The wheel, reinvented
Six years ago, when mountain-bike pioneer Gary Fisher came out with a radical new mountain bike with extra-large wheels, most of his own dealers didn’t want it. Except for a couple of custom builders in tiny Rocky Mountain towns, no one believed that the heavier 29-inch-wheeled bikes were faster than traditional 26-inchers. But when some endurance riders started winning races on them, word began leaking out: Big wheels roll over objects better, are more stable (because the rider sits deep between the tall wheels) and build noticeably more momentum on descents, flats, pavement and all but the steepest climbs. Now, having flattened the criticism like a two-tire monster truck, the big-wheel revolution is exploding beyond its niche. Longtime riders are dropping their “little wheels” like yesterday’s news, and manufacturers are rushing to make big ones, including seven models from Fisher’s namesake brand.
Roy M. Wallack
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Versatile player with comfort in tow
Fisher Super Caliber: Dual-suspension aluminum bike with a simple, effective design.
Likes: Good for all types of riding -- short, fast races to all-day expeditions. Quite comfortable due to the combination of big tires and moderate 3-inch wheel compression. Simple, low-maintenance single-pivot suspension design stays laterally stiff. Includes 27-speed SRAM 9 drivetrain.
Dislikes: None
Price: $2,399. (920) 478-2191; www.fisherbikes.com.
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A light touch when you feel the need for speed
Salsa Mamasita Hardtail: Front-suspension race bike with exotic aluminum-scandium-carbon fiber frame.
Likes: Light 3.4-pound frame. Fast. Stiff scandium-alloy mainframe transfers power well from pedal to wheel. Comfortable for a hardtail due to flattened carbon chain and seatstays, which flex vertically to take the edge off bumps. Combined with the natural shock absorption of the big tires, it provides minor rear-end cushioning. Test bike has 80-millimeter fork (3-inch), hydraulic brakes and Shimano XT 27-speed drivetrain.
Dislikes: None
Price: $850 frame; bike tested $2,300. (952) 941-9391; www.salsacycles.com.
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A one-gear rebel with a split personality
Trek 69er Singlespeed: A one-gear bike with two wheel sizes: 29-inch in the front and 26-inch in the back.
Likes: It may have some advantages over a standard single-speed (a growing low-maintenance, high-fitness niche becoming dominated by 29-inch wheels). The rear wheel, being small, can accelerate faster and sits slightly more underneath the rider, aiding steep climbs. The big front wheel provides more rolling speed and floats over objects better than small-wheel bikes. Rare sliding rear dropouts allow tightening of a stretched-out chain by simply sliding the wheel and disc brakes back as a unit. Up-sloping seated position is comfortable and does not seem to hurt handling.
Dislikes: Mismatched wheels are a major hassle; riders need to carry two different-sized spare tubes, tires and spokes. Also, expensive for a single-speed; good, matching-wheel singles with disc brakes can be had at half or a third of this price.
Price: $2,200. (920) 478-2191; www.trekbikes.com.
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Sweet suspension so it’s rugged-trail tough
Niner RIP 9: All-conditions, rough-and-tough dual-suspension bike from the bike industry’s only 29er-only maker.
Likes: Guts to match your own. With 4.5 inches of suspension travel, the RIP (Roll in Peace) can swallow jarring hits and scary steeps. A tough, nimble-handling machine with top-end components: SRAM X0 27-speed drivetrain and tough Crossmax tubeless tires with burly, large-diameter, straight-pull spokes. No wasted energy; unique “constantly varying arc” suspension design minimizes suspension movement under hard pedaling yet sucks up to small bumps well. Clever “bottle cap” stem lets the bike be customized with a snap-on bottle lid. Phosphorescent paint glows in the dark.
Dislikes: None
Price: $4,000. (877) 646-3792; ninerbikes.com.
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Roy M. Wallack is an endurance cyclist and runner and the coauthor of “Bike for Life: How to Ride to 100.” He can be reached at roywallack@aol.com.
