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Is 27.5" dead?

Old 10-09-19, 01:03 PM
  #101  
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Originally Posted by Bandrada
Bolded: I don't think you can go from 135 quick release to 148x12, even with a conversion T/A conversion. But, I'm pretty sure you can go from 135 through-axle to 148 with the right end caps. The "boostinator" is only good for existing 142 spacing as far as I can tell.
Right, good point.
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Old 10-09-19, 01:07 PM
  #102  
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Besides, I'd think the shifting would be pretty jacked up, or you'd have to adjust the Q factor fairly significantly.
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Old 10-09-19, 01:11 PM
  #103  
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Originally Posted by Kapusta
Right, good point.
Well, not exactly. I meant to say "But, I'm pretty sure you can go from 135 through-axle to 142 with the right end caps". I hope I didn't make this any more confusing. The point is that I don't think they make end caps that can go from 135 spacing to Boost spacing. They actually moved the cassette, didn't they? I don't really know. I'm currently running 142 on my main bike, 148 on my HT, and I do have a few 135 in the stable, but I've never bothered or had the need to convert them.
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Old 10-09-19, 06:31 PM
  #104  
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Originally Posted by Kapusta
Someone asked if it was possible to convert 135mm hub to Boost (148x12).

The answer is yes.... IF the hub itself is convertible (and many mid-high end hubs are).
I have two pairs of wheel sets which I build few years ago with Surly singlespeed disc hub with solid nutted axle. I was just curious if there were any adapters to convert this particular hub to a larger spacing. If not I'll just continue to ride with my old frames with 135mm spacing.
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Old 10-14-19, 10:10 AM
  #105  
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Old 11-07-19, 10:23 PM
  #106  
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How about 36" or maybe the BMX 22" standard. My local Walmart is full of 26" wheeled bicycles. The fashion, excuse me, bicycle industry is having a hard time killing off the 26" bicycle. Much harder than the 27" wheeled 10 speeds of yore. Hey, maybe we will be going back to 27" after the 700c market gets saturated. Got to keep up with the Jones.
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Old 11-07-19, 10:27 PM
  #107  
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Originally Posted by '02 nrs
was only a fad (gimmick) to boost bike sales.whats the latest -greatest next road bike wheel size going to be???
How about 36" or maybe the BMX 22" standard. My local Walmart is full of 26" wheeled bicycles. The fashion, excuse me, bicycle industry is having a hard time killing off the 26" bicycle. Much harder than the 27" wheeled 10 speeds of yore. Hey, maybe we will be going back to 27" after the 700c market gets saturated. Got to keep up with the Jones.
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Old 11-12-19, 01:44 PM
  #108  
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Originally Posted by tallbikeman
How about 36" or maybe the BMX 22" standard. My local Walmart is full of 26" wheeled bicycles. The fashion, excuse me, bicycle industry is having a hard time killing off the 26" bicycle. Much harder than the 27" wheeled 10 speeds of yore. Hey, maybe we will be going back to 27" after the 700c market gets saturated. Got to keep up with the Jones.

You can't use Walmart as a basis of comparison for killing the 26" wheel bikes. Those are just bike shaped objects that kids ride around on the pavement.

And if you noticed 27.5 is dying off the most of the big name manufactures websites. Giant is realizing that going all in on 27.5 wheel size was a big mistake. Now look what happened. All of their models available in 29 now. It wasn't that long ago that you couldn't find a 29er on the Giant website.

https://www.giant-bicycles.com/us/bi...-bikes/29-inch

Last edited by prj71; 11-12-19 at 01:47 PM.
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Old 11-12-19, 02:01 PM
  #109  
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Originally Posted by prj71
You can't use Walmart as a basis of comparison for killing the 26" wheel bikes. Those are just bike shaped objects that kids ride around on the pavement.

And if you noticed 27.5 is dying off the most of the big name manufactures websites. Giant is realizing that going all in on 27.5 wheel size was a big mistake. Now look what happened. All of their models available in 29 now. It wasn't that long ago that you couldn't find a 29er on the Giant website.

