Why are 29ers Harder to Ride | Shorter Rider Size Struggles | Lee Likes Bikes

One of our friends, who is about 5 feet tall, wonders why she has trouble making her 29er brake, corner and pedal the way she wants.
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Says Alex Bogusky who runs Joy of Bike: “There is only one word to sum up Lee’s insight and teachings into the biomechanics and interaction between the body and the bike: genius.”
Because of Lee's efforts, people of all ages are (re)discovering the carefree pioneering spirit of mountain biking, enhanced by effective, thoughtful and welcoming coaching programs and tools. His design and build expertise continues to fuel the growth of pump tracks in cities and towns across the planet. In the years to come, mountain bike skills instructors across the globe using the RideLogic system will have simple, powerful and effective tools to serve their students. Bike selection and setup will no longer be a matter of mystery or opinion. Youth riders and their adult helpers will enjoy an easy on-ramp into the sport. Lifelong mountain bikers will continually find more joy on their rides.

[@21armyn]

very true!! i bought my wife a XS 29er (400mm reach) and she is 5'1 and she is having hardtime on everything.. sold the bike and bought her the same size but a 27.5 with a 395mm reach and i trimmed the bars to 720mm on the new bike vs 740mm on the old then change the cranks to 160mm and wallaaa she enjoys riding the bike now!

[@MrJFunkSanchez]

Bought my 5’0” wife a S1 Stumpjumper which only comes as a 29er. Still have a new bike she doesn’t ride lol 😂 Expensive fail. Thanks for this video. Time to sell.

[@323johnnybravo]

At 6’4 bikes have always been too small for me. When the new crop of of 29ers hit the market a few years ago I finally felt like I had a rig that fit.

[@jimbo4203]

Me too 6' 3" , got my first 29r in 2013 , a Scott scale . It was awesome

[@flyingnorseman]

same height and same experience here.

[@tconnolly9820]

Nobody mentioned 29's when I was getting my first bike in over 30 years since I was in my teens. I'm 6'7 with a 38" inside leg. I will definitely be looking for one for my next bike.

[@TheShift1313]

Im 6'3 and ride a yt capra xxl frame. Seems to fit me pretty well. 27.5 version but they offer a 29 and mullet

[@bartmullin8018]

Greg Minaar discovered 29ers and finally had a dh rig that fit him perfectly so, for Some, 29ers do work better.

[@UnliAhon]

please don't stop making videos. namastoke 🤘🙏🏻

[@suags]

Ugh.. small rider challenges. I am 52 years old, been riding 30 years (4’11 107 lbs)and bumped last summer to a 29er (Liv Pique Advanced Pro Xs ). I am Minnie but like to think I am mighty:) Have so much respect for Lee and been in denial about my RAD as I fear I won’t ever find the right fit/bike.. my thoughts. Aside from not having standover , my bike has a reach under 400 and that is what I have focused on when looking for a bike. Climbing and descending has not been an issue (I no longer go as fast or as steep when I was 30 but I feel safe and still have fun) However agree on the cornering that I can’t hinge or lean to feel as in control so that is where 27 might feel snappier. I do think in my case it’s the rider probably on the cornering. The hinge and heavy feet mindset has changed my riding and confidence on the 29er. Now that supply chain is better I have my eye on the Pivot Shadowcat..I agree at times my bike feels a tad big in the cockpit but I have compensated (again I feel safe and still feel dynamic on the bike). I ride with small rad women who feel the same and we are constantly talking about fit. Great to find this POV for considerations for the smaller rider.

[@lee_likes_bikes]

Stephanie! Coach Andy responding here. Thanks for the insightful comments. It sounds like you’re working optimally with the limitations of your bike. It seems like a pure 27.5 or even a mullet is the next logical step. And I’m lusting after that purple colorway! Keep us posted on your quest!

