Smaller rear tire

[Buck Masterson]

I came across an old mountain bike in a barn and have no clue what brand it is, but it was brush painted black. From the scratches it looks as if it was green at one time. Anywho I had the idea of putting a 24 inch on the back and leaving a 26 on the front to give it a little different look to it. It has a rear a disk break so I will still be able to stop. Has anyone else done this?

 

[socal_jack]

That's a setup used in some mtb circles, mostly DH or DS I think. I have seen high end bikes setup that way.

 

[CCR]

i know ive seen alot of new MTB's with a 26" rear and a 29" front

 

[Buck Masterson]

Yeah this wont be a MT. bike when I'm done, I'm going to ad cruiser handlebars and a skinny front tire to it, but I want to keep the MT. rear tire on it for the type of use it is going to see. It is already named the River Rat since I live on the river, and I'm sure it going to see some time in and out of the water. Part of the reason I want the smaller rear tire is because it is a pretty tall bike, and I am not, and I want to give it a motorcross type of stance just to be different.

 

[socal_jack]

Was in the LBS the other day and saw the TREK 69er, kind of interesting I guess but there were small bike makers doing it back when Fisher was first pushing the 29. I remember Gary Fisher hawking the 29 inch at a bike shop out here or maybe a Norba race about 7 or 8 years ago and took until the last few years to make those somewhat popular. There were guys running the 24/26 early on and that idea seems to come and go. To me, the biggest performance difference in offroad mtb tires is running big fat meats like 2.5" plus, unless you're some kind of weight queen or something.

 

[SkidMark]

Cannondale made a MTB with a 26" front wheel and a 24" rear wheel, in the days before suspension.