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Mountain bike wheel sizes: past, present and future explained

by John Brown,

Here is a brief history and a look into the future of mountain bike wheel sizes. Once the 29er revolution took over, many companies started looking at even more sizes. Therefore, we now have: 24”, 26”, 27.5”, 29”, 27+ and 29+ wheel options, with another new dimension on the horizon.

The Mountain Bike began it’s commercial success in 1978 in the mountains around the San Francisco bay area. A group of friends started racing down mountain roads on trash-picked Schwinn Excelsior cruiser bikes. Quickly, riders demanded a more durable bicycle that could not only bomb down the hills, but turn around and ride back up. To that end, Joe Breeze of Breezer bikes was happy to oblige by building the first ever Mountain Bike. Considering there were only 26” balloon tires (like the ones on the Excelsior) That is what he used for the first Mountain Bike, setting the tone for all Mountain Bikes built over the next 25 years.

Breezer #1 (the first Mountain Bike) and the Schwinn Excelsior “klunker” both with 26″ wheels

Early changes to wheel sizes

By the early 90’s, mountain bikes had exploded. There were professional mountain biking events all over the world, a prime-time TV show (Pacific Blue anyone?) and mountain bikes in every garage in the country. On the wave of MTB excitement bicycle brands started investing serious money into new technology development, and one of the areas of interest was wheel size. Starting things off was Cannondale with their long heralded “Beast of the East” that used a 24” rear wheel. The benefit of a smaller wheel is better acceleration and the ability to make shorter chainstays.

Cannondale “Beast of The East” with 24″ rear wheel

On the other side of the country, in Petaluma California, a different idea was being hatched. Based on the development of the 700x48c “Rock and Road” tire by Bruce Gordon, A custom builder caller Willits, started making mountain bikes with 700c wheels. The owner of Willits, Wes Williams, was well connected within the cycling industry and became the advocate for what would be called a 29er. From Wes’ influence, Trek, the largest bike brand in the world, launched production 29ers through their Gary Fisher brand. At that point 29ers were in the main stream and now with so many wheel sizes take a look below to see the pros and cons of each size.

Rock and Road tire that was the start of the 29er movement

It all started with a 26” wheel size

The 26 inch wheels have existed for over 100 years. Furthermore, the critical dimensions of these wheels haven’t changed. Therefore, you could theoretically fit a tire from 1930 onto a rim of today. In an industry that releases new products every year, that consistency is amazing. Currently, 26” wheels are used primarily on department store Mountain Bikes or cruiser bicycles. Therefore, 26″ replacement parts can be found easily and inexpensively.

27.5” and 29” wheels

While 29ers led the way for new wheel sizes, 27.5” wheels were also popular in the initial wheel size change. The reason 29ers took hold so quickly was, in comparison to 26” wheels, they roll over objects easier and have better traction. Conversely, the downside to larger wheels is more mass to push around. In fact, The issue with mass is why 27.5” wheels became popular. A 27.5” wheel has similar traction and roll over to a 29er with much less weight. Therefore they accelerate and change direction more easily. You will now find 29” and 27.5” wheels on almost any mountain bike sold in bike shops. Typically, you see 27.5” wheels on smaller size bikes and 29” on the larger sizes. Also, full suspension bikes use 29ers on the lower travel options and 27.5” on longer travel bikes.

A fun chart Giant Bicycles released to compare wheel size and angle of attack

Plus wheel sizes

Plus sized tires are a new development in the cycling industry. In detail, they use the same rim diameter as 29″ and 27.5” bikes, but the rims and tires are wider. For example, a standard tire width is around 2”, while plus tires are 3” wide. As a result, plus sized tires puts a lot more rubber on the ground, and gives you amazing traction. With a plus sized tire, you can expect to climb up almost anything with ease. Therefore, once difficult trails become easier, and it feels as if every turn has a berm. The penalty for all that traction is additional weight. Additionally, having large tires increases the tire’s overall air volume and makes finding the right pressure a bit more complicated. If you are interested in plus tires, your bicycle has to be built to accept their additional size. Usually, it’s just best to buy a complete bike.