[@mrvwbug4423]

In my experience you generally want 2 less teeth on a 29er chain ring vs 27.5, that gives you about the same final drive ratio. I also think mullet bikes are the perfect solution for short riders, most of the benefit on rough tech is coming from the front wheel. If you look at DH and Enduro racers who are on the short side (especially women's racers) many of them are on mullet bikes. Obviously XC racers are not but for them the rolling efficiency of the 29er rear wheel outweighs everything else in their situation.

[@awesometuscaloosa7203]

Mr McCormack, your knowledge of bikes and bike’s physics and expression of it is a beautiful thing, cheers sir!!

[@lee_likes_bikes]

thank you !

[@lee_likes_bikes]

I'm not *certain* about 29ers out-carving smaller wheels. I'll explore that some more and report back.

[@tagzedawg]

At 5'2", I just hope they never stop making 27.5 bikes, because I'll never fit a 29er.

[@1911Zoey]

Well i hope they never do. Majority of the world's population is under 5'10". Most of those would prefer 27.5

[@nickgoogle4525]

When 29ers came out and we were told they would be better I bought a 26er, because to everyone with a bit of brain it is clear that 29er are not better, but bigger. And bigger means better for large riders and some forms of riding and of course worse for smaller riders and other styles of riding. I am 6 foot and can ride 26 and 29, prefer 26 because I want a super nimble bike on the trail -- just feels better to me and fits my style of riding better.

[@lee_likes_bikes]

NICE!

[@DianneAguilera]

Thanks for providing support to my concerns with moving from my old 26" HT to a FS 29er. I mean, geometry has changed a lot since my bike was made so it's possible to build a 29er without toe overlap, for instance, for a 5'1" rider - but that doesn't mean the bike is appropriate for a 5'1" rider to get their best ride out of it. AND - you understand about "the bros at the shop sayin', 'No, man'...." and not cutting down the bars! Appreciate you keeping it real and inclusive.

[@johnnyutah6056]

What i got out of this was that i should probably stick with my 26!

[@gainknowledgeandinsight]

Why didn’t I listen to this before I bought my Trek 9.8 XT - ugh. Feel like I was pushed into my M/L size because they wanted to move product - I was naive and a novice in buying MTB. You are amazing!! Thanks.

[@mikethemechanics4964]

Thanks for the videos - have really helped my riding. I’m 5’10” & made the change to 29”, first on my hardtail then on my full sus. The hardtail was so much faster everywhere (coming from 650 - the full sus was an even bigger difference moving from 26” - so many PBs) - cornering, downhill or uphill. Within a month, my riding buddy sold his Evil Insurgent to go 29er… Problem is, not sure how much of the difference is the wheel size and how much is geometry.

[@eriklenzing3288]

Lee you are the best.

[@speedsquishstupid]

Spot on analysis. I had a 29er back in 2011, and once you were up to speed it was great... just getting up to speed was a chore. I noticed it coming out of corners mostly, just exhausting to ride.

[@jimmygrimshaw3318]

Ohhhh I can’t wait for the white board video….😃😃😃 You just are the greatest…. Namastoke…..🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@lee_likes_bikes]

so much love. thank you!!

[@anthonywalters7434]

I’m 5’6 on a 2021 medium GT Force 29. I’d say it’s at my limit in terms of size. I might mullet it at some point. That being said it feels natural aside from my current bar width. I still need to cut them down to 760mm

[@cajames1]

The only other thing I can think of when it comes to turning a 29er versus a smaller wheel is the amount of effort it takes to change the angular momentum of the spinning mass. I noticed this recently when jumping on a 27.5 bike directly after my 29er.

[@lee_likes_bikes]

that's a bit of a thing!

