Ask the experts

[Benneke10]

My GF is 5'1" and riding a XS 29er with no problems. Frame geometry has improved a lot in recent years, pretty much anyone can get along with a 29er these days if the frame is the right size.

[Andeh]

Oh wise and wonderful experts...any reason not to buy my soon-to-be 15 yo daughter a 29er full suspension mountain bike? She has ridden my wife's and likes how it climbs (it's a front suspension). She's 5'4" about 110 pounds. But it seems like most women's bikes in small frame size only come in 27.5 so seems like the industry is pushing somebody her size in that direction. I'm hesitant to buy her a 27.5 because I had one and ended up selling it and buying a 29er and I'd just as soon skip that intermediate step with her because I personally really prefer the 29er. Anybody have experience with their wives/daughters with this issue? Any bike recs? Thanks.

Yeah, but how tall are you? I'm 5'8", rode a few modern 29ers over the last couple years, and just went to a mullet setup. I'm not planning on riding a 29 rear wheel again. I can make it work, but it's not as effortless. I can't imagine trying to deal with a 29 rear wheel at 5'4" on any sort of technical terrain.

[toast2266]

Oh wise and wonderful experts...any reason not to buy my soon-to-be 15 yo daughter a 29er full suspension mountain bike? She has ridden my wife's and likes how it climbs (it's a front suspension). She's 5'4" about 110 pounds. But it seems like most women's bikes in small frame size only come in 27.5 so seems like the industry is pushing somebody her size in that direction. I'm hesitant to buy her a 27.5 because I had one and ended up selling it and buying a 29er and I'd just as soon skip that intermediate step with her because I personally really prefer the 29er. Anybody have experience with their wives/daughters with this issue? Any bike recs? Thanks.

My 5'7" wife rides a 27.5. She's a solid rider, and can generally hang with the boys. She's spent plenty of time on 26, 27.5, and 29 and ultimately prefers the 27.5. It just makes the bike a little easier to manage through tech, and she has an easier time moving the bike around under her, as opposed to getting pushed around by the bike. If she was spending more time on flatter, smoother trails, I suspect she'd be on a 29.

[Roxtar]

Yeah, I have a grease gun with the moly grease and a needle tip for it. I think the issue is that the needle is at the end of a hose like a normal grease gun so it's extra hard to keep correct pressure and get the grease in. Gonna try to rig something up. I slathered some grease in there by hand when I re assembled the link anyway. There was barely any grease in there when I took it apart.

Finish Line makes a nice little injection pump gun with the right tip that you can use with the Phil Wood grease tube

[EWG]

Oh wise and wonderful experts...any reason not to buy my soon-to-be 15 yo daughter a 29er full suspension mountain bike? She has ridden my wife's and likes how it climbs (it's a front suspension). She's 5'4" about 110 pounds. But it seems like most women's bikes in small frame size only come in 27.5 so seems like the industry is pushing somebody her size in that direction. I'm hesitant to buy her a 27.5 because I had one and ended up selling it and buying a 29er and I'd just as soon skip that intermediate step with her because I personally really prefer the 29er. Anybody have experience with their wives/daughters with this issue? Any bike recs? Thanks.

I'm not as much of a believer in the new geo solving big wheels for small people. My wife and daughter are both 5'-2" and they are on 26" Juliana's. When I eventually can't patch them up they will move to 27.5, not 29. Them on a 26" is the same ratio as me on a 30" based on height.

Also, I personally will choose 27.5" over 29" every single time, but that may be because the 27.5" suits the trails I ride. In other words, don't dismiss 27.5 and I think that's a more appropriate size for a small person.

Consider the difference in ski size between your daughter and you...

[XXX-er]

i didnt think you could get any 29'er in a smaller size than medium ?

[Boissal]

They been around for decades YMMV but I never had or seen a problem with chainring mounted bashguard

the big question is can you mount one to a 1X or has the mounting gone away ?

No place to add anything to a direct-mount ring so that solves the problem.