Plus tire angle of attack

The future wheel sizes

The development of wheel sizes has slowed down a bit for the cycling industry. With that being said, the movement has shifted to tires. The most recent buzz is coming from the 29” x 2.5” size tire. This “Big 29” tire is looking to be the new size of the year. The reason that size is getting attention is because it blends the speed and agility of a standard 29” tire with the gravity defying traction of plus tires.

What wheel size is best for You

I would love to say it’s easy to measure the pros and cons of each wheel/tire size, cross reference that information with your personal preferences and decide what is the right thing for you. Sadly, that doesn’t work. In reality, the best way to see what is going to work for you is to test ride them. Test rides are the best way to match your riding style with one of the many options available today.

Planning a casual doughnut ride for you and your friends

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by John Brown, HaveFunBiking

Over the weekend I spent some time in the cradle of liberty, Philadelphia. While there I enjoyed a few rides, but the most enjoyable one was Trek of Philadelphia’s Doughnut Ride. I was reminded of the joys of simple rides and good company, rather than difficult efforts and a competitive pace.

The Doughnut Ride

We left the shop at 7:30 a.m. with a group of eight. Our bikes were a mishmash of road bikes, commuter rigs, a single speed and an e-bike. When we departed the shop and headed toward center city, it was immediately clear the pace would be conversational. Our cruise headed out on the river drive bike path, through Fairmount Park, and toward center city. Rather than stay on the path, we crossed the falls bridge and onto West River Drive. On the weekends, Philadelphia closes West River Drive so we had our run of the entire roadway. After a bit of riding and a lot of talking, we found ourselves at the end of West River Drive and at the base of the Art Museum.

At the Art Museum our ride began to slip through the surrounding neighborhoods until we reached our hallowed destination – Federal Doughnuts.

After stuffing our face with warm doughnuts we hopped back on our bikes. Full of sugar and fat, we made our way back to the bike shop along the same route. Ultimately, the ride took a little under two hours, including the time eating. Everyone had fun, the conversation was great, and we all got the chance to meet new people.

Why this ride works

The ride was great because the pace and route are clearly stated in advance. Therefore, everyone knew what to expect and where to go. The route itself was carefully chosen to promote great conversation and a casual pace. By including traffic free paths and streets and a casual destination, every rider could enjoy the trip stress free. Additionally, the pace is controlled by the ride’s start time. As an example, a competitive minded rider has a list of fast paced rides leaving on Saturday morning, so there would be no need to come to the Doughnut Ride to try and get a killer workout with so many other options. From start to finish, this ride is a winner.

How to plan your own ride

If you already lead rides for a local club or shop, than setting up a casual ride should be easy for you. If this is your first attempt at leading an organized ride, than there are a few things to keep in mind. First off, you want people to be at your ride! To make sure you have attendees, start talking about and advertising (if you’re working with a local club or shop) a minimal of two weeks in advance. Also, make sure all your information explains the pace as well as the payoff (in this case doughnuts) for your ride to build interest. Finally, make sure your route is friendly to a group of riders. As an example, I’ve been on a few rides that required riders too be single file almost the entire time due to narrow roadways. in contrast, the Doughnut ride promoted conversation with wide paths and clear roads.

Bike Pic April 14, fond memories as spring weather takes a detour

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A quick flashback to warmer times on #14 of #30DaysofBiking in April. Here in this fond memories pic these young biker chicks enjoy some time at one of Minnesota’s trails for the annual Wild Ride Mountain Bike Festival, in Lebanon Park.

View the new National Bike Guide and all the fun rides coming up in 2018.

