In winter 05/06 I was on a quest to answer the question: which bike is more efficient, a Trek Fuel or a Salsa Dos Niner? It just so happens that one uses 26" wheels while the other uses 29" wheels...
These have proved to be rather popular posts, most of them getting over 10,000 hits and still counting. To this day, it is the only published attempt at quantifying the difference in wheel formats using power. I could be flip and say it doesn't really matter anyway, we're just riding bikes for fun, right? Well, based on the popularity (infamy?) of these posts it clearly matters to some folks out there. Probably you ;)
My stable has grown - it now includes a FS 29er (again), lots of 26ers, and soon a 55er (26+29=Siren Fifty-Five). And if that isn't confusing enough, there's an outside chance I'll be testing a new entry to the wheel size mix, the 650B/27.5" by Kirk Pacenti.
So guess where my interests lie now? Yep, learning the strengths of each of these formats. It's a technical nightmare as James at CN has learned. Realistically, the only power meter I trust on an MTB is the Power Tap. The major (MAJOR) hitch is they don't have a disc compatible hub yet. I've been leaning on them for a few years but I'm only once voice. If you are interested in the same hit with an email. The Lev is rear disc only...so any testing on that bike is limited to terrain where a rear brake is optional.
Fun things to look forward to, more charts and geekdom.
So with all the downtime in the last 6 weeks, aside from moving and a few other things...I've got my music situation dialed in. Some folks get cable TV, I get a monthly music service with Rhapsody. Their top plan is called Rhapsody to Go but it requires specific MP3 players to utilize it - it always seemed overkill to me. Well my trusty little Creative Nano finally croaked and forced my hand...so I got a Rhapsody compatible player. All I have to say is I'm glad that Nano bit the dust. In the past once I found the music I liked online, I had to buy it somewhere. It wasn't so much the money but the time that was a PITA and kept those efforts to a minimum. Rhapsody to go - so far - has changed all that. I can now upload anything from Rhapsody's catalog to the MP3 with a 30 day license - this even includes custom stations. Pretty sweet deal considering I work at a desk and use Rhapsody most of the time already...the new MP3 just upped my music addiction.
Ain't technology somethin'? I guess this means I'm no retro-grouch. Gimme gears, suspension, music, and power baby. That and a touch of crack makes for a lot of flow.