# advice on a 29er



## dave72 (9 Mar 2012)

hi as above really, i have a alloy mountain bike which is in bits at the mo the wheels are shot and need new one. am reading this right that 29er wheels are 700c rims (road bike rim) but with knobbely tyres. do i need to modify the brakes at all i have some oddessy canti or do i need disc brakes. sorry for all the question and bad spelling.
cheers dave


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## I like Skol (9 Mar 2012)

I am not quite sure what you are asking here? Do you want to build a 29'r using bits and bobs from your existing bike or are you thinking of converting your current frame/bike to a 29'r by fitting the 700c wheels?

There is no chance on earth you will get the 700c wheels into the frame of a 26" wheel bike (well, you might if you leave the tyres off!). I haven't looked at them but if you are getting a new frame to suit the 29'r wheels then it will almost certainly be built for disc brakes rather than canti/V brakes because that is the technology that is standard nowadays.


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## Steve H (9 Mar 2012)

Mtb 29er wheels are generally wider and built for greater bash-ability than road bike 700c wheels. I wouldn't mix and match them.


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## I like Skol (9 Mar 2012)

I'm actually going the other way and have just bought some XT hubs and these MAVIC rims for my hybrid so I get a set of tough 700c rims but for road use. The rim has been sold in various guises as the A317 or the TN317 but is the same rim depending on if they are targeting the MTB or hybrid market. With the Alpine III DT spokes I have ordered (butted thicker than normal at the hub end) and 32 spokes front/36 rear, my wheels would be considered quite high end for an MTB, never mind a road bike!


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## dave72 (9 Mar 2012)

thanks skol that's the anwser i was after. i was thinking about using the frame. oh well some 26"" rims coming up got some deore m590 36 hole hubs already. i think i'm gonna respray the frame bright orange. see what happens.
cheers dave


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## marzjennings (10 Mar 2012)

29er wheels won't work on a 26er frame. They may fit, but it'll ride like arse.


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## I like Skol (10 Mar 2012)

marzjennings said:


> 29er wheels won't work on a 26er frame. They may fit, but it'll ride like arse.


 
No, they simply won't fit!


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## marzjennings (11 Mar 2012)

I like Skol said:


> No, they simply won't fit!


 
Not all 29er tyre sizes will fit, but a 29er or 700c wheel with a skinny tyre will fit alot of 26er frames.

I just nipped into the garage and stuck my road wheels on my 26er mtb, fitted with about .25" to spare.

Here's a picture of an example from the web.







link to article... http://www.socaltrailriders.org/forum/general-discussion/60509-29er-wheelset-wont-break-bank.html


I tried to build one when 29ers first came out, but as I mentioned it never felt quite right, rode like arse. Raised the centre of gravity too high, made the front end feel twitchy and with no tyre clearance just sucked in muddy conditions.


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## RecordAceFromNew (11 Mar 2012)

700c rims are approximately 63mm larger in diameter compared to 26" rims. The implications are a) existing rim brake won't hit the braking surface, and b) frame/fork designed for 26" wheel might have clearance only for a super skinny tyre or not even that on a 700 wheel.

Secondly road bike rear hubs are generally 130mm wide while mtb (practically all 26" and most but not all hybrid) rear hubs are 135mm. Depending on the hub you might be able to introduce additional spacers to make up the extra 5mm, but you might not. It is not a good idea to force an alloy frame even by 5mm. Steel is generally ok.

Hope it helps.


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## dave72 (20 Mar 2012)

thanks that's very helpful i think i'm gonna go a different route with the old bike
cheers dave


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