Thanks for viewing today’s ‘fond memories’ Pic of the Day

Now rolling into our 11th year as a bike tourism media, our goal is to continue to encourage more people to bike and have fun. While highlighting all the unforgettable places for you to ride. As we continue to showcase more destinations you can have fun at we hope the photos we shoot are worth a grin. As you scroll through the information and stories we have posted, enjoy!

Do you have a fun bicycle related photo of yourself or someone you may know that we should post? If so, please send your picture(s) to: [email protected]. Include a brief caption (for each), of who is in the photo (if you know?) and where the picture was taken. Photo(s) should be a minimum of 1,000 pixels wide or larger, to be considered. If we do use your photo, you will receive photo credit and acknowledgment on Facebook and Instagram.

As we continues to encourage more people to bike, please view our Destination section at HaveFunBiking.com for your next bike adventure – Also, check out the latest Bike Guide, mobile friendly as we enter into our 9th year of producing print and digital guides.

So bookmark HaveFunBiking.com and find your next adventure. Please share all our pic’s with your friends and don’t forget to smile. We may be around the next corner with a HFB camera ready to document your next move while you are riding and having fun. Capturing you in one of our next ‘Pic of the Day’ posts.

Have a great day and a memorable new year!

Bike Pic March 29, fond summer memories as spring approaches

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Fond summer memories with spring weather only a few days away. Here in this pic a biker chick, last season, was enjoying some time on one of Minnesota’s trails.

View the new National Bike Guide and all the fun rides coming up in 2018.

Thanks for viewing today’s ‘fond summer memories’ Pic of the Day

Have a great day and a memorable new year!

Bike Pic March 15, fond summer memories as spring approaches

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Fond summer memories as spring weather warms. Here in this pic a biker chick, last season, enjoyed some time on one of Minnesota’s trails.

View the new National Bike Guide and all the fun rides coming up in 2018.

Thanks for viewing today’s ‘fond summer memories’ Pic of the Day

Have a great day and a memorable new year!

The Frog 62 shows off a new approach in kid’s bike design

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by John Brown, HaveFunbiking.com

It almost feels like Christmas here at HaveFunBiking.com. Why such a great day?…..Because we have a new bike to review! The Frog 62, our review bike, is special because for the first time this writer won’t be the one reviewing it (more about that in a bit). Frog Bicycles is at the spear tip of a new movement in children’s bikes. They develop bicycles exclusively for children that fit better and weigh less than anything else. Considering I am not a child, I won’t be riding this bike. Instead, that duty of reviewing the Frog 62 is being passed along to my nine year old son.

The Frog 62 Bike

The Frog 62 uses an aluminum frame and fork designed to accept 24” wheels, and is very light weight for a kid’s bike (sub 20lbs). On paper, the Frog 62 could look like almost any other kids bike, but looks can be deceiving as Frog has hidden a few amazing fit-features in plain sight. To start, the handlebar and stem combination on this bike is custom for Frog. It is shorter, lighter and perfectly sized for small riders. On that subject, Frog also produces a custom crank that has arms that are both shorter and narrower to accommodate children’s shorter legs and narrower stance. To accept a narrower crank, Frog needs to build their frames specifically to accept those custom cranks. Out of the box, the Frog 62 comes standard with two sets of tires (knobby and smooth) as well as a complete fender set.

Frog 62 in all its green splendor.

Durability

I know what you are going to say. “My little Billy destroys every bike we get him, why do I want to buy a bike with custom parts I can’t replace when Billy does what Billy does?” I knew what you were going to say and so did Frog, that’s why Frog designed their bike around that very issue. In my experience, kids find new ways to destroy bikes every year, but almost never break the crank or stem. So with the Frog 62, that is where they stop with proprietary parts. The rest of the bike is put together with readily available components. While most are readily available, Frog did use the best combination of parts to fit children better than ever before.

Frog’s custom crank in action.

