A little about us….

We’ve changed over time here at 29erOnline – we hope you think for the better – and we felt like it was time to update some information that lives on the About section that tells you what our goals are and how we go about testing. We are posting it here, for a while, so the old-timers who have no reason to go poking around, will see it as well…..

This is what we are about:

Our goal is to help you find the right bikes and cycling equipment for your individual needs. To meet this goal, we share our views and opinions as a group of diverse riders with different perspectives and needs. This approach of incorporating input from many different riders truly sets us apart.

Another difference between us and other mountain bike sites is that the mountain bikes we ride and test will only be 29 inch mountain bikes or stuff that hangs on a 29er and its rider. In addition, we will be trying to include things that mountain bikers are interested in: industry news that applies to 29ers, travel, trails, equipment, ride clothing, parts, and people.

Bike companies do provide us with most of the stuff we test. We promise to always be up front and honest about what we think, and are under no obligation to provide a positive review. That said, we will be respectful, as the folks that we have met who are fortunate enough to work for a bike company are devoted, passionate people, for the most part.

This is how we do the reviews:

We ride the bikes and use the parts or gear – hopefully just like you would. By the time a review is posted at least 3 different riders have spent time on the bike and reported their feedback.

Our frame-only bikes are tested with a default kit of parts. Certain riders like different parts and we try to accommodate, within reason. This might mean different handle bars or saddles, or, less frequently, tires. By keeping the major stuff the same, the idea is to put the focus on the dynamics of the frame.

More and more, we are testing complete bikes. Ideally, we would test all bikes with our test kit of components in order to give a pure review of the actual bike frame. Seats, brakes, etc all wear out and can be swapped for new and better components – the frame is what makes a bike unique. That said, usually, the reader gets the best bang for the buck buying a complete bike. Companies spend a lot of time and money speccing each model with a particular kit. We want to see what each company believes is the best way to set up their bike within a particular price point. Testing the bike as it is sold becomes especially relevant in more moderately priced or beginner bikes, where the parts spec can really impact the performance of a bike.

We will change parts when necessary on complete bikes to filter out any perceived negatives – just to make sure a rider isn’t getting hung up on a single part. At some time during testing, we will also switch to our default wheels and tires, as this is one part that dramatically changes a bike’s ride. For both frames and complete bikes, we try different length forks to see how it affects the handling.

Our primary goal is to get you the information you need. The only way we feel we can do this is by giving equal consideration to every product we test. When we exhaust our resources, we write or record our final opinions.

Leave a comment, and if you'd like your own picture to show up next to your comments, go get a gravatar!