Are 26" really dying out?

[ReapThaWhirlwind]

I was talking with a local mechanic and he said that 26" bikes are dying out.

That almost seems unreal to me. It's like they were still the most popular wheelsize by far just a moment ago.

I have noticed that 26" tires have moved very slowly lately compared to the last few years. Maybe there is some truth to this?

I know I have pretty much moved on from 26" wheels and probably won't ever return.

What do you guys think?

[JJMarsh]

(09-30-2026, 12:23 PM)ReapThaWhirlwind Wrote:  I was talking with a local mechanic and he said that 26" bikes are dying out.

That almost seems unreal to me. It's like they were still the most popular wheelsize by far just a moment ago.

I have noticed that 26" tires have moved very slowly lately compared to the last few years. Maybe there is some truth to this?

I know I have pretty much moved on from 26" wheels and probably won't ever return.

What do you guys think?

Your mechanic is right. 26 inch is on the way out. Tire selection is shrinking and most new bikes are 27.5 or 29. If you are happy with your old 26, no reason to change. But I would not buy a new one in that size.

[Flowrider]

Yeah, believe so. A few bike shops in my area don't have any 26" gear, and there are some with 30" now

[Zviedrs]

I believe so too. Wouldn't consider 26" at all for a mountain bike - only for a teenager.
Plus, 27.5" seems like the new standard for women's choice.

[ReapThaWhirlwind]

I swear...I just said we would be riding 32in on road towards the end of last year before we started getting the announcement about 32in arrival in the mainstream.

I'm not against this really...I actually think it wants to make 26" more exotic and that's a good thing because it seemingly breathes new life into a dead horse.

[Flowrider]

I've also become aware of different-size front and back wheels.
They're called mullets here in Australia.
My friend has a 27.5" front and 29" rear
Another has 26" front and 29"rear.

I've never done this and not sure of the benefits

[ReapThaWhirlwind]

They also call it that when you ride a larger tire in the back than the front, which is typically what I do for winter riding in the snow.

For road, they call it Attack/Force. Which was a term coined by Continental who released a tire set exactly for this.

The larger tire in the back provides increased acceleration capability (torque force output), while the narrower tire in the front reduces rolling resistance and provides aerodynamic benefit.

[meamoantonio]

Best tire size for DJ set ups but I think the discipline is slowly fading away in a lot of countries, 26ers are alive here though as mainly cheap commuter bikes that come in from China to serve a mass market segment