The Fit

The biggest selling feature of a Frog bicycle is the fit. Many mid-sized children’s bikes are just scaled up, tiny, kid’s bikes. By this I mean there is little allotment for size, the bars are typically too high, top tubes are short and they are designed as if the child doesn’t know how to ride a bike. Frog bikes on the other hand uses ongoing scientific testing at Brunel University to drive their bicycle fit dimensions. Due to the results of their testing, the bikes are built to fit children better, handle more accurately, and weigh substantially less than the competition.

Next steps

With Minnesota locked in winter, my son and I won’t be heading out onto the bike paths any time soon. Instead, I plan to use this bike first as a teaching opportunity while the ground is covered with snow. Meaning, that my son and I will build the bike together. Then, I plan to complete a full bicycle fit for him. Paying careful attention to see just how well the engineers at Frog designed this bike for children’s proportions. Also. the knobby tires and fenders will be great for when the weather finally breaks. Stay tuned to learn how the bike fit and build go.

Out of the box first impression of Sealskinz’ Halo Glove for winter rides

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by John Brown, HaveFunBiking.com

In a previous article, I talked at length about the Sealskinz’ new Super Light Pro Sock. While Sealskinz as a company began with socks, they have evolved their product line to include headwear and gloves for winter rides. One of the products that piqued my interest was the Halo glove. It drew my attention because it is a waterproof, winter glove with an active blinker system built in. Read on to see what makes these gloves interesting and some of my initial thoughts.

The Halo Glove for winter rides

Even though Sealskinz made a name for themselves with socks, they didn’t allow themselves to get caught on their heels (HEELS! Get it!). Sealskinz is committed to keeping all your extremities warm and dry. That mission is the inspiration behind the Sealskinz gloves we will be reviewing for winter rides. My first review will be on the Halo glove, a unique waterproof glove with powerful LED lights built into the back of the hand.

Waterproof doesn’t stop at the product for Sealskinz. Even the packaging that holds your glove is considered. Rather than punching holes in the glove to mount it to a backer card like most brands, Sealskinz sews loops into the glove to ensure it never gets damaged.

The Halo bike glove is an $80 investment full of many features. It is constructed with a synthetic suede palm, incorporating gel pads for greater comfort on winter rides. The outer shell is completely waterproof, and the glove is machine washable. Additionally, the liner uses an anti-slip material that won’t pull out of the glove when you remove them. Finally, the cuff closes with soft Velcro straps that are large enough to be manipulated with a gloved hand.

Bicycling Glove Features

One thing that is unique to cycling gloves is the way they insulate. Most cycling gloves are windproof, waterproof, and have minimal insulation. I can hear you asking already “minimal insulation?”, yes minimal. Cycling gloves rely on you to generate heat by exercising on winter rides. Under those circumstances, the glove holds the heat you create, keeping you warm. By being water/windproof and relatively thin, cycling gloves offer better dexterity than a normal winter glove.

First Impressions

Immediately upon putting the gloves on, I was impressed. The liner is soft and warm to the touch, and the glove fit was great. All the fingers articulate well without any pulling of material folding uncomfortably. Additionally, the lights activate easily and are really bright.

The first time I rode with the Halo bike glove the temperature was just below freezing and rainy. Luckly, it wasn’t a real downpour and more of just a misting, but it was wet none the less. My forty minute commute ended with all my fingers being warm and toasty. Since that day I have ridden down to about 20 degrees and the gloves never left me wanting in the warmth department. My commuter bike has a flat handlebar, so when the Halo’s lights are activated, they shine forward giving me more visibility to oncoming traffic. In the case of a drop handlebar, the Halo glove will shine to your sides.

The Halo’s lights are really bright, and really lightweight.

Moving Forward

I hope to push these gloves as far into the cold as I can handle. Once I reach the Halo’s limits, I get to switch to Sealskinz Highland Claw Glove for the colder temps. Overall, I am really excited to see what the life of the lights on the Halo glove is and if they can survive the cold and moisture of Minnesota’s winter. Stay tuned for more info.