https://www.giant-bicycles.com/us/bi...-bikes/29-inch
The bicycle industry is totally fashion driven so going to another wheel standard is a common practice in the interest of promoting new bicycle sales. The US bicycle industry is roughly 6 billion dollars a year. This is big money. Walmart sells a lot of bicycle shaped devices. Walmart probably alone sells more bicycles than brand name Trek, Specialized, Giant combined. A lot of the bicycles are made by Giant anyway and branded for Walmart or others. I was not able to access the exact percentage of the US bicycle market that Walmart services but I'm sure it is huge. I see Walmart/Target bikes being ridden by adults in their day to day endeavors all the time. I see more of those bicycles being used than brand name bicycles. Walmart sells huge amounts of children bicycles as you brought up but their products are being used by vast amounts of adult cyclists. If Walmart continues to sell 26" wheeled bicyles including MTB's then that wheel size may not die off like the 27" wheel size did. I still ride a 27" wheeled bicycle because parts are easy to come by and cheap all these many years after the last new ones were sold. Like you I'll keep an eye on the 650B experiment, maybe it is going away. Who knows.
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Old 11-12-19, 05:31 PM
  #110  
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Originally Posted by prj71
You can't use Walmart as a basis of comparison for killing the 26" wheel bikes. Those are just bike shaped objects that kids ride around on the pavement.

And if you noticed 27.5 is dying off the most of the big name manufactures websites. Giant is realizing that going all in on 27.5 wheel size was a big mistake. Now look what happened. All of their models available in 29 now. It wasn't that long ago that you couldn't find a 29er on the Giant website.

https://www.giant-bicycles.com/us/bi...-bikes/29-inch
You are conflating “seeing less of” with “dying off”. The former is what is actually happening, the latter requires a prediction about the future

There is zero indication in those numbers whether they are dying off or simply correcting for over enthusiasm.

Yes, Giant made a big mistake thinking that nobody wanted 29ers. But that does not mean nobody wants 27.5.

If an ice cream shop decided to only sell vanilla, then smartened up and started selling chocolate again, that does not mean vanilla is dead.

Last edited by Kapusta; 11-12-19 at 05:53 PM.
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Old 11-12-19, 05:41 PM
  #111  
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Originally Posted by Bandrada
Actually, 150mm spacing would solve a lot of problems for many bicycles, which is popular with DH bikes and old skool FR bikes. I don't think Boost offers any real advantage up front, unless you are into a fat, or mid-fat bikes. I've also been a big fan of high volume 26" wheels, but I'm 5'8" so it's just a better all round compromise for me. If I had a choice, that's what it would be, along with more modern geometry and slightly longer wheelbase than what was standard for 26. I'm a "playful" rider most of the time, and 26 offers quite a bit more control in most situations... I have to work pretty hard to throw my current bike around. As someone said, it's slightly too long and tall...
sorta agree with the no need for boost front, but for thicker stanchions like 36s and 40s you can get much bigger tires up front. I have a Fox Factory 36 on my Scott FR710 and don't think I can get larger than a 2.5 in the front. I'm running 2.4s HR2s now which we all know Maxxis tend to size smallish.

also no way the industry not going to use an old "standard". That's just not profitable.... Sorry Mr Bike Mfr, I'm not buying into super boost. Actually my favorite setup is an 11spd with 142TA. I haven't needed Eagle yet. Though the idea of an e-bike for commuting has me interested.

Last edited by qclabrat; 11-12-19 at 05:45 PM.
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Old 11-12-19, 06:12 PM
  #112  
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Originally Posted by qclabrat
sorta agree with the no need for boost front, but for thicker stanchions like 36s and 40s you can get much bigger tires up front. I have a Fox Factory 36 on my Scott FR710 and don't think I can get larger than a 2.5 in the front. I'm running 2.4s HR2s now which we all know Maxxis tend to size smallish.

also no way the industry not going to use an old "standard". That's just not profitable.... Sorry Mr Bike Mfr, I'm not buying into super boost. Actually my favorite setup is an 11spd with 142TA. I haven't needed Eagle yet. Though the idea of an e-bike for commuting has me interested.
I never had a problem with my Totem, so it really depends on whether we are discussing 26" or 650b.

I could actually run a 2.5x27.5 on that fork if I'm not mistaken. Still one of the best forks I've ever had.
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Old 11-12-19, 07:46 PM
  #113  
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Originally Posted by Bandrada
I never had a problem with my Totem, so it really depends on whether we are discussing 26" or 650b.

