Raleigh XXIX Review

Two of the hottest trends in mountain biking are big wheels and singlespeeds. Do you have a mountain bike that you like, but are thinking about dabbling in both of these trends? Then at a suggested retail price of $729.99, the Raleigh XXIX is a great way to do it without breaking the bank.

The 29-inch wheels give you increased traction and better ability to roll over rocks, roots, and other obstacles. While not lightweight like some high-end steel bikes or more advanced materials, its butted chromoly frame and fork provide solid reliability and comfort. The frame and fork are not suspension-corrected, though, meaning that if you decide to upgrade to a suspension fork later, it will raise the front end of the bike, affecting your handling and fit. But with the fat 2.3-inch WTB Weirwolf tires, I find that I don't really miss the suspension on all but the gnarliest of trails.

The parts package is rounded out by Easton EA30 handlebar, stem, and seatpost, WTB saddle, WTB SpeedDisc rims with sealed bearing hubs, Avid BB5 mechanical disc brakes, TruVativ Firex crankset with 32-tooth chainring, and a 20-tooth rear cog. An eccentric bottom brack with external bearings provides chain tensioning duties. The generic ball-and-retainer Aheadset is the weakest link in the spec; it will last you for a while, but I ended up replacing mine with an FSA Orbit XL-II with sealed cartridge bearings right off the bat.