SirNotAppearing wrote on 08/16/13 at 6:21pm:


No doubt, I am not saying its bad, it is very smart.  My point is it is driven more by the drive for revenue then it is "better."

WillMurray wrote on 08/16/13 at 6:24pm:



Newer is always better than older, especially in discretionary spending.  Who knows maybe a few years from now they will introduce some fancy retro product that only has 26" wheels, maybe some coaster brakes or something to get you to part with your cash 

Next thing you will tell me is long board skateboard and surfboards will make a comeback

WillMurray wrote on 08/16/13 at 6:24pm:


Exactly.  They are going to make what seems to sell.  If other manufacturers start selling 650B's then bet your bottom dollar Trek and Specialized will have one (wouldn't count on niner though).

Seems like a lot of the big manufacturers missed the boat on the 29ers and had to play catch up.  Seems like a lot of them are jumping the gun this time and hitting 650B hard.   

I have not ridden a 650B so I can't comment on the pluses or minus of the wheel size.  I will say I have personally have no interest to go back to a 26" wheel and I don't see me trying 650B anytime soon.  I'm happy on 29ers.  To each his own.

I have nothing against 29ers, at all. We sell a ton of them and they fit some people's riding styles perfectly, I just think they will become more niche than they are. 
I know one thing though, riders are getting more and more aggressive and the demand for a "playful" trail bike is on the rise. Not everyone is 6'5", so 29ers are simply never going to be nimble for the majority of riders. 

As for my comment about pro riders and using the fact that they win on a certain bike, if it wasn't obvious (I think it was), I was saying that when it comes to pros: it is a lot less about their bike than it is their training and talent. 
Example: (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)

Will Murray will be just as fast on a 27.5 DH bike, maybe faster, just as fast on a 29er DH bike, maybe faster. Will Murray is fast. Pro riders are fast. A bike is not fast, unless a fast rider is on it. 

However 26" sales are not on the decline, (we have been scouting for some new brands for 2014 and I have spoken to reps with several larger companies). 26" MTB have been fairly steady for a long time, and most don't see it waning, in the words of one of our existing brand reps "it will always be the go-to wheel size, the tried and true, but having 2 other options is nice". Go to bike parks and the majority of the wheels will be 26. 

27.5 is going to give both of them a run for their money, but with the push towards playful, nimble bikes, anything that's not stiff and responsive will not survive. I can't think of anything in the mountain bike world that is as flexy as a 29er wheel. 

Also Will, while in my mind Specialized is still the absolute best brand, they certainly don't dictate the industry's direction, nor where it's headed. And while their bikes are amazing, again I'm a huge fan, they are still VERY generalized, their "progressive hardtail" frames had the same geometry for years and years, until recently when they finally redesigned it to contend with companies like NS, BlackMarket, Dartmoor, etc. Again, I cannot stress enough that specialized is my absolute favorite top tier bike company.

To clarify. Listed below are the models that Specialized makes in 26'' wheels:

Hardrock
Stumpjumper FSR
Enduro
Status
Demo
Myka HT and FSR
Safire
P. Series