It’s all I hoped it to be and more.

A bit over a year ago, I was still a big-wheel virgin. I finally tried one out during one of the demo-at-Demo days hosted by the fine folks of Trailhead Cyclery; an Intense I believe. And I was sold. I never cared too much for the 29er hype and zealotry, but there are some pretty obvious advantages to it, in particular if you’re somewhat tall. Half a year later, I bought a frame and had a summer project. Another half year passed (yes I do like to procrastinate) and I got a 29er.

The larger wheel in front of you gets rid of that ‘help I’m gonna endo’ feeling on drops and steeps; the extra traction of the wheel because of the increased radius of curvature is definitely noticeable on climbs and in turns; my favorite 29er advantage though is the ‘freight train’ effect: the increased rotational inertia, with respect to the total weight of the bike, makes you more efficient on ‘rollers’ and it feels like you can blast through the stuff the trail throws at you so much faster. The Mamasita, being a light race frame, especially stands out in this regard. I can’t believe how much more fun my usual trails in the ‘hood became again. Alas, no pain no gain: the seatstays of this hardtail may be made of carbon, but your bones will be seriously rattled on long bumpy descents…