Here’s a bonus video to accompany the 26″ vs 29″ bike test that we featured in issue #126.

This video might not make full sense unless you’ve read the article Steve Jones wrote in last months mag but, basically, Jones set out to test if 29″x140mm bikes are faster than 26″x160mm bikes on the harder side of UK trail riding terrain.

I nipped over to the Forest of Dean in the afternoon to grab a few words with Jones, Rob Cooksley and James Richards (the two test pilots), the video chat ends a bit suddenly but you should get the idea that the big wheeled bike is faster in certain trail centre situations against the clock, but maybe not as exciting to ride as a 26 incher.

Have a watch then tell us your thoughts in the comments below and let us know as well if you read the magazine article too.

The bikes:

Intense Carbine 26″ 150mm

Trek Slash 26″ 160mm

Intense Tracer 29″ 140mm

Trek Rumblefish 29″ 120mm

RUN    James Richards: Rumblefish 29×120      Box Cooksley: Carbine 26×150

Run 1                       2:39.30          2:29.26

Split 1                      1:38.31          1:30.25
Split 2                      1:00.98          59.01

Run 2                      2:36.46          2:29.15

Split 1                    1:36.19          1:31.27
Split 2                    1:00.27          57.87

Run 3                    2:33.46          2:28.19

Split 1                   1:35.88          1:31.38
Split 2                   57.65             56.89

Run 4                    2:32.82          2:23.64

Split 1                   1:34.85          1:27.62
Split 2                   57.97             56.02

Run 5                    2:35.19          2:22.73

Split 1                   1:37.50          1:28.61
Split 2                   57.69              54.11

RUN    Richards: Slash 26×160    Box: Tracer 29×140

Run 6                   2:32.10          2:20.96

Split 1                  1:35.23          1:25.96
Split 2                  56.87              55.00

Run 7                   2:30.16          2:20.31

Split 1                  1:34.49          1:26.18
Split 2                  55.67             54.12

Run 8                 2:29.00         2:17.08

Split 1                 1:33.74        1:24.32
Split 2                55.26            52.75

Run 9                2:28.11          2:17.80

Split 1                1:33.74         1:24.42
Split 2                54.37            52.38

Richards Rumblefish fastest overall = 2:32.82
Richards Slash fastest overall = 2:28.11
Slash beats Rumblefish by 4.71 seconds

Upper sector fastest: Rumble 1:34.85 Slash 1:33.74 = 1.11 seconds
Lower sector fastest: Rumble 57.69 Slash 54.37 = 3.32 seconds

Box Carbine fastest overall = 2:22.73
Box Tracer fastest overall = 2:17.08
Tracer beats Carbine by = 5.65 seconds

Upper sector fastest: Carbine 1:27.62 Tracer 1:24.32 = 3.30 seconds
Lower sector fastest: Carbine 54.11 Tracer 52.38 = 1.73 seconds