29er Mountain Bikes

The term 29er or "two-niner" refers to 29" wheels rather than the 26" wheels more common to mountain biking. 29" or 700c wheels and tires are the type used in cyclocross or road racing. Various incarnations of the 29er were introduced to little success in the 90s and early 2000s. Bianchi USA introduced it's line of 29er "Project" bikes in 1991 and Diamondback created a bike called the Overdrive in the mid 1990s. The idea began to take hold among small circles of riders in the early 2000s when some niche bike makers like Surly (Karate Monkey Frameset) began to offer big wheeled bikes. 29ers didn't really take off until Gary Fisher introduced the single-speed "Rig" in 2004. Today there are many quality 29er forks and tires available and almost every major bike maker is offering a 29er. More about the benefits and drawbacks of 29ers

	VASSAGO JABBERWOCKY 29ER SINGLE SPEED 20" FRAME $101.00 Sale Ends: 1h 29m
	GT MARATHON 9ER NINER 29ER MOUNTAIN BIKE FRAME - LARGE $399.99 Sale Ends: 1h 38m
	GT MARATHON 9ER NINER 29ER MOUNTAIN BIKE FRAME - MEDIUM $399.99 Sale Ends: 1h 38m
	BANSHEE PARADOX 29er MOUNTAIN BIKE HARDTAIL FRAME MED $599.99 Sale Ends: 1h 38m
	BANSHEE PARADOX 29er MOUNTAIN BIKE HARDTAIL, MEDIUM $1,899.99 Sale Ends: 1h 38m
	BANSHEE PARADOX 29er MOUNTAIN BIKE HARDTAIL , XL $1,899.99 Sale Ends: 1h 38m
	BANSHEE PARADOX 29er MOUNTAIN BIKE HARDTAIL FRAME XL $599.99 Sale Ends: 1h 38m
	Salsa Dos Niner 29er Frame Small $280.00 Sale Ends: 5h 18m
	• new specialized stumpjumper twenty niner 29er frame • $420.00 Sale Ends: 5h 40m
	Rocky Mountain Hammer 29er 18" Hardtail 29" Bike Frame $160.00 Sale Ends: 6h 24m
	Rocky Mountain Hammer 29er 19" Hardtail 29" Bike Frame $559.96 Sale Ends: 6h 27m
	Rocky Mountain Hammer 29er 18" Hardtail 29" Bike Frame $559.96 Sale Ends: 6h 27m
	KONA KING KAHUNA 18" 29er Frame $482.11 $578.54 Sale Ends: 7h 28m
	Large Cannondale '09 29er 1 Stan's, XT XTR, BB30 lefty $1,250.00 $2,000.00 Sale Ends: 10h 22m
	2010 Specialized Stumpjumper Comp 29er Large $1,850.00 Sale Ends: 11h 14m
	Niner Air Nine Medium Frame 29er $400.00 Sale Ends: 1d 53m
	2007 Gary Fisher Rig 29er Single Speed Mountain Bike $510.00 Sale Ends: 1d 8h 18m
	2007 Gary Fisher xcal 29er mountain bike - EXCELLENT! $700.00 Sale Ends: 1d 8h 31m
	Kona Big Unit (29er). New 2010 Components $1,550.00 Sale Ends: 1d 8h 33m
	2008 Niner S.I.R. 9 29er Single Speed Mountain Bike SIR $1,000.00 Sale Ends: 1d 9h 23m
	Independent Fabrication IF SS single speed 29er Niner $3,800.00 $4,300.00 Sale Ends: 1d 9h 56m
	2010 cannondale flash 29er-3 $1,600.00 Sale Ends: 1d 23h 14m
	Specialized Rockhopper 29er Mountain Bike Frame w fork $255.00 Sale Ends: 2d 33m
	Gary Fisher SuperFly 29er 19" New in Box 2010 $898.00 Sale Ends: 2d 1h 9m
	2010 Niner Jet9 Frame Large 29er 29 Jet 9 Thomson SLX L $511.24 Sale Ends: 2d 1h 18m
	Rocky Mountain Hammer 29er 19" Hardtail 29" Bike Frame $559.96 Sale Ends: 2d 3h 19m
	Rocky Mountain Hammer 29er 18" Hardtail 29" Bike Frame $559.96 Sale Ends: 2d 3h 19m
	specialized 29er 21inch, X-0, XTR, Carbon, crossmaxx $1,500.99 $2,900.00 Sale Ends: 2d 4h 38m
	09 Felt Nine Elite Carbon 29er Frame Seatpost Size 18.5 $227.50 Sale Ends: 2d 7h 3m
	ZION 29er Single Speed Frame - powder coat $137.50 Sale Ends: 2d 7h 48m

There has been much debate over the benefits and drawbacks of 29er bikes over the years. In general, proponents of the 29er platform point to the ability of big wheels to more easily roll over obstacles due to the decrease in approach angle. Others feel like the larger wheels offer a better fit for taller riders and don't sink into soft surfaces like mud and sand as easily as smaller wheels do.

29er skeptics cite increased wheel weight, reduction in lateral stiffness and poor geometry for smaller riders to be key drawbacks. Whatever camp you're in, it's hard to peg the 29er as a passing fad, increase sales over the past few year insure that big wheels on mountain bikes are here to stay.