The 29er wheel is larger than the 26, but the step is the same size:
Equivalently, the wheels are the same size and the 29er rides over a world that's 9/10ths as big:
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Rocks are punier at 9/10ths scale
In physics we have the idea of scale invariance. Here's how it applies to mountain bikes: You can think of 29" wheels as 10/9ths the diameter of 26" wheels, but you can just as well think of the wheels as the same size but the 29er sees all the rocks at 9/10ths scale. So that means the terrain is about 10% smoother on 29" wheels. Of course, on the trail, additional factors affect ride quality (wheel flex, geometry, suspension, etc.), but wheel size matters.
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Ed, Your mom sent me the link and I had time to peruse your blog today... and lo and behold your entry exactly demonstrates what I was trying to explain to my assistant about her new bicycle today... unfortnately as a philosophy major I did not have the words to explain what I knew, but you did!
ReplyDeleteHave a great day and we'd love you take you and your wife to dinner next time you are down here. ... Cary Mac