I have both a 26" & 29" hardtail MTB's.

26" is snappy and twitchy in the woodlands and you can throw it into a corner are the plus points, the down side is that it feels the rough terrain more and does not roll as well (slight difference), but overall more responsive when you need to make a quick decision and change direction.

29" is smoother over the rough stuff, uphill if your pedaling hard it keeps rolling more, along flat and downhill rolls more than 26" (easier), it's a little sluggish on turning quickly but feels stable on trails.

so with the above if your cycling on open flowing trails and switchbacks use a 29'er, if your going into dense woodlands and needing to be alert and dodge branches and turn rapidly then get a 26".

hope this helps and i've not confused you.

29ers are BIG bikes. I think that for most men shorter than 5' 10" and most women in general, a 26 will be a lot smaller, lighter bike to deal with. Unless you are a pro, many of the differences stated above pale with regard to the size & weight difference. That said, there is a growing trend towards the 27.5" wheel which kind of splits the difference between the two.

I'm a 5'8" woman, and I've been riding 29" bikes for 3 years after riding 26" bikes for years.

26" bikes do tend to be more maneuverable, but the new 29" bikes are way, way better than they used to be. This is mostly due to the chainstays (the part of the frame that attaches to the back wheel axle) becoming shorter. I ride a Canfield Brothers Yelli Screamy, a 29'er hardtail, and it's amazing. I can throw it around like a 26" bike, but it rolls over stuff easily, a trademark of a 29" bike. It also climbs like a champ!

One downside of a 29'er is that the larger wheel is harder to spin up when you're climbing. If you're mega strong, you won't notice the difference. If you aren't, you'll feel like you're pushing a big gear on steep hills. Gentle grades, however, are different. You'll be faster on a 29" bike than you will on a 26".

If you're not riding super-technical trails (rocks, roots, etc), and you're not climbing really long, steep hills, get a 29'er hardtail, but get one with short chainstays and a slack head tube, because it will be way, way more fun. Canflied Yelli Screamy (or Nimble 9), Trek Stache, and the Kona Honzo all fit the bill.

I'm sold on 29'ers in hardtail, but I'm selling my 29" full suspension and going back to 26" for a full suspension bike.

Feel free to message me if you have any other questions.

Have fun riding!

Sounds like you live in an area with trails conducive to a 29'er. They go super fast and can roll like no other.

The reason I ride a 26er is that 1) I am 5'4 and feel like I am riding a giant clown bike at the circus on a 29er. 2) Where I live (rockies of Canada) we ride primarily tight trees, steep ups and downs, huge roots, rocks and all that fun stuff, I cannot climb on a 29er over things like these!

The reason I ride a 26er is that 1) I am 5'4 and feel like I am riding a giant clown bike at the circus on a 29er.

I was pretty much set on getting a 29er, but then started considering the size. I'm the same height (inseam 30") as you and I think 650b would probably be a better fit for me. I've had a road bike some 15yrs ago and might actually resurrect the frame further down the road. But have since been using a crappy city bike, which I can't wait to get rid of. However I want an all around bike that I can take off road as well and use in the winter with appropriate tires. I'll definitely do some bikejoring with the dogs and might also go on off road treks some day.

So size advice needed. Esp. from others around the same height.

You might look into a cyclo-cross bike.

Thanks for the suggestion! I've actually looked into cyclocrosses and if I don't resurrect the road bike frame I already have I may well end up with one, if I get really enamored w/ biking alone on pavement again.
I also think a cyclocross won't fit my trekking dreams: http://youtu.be/rZiFWcHEIrw
The general consensus also seems to be, that with the winters we get a mtb is the way to go. Singlespeeds would be better, but I need gears when biking with the dogs.

Go with a 650b from Jamis. Best of both worlds!

Pick a budget and book some demo bikes in that budget; with a mixture of wheel sizes. There is really no other way to tell if a bike is going to be comfortable than going and riding it.

People talk about the size issues of 29ers being a problem but that's just as much a problem with 26ers or 650B. If you get the wrong size it's the wrong size, whether it's a bike or a pair of jeans. I know some short guys who ride 29ers and some tall guys that ride 26ers, the common factor between them all is they have the right size frame.

I have thrown my leg over a couple of 29ers and done the carpark test and they OK but in all honesty I still have no idea if a 29er would be for me with out a proper ride. Depending on your budget it's normally worth spending a bit on hiring some demo's so you get the right bike long term. For instance getting a demo Orange 5 (one of my bikes) would be about £30-£40 for a few days in the UK, but when they cost upwards of £2500 its a pretty small percentage of that cost to know if its the right bike for you or not.

I rode many bikes and got a pretty clear idea about the frame size. Went to try a couple more, was put on a 29er and fell in love. I've settled on a Radon ZR Race 29er 5.0, but might have to hold the thought for a while as there will be some unrelated and unforeseen expenses in the near future.