Mountain Bike Reviews – The acceptance of 29ers

They were once laughed at as being little more than a fad. Why would anyone want road bike-sized wheels on a mountain bike? But the pendulum on 29″ wheels have clearly swung and now the big hoops are here to stay. Nearly every bike manufacturer has numerous 29er models in their lineup, and the riding benefits – like rolling over rough terrain easily and a higher bottom bracket – outweigh the negatives in most riding situations. Even bike companies that once mocked the 29er concept are now embracing it. Here are three big-wheeled options being offered for 2012:

::GEARBOX
Epic Carbon 29 $5,400
Specialized
33018

Components SRAM 2×10 – X9, X0

Suspension Fox/Specialized, RockShox SID

Wheels Specialized Roval Control

Sizes S, M, L, XL

There’s no mistaking why Specialized suspension is called the Brain. Climbing up steep and technical singletrack, it thinks for you. The suspension locks out on its own so that you can pedal up a climb more efficiently.

The Brain technology is found on numerous Specialized bikes including the new 2012 Epic Carbon 29, an all-day cross-country racer. It’s a full-suspension cross-country mountain bike with 29″ wheels, available in aluminum Comp up to the carbon S-Works XTR.

Our test bike was the Epic Expert Carbon, and we had it for a few months – long enough to ride over a wide variety of terrain and conditions. It’s a bike designed to transfer as much power as possible to the wheels so that you don’t feel the suspension bob or frame flex.

The Epic Expert comes in a glossed carbon and a white paint scheme with colour-matched components from SRAM, Formula and Specialized’s own in-house options. The front triangle of the frame is made of FACT IS 9m carbon with an alloy rear triangle. The rear has 142 mm dropouts to provide a stronger back end.

The 100 mm of front and rear suspension use the company’s Brain Fade inertia valve technology so that the bike locks itself out while cruising down the trail, and then kicks in and compresses when you hit a bump. It’s an amazing feature that has to be ridden to be fully appreciated. It’s built with the added suspension of a RockShox SID 29 fork. It’s worth spending some time with your local bike shop mechanic to get the suspension dialed in perfectly.

The drivetrain on the Epic Expert is a 2×10 setup from SRAM. Shifters are X9, rear derailleur is X0, front derailleur is X7 and the crankset is a custom carbon double with 38- and 24-tooth chainrings. We would liked to have seen a full X0 setup for the shifters and derailleurs, but that would have meant a higher price tag.

Brakes are a set of Formula R1 S hydraulic stoppers with 160 mm rotors. Some manufacturers are spec’ing 180 mm rotors for the front of 29er bikes, but we found the stock setup brought the wheels to a stop without issues.

The wheels are Specialized’s Roval Control 29ers built with a 142+ rear hub and a 12 mm thru-axle up front. Tires are the S-Works Fast Track 2.0″ up front with a 1.95″ Renegade control at the back to provide ample grip in a wide range of conditions.

The cockpit components are aluminum bits from the bike brand’s in-house parts line. Weight-weenies would target carbon upgrades for the seatpost, stem and handlebar.

The Epic Expert Carbon 29er was a blast to ride.  It’s a well-built trailbike, and at just over 11.5 kg (24.5 lbs), it’s light enough to be race-worthy right out of the box.

::GEARBOX
Revolver 1 $5,285
Norco
33019
Components SRAM XO/X9

Suspension Fox RP23, RockShox SID

Wheels Sun Black Flag

Sizes S, M, L, XL

When Norco launched its 2012 product line in Whistler, the Revolver 29er caught our attention as a bike we wanted to take for a field test. At a $5,285 price tag, the Revolver 1 is the top offering in the Canadian company’s new 100 mm trail bike platform.

Also offered as a frameset or in two lower-spec’ed build options, the Revolver line is based on a 6061 hydroformed aluminum frame available in four sizes. All are built with SRAM 3×10 drivetrains and a mix of different component levels.

The Revolver 1 has a tapered head tube with a 70-degree angle. The top tube has a slight curve for more standover clearance, something that comes in handy in emergency dismounts. The down tube is an oval shape and almost flat as it meets up with the bottom bracket shell. The chain and seat stays curve to allow for up to 2.35″ tires and the rear axle width is 142 mm with a 12 mm thru-axle.

The frameset is built using Norco’s Advanced Ride Technology suspension design. The A.R.T. setup is used across the brand’s full-suspension bike lineup, but each bike gets its own tweaks such as custom pivot locations to ensure the suspension suits the type of riding you’ll be doing.

The benefits of the A.R.T. suspension design are noticeable – especially the improved leverage ratio, which means better small bump absorption and a progressively increase in stiffness as the bike takes bigger hits. The Revolver 1 comes with Fox Float RP23 suspension in the back with the RockShox SID 29er up front featuring a 15 mm thru-axle. The two combine for a confident ride while hitting bigger drops, but a comfortable and controlled feel over bumpy terrain.

The suspension highlights what is an all-around solid build spec on the top-end Revolver. The price is a good value for a bike with components of this level. The only thing separating it from bikes selling for $2,000 or $3,000 more is a carbon frame.

The drivetrain and brake system are nearly entirely SRAM XO with the only exceptions being an X9 front derailleur and an FSA SLK Carbon crankset. The XO brakes have loads of stopping power to help bring the Sun Black Flag 29er wheels to a halt.

The cockpit components are also impressive. Norco specs its own alloy seat post, stem and lock-on grips, but an Easton EC70 handlebar is above average for other bikes in this price range.

The Revolver 1 weighs in at 11.8 kg (26 lbs), which is certainly respectable for a an aluminum, full-suspension 29er. It’s a good option for riders who like to go trail riding for hours and hours with some long-distance races mixed in.

::GEARBOX
Rebel Nine $2,175 (frame and headset)
Stork
33141

Components Shimano XTR, Magura, Easton

Suspension RockShox SID

Wheels Reynolds XC29

Sizes M, L

Storck, a German bike manufacturer, has built a reputation as a fairly small, but successful, bike brand that produces high-end products that are light, strong and stiff.

The  company has been offering 26″ mountain bikes for years, but for 2012 they’ve launched their first 29er – the Rebel Nine. Based largely on the Rebel Six, the new offering is nice to look at and fun to ride.

When offered the Rebel Nine as a test bike, we decided to use it as the chassis for a custom cross-country mountain bike build. With off-the-shelf parts (no custom, one-offs), we built the Storck into a lighweight, big-wheeled XC rocket that climbs like Julien Absalon and descends like Danny Hart.

The 1,150 g Rebel Nine frame is handbuilt in Germany using Storck’s high-modulus carbon fibre. It has fairly traditional tube shapes and a tapered headtube with a 71-degree angle. Because Storck is building all of its own frames using expensive moulds, the initial Rebel Nine is only being offered in two sizes – 17 cm and 19 cm.

For more tire clearance, the front derailleur is direct mount and the rear brake mount uses what Storck calls the MAGIC system, which are posts mounted inside the rear triangle.

A lightweight carbon hardtail 29er makes a great platform for a purebred racer, so we wanted to build it up with parts that were worth of the bike. For the drivetrain, there was little debate. We went with Shimano’s Dyna-Sys 10-speed system, but opted for a double front chainring. The mix of the 28-40T crankset and the 11-36T cassette gives all the gear options needed.

For suspension, we went with the RockShox SID 29er. It isn’t the lightest option on the market, but the quick and easy bar-mounted lockout works well and the SID family has proven itself over many generations.

The brake setup is Magura’s feathery MT8 system. At just 280 g per side (including the rotor), it’s light, but works as well as a much heavier system, bringing the Storck to a stop in hurry without any hair-raising brake fade.

Attached to those brakes are Reynolds’ new carbon XC29 wheels. They may not be particularly well known for their mountain bike hoops, but Reynolds has come out swinging with its first 29er wheel. They weigh 1,596 grams for the pair, have no weight limit and are tubeless compatible, which was exactly how we set them up, tube free with a pair of Schwalbe Racing Ralph tires.

Cockpit parts were handpicked based on a combination of weight, strength, value and durability. The seatpost is the EC70 from Easton with a carbon shaft and aluminum clamp. The stem is the aluminum Easton EA90 which, at 130 g, is lighter than most carbon offerings. The handlebar is the FSA K-Force carbon.

Together, the Storck Rebel Nine weighs in at an impressive 9.5 kg (21 lb), and it’s that low weight that makes it a solid XC racer. The combination of the carbon frame and the carbon 29er wheels make it a stiff ride with virtually no flex no matter how hard you’re pushing it.

Fortunately, this build doesn’t have many weaknesses. We’d like to see the Rebel Nine offered in more sizes, but that will come with time and sales.

Dan Dakin is a freelance writer based in Ontario’s Niagara region. He’ll be racing the Epic Expert Carbon in his third 24-hour solo race in June.