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Dually advice
NB: Originally posted elsewhere on the Global Riders Network and appears via syndication.
Hi all
I am looking for some advice regarding a new dually.
I have been riding a 29er hard tail for 4 years now and I reckon it's time to give my old creaky back a little rest.
I am not a racer but do ride the odd 50k'er and am not a weight weenie. I ride for the fun of it.
My question is, do I stay with a 29er and ride what I know or do I move to a 650b and learn something different?
I don't want to start a wheel size debate, I would just like to know if anyone else can share their experience moving from a hard tail to a dually and the reason they chose their wheel size.
cheers
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I went from a hard tail 29er to a dually 29er I went 29er because I had a problem with getting over and up stuffwith a 26 inch then I went duall for more comfort , but the bike was still race orientated in a 29er dually now I bought another 29er dually with a little bit more travel and now I have hit the spot with my bike .
I have a 26" 160mm front 150mm rear carbon dually for my general riding (Trek Remedy) and a 29" 100mm front 110mm rear alloy dually for XC racing (Trek Superfly).
The 26" is fine for everything, even racing.
The 29" is more efficient for racing but struggles when things get gnarly (like Mt York, AM racing etc.).
The difference is more in the build though - 29" has slammed and flipped stem, sub 1600g wheelset and fairly stiff suspension. 26" has 1800ishg wheelset and nice plush suspension.
As long as your set-up suits your riding, wheel size is pretty irrelevant I think.
I wouldn't go backwards, personally your used to the 29er wheels and know how good they ride and roll through stuff .. I sold my 29er HT and now have a allmountain trance 29er for my do anything bike including 100k races and heaps techy single trails and also a race Epic 29er for the full xc rig ... Just do it you love the dually and your back will love you even more!!!!
What are you riding currently? If it is a lower end hardtail you may get better comfort from a higher end hardtail frame, companies like Cannondale have alloy frames that ride quite well in the rough by manipulating the tubes in the rear so they flex.
Also there are a few flexy posts on the market that can help with the back pain, my Syntace one has worked wonders.
I find duallies really boring for the trails I ride so I just keep buying cr-mo hardtails, I'm about to try 27.5 wheels, not sure I'll notice a difference over 26".
I too was looking for a dually for the same reasons. I could barely bend over to pick up my hard tail after the 4 hour earlier this year.
Did the research and talked to a load of people and the advice between 29er and 27.5 came from a Giant rep. If you are an aggressive rider and like a quicker twitchier ride then a 27.5 is the way go to. For me it was a more enduro rides that I was after so a 29er was his recommendation.
I was looking at the Trek SuperFly FS and the Anthem as the two most likely. The Anthem came in carbon but for a similar price the the SuperFly only came in the Alloy. Specs about the same so it was going to come down to how each bike felt when I rode it.
Most everyone had the same advice. Ride them and then decide.
Lucky enough to get a great second hand Epic for less than a new Anthem, so I was happy.
I came from 26ht to 29dually and searching 29er ht, just for fun. I agreed all the advices above. One point I want to make is there are many rear suspension systems such as DW, Fsr link etc, single pivot etc. The length of travel is another key plus choice of adjustment, lockout or ctd... I don't want to confuse u but I think u should enjoy more in dually.
Yeah that's what I'm hoping.
I figure that when I decide on the wheel size, the bike choice will be easier. Possibly a 120mm 29er would probably do the job. Or a 140mm 650b
Thanks all
Ask him what he thinks of the change.
Besides greater comfort on longer rides, they dramatically improve control on rough stuff as you are not pinging off all the rocks.
I've just moved to a 29er dually from a 29er ht. My reason for sticking with a 29er was that knew if I bought a dually, I'd never ride the ht so I may as well buy just a frame and swop everything over.
The difference is massive, I actually enjoy the downhill sections and go looking for the jumps and drops instead of trying to avoid them. The climbs are different too. Obviously there is a bit of bob, especially when stood up but it's now easier to stay seated when climbing as I don't find I need to guide the rear wheel over everything.
Overall comfort is improved as well, but the main thing for me is that it's made riding more fun. On the ht, every ride turned into a Strava fest rather than just enjoying riding for the pure enjoyment of it.
Not sure if you are perth based or not but same will apply. Even if you rode to race I would still buy a nice 100-120mm dually. I have a tallboy c and a superfly sl ht both 29ers. Yes the ht is faster up smooth climbs but it is not "fun" in the same way as the TB is. I do race and bought the SL as I thought I would be faster on it. Now I use it to train on and I race the TB. The hardtail has made me a much better rider as I can't be lazy on it - no sit and cruise or my back kills. Am I faster on the HT - not sure I think it would depend in the trail. Around kalamunda circuit I am quicker on the TB but that is because I am more confident on it.
What would I buy if I was going out tomorrow in your situation - probably a giant anthem in 650b:) and some fast light wheels
Thanks for the input everyone