Evaluation Part 2...........................

Ok the big ride of the weekend is over and Sunday came and went. Yes I rode the new bike all weekend, Uhwarrie Saturday and Sherman Branch Sunday. Last week when I first got it I rode at Beatty park for 2 nights. That makes 3 different places and types of terrain I have tried so far.

Beatty is the roughest place and kinda tight with not many climbs. Uhwarrie is now more like a groomed mtn trail with plenty of climbing and a lot of fast sections, exposed off chamber rock faces and fast fire roads included. Sherman is a rolling easy trail with a few quick climbs and a lot of what I call "just rolling along sections". It has some mileage to it, but that is about it.

Now my take on the 29er. If I had to race tomorrow I damn sure wouldn't take the 29er! It has it's pluses and it is easier to ride for sure. Hence the reason so many beginners seem to like them. To me it is less responsive and sluggish out of the turns. Just no snap! It is more stable on the downhills and it shines like it's on a stage when you are on a fast fire road, but what you pay for that just doesn't seem to me like a fair trade.

Yes it carries more momentum on an easy trail but I feel like the trade off isn't worth it. I can hold on a little tighter on a fast fire road and still get to the bottom just as fast. I tend to have a lower back problem and when I have to stand for a long time my back hurts. On the 29er you need to stand a little more, I don't know if I can make that happen on a regular basis. I can get away with staying in the seat longer on my 26.

So right now I tend to think it might be more me than the bike! I like the bike, don't get me wrong but my riding style seems to fit the 26 more than the 29. The damn thing will hook up like a freight train in the turns and the more aggressive I ride it the better it seems to perform. I tend to be the type of rider who spins more than trying to use big gears. The fork on the thing is fantastic! I like the way the lockout works, that's my favorite part.

Stay tuned for part 3......It just might be the sorry ass who is pushing the pedals......LOL....