5ft 3. Will let you know what I think.

Wait a sec.. so you now ride a black mamba?

...giggity

:cool:

jo · *by jo on Thu 23/Feb/12 10:31am*

Tinkerbell wrote:deal (I'm guessing you won't be coming down the weekend of the 6hr Enduro in Q'town)

Oh, but I am!

Imma gonna come down on the Thurs of that week hang in chch, come to Qtown for the weekend, go home sunday.

Cabin · *by **Cabin** on Thu 23/Feb/12 12:24pm*

swtchbckr wrote:Santa Cruz's latest newsletter was bleating about how theirs (highball and new Superlight29r)are the lowest standover of any of 29rs...

Standover not usually the issue. Top tube length, and also bar height (so headtube length) are the main fit difficulties for the vertically challenged

Tinkerbell · *by **Tinkerbell** on Thu 23/Feb/12 12:30pm*

Took it for a blast around Bottlepuddle last night. OMG! it was awesome. Carried speed great, accelerated insanely, smoothed out the rough stuff and encouraged me to get out the saddle and smash the pinches. Once I realised I had to aggressively weight the front wheel it cornered awesomely. Frame size is perfect for me, felt completely at home on it. I think I'm in love (again)

kaiteri · *by **kaiteri** on Thu 23/Feb/12 1:20pm*

kaiteri wrote:I've been told 29ers are suited to SM riders. Any truth in that...?

Well that was supposed to read "are not suited" but I like the more positive responses that my (freudian?) slip generated

Thanks for the feedback. Some forum trawling produced the following...
- some people experience pedal overlap, poss. due to their cleats not being positioned far enough forward,
- everyone liked the faster rolling speed
- they're a popular choice amongst racers
- quite a few found downhilling tight corners harder.

I concluded that, if you're a good rider, you'll adjust & handle the downhill challenges fine (as with any size 29er) and find any 'shortcomings' more than offset by the advantages.

As it happened, my exercise was academic as intended recipient (not a confident downhiller nor one to be convinced by trends) shot the 29er option down as it was leaving my mouth :crazy: