Trail and Enduro bikes were next, honing similar perks as XC bikes. First in the XC bike market, winning races and showcasing the benefits of the larger diameter. The 26-inch wheel size can be made strong, stiff and the smaller frame size offers riders a bike that is more flickable and therefore still perfect for the dirt jump freestyle scene.įast forward a decade and the 29er revolt slowly started to gather momentum again (pun intended). With spares becoming increasingly sparse, these days options for mainstream trail bikes have all but disappeared. On modern mountain bikes, the 26-inch wheel size is almost exclusively reserved for dirt jump and bikes for children. So are 26 inch bikes dead? Well, kind of. These days, like many other things in mountain biking we have evolved and moved on. We used to have it so easy, it was 26-inch wheels or nothing. When we are talking about modern industry standards that is some serious consistency compared to recent years. 26-inch wheels have been about longer than most people alive. It all started with the 26-inch wheel diameter.
Mountain bike wheel sizes are referred to by the diameter and they are commonly measured in inches. 26 inch wheels are the reserve of dirt jumpers these days (Image credit: Marin)