26 wheel set or 26?

Question

I'm tall i have a xl blur should I buy 26 or 29 wheel set my fork is a 36 van

Answer 1

You need to measure the crown clearance, very few 26" forks will fit a 29" wheel. You might however fit a 650c but tire selection is limited.

Answer 2

You won't have the clearance with that fork, even with a small tire.   You could buy a 29'er fork, of course, but first check to see if the frame will handle the 29" rear wheel.  Even with an xl frame, I'm betting that it won't.   A 29'er fork really is the best choice, though, because the forks available now have an offset that is adjusted for better handling characteristics.   If you're able to cram a 29" wheel into your 26" fork, you may not like the way it feels (and it's possible that you may get some toe overlap, too).

I had a friend who was able to put 700c rims with smallish mtb tires on a Soma frame, so you might see if you can test out a pair of those for fit (if you don't have access to a 29'er set instead).  

I'm not a big fan of the 29er craze, but if you're really tall you might appreciate them more than most people, as long as your trails aren't full of too many tight turns or technical uphills that cause you to spin out or stall.   If you have those types of trails, you'll probably be happier staying with 26" wheels.  

Hope this helps...

Answer 3

I don't think you can put a 29 in tire on either the frame or the fork.  

Probably you can put a 650 in front, but I would think you should keep your bike as is.