I could actually run a 2.5x27.5 on that fork if I'm not mistaken. Still one of the best forks I've ever had.
Totem's are sick forks, I remember when people used to laugh at the price 10 years ago. "who the heck would pay that much..."
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Old 11-12-19, 08:38 PM
  #114  
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Learn something new every time I read this forum.
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Old 11-14-19, 09:08 AM
  #115  
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Originally Posted by tallbikeman
The bicycle industry is totally fashion driven so going to another wheel standard is a common practice in the interest of promoting new bicycle sales. The US bicycle industry is roughly 6 billion dollars a year. This is big money. Walmart sells a lot of bicycle shaped devices. Walmart probably alone sells more bicycles than brand name Trek, Specialized, Giant combined. A lot of the bicycles are made by Giant anyway and branded for Walmart or others. I was not able to access the exact percentage of the US bicycle market that Walmart services but I'm sure it is huge. I see Walmart/Target bikes being ridden by adults in their day to day endeavors all the time. I see more of those bicycles being used than brand name bicycles. Walmart sells huge amounts of children bicycles as you brought up but their products are being used by vast amounts of adult cyclists. If Walmart continues to sell 26" wheeled bicyles including MTB's then that wheel size may not die off like the 27" wheel size did. I still ride a 27" wheeled bicycle because parts are easy to come by and cheap all these many years after the last new ones were sold. Like you I'll keep an eye on the 650B experiment, maybe it is going away. Who knows.
Unfortunately the cheap crap bikes that Walmart sells is not any indication of what the actual bike industry is or isn't doing.
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Old 11-14-19, 09:28 AM
  #116  
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Originally Posted by Kapusta
You are conflating “seeing less of” with “dying off”. The former is what is actually happening, the latter requires a prediction about the future

There is zero indication in those numbers whether they are dying off or simply correcting for over enthusiasm.

Yes, Giant made a big mistake thinking that nobody wanted 29ers. But that does not mean nobody wants 27.5.

If an ice cream shop decided to only sell vanilla, then smartened up and started selling chocolate again, that does not mean vanilla is dead.
Trust me. 27.5 will die off like 26" did. Lack of sales will eventually kill it.

Not sure about where you ride, but where I ride we have weekly group rides at various trails in the area and 27.5 bikes are scarce. Maybe one or two in a group of a dozen or more people and they are usually Giants because giant wasn't selling 29 Anthems and Trances for a few years.
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Old 11-14-19, 09:30 AM
  #117  
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Originally Posted by tallbikeman
Learn something new every time I read this forum.
Or this...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Front-Rear-...ss!54452!US!-1
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Old 11-14-19, 10:50 AM
  #118  
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Originally Posted by prj71
Trust me.
Well, since you put it that way, I am totally convinced.
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Old 11-14-19, 11:22 AM
  #119  
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Originally Posted by bundubasha
Giant, the biggest bike manufacturer in the world, unless I am mistaken has just announced no more 27.5 in their 2020 lineup. Just saying...
Just found Giant 27.5" on their site-looks like they are still making them: https://www.giant-bicycles.com/us/bi...ikes/27-5-inch
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Old 11-14-19, 11:44 AM
  #120  
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Originally Posted by freeranger
Just found Giant 27.5" on their site-looks like they are still making them: https://www.giant-bicycles.com/us/bi...ikes/27-5-inch
Yep. Glory, Trance, Reign, Talon, Fathom, and ATX.... all available in 27.5.
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Old 11-15-19, 01:22 PM
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Originally Posted by Kapusta
Yep. Glory, Trance, Reign, Talon, Fathom, and ATX.... all available in 27.5.
For now. They will be phased out over the next 2 years.

Much like rim brakes are starting to slowly disappear on road bikes. All going to disc now because disc is superior.
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Old 11-15-19, 01:55 PM
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Originally Posted by prj71
For now. They will be phased out over the next 2 years.
.
And you know this how?

Did Giant announce this?
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Old 11-20-19, 08:46 AM
  #123  
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Originally Posted by Kapusta
And you know this how?

Did Giant announce this?
Look around at what people you ride with are riding and what your local bike shop is selling. I guarantee the majority is 29" tires.

Lack of sales will kill off the 27.5 wheel.
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Old 11-20-19, 09:38 AM
  #124  
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Originally Posted by prj71
Look around at what people you ride with are riding and what your local bike shop is selling. I guarantee the majority is 29" tires.
The vast majority are Mediums and Larges. By your logic, small and XL sizes are going extinct.

Also, the vast majority of fs bikes are mid-travel. By you logic, DH and XC bikes will be gone in 2 years.

The vast majority run standard sized tires (up to 2.6). By your logic plus and fat bikes will be soon phased out.

Last edited by Kapusta; 11-20-19 at 11:35 AM.
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Old 11-20-19, 01:02 PM
  #125  
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Plus bikes have been phased out for the most part. Manufactures have gone to offering them as 29er with 27.5+ capability leaving it up to the consumer to decide.

This has nothing to do with bike size or mid travel vs dh vs. XC. It has to do with wheel preference of the consumer...which is 29...which is why Giant brought back the 29 because they realized they made a mistake offering all of their models as 27.5 only for a few short years.
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