[@rinky_dinky]

the only thing i miss about the 29er is how easy it makes trails , like the rollability of it , i can crush roots and chunk and rocks and ruts no problem, now that im back on a full 27.5 i need to learn skills

[@michaelryan5811]

Hey Lee Thanks for the great content. I am at the other end of the height spectrum and am really stuck when trying buy the right size Enduro bike. My current bike is a YT Jeffsy CF PRO Race XXL. (510 reach 640 Stack) Stock my seat is over 3 inches above the handlebars. I have moved to 50MM rise bars and the bike feels pretty good. I am 196 CM tall and long in the legs so my seated pedaling height is up there. My target frame reach is 490mm (current bike is 510), my Body RAD it is 890mm and when my bike is measured it is 890mm/900mm. My current bike size feels ok but I would like my next bike to have a higher stack height to get the saddle height and bar height more level. I want to build a 170mm Enduro bike that needs to pedal up but should be focused on going down. I am debating between a (Stack/Reach) XL Megatower 656/495, Megatower XXL 672/517, XXL YT Capra 652/507. In my quest to get the bars up higher (allow me to stand up a little straighter when in neutral position) the reach seems to grow unreasonably. Megatower is an awesome bike but the Capra "seems" like the less risky choice since it is very similar to my current bike. Any thoughts??

[@vladborkus2784]

As usual I like your video! I am 6’1’’, and have 29er, 78 cm handlebars and about 83-84 cm RAD (470 reach), at 66 head angle. I like how the bike rides downhill. Very stable. Flat turns are good too and switchbacks. It is true that it takes time to spin the wheels, however I use quite heavy wheels and very heavy tires with big knobs, so I do not how it will ride with lighter (carbon) wheels and lighter tires. I am going to experiment this season. I am not confident with sharp turns at off camber sections. And it seems to be not very jumpy, at least it was much easier to get into wheelie (and so also to fall backward :) ) on my 26er bike.

[@krak0n0s]

Lee, thanks again for your insight!

[@timothytoth9923]

Hi Lee, this video has made me think when I get a new setup I might look into getting a 27.5 at the front and sticking with a 26 at the back. I currently have a 11yr old 26 inch front and back and feel that alone is hard enough to pump over rollers with the seat and the bike itself getting in the way. Especially when I compare it to my race BMX 🤣

[@lee_likes_bikes]

if you're used to BMX -- and have the skill to ride one of those tempestuous little beasts, you'll probably love smaller wheels. my buddy Scott rides the snot outof an original Ibis mojo hardtail. 26 rear. Custom rigid fork with 29 front.

[@timothytoth9923]

@@lee_likes_bikes Wow I would love to see a video of him shredding that thing, thanks for the feedback 🤙

[@lee_likes_bikes]

@@timothytoth9923 Scott is one of my oldest riding buddies. He's a bit of a tandem stoker badass. When we raced the tandem off road, he told me "Lee I trust you. I'm going to pedal as hard as I can until i hit the ground." I never did out him on the ground, but we shattered a freehub EVERY time we raced that bike.

[@timothytoth9923]

@@lee_likes_bikes Holly smokes that is badass! Love your videos Lee I have learnt a but load from your content. I think we all appreciate how real and honest you are ❤️. Don't stop being you, your a bloody legend!

[@lee_likes_bikes]

@@timothytoth9923 Thank you so much. Seriously. This means a lot.

[@durtyt4770]

Going DH on a 29er is a good way to wipe if you've forgotten your trail side TP.

[@josephfarrugia2350]

TP?

[@lee_likes_bikes]

@@josephfarrugia2350 toilet paper!!

[@lee_likes_bikes]

I'm leaking this here. In 2004 I raced Masters DH Worlds. Raced perfectly but for one mistake. 8th place. What a dream come true to wear the stars and stripes! Going back to Masters DH Worlds in 2024. 20 years later as a more experienced human, spirit and athlete. If all goes well, it'll either be a Specialized or Intense 29er DH bike. I will create artwork of kinetic truth and beauty.

[@coolcycles]

Hmmm, when you lean your bike only 30°, the 'rolling cone' model would make it roll in a radius, equal to the wheel's diameter. That is quite far from the curve radii normally ridden at higher speeds, no matter if on a 26er or 29er. The more relevant effect of leaning the bike down for cornering is, in my experience, that it allows to move the body and center of mass outside to a wider curve radius, resulting in lower centrifugal force.

[@lee_likes_bikes]

Thank you. There's also the effect of head angle and offset and resulting "flop." If you dig way down into cornering, the scientists reach a point where they shrug their shoulders. Kinda like all of life's great mysteries!!! I know two professional physicists. They both charge hard in the realms of psychedelics and spirituality. Both independently said to me, the real Truth .. cannot be understood through science. Wow! Right?

[@lambo79]

thanks for explaining the shorter rider challenge! its not easy for most ppl to understand, but this explains it well and also for ur RAD system! So,... if the bike is set-up as a mullet, it should gives a more agile cornering angle ability as well as there is no need to change the chainring size ?

[@fullsusloditv5495]

As usual very nice explanation master 🚴✌️

[@lee_likes_bikes]

thank you!

[@TheRicardoSanchez]

Lee: MTB guru level science maths and logic Me: Mmhmm, Mmhmm *nodding like I get it* Yeah that's exactly how I always think about it, as far as anyone knows. Namastoke sensei

[@lee_likes_bikes]

:) more and more i focus on soul, but i sure love me some math!!!

[@dewindoethdwl2798]

Great bit of myth busting🤙. I see too many riders stretched out on the rack of a oversized bike. Smaller riders don’t need such large wheels as they are a lot lighter, eliminating the need for a large diameter to lift over ruts and rocks. Far better a bike proportional to the rider, one they can handle & pop. Nothing worse than a machine that is simply too big. Hell, we managed on 26” wheels for years… and still do in riding trials & dirt-jumping. Big riders looked cramped, they needed the bigger bikes/wheels.

[@icantgivecredit871]

I have a size small 29er and the bars are a whopping 750mm wide. Your video made me realize I might not be able to lean the bike far enough over when turning; the bike is difficult to turn even though it does feel quite sprightly for what it is. I am thinking the bars should be more like 720mm. I already had to change the 170mm cranks to 165mm, which helped in other areas. Of course, there are other things I'm disliking about the bike. For example, being so far off the ground, I tend to feel unstable on rough terrain. The wheel/tire set feel comically large and balloon-like, which is great for roots and other jarring bumps but is a handful to manage on certain types of terrain. And while I think I can adjust the cockpit in order to improve this, I am still wondering if a 27.5" bike with 720-740mm bars and same aforementioned crank length makes more sense for me. I appreciate how well 29" wheels roll, but I can't get past how unnatural they can feel.

[@lee_likes_bikes]

How tall are you? What is the make, year and model of the bike?

[@icantgivecredit871]

@@lee_likes_bikesAbout 5' 4" and it's a brand new Specialized Chisel in size small. I find I hold the bars further inward than is appropriate for the position of the brake levers. All sizes of this bike have the same bar width as far as I know.

[@lee_likes_bikes]

@@icantgivecredit871 Your intuition is right, as intuitions tend to be. The bars can be cut (a $10 pipe cutter works fine) and the controls moved inward. The stock bike is probably a bit too long for you as well, which you can fine tune with a stem and bar change. If you want more details, I have a fully thought out sizing system. You can learn about it in the book Dialed or at my webschool at www.llbmtb.com. Or: We can talk about all the details on Zoom. You can book that at www.leelikesbikes.com/lee-mccormack

[@icantgivecredit871]

@@lee_likes_bikes Thanks for your reply! The stem is pretty short already, so I left it be, but today I slid the seat forward to the furthest mark and that alone helped to an extent. I do have a pipe cutter and am considering cutting the bars down to 720mm. This may not be the case with everyone, but I find that my hands naturally grab at around the width I need. In other words, I subconsciously hold the bars where the brake lever housings currently sit, when that's where the ends of the levers themselves ought to be.