The Occam doesn't have ISCG tabs but fortunately has a threaded BB so I bought a BB to ISCG adapter and will see where I go from there. There are reports that it has to be mounted backwards to work with the carbon frame, seems a bit questionable. If it does work I'll probably get the 1UP combo bashguard + chainguide and call it a day. The bike came with a chain guide but it's super shallow and not meant to accomodate an oval ring, the chain can pop off with the cranks in a certain position.
On second thought the AbsoluteBlack Taco bashguard is a better option to continue with the food theme of the last few pages. I think I've kept up with all the recommendations and will be lubing my chain with queso, replacing the tubeless sealant with sour cream, switching from semi-bath to olive oil, and mount a fish taco on my BB for added protection.

[t.odd]

...because I personally really prefer the 29er.

I bet your daughter would prefer a bike that fits correctly

[Dantheman]

i didnt think you could get any 29'er in a smaller size than medium ?

Specialized S1 is really small, assuming you can get one.

I bet your daughter would prefer a bike that fits correctly

IIRC, Tech Tonics' daughter is fairly small and rides a 29er. As always, YMMV.

[toast2266]

To add to my previous comment, wife prefers 27.5 on her full squish, which is what she rides most of the time. But her hardtail is a 29, and that works well for her on mellower pedally rides. If the riding is mostly saddle time without a lot of super twisty / techy stuff, the big wheels are certainly nice.

So yeah, fit matters most. But rider preferences and the trails she's mostly riding also should be a big factor.

[Boissal]

My 5'7" wife rides a 27.5. She's a solid rider, and can generally hang with the boys. She's spent plenty of time on 26, 27.5, and 29 and ultimately prefers the 27.5. It just makes the bike a little easier to manage through tech, and she has an easier time moving the bike around under her, as opposed to getting pushed around by the bike. If she was spending more time on flatter, smoother trails, I suspect she'd be on a 29.

Counterpoint: Ms Boissal is 5'4" and ride a full 29er in size M (Orbea Occam), she tried the S and felt too cramped on it. She was fine on 27.5" until she demoed the clown-sized wheels. That day was the happiest I ever saw her on a bike. She's actually handling Wasatch tech better on the bigger bike, go figure.
I got passed by an uncomfortably large number of teenage girls on giant bikes when riding during the Wasatch weekly races series this summer. I doubt half of them were taller than 5' nothing.
They looked awkward as hell on their giant steeds but it didn't seem to slow them down on technical chunky downhills, they were throwing those bikes around fine.

Bottom-line: sizes and geo numbers don't mean shit unless you've ridden tons of bikes and know exactly what you like.
Yeahman, get her a mullet and win best-dad contest!

[Beaver]

Go with 29er. They make them small enough for little people, 5'4" isn't all that little. As for what kind to buy and recommendations, buy whatever is available is a good suggestion these days.

[volklpowdermaniac]

Countercounter point
I’m 5’9 with short legs and prefer a 27.5 especially as I go up in travel.
Having said that I’m adding a ST 29er now.

So I don’t know shit

[rideit]

Wifey is 4’ 11” (and a half, she will tell you), and she has a bit of 29-er envy of her (slightly) taller friends...

[grinch]

Is there such a thing as a 11 speed cassette for micro spline?

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[HankScorpio]

Is there such a thing as a 11 speed cassette for micro spline?

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I highly doubt it. I don't even think there are non-Shimano options for a 12 speed.

I may be wrong though.

[jm2e]

Bash Guards:
I put one of these on my wife’s DH rig. And she abuses the shot out of it. Still going strong.
https://mrpbike.com/products/sxg-2-bolt

Short people on 29ers:
1. Fit is 80% of the game. If it’s not a good fit, wheel size doesn’t matter. The smaller/bigger the bike, the more valuable it is to throw a leg over it. Something usually goes queer in the shrinking process, BUT newer bikes are waaaay better at figuring it out.
2. Riding style/terrain matters A LOT. Slow, techy, steep, turny and it’ll be hard to love a 29er and it’s constant presence up their ass. XC and DH racers learn to love the big wheels. Ask Isabeau Cordurier if short people can ride a 29er.
3. Teenagers will love whatever you give them.