Bike Pic Nov 4, a peaceful Saturday morning bike ride with junior

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A peaceful Saturday morning bike ride and the perfect time to bundle junior up and get him conditioned for the cooler weather ahead.

What better way to continue your 2017 riding season fun and to plan your #NextBikeAdventure. View all the great ideas and bike destinations in the latest Minnesota Bike/Hike Guide. Then plan your next outing with family and friends in one of the HaveFunBiking Destinations.

Thanks for Viewing Our ‘Saturday Morning’ Pic of the Day

We are now rolling into our 10th year as a bike tourism media. As we pedal forward our goal is to continue to encourage more people to bike and have fun while we highlight all the unforgettable places for you to ride. As we continue to showcase more places to have fun, we hope the photos we shoot are worth a grin. Enjoy the information and stories we have posted as you scroll through.

Do you have a fun bicycle related photo of yourself or someone you may know that we should post? If so, please send your picture(s) to: [email protected]. Include a brief caption (for each) of who is in the photo (if you know) and where the picture was taken. Photo(s) should be a minimum of 1,000 pixels wide or larger to be considered. If we use your photo, you will receive photo credit and acknowledgment on Facebook and Instagram.

As we continue to encourage more people to bike, please view our Destination section at HaveFunBiking.com for your #NextBikeAdventure – Also, check out the MN Bike Guide, now mobile friendly, as we enter into our 8th year of producing this hand information booklet full of maps.

Remember, bookmark HaveFunBiking.com on your cell phone and find your next adventure at your fingertips! Please share our pics with your friends and don’t forget to smile. We may be around the corner with one of our cameras ready to document your next cameo apperance while you are riding and having fun. You could be in one of our next Pic’s of the Day.

Have a great day!

First thoughts and impressions of Sealskinz Socks

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by John Brown, HaveFunBiking.com

It was impossible to miss the Sealskinz booth at Interbike this year. There in the center of the exhibit was a huge tub of water with a woman standing in the middle wearing nothing on her feet but socks! When I asked if her feet were wet or cold, she responded casually “nope, I’ve been standing here for an hour and my feet are still dry and warm.” I was intrigued, but not convinced, because I couldn’t help but think “how could it be soft and waterproof”? Well, fast forward a few weeks and I am happy to say that Sealskinz recently sent us a care package of products right in time for winter. Take a look for details on the Super Thin Pro Socks.

Sealskinz socks construction

The Sealskinz’ seminal product was a waterproof, insulated sock designed for the rigors of wet English winters. We received SealSkinz’ new Super Thin Pro sock. The great thing about this sock is it retains all the waterproof and insulating properties of their exiting socks with a third less weight and bulk. To achieve a lighter sock, Sealskinz employed a new knit pattern for the outer layer and bamboo fiber for the insulation layer. Because a sock has a huge hole in the top of it to accept your foot, they cant be 100% waterproof. What Sealskinz does to combat water coming in from the top of the sock, is to employ a silicon band along the inner cuff of the sock. It rests against the skin and seals off most of the water that would normally migrate down into your sock.

How they fit

Immediately upon putting them on I could feel the liner embedded in the fabric. Why they feel different is the waterproof membrane gives the socks a structure that is more substantial than your normal socks. The fabric bonded on the inside and outside of membrane is really soft to the touch and comfortable on your skin. I did have a concern that the socks would not be able to stretch and flex enough to conform to my feet, but I was proven wrong, again. nearly immediately. Also, I had concerns about the silicon cuff. On many cycling shorts with “grippers” at the bottom of the leg cuff can be uncomfortable. I am happy to report that I never felt any discomfort with the Sealskinz cuff.

