mobile1mobile1

I am 6f3. I have a 29 and a 27.5... I take the 27.5 all day long, so the wife got the 29. I love how snappy and playful the 27.5 is. The 29 feels sluggish and heavy...and I don't notice much roll over difference to better traction I think if one looks at it from a scientific point of view the contact patch size difference is probably minuscule as is the roll over...

I have found optimizing for wheel weight makes a huge difference so I go with 22mm rims 2.4 wheels.. or 27mm rims and 2.6 (back) and 2.8 (front) and berd spokes. Also instead of tubeless I use lightweight turbolito tubes (half the weight of normal tubes and twice as puncture resistant) plus panaracer kevlar liners (32gr). That