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[Roxtar]

Oh wise and wonderful experts...any reason not to buy my soon-to-be 15 yo daughter a 29er full suspension mountain bike? She has ridden my wife's and likes how it climbs (it's a front suspension). She's 5'4" about 110 pounds. But it seems like most women's bikes in small frame size only come in 27.5 so seems like the industry is pushing somebody her size in that direction. I'm hesitant to buy her a 27.5 because I had one and ended up selling it and buying a 29er and I'd just as soon skip that intermediate step with her because I personally really prefer the 29er. Anybody have experience with their wives/daughters with this issue? Any bike recs? Thanks.

My wife is 5'1"-105 and this past year she moved from a XS Juliana Furtado (women's 5010) to a Sm Juliana Maverick (women's Hightower) and absolutely loves the Maverick. I was concerned with the longer reach and lack of XS sizing but it works great for her and her riding has really progressed rapidly on it. Surprisingly, she's even climbing better on the bigger bike.
The key seems to be the new steeper seat tube angles that gets them more centered and makes that longer reach a good thing.
At 5'4" your daughter would be easy to fit.

[yeahman]

Thanks for the replies, it helps. She rides mostly smoother trails, not a ton of techy downhill stuff, so based on what people say I think she would like a 29er as long as it's a good fit. And whoever said get whatever's available, that's the truth, it's slim pickings out there. Because of that I might end up putting off this purchase until next year.

[XXX-er]

. And whoever said get whatever's available, that's the truth, it's slim pickings out there. Because of that I might end up putting off this purchase until next year.

The supply thing will greatly alter bike availability and probably affect development of bike models/ price in ways we don't even know at this point

if you don't have to buy a bike waiting til things shake out is probably smart

[jm2e]

And whoever said get whatever's available, that's the truth, it's slim pickings out there. Because of that I might end up putting off this purchase until next year.

There’s always a maggot getting ready to upgrade his wife’s bike.



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[XXX-er]

i just bought GF a fat bike she really likes her fat bike,

it doesnt matter that they are slower/5 lbs heavier

I suspect when the snow melts we will be riding Fat bikes togetehr

[jm2e]

I've got a OneUp Dropper in wife's bike because the seat tube wouldn't fit a long enough BikeYoke.
It's got a pretty stiff lever action. Tried several different levers until finally going with the Wolftooth long lever, (aka Light Action) which helped a bit. Getting ready to pull it out and swap the cartridge. Wondering if ..........

The Question: Anyone use super premium cable and housing to lighten up dropper post lever action? The internal routing for this thing is such a massive pain in the ass, I feel like this is my only window to realistically do it. So, do I pay $40+ for some high end roadie shit?

[Roxtar]

I've got a OneUp Dropper in wife's bike because the seat tube wouldn't fit a long enough BikeYoke.
It's got a pretty stiff lever action. Tried several different levers until finally going with the Wolftooth long lever, (aka Light Action) which helped a bit. Getting ready to pull it out and swap the cartridge. Wondering if ..........

The Question: Anyone use super premium cable and housing to lighten up dropper post lever action? The internal routing for this thing is such a massive pain in the ass, I feel like this is my only window to realistically do it. So, do I pay $40+ for some high end roadie shit?

Check the connection between the housing ferrule and the post. You'll notice the OneUp has a very shallow shoulder holding the ferrule in place. Maybe 1/8" at best. Any side pressure on the cable can allow the ferrule to be dislodged if there's the slightest amount of slack in the cable. It was a huge issue with my wife's Hightower where the seat tube had something internal pushing the cable sideways when inserted fully. I finally had to swap to the new Fox Transfer Perf Elite post.

[jm2e]

Thinking about trying some 2mm thick rotors for park season. Wife and I inevitably end up with a lot of whatever you call it when they just seem cooked/glazed and howl relentlessly. Warping/bending gets annoying too. Anyone have experience with the Magura or the Galfer rotors? Magura are a lot cheaper. Maybe I'm howling up the wrong tree?