[@icantgivecredit871]

@@lee_likes_bikes I thought I would give a quick update. I haven't yet shortened the bars on the 29er. They're actually not marked, so I need to be very careful when measuring before shortening the bars. Anyway, I have been spending time getting acquainted with the 29" wheels. So far I really appreciate the rollover and the fact that 29" wheels roll really fast. This makes distance riding on fire trails a blast. I also like the stability they give me while riding around long curves at speed. However, that's basically where that feeling ends because anything more technical than that feels sketchy. When I say "sketchy" I mean that the bike still feels unstable where precise maneuvering is required. Going tubeless helped a lot but it didn't solve the clumsy feeling of the wheels. The wheels just simply feel too big, like I am walking around in oversized shoes. I can barely straddle a complete 29" wheel by the way. Maybe that means something. I like the wheel size but I am not sure I like it for trail riding. Hopping back on my 27.5er for technical trails felt amazing. Maybe 29ers are the choice for XC, but they can really limit short riders when the trail gets rough or has tight turns.

[@jimmygrimshaw3318]

Brilliant content again lee……🤙🏻👊🏻🤙🏻👊🏻👍🏻👌🏻⚡️

[@lee_likes_bikes]

Thank you sir.

[@cunning-stunt]

3RD brake lol, with two brake pads hanging down.

[@feldybikes]

Warning, pedantic nerdery incoming: while 29” wheels have a higher moment of inertia due to their larger radius, to a reasonable approximation, they don’t carry any more angular momentum because the decreased angular velocity* offsets the increased moment of inertia. *bigger wheels turn more slowly at a given linear velocity That said, 29” wheels are heavier, and therefore have higher angular momentum ~proportional to the increased mass, but not due to the mass distribution (i.e. moment of inertia) FWIW, I didn’t come up with this, but read a very insightful MTBR post some years ago. It had equations and algebra and everything! I will spare the YT comment section trying to recreate the math here.

[@coolcycles]

You are right in what you say. But when it comes to leaning the bike or turning the front wheel from side to side, the increased inertia makes the larger wheels more stable, even when they are of the same weight as the smaller ones.

[@lee_likes_bikes]

Scott. Yes! Thank you for sending me back into the rabbit hole. I salute you!!

[@Chris_makham]

Love your video's Lee. Learnt loads from your video's. Will you be coming to United Kingdom. Would love to some 1 to1 to improve my riding.

[@lee_likes_bikes]

some day yes! while still a puppy!

[@laeljon]

At 5' would never go 29er. However my Hardtail can take 27.5 or 29", but reach is 385. About the same for my 26" full squish. Think my RAD would be around 690mm

[@lee_likes_bikes]

it's harder and harder to find 29ers with reaches under 400mm

[@akjdhfkqwrhetkjanfvkkkresae]

Do you have any insight on left/right bias? Turning is one thing but for example I always move substantially to the left during a bunny hop. Everyone probably goes one way or the other.

[@lee_likes_bikes]

Yes! I have much insight on that one. It starts with your hinge. Few can have a good hinge in their normal stance. Even fewer have a good hinge in their switch stance. Full mega details at www.llbmtb.com. These free videos are the tip of the iceberg!!

[@flyingnorseman]

Im 6-4 tall or 194 CM. I never rode a bike that felt right until the 29ers came out.

[@lee_likes_bikes]

These bigger bikes are great news for taller riders! One theory in the bike world is that certain influential MTB media folks are tall, and that some bike companies started listening to them in hopes for better reviews. Once that happened with a few key brands, everyone had to follow. That's one theory!

[@athishmarutharaj6001]

I was thinkig about builing a small/ medium sized mullet bike since most S/ M bikes are 27.5. I am assuming that a 51mm offset fork should make it easier for smaller riders to maneuver a 29er wheel then

[@lee_likes_bikes]

smart. yes.

