Mountain Bike Hardtail: 29 inch wheels for off-road trails
A Hardtail Mountain Bike is extremely versatile and you can use it for a wide range of different activities. Whether you want to ride on an off-road trail, carry home your latest haul of groceries or just cruise along your neighbourhood, these bikes got you covered! A relatively new breed of mountain bikes is the
29er bike. These mountain bikes have large 29 inch wheels, as opposed to 27.5 inch or 26 inch wheel, which used to be the standard in the Mountain Bike History. This new kind of MTB has been gaining popularity over the last couple of years and the sales numbers are continually rising.
The advantages of the 29er Mountain Bike
The first 29er mountain bikes to hit the market showed a lot of promise but designers underestimated, what this difference in size brings with it. The early models mimicked regular mountain bikes with 26 inch wheels and were severely limited by their geometry and the lack of available suspension forks. However, these design kinks have been eliminated with newer models and they are a pure joy to ride. Big-wheel-bikes make it a lot easier for you to ride down bumpy tracks and enable you to ride at a higher speed as well. With a powerful disc brake you are always in control and can conquer any track. Especially on rough terrain you will find yourself riding a lot more comfortably and with confidence, since these bigger wheels provide a lot of stability.
Who benefits the most from a 29er hardtail mountain bike?
Bigger wheels run a lot more evenly, which mainly comes down to the angle of curve. The shallower angle of the bigger 29 inch wheels is not as affected by rough terrain and bumps in the road, as a smaller wheel with a steeper curve. Just try riding down a set of stairs on a BMX with small wheels and a 29er bike, you will feel the difference immediately. So if you enjoy a softer ride on bumpy terrain, then this bike is for you. You will ride a lot more comfortably and the bigger wheels will enable you to ride a lot faster too. Combine them with hydraulic disc brakes and you will master any downhill track. However, if the wheel feels too big for you, you might want to opt for a
hardtail with 650b (27.5 inch) wheel. These tyres provide a middle-ground between 26 inch and 29 inch wheels and are a good compromise.
Hardtail vs. full suspension
Back in the 1980s, all mainstream mountain bikes were completely rigid. There was no suspension to improve handling or soften vibrations from the terrain. However, nowadays you can choose between hardtail,
full suspension or no suspension. While full suspension bikes have suspension on both wheels, the hardtail only has a suspension on the front wheel. This gives you a lot more control and will reduce the fatigue in your hands and arms. A great feature, especially if you want to ride on rough terrain. A hardtail mountain bike is a great choice if you want an affordable MTB that is suited for many different purposes. You can take this bike off-road or use it in urban environments as well. A real workhorse that will serve you well for many years. If you're looking to purchase a 29er mountain bike, you've come to the right place. In our online shop you will find a selection of known brands such as Cube, Radon, Felt and many more. Whether you are looking for alloy, aluminium or carbon, we got you covered. Just take a look at what is available and choose your favourite model.
