Small wheels vs large wheels?

[Brewerpaul]

In terms of handling and general riding feel, what's the difference between small (20") and large (26") wheels?
I'd be riding the big majority of the time on good paved roads,small city (Frederick MD) and surrounding country roads.
I'd also like to feel comfortable on dirt roads, canal towpaths with decent hard packed earth trails. Also some wood roads.
The folding small wheels have an appeal since I could more easily pop it in my hatchback and take it to more distant places.

 

[AHicks]

It's about ride and rolling resistance. The same reason car manf's are going with taller tires all the time.

 

[E-Wheels]

It's about ride and rolling resistance. The same reason car manf's are going with taller tires all the time.

The smaller the attack angle the better the ride quality

 

[Katysax]

Large wheels are going to feel more stable, especially on fast downhills. It’s easier to get a good spread of gears on large wheels. Small wheels are going to be more sensitive to ruts and rocks. I’ve had lots of experience with both. There are a bunch of Ebikes with fat 20 inch wheels. It works for Ebikes because the motor helps overcome the extra weight and rolling resistance of the fat wheels. Personally I like the smaller size achievable with small wheels; I like riding a smaller bike. I bought a small wheel bike for ease of transport and I love it but it’s got limitations.

There is good reason a lot of mountain bikes have gone the other direction to 29” wheels. They handle off road better. I’ve ridden quite a bit around Frederick Maryland. You’d be fine with a small wheel folder with wide tires. However I would not want to ride small wheels on single track - the canal path and hard packed roads will be fine. However as I recall that area has a lot of rolling hills. Depending on the range you want and how many hills you might encounter you might consider a mid drive bike a nd not many of those come in small wheel bikes.

 

[harryS]

My wife prefers to ride her 20" full suspension electric-folder. over her 29" electric comfort hybrid. The smaller wheels give her better step-over and easier maneuvering. When I ride with her, I take a 20" e-bike, either a folder or a rigid frame minivello. By myself, I take a 26" or 700cc bike. While my wife would keep her folder, I still see them as a specialty tool.

The folders pack nice in a minivan for long trips. I don't have to drag them into our hotel at night. They can handle any paved bike trail. I put Schwalbe Big Apple 2" tires on my wife's bike so she feels confident on crushed gravel. Her previous tires were only 1.5" wide and squirrelly on loose gravel. The smaller wheels require proper gearing to really pedal fast, and most bikes won't have those gears. A comfortable pedal assist on most folders is under 18 mph.

I prefer to ride on smooth paved trails, so I don't need suspension and can stand up when I see something bad coming. My wife's is full suspension though, It would be better for city streets. These bikes probably feel twitchy to a new rider, but I have ridden them too long to notice.

Unpowered, I see great difference between our folders and a full size bike. Most of our ebikes started as regular bikes and I added the motor. The bigger wheels roll farther and faster, and the bigger wheels support gearing that makes for faster speeds, When motor assist is added, the differences minimize. Rolling/coasting ability is (edit) less important. The folder is quite fun. maybe not enough that it would be my only bike.

If it's going to be your only bike, you have to see if portabiluty is worth it. As usual, test ride both types!

.

 

[Marci jo]

My preference is for smaller wheels, 26” or 650b. At 5’4 I’m somewhat vertically challenged. Hoping on and off a big tall 29” wheel can be a challenge. Where’s the elevator?!

 

[Katysax]

My preference is for smaller wheels, 26” or 650b. At 5’4 I’m somewhat vertically challenged. Hoping on and off a big tall 29” wheel can be a challenge. Where’s the elevator?!

Most ebike are too big. At 5’4” you are average height yet you are at the bottom size most ebike frames comfortably accommodate. I also think that step thru frames are often so big I feel as though I am in the bike not on the bike. As Harry says, the disadvantages of small wheels are in many respects overcome by the electric assist. I thought I’d use a 20 inch bike in specialized situations but find that I ride it all the time.