Anyone ride a 29er?

[Crawldit]

I've been out of the whole Mountain Biking scene for way too long. I used to race N.O.R.B.A. Amature with a Gary Fisher Rangitoto way back in the mid to late 90's but I was a considerably smaller rider back then (sub 200 lbs). That Fisher was stolen some years ago and I replaced it with a POS $250 Motiv Groundpounder rig from Costco (My wife thought the insurance money would be better spent on an SLR camera for her :rolleyes: ). Besides the fact that it is too small (18" frame) I am a considerably larger rider now (300+ lbs) and the bike just can't handle me (broken seat post, broken stem, pogo stick shocks....). I really want to get back into biking and into shape and it seems that the new craze is 29ers for us "clydesdale" riders. Anyone here ride one? What are your thoughts? How big of a rider are you? I'm 6'5" and 320 lbs so I need something that can handle the abuse. I'm looking at the Gary Fisher Cobia in particular (XL 21" frame). What other bikes should I check out in that price range (sub $1k)? I see that single speeders are making a come back but I'm not really interested in those considering my fitness level at the moment. I'm looking for a multiple speed hard tail. Front shock prefered as long as it can be tuned to handle the weight. Any good shops around that I should check out? I live in Glendale but work on the Tempe/Chandler border so I'm all over the valley. My riding will be a good chunk of road at first with mild dirt till I get comfortable on a bike again. When I get back into some sort of shape I've always loved to ride technical single track. Thanks for any input.

[Griswold]

Check out Landis Cyclery. I have gone to the Scottsdale location for many years but I think they have at least two other locations in the valley.

[Crawldit]

I've heard of them, in fact I'm sure there's one right up the street from my office. Not sure what brand bikes they carry though. Maybe I'll pop in and see them sometime this week on a lunch break. I just hope they don't laugh at me :o

[pitch]

I haven't yet ridden a 29er but for us big guys they seem to make a lot of sense. If the geometry is set up correctly, they will roll over a lot more stuff. Think of the same arguements for bigger tires and longer wheelbases on our Jeeps. It just seems to make sense. I am 6'9" and 245. Currently running an XL Fisher Sugar 2 with a 150mm stem. I have loved the bike, but am curious about "upgrading" to one of the new FS Calibers. In general, the Fishers and Treks seem to be the best off the shelf bikes for taller riders due to their Genesis geometry (long top tube and shorter chainstays). Also the BFYB factor on the Fishers is one of the best in the industry.

[xjcrawlr]

Stop by Swiss American Bicycle (43rd Ave and Bell, behind Discount tire) and talk to Gary. He races a custom SS 29er and he has a 19" Haro Mary (29er, suspension fork, geared, about 1k) in the shop that you can take for a spin.

I have the SS (Single Speed) Haro Mary (full rigid) and I LOVE it!

[pitch]

My wife just bought me a 29er. Yup, she may be perfect since she already buys me Jeep presents too. It is a Gary Fisher Caliber. I am a big guy (at 6'9"), so,it is just more to my proportions. Definitely feels like it takes a bit more to get it going than a standard wheel, but everything else seems right. I have not gotten a chance to rip the trails with it yet. That will be this weekend.

[RickBeer]

HYJACKED :eek: ;)
-
Its that time of year again......Pemberton in the moonlight. If you haven't done this ride in the past it is alot of fun....usually a pretty large turnout, very fast and fun course....
Date 7/28/07.

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to ride the Pemberton Trail (15.4 miles) after sunset. This summer series of night mountain biking is made possible by the sponsorship of Cactus Bike. The Pemberton Trail is not very technical; however, night riding will make it more difficult. Helmets and lights will be mandatory on this ride. Only lights designed for use with mountain bikes with at least a 3 hour power source are acceptable. All riders must sign in and out at the trailhead as they start and finish their ride. Everyone needs to be off the trail by 9:30 PM. This is not a guided ride. Volunteers will sweep the course to ensure all riders return safely. For more information call 480-471-0173.

Time: 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM
Registration Required: no
Fee: $5 per vehicle park entry fee

[FrenchChili]

tentative