26" vs 28" Wheel ?

Intex

Pedelecer
Aug 17, 2008
100
0
I have noticed that some bikes (ie: Flyer) have similiar bikes that differ in wheel size.
What are the reasons for choosing a 26" or 28" wheel version. Is one more suited to a type of biking such as speed, or hill climbing, or doeas it have to do with body size?
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
52,766
30,351
On road bikes for general purposes, there's little difference, and it's more a body size issue.

Custom and fashion come into it as well, 28" more common on the continent, especially in the low countries, while in the UK we tend to have 26" on all but sports bikes. Body size is also involved in this too, the Dutch for example being a famously tall people.
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joab

Pedelecer
Its all about speed, a 28' wheel will always have a bigger topspeed then a 26' wheel. 26' will always accelerate faster then a 28' wheel. That is the main reason why an MTB will always have a 26' wheel and a racebike will always have a 28' wheel.

So for an electric if you are going to use it on the flat and not in the city I would recommend the 28' wheel. If you have a lot of hills or need to stop and start a lot I would recommend the 26' wheel.

Kind regards,
Jo
 

frank9755

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 19, 2007
1,228
2
London
I was just musing on exactly that!

I assume it is because the regulations for professional cycling races stipulate 28", and the cycling industry follows that trend - which supports the view that it is 9 parts fashion to 1 part performance!
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
52,766
30,351
Yes, the speed and performance thing is more a technicality for most riders, and only out and out sport riding types will detect any practical difference.

It starts to show more on larger wheel size changes, a 20" wheel hill climbing very much better than a 28". Wheel size also makes a front wheel stability and handling difference, and in motorcycle racing front wheels get changed in the 15" to 17" range to suit different circuits.
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flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
52,766
30,351
Smaller wheels, all else being equal, have higher rolling resistance than larger wheels.

Regards,
Jo
Quite true, and I find that a bit more detectable on normal unpowered bikes. On e-bikes and especially hub motor e-bikes, that rolling resistance increase is hidden enough to be undetectable on 20" wheel bikes.
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mahaca1

Pedelecer
Sep 20, 2008
36
0
Madrid, Spain
It's important the air pressure, my mountain bike has 2,5 bar, I inflate my dahon wheels at 5 bar, and the racebikes uses 8 or more bar.
1 bar = 14,5 psi
 

Blew it

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 8, 2008
1,472
97
Swindon, Wiltshire
The 28" wheel, together with an unsprung diamond frame, were accepted as the optimum many years ago. Even the most powerfull riders would find it difficult to maintain the higher speeds possible with a 30" wheel, simply because, as the speed increases, then so does the wind pressure.

Even when using 28" wheels, the pros will have to go to extremes to improve their aerodynamics, Drop bars, shaving their legs and arms, tight fitting clothing and taking every opportunity to gain a little respite from the constant wind pressure by tucking in behind another rider.

30" wheels on an electric bike!...no need to ...just change the internal gearing of the hub or crank drive motor.

Cheers

Bob
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
52,766
30,351
And of course the "Ordinary" to give it the correct name, sometimes called a Penny-farthing or High-wheeler, generally had a drive wheel in the 40" to 50" range, depending on the owner's inner leg measurement, though the trailing wheel was usually about a quarter of the drive wheel diameter.

Just history?

Not really, for there are enthusiastic rider-owner clubs in the western world with meetings and racing events, including in Britain. In fact Britain holds the world record for the number of ordinaries side by side with the riders holding each other up in a row by arms on shoulders. I think from memory that record is 139 ordinaries in a row, previously held by the USA with slightly fewer bikes.
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frank9755

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 19, 2007
1,228
2
London
At this very moment someone is attempting to ride from Lands End to John O'Groats on one. I think he is somewhere in Lancashire now. Story here
 

Intex

Pedelecer
Aug 17, 2008
100
0
Those ProConnect owners out there, what size wheel did you order? I see that it is available with either wheel.
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
52,766
30,351
At this very moment someone is attempting to ride from Lands End to John O'Groats on one. I think he is somewhere in Lancashire now. Story here
Good on Stuart! He's certainly a tall chap to have had his replica made with a 52" wheel. His inside leg measure has to be half that plus the crank length, fork clearance, top tube diameter and saddle depth, some 35" to 37".
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Intex

Pedelecer
Aug 17, 2008
100
0
Maybe I saw some erroneous info. Is there a choice of wheel size on the pro Connect?
 

iaing

Pedelecer
May 27, 2008
129
0
L31
Pro Connect Wheel Size

Maybe I saw some erroneous info. Is there a choice of wheel size on the pro Connect?
On the Agattu the wheel size is 28", except for the x-small frame version where it is 26". There is no option to pick and mix.

Maybe the Pro Connect is the same, though the x-small size is available only with the wave frame in each case.

Iain
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
52,766
30,351
A "small wheeled" bike still holds the 200m speed record for "upright" bikes:Liners 1,2,3
Thanks Miles, the streamlining making far more difference than the wheel size ever would. I've never been able to reliably detect any difference in speed terms, even between 20" and 28" with identical tyres, bike weight and conditions, and any e-bike power would swamp any minute difference.

The odd rider who has experimented with 26" for mountain stages in the Tour de France has found any marginal climb gain outweighed by a slightly slower downhill time, but that's at up to 60 mph over several miles downhill. Not exactly our riding conditions.
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Miles

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 4, 2006
504
1
I've never been able to reliably detect any difference in speed terms, even between 20" and 28" with identical tyres, bike weight and conditions, and any e-bike power would swamp any minute difference.
I agree, the difference is pretty marginal. I think the only situations where large wheels have a significant advantage is on soft, uneven or rough surfaces.. Race on cobbles anyone? :D