Why 29 Inch Wheels are Good for Fixed Gear Mountain Biking
29 inch wheels are a perfect fit for single speed mountain biking offering greater forward momentum and easier hill climbing. This article looks at the reasons why.
There have been two large growth areas in the mountain bike world over the last 5 years; single speed mountain bikes and the 29er. Strangely the two growth areas have been inter-related. Neither genre is new; early bikes had no gears and were therefore single speed whilst 29 inch wheels have been around in road version form (700c) for a long time.
Several companies have tried to introduce 29 inch wheels to the mountain biking world since the 1990’s but with limited success. The growth in 29er sales owes a large part to the growth in “single speed” riding that has taken off in this decade.
Why Ride a Single Speed Bike?
Single speed riding, which probably has it’s largest following in the UK, has largely come about as a reaction to the poor operation of derailleur gears in inclement weather conditions. Mud and grit become ingrained in the gear mechanism making gear shifting impossible and slowing down forward momentum. The solution for the winter months is to remove the gear mechanism, run one gear only and modify riding style. There has, of course, also been a certain amount of macho posturing involved – “Who needs gears? They’re just for wimps!”
Why Ride a 29er?
So what is the attraction of 29 inch wheels? A single speeder has one priority in mind when riding and that is to maintain forward momentum. Once this is lost, without gears the result is a long hard grind or a walk. The single main benefit of larger wheels on a mountain bike is that they cover more ground, maintain good forward momentum and roll more smoothly over obstacles.
Benefits of Putting 29 Inch Wheels on a Single Speed Bike
Climbing style on a single speed inevitably involves more time out of the saddle, pushing hard where there is no option of a lower gear to aid a rider up the hill. The problem with standing, particularly on more difficult technical or loose sections, is the loss of traction and therefore momentum. 29 inch wheels offer a larger contact point and better grip which translates into better forward momentum and the top of the hill becoming more achievable.
Having reached the top of the hill the cyclist then has to get back down and with only one gear, a cyclist soon runs out of leg speed to keep the cranks turning to maintain speed. The larger wheels enable a rider to maintain a greater forward speed even when his or her legs have reached maximum revolution.
Additional Benefits of 29er Mountain Bikes
One of the benefits of a 29er generally in both geared and single speed biking is that it allows a better bike geometry for taller riders. The converse is also true in that 29er bikes do not have the correct bike geometry for shorter riders. The only downside to larger wheels is more weight. For the cyclist who relishes endless uphill riding, a lighter bike with 26 inch wheels may be a better option.
29er Single Speed Bikes
Go faster uphill and maintain forward momentum riding a single speed mountain bike with larger wheels. Not all single speed bikes have 29 inch wheels, but there is a strong case to suggest that all fixed gear riders over 5’10” would benefit from riding a 29er.