Like this you mean??
1995 Explosif with Excentriker BB and 425mm Salsa Cromoto forks.
Loads of room for the biggest 29" tyre that I've used (2.35").
Handles very well, apart from the fact that excessive trail makes it a little "floppy" at low speeds. You soon get used to it and adapt, although what it really needs are forks with more rake to reduce the trail a bit.
The frame is a bit limited for rear tyre clearance though.
It's not seeing very much use now unfortunately, as I'm riding what I rate as the sweetest handling and most fun bike that I've ever ridden.
The perfect balance of high speed stability and "plantedness" but with the ability to change lines without even thinking about it, coupled with low speed agility for those trials type moves up and over rock steps and logs etc. What I really need is a Gravity Dropper seatpost because it loves ultra steep, technical stuff.
All I know is that it's frequently a bit of an eye-opener to people on all sorts of suspension laden stuff (and it must be down to the bike, with an old fart like me riding it).
A mate of mine is experimenting with a 29" front wheel on a Dialled Bikes Love/Hate and reckons that it's better than with the 26" wheel.
I've ridden it and it works fine but it doesn't have that "part of me" feel that the 'Bird does.
If you get the chance, blag a ride on one to know what a well-sorted 69er should feel like
- or if you want to use an existing frame that you have, and you think that 440mm forks and a 29" wheel would work, then drop Sam Alison at Singular a line (
sam@singularcycles.co.uk ) and see if he will sell you a set of the Hummingbird forks as they are rake and trail adjusted for the 29" wheel.
