26ers vs. 29ers

26ers be nimble
26ers be quick
on my 26er I can nearly bunny hop a candle stick

today for my morning commute I rode my almost ancient Rocky Mountain Blizzard
last night as I put some pedals on this old steel beast I was disgusted by the amount of play in the bottom bracket
it is the orignial bottom bracket so I am not shocked
as I rode to work I found myself going the wrong way in the far right lane of traffic
as a car came speeding head on towards me the man driving flashed his brights
my initial reaction was that the driver was trying warn me to move out of his way
but as he passed he yelled out the window in a heavy Indian accent, "your bottom bracket is loose"
he was right...
so I did not give him the finger
although I was amused that he had to decelerate for the red light
absurd that he would be going 75mph in a 25 zone in the right hand lane playing chicken with a cyclist with a loose bottom bracket

on my way into work I tried to get a taste of some technical
up and over curbs
then off curbs
onto short patches of grass
on well warn dirt track paths created by walkers and runners that opt to walk along the path rather than on the path
whatever presented itself I approached

while taking this short urban excursion into work I was loving the feel of the bike benieth me
the bike felt so nimble and quick
the fit was wrong
no extension
I dwarf the bike with its 21 inch frame and its 26 inch wheels
yet the feel was good just the same

this had me playing multiple ideas through my head
that question.... is the 29er always the best bike for the job?

in my head I day dreamed about the four races at Wakefield Park this summer
the thought of racing a different bike on each night
comparing lap times and final finishes
comparing feel of each bike and preferences
would the 26er be better suited for tight winding singletrack then the 29er?
I have compared the geared 29er to the single speed 29er for me on this course/at this race....
but what about the 26er?
other than a bar bike or a beater.... does the 26er still have a place in my world?

then I thought some more
maybe it is not the 29er as a whole
maybe if I were on a 29er that is more light weight then the Surly Karate Monkey?
is that where my error lies?

I love my monkey
"touch my monkey"
but... the Karate Monkey is a lead sled
a great bike.... but definitely one of the heaviest bikes in its class

where does this leave me?
only to consider some product testing on my own?
unlikely
I will just blog about it and never find out the answer
this riddle will be filed along side of the "how many licks..." question
the world will never know