Socks in the real world

Although I haven’t had a ton of time to ride these socks, I did have an exceptional first experience. My commute to work is about 40 minutes through the rolling terrain of the Twin Cities suburbs. The day I received the socks was just under 30 degrees and spitting a rain/snow mix. I left for work wearing my standard cycling shoes and a good quality wool cycling sock. In those conditions, I arrived at the office with numb toes that when thawed, hurt a ton. Fast forward to the end of the day, where conditions were exactly the same as the morning, yeah! (More freezing temps and rain). In the evening, I wore that Super Thin Pro Sock instead of my wool sock. In contrast to my ride in, by the time I got home, my feet were still nice and toasty. To clarify, I rode 40 minutes in rain/snow mix and 30 degrees with my feet warm and cozy.

Additional testing

So the Super Thin Pro Sock has passed all my initial tests. However, I am ’m not done yet. So over the next few weeks I will test them again. As Minnesota’s temperatures continue to drop I plan to find the lowest temp these socks will work on my feet. Additionally, I have gloves and booties from Sealskinz that will be subjected to the worst Minnesota has to dish out. Stay tuned for more!

The Marin B-17 MTB review – out of the box and ready for the trail

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by John Brown, HaveFunBiking.com

Based on our quick MTB review at Interbike’s Dirt Demo, we have been extended a Marin mountain bike demo for a long term review. This week, a big brown box showed up at our office. What was inside was a Marin B-17, a full suspension trail bike just waiting for me to put together and ride. However, before I ride it and give you a full MTB review let me share with you what is actually coming out of that box.

The Marin B-17 MTB review out of the box

The first thing I have to note about this bike, is that it isn’t a brand new bike. While it’s new to me, It has been to a few demos before. That being said, I have to note the immaculate condition this bike it arrived in. Whereas the tires show signs of wear the frame and components were cleaned to a level I have never seen before. Overall, the bike built up quickly and easily for a quick spin around the block.

The Marin B-17 2 in all its glory. It won’t be so clean soon.

The Frame

The B-17 is an aluminum trail bike that uses Marin’s MultiTrac suspension system for 120mm of travel. The MultiTrac system is tuned to absorb large and small hits equally, while still maintaining pedaling efficiency. It accepts both 27.5” x 2.8” wheels as well as standard 29” wheels. On first inspection, the frame design is clean, with the cables running internally within the frame. The rear shock is tucked neatly in line with the seat tube allowing for the use of a normal water bottle cage. For additional stand over clearance, the Top tube is welded low on the seat tube and uses a jack brace for strength. Overall, the B-17 frame looks like someone sweat all the details.

Here you can clearly see the cables enter the frame. Also, take a look at how each tube is shaped specifically shaped to its intended purpose.

The Parts

The version of the B-17 I am riding is an early production demo unit. For that reason, the parts are slightly different from the final retail bike. Most notably, my demo unit uses a Rockshox Pike rather than the Rockshox Revalation suspension fork. For the most part the two forks will ride similarly, with the Pike being a bit smoother in operation. The rest of the bike uses Shimano parts for shifting (SLX) and brakes, which ensures great shifting and stopping. This model B-17 also uses a dropper seatpost, to let me get my weight back and low on the trail.

Throughout the rest of the bike, Marin uses house brand components for the rims, bar and stem. While this may have been an area of concern in the past, most brands are sourcing some exceptional parts. Any remarks of the house brand components would be incomplete if I didn’t remark on how well Marin has tied these products into the rest of the bike. The same graphic touches that make the frame look classy are carried through to the parts. The graphic are clean and understated, without overstating the bicycles brand name.

Some Classy details as seen on the Marin B-17

What I am looking forward to

I really want to see if this bike handles as well on my home trails as it did in Las Vegas. Our parks have limited climbing and smooth features, so it will be interesting to see if the plus sized tires have the same dominance on these trails as they did in the steep, rocky terrain of Nevada. Finally, I can’t wait to really tune the suspension and see what it is capable of. Stay tuned for the long term review in the next few weeks.