[@athishmarutharaj6001]

wow,

[@aldrinclementina4297]

So you are saying, the fact I changed my 26 inch XTC 3 -from 3x9 to 1x11 and -adding a shorter stem (100/75) and -a wider handlebar (580/750), -using 2.1 tires front and back....Is enough for me to hit the trails? I'm 1.73cm I have tested 29 but it felt big. Which I've found strange, because It's like the same wheel size of a road bike 700c

[@lee_likes_bikes]

Hi! I don't have enough info about your bike to say whether it's a good fit for you. You can learn all you need to know about fitting your bike in my book Dialed or at my member site www.llbmtb.com. Have fun out there, Lee

[@faceinthecrowd5810]

👍👍 side question ? The top of my shoulder next to my neck gets a weird tweek when I ride my Levo . I cut down my bars some, any sizing tips?

[@lee_likes_bikes]

Sizing tips? Yes!!! How about an entire book about dynamic MTB fit? Dialed: the secret match of a perfect mountain bike setup www.llbmtb.com/product/dialed-the-secret-math-of-a-perfect-mountain-bike-setup/ You can find the same info, plus mega skills lessons at our online schools www.llbmtb.com ridelogic.bike FREEBIE WITHOUT KNOWING ANYTHING ABOUT YOU OR THE BIKE: Most cockpits these days are too long for the rider. Try a shorter stem. Focus on core engagement and a great hinge. Ride with no weight on your hands. All of that plus way more in the online schools.

[@workhorsemtb7075]

6'5" here. I love my 29er. I want bigger wheels...

[@lee_likes_bikes]

:) rumors say that might be an option soon from a major bike brand.

[@workhorsemtb7075]

@@lee_likes_bikes yee ha!

[@AMP889]

Im 1.70M tall, thats like 5’7, should i go 29er M size frame? Or should i go 27.5 M frame? I like mi bike playfull so i dont know if the 29er will fit me

[@lee_likes_bikes]

I need more info to answer that question. You can find the answer yourself via the ebook Dialed or my member site at www.llbmtb.com, or you can buy a sizing/fit consultation here www.llbmtb.com/product-category/bike-setup/

[@ssjj9584]

Wouldn’t a bigger contact patch on 29 mean better braking?

[@lee_likes_bikes]

Ah I love this line of questioning. No, not necessarily. The size of the contact patch is determined by the amount of air pressure and the weight on the tire. 100 pounds on a tire with 20 psi means 5 square inches of contact. This ignore the effects of tire casing stiffness and the slightly increasing pressure inside a squashed tire. The bigger diameter wheel does this affect this. That said, a 27.5x3" tire might have a *wider* contact patch than a 29x2.3" tire at the same pressure. Depending on tire tread pattern, that might aid braking. It's so fun to dig into this stuff. The more you know and the deeper you dive, it seems, the more likely you'l say I don't know the details, but here's general concept -- which is what I settled for here!

[@ssjj9584]

@@lee_likes_bikes what if it’s the same setup/tires/ pressure/size tire width ? Will a bigger contract patch have better braking similar to what you said about cornering with more side knobs grabbing terrain?

[@lee_likes_bikes]

@@ssjj9584 i believe a 27.5 and a 29 wheel, each with the same 2.x tire at YYpsi, will have the same contact patch in terms of square inches. my gut says the 29er's patch will be a bit longer and skinnier. does this improve braking? that'll depend on the trail surface and tread pattern. That said, the smaller wheel's wider contact patch might be like a wider bulldozer blade, and it might engage more "fresh" unridden dirt. Especially if you have serious side knobs. This all assumes neutral downforce. Stay tuned for more on that.

[@treymilt64]

One word answer? Physics.

[@kriskinealy709]

Smaller people. Smaller wheels.

[@lee_likes_bikes]

very reasonable

[@kriskinealy709]

I think we could be onto something lucrative here.

[@jusdena.6535]

That's my fetish.. lmao

[@jf8534]

29er on 5ft = crotch scratcher

[@lee_likes_bikes]

not that there's anything wrong with that ... :)

[@jf8534]

@@lee_likes_bikes as long as it doesn't turn into a nutcracker...