Champions of the 29-inch mountain bike wheel universally say that bigger wheels translate to a smoother ride. Jeff Soucek, a senior design engineer for Felt, a bike manufacturer, told Bicycling that bumps and obstacles are less effective in slowing down larger wheels because they have a decreased angle of attack, meaning objects strike them at a lower point in comparison to the wheels axle. Because rough terrain doesnt affect the speed of the bike as much as it does for smaller wheels, riders of 29ers perceive a smoother ride. A smoother ride translates to lower energy expenditure, which leads riders to declare that the performance of a hardtail 29er rivals that of a full-suspension 26-inch bike.
