Are you a 26er or a 29er?

With the widespread adoption of the 29er mountain bike in manufacturing and the mountain bike community, the growing debate of 29er vs. traditional 26″ mountain bikes is getting hot amongst riding groups.  If you are looking to upgrade your current mountain bike or get into the sport, your options are wider than ever which is a good thing for the sport but can be confusing when looking to purchase a new rig.

Sette's 29er Hardtail Vs. 26er Dual Suspension

29 inch mountain bikes are not going to revolutionize mountain biking the way suspension forks did, however they do have their advantages and some people will swear by them.  When it comes to choosing the right size mountain bike forget about the size of the frame or your crank length and saddle height.  The first thing you need to decide is: are you a 26er or a 29er?

The 29 inch mountain bike ride is different than a 26 incher.

Riding with bigger wheels will roll over and absorb small bumps and holes easier in the trail.  The downside?  Weight!  You will never be able to build wheels on 29er mountain bikes as light as 26 inch wheels.  And that extra weight is rotating mass so it counts double.

A 29 inch hardtail mountain bike is actually very similar to a dual suspension 26" XC bike.  Both have extra weight and slow steering and are designed for similar situations.  So which is best?

Both types of bikes are actually very good at trail riding.  A dual suspension 26” XC bike will take the 29er on rougher descents and descents with tight turns but you will find a 29er to be more stable and confident in technical situations.  This is due to its rigid frame, wheels that easily roll over small obstacles and a lower center of gravity.  A dually on the other hand will hang-up on rocks, its suspension will absorb valuable momentum and it will generally lurch around.

   “The ride is like having the snappy, lightweight responsiveness of a hardtail, but with better traction, handling, braking, etc.  Twenty nine inch wheels really do smooth out the ride and roll over a lot of chatter.  “   -  Sette Razzo XX Carbon 29er Review- Part one (initial impressions)

   “It loves to be sprinted out of corners, and maintains it’s speed easily. “ - Sette Razzo XX Carbon 29er Review- Part one (initial impressions)

 

So does the 29er win the contest because it can match the performance of a more expensive and advanced dually, or does tunable suspension make the 26er more versatile and the winner?  Only you can answer that.  Here is an article that was well written by an unsolicited and independent rider about the Sette Razzo Carbon XX 29er bike.

While the 29er keeps growing its popularity and fights against its rival the 26er, we know they will both be here for years to come.

Where can I get a 29er?

Checkout the new Sette Razzo 10S 29er bikes here.

Price Point Rider Aaron Hodgkin

PricePoint rider Aaron Hodgkin airing out on the Sette Vexx

Aaron Q & A 's

Aaron Hodgin
DOB: 04-08-1983

PP: How long have you been riding?
Started riding 23 years ago, started racing when I was 11, been riding for PricePoint for 3 years.

PP: What got you into riding?
The Movie Rad.

PP: Who are your current sponsors?
Sette, PricePoint, Marzocchi Suspension, Azonic, Circle E Clothing, 80HD Industries, Profile Racing, Team Marshall Strength and Conditioning.

PP: What is your crowning achievment?

When I won the national title in BMX when I was 15, and pulling the first backflip on a DH bike.

HODGKIN was born in the sticks of Indiana in 1983. Aaron raced competitive BMX, winning the national title in 1998. He pulled the first ever backflip on a Downhill Bike while filming for a video appearance in "Highways." Aaron then became a test rider for Mountain Bike Action Mag where he was featured in nearly every issue in 2004! He has also appeared in "Decline" and "Twenty Six." While riding at Woodward West he pulled the first ever "Flair" in a half pipe on a 26" bicycle. Make sure you keep an eye out for Aaron this year at Sea Otter!

Aaron Hodgkin takes the GoPro Hero2 for a test ride! from Aaron Hodgkin on Vimeo.

Anderson Completes Tour Divide

Price Point-Sette Rider Markley Anderson challenges himself to at least one epic ride a year and in 2011 he chose to participate in the Individual Time Trial Tour Divide.  The Tour follows The Great Divide Mountain Bike Route and spans from Banff, Alberta, Canada to Antelope Wells, New Mexico.  With a total of 2,693 miles of self-support on off-road terrain, the Tour Divide demands only the highest levels of endurance, both physically and mentally. 

Anderson completed the Tour in 24 days on the Sette Serum Elite, a full-carbon 26” mountain bike.  This is the same bike he rode in the 2011 Tree Shaker Race, where he finished in first place.  In a recent publication of XXC Magazine, Anderson describes the bike as being, “a great bike for the Tour and it responded well with no issues regarding the integrity of the frame.” 

Anderson’s efforts were constantly tested.  Racking on hundreds of miles a day is one challenge, but doing so in extreme environments is a whole other challenge in itself.  Walking through 10 miles of snow in Montana and battling rattlesnakes in New Mexico were only a few encounters Anderson faced.  Despite all of the remarkable people Anderson met throughout the Tour, there were some days he rode alone in the most remote areas.  These conditions tested his capacity of individual strength.  Anderson accomplished an incredible journey and will continue to do so as his riding career continues.

 All photos courtesy of Markley Anderson.

Read more about Anderson's tour in issue #13 of XXC Magazine.

Check out the New Sette Forza Road and Serum Mountain Bikes

Big announcement from our friends at Sette Bikes. First, they have a brand new website which looks amazing. You can see it at settebikes.com. And even better, we now have their new line of bikes in stock and ready to ship. These are some of the most fantastic examples of carbon road and mountain bikes that we've seen in a while. Incredibly light, best-in-class components, and prices that are impossible to beat. Check'em out and get your ride on. They're serious when they say "never before has quality been so attainable"!


Here's a preview to whet your appetite:

Price Point Sponsored Team Crank Takes 2nd Place at 48 Hour Adventure Race

Incredible news, Team Crank persevered during the 2-Day Equinox Traverse Expedition Race and took 2nd place! Most of us get a little evasive whenever someone starts even hinting around at doing a 24 hour race MTB race. Not these guys, they go in and they go all the way. For 48 hours.

Located in the wilds of George Washington National Forest, Covington, Virginia, this event mixed disciplines that included mountain biking, canoeing or kayaking, trekking, orienteering and rappelling down cliffs. Not only were teams required to carry all of their gear with them at all times but also their food & water for the entire race. And although there was plenty of water along this course, they needed to be capable of purifying their own water if they planned on making it to the finish. And although the contestants work in teams, the whole team competes together the entire time. No breaks. No, "This is your lap". Classes of teams of 2, 3 or 4 people raced approximately 165 miles over two days, without any outside support.

Words like gargantuan, arduous, and insane might best describe their undertaking. Consisting of Markley Anderson and Paul Loete, Team Crank really does us proud. Price Point has been their sponsor for two seasons worth of adventure now and they continually display the amazing sportsmanship that our sport is all about. We set them up with all kinds of gear, including some pretty trick Sette bikes, clothing and tools.

For a VERY worthwhile read, including how the two of them logically came to wearing kilts during the race (no... really, it makes sense) click here.

So congratulations to Markley and Paul and all of Team Crank's support crew! Stay tuned for more stories, these guys are one of the only teams representing the US in Europe's TransAlp race next month!

Sette Debuts Complete Bike and Frame lineup at the Tour of CA

For the first time in its young history Sette has started making the rounds of festivals and races. First up was the Tour of CA which featured Lance Armstrong’s stateside return to the world of road racing. Sette had on hand the prototypes that were to become the core of their first complete line of bikes and frames.


Among them, making its debut was the Primo, Sette’s opening salvo into the world of road bikes. They hit it on the head with this one, classic looks mated to an amazingly complete Shimano Ultegra SL drivetrain and wheelset, Weighing in at sub-18lbs, this carbon frame and fork equipped bike is a great choice for a competitive rider on a budget. It would also be a great fit for the serious athlete who wants to explore road biking without it costing them a fortune (like a MTB rider who wants to do some cross-training or someone trying their hand at triathlons but still wanting a bike for training on roads in the “real” world). The Primo is just plain ready.


Of course they had on hand the Flite and Ace bikes which were introduced at the start of the year. Both of which have proven incredibly popular, probably because no competitor can touch what those bikes have to offer in terms of components, performance and price. Sette also had on display examples of their Razzo 29er and Impulse Carbon 26” hardtail frames.


All in all a very exciting start to a new chapter in Sette’s evolution. As their exclusive online retail partner, Price Point is extremely excited to see what they’ll do next.