Hello Team Pinnacle!

The Sunapee Racing Team is undergoing some changes ... both in the context of sponsoring shop (from S&W Sports to Revolution Cyclery) and team bikes (from Giant to Felt). I am entertaining the possibility of adding a 29er and/or single-speed to my stable. So, I was wondering if any of you with experience on one/both of these types of machines have any advice for me.

The specific bikes I am considering are the Felt NINE-Race and the Felt NINE-Solo:
http://www.feltbicycles.com/USA/2010-Product-Catalog/MOUNTAIN/NINE-Series/NINE-Race.aspx
http://www.feltbicycles.com/USA/2010-Product-Catalog/MOUNTAIN/NINE-Series/NINE-Solo.aspx

FYI - My road racing machine for next year will be a Felt F3:
http://www.feltbicycles.com/USA/2010-Product-Catalog/Road/F-Series/F3.aspx

Thanks in advance for any feedback,
Chris

Chris
My experience with 29er?s started in 2003 when I purchased a Gary Fisher Mt. Tam. This was a hard tail fully geared bike and one of the first of the breed to come to market. I loved the bike and took it out almost always instead of my full suspension 26? Giant NRS, which was the bike to have back then. I just had more fun and went faster on the 29er. Currently I am riding a Titus RacerX 29er full suspension and I love this bike as well. I have found the 29er?s to be very forgiving when blowing through rock gardens and over roots. My experience is they climb well too, I think some of it may be because of the larger tire patch on the ground. They feel more stable and they do have more momentum once they get rolling, it takes you less effort to keep them going.
I also have a Carver 96er. This has a 29? front and a 26? rear and is fully geared hard tail. This bike has also been set up as a single speed but currently is geared. A fun bike too that gives the main advantage of a 29? front wheel and the quicker acceleration of a 26? bike. Single Speed is too much work for me on the Pinnacle so I am staying with gears. For trails like Harding Hill I can handle it, it?s just a lot of work. That said many guys go faster on SS than geared. I think because they have to climb faster to keep moving and they don?t give up anything going downhill. Where they lose is on the flats but how many flats do you find in the woods.
In a year or two when I am in the market for another mountain bike it will be a 29er. I am not going back.
PJ has been on a single speed 29er for a couple years and gregburb on the team site has had great success with his Gary Fisher 29er single speed. I also heard that Mark and Brian are looking at them too. Aaron B. has a Niner One he loves too. Good luck and safe riding. We miss you up here.
Dan

Additional information here; http://twentynineinches.com/

Hi Chris,

I switched over to a 29er hardtail last year, coming from a full suspension 26" - I will never go back. The geometry of the bike, position relative to the wheels - everything just fits better for me. Roll-over through obstacles is also significantly improved, and my technical abilities seem to have grown with the bike.

I went with the Air9 from Niner, frame weight is about 3.1 lbs, built up it is probably about 22-23lbs (never weighed it be sure). I suffer a bit more on the downhills, but that was never my strength anyway.

There is a noticeable change in how you maneuver through tight switchbacks, but over time I have found this to fade away as I got used to the bike.

Can't recommend it enough.

Aaron

Just took a Specialized Stumpjumper Hardtail 29er for a test ride today. It might end up on layaway with the name Wiley on it.

-- Ken
 
"If you brake, you don't win." Racer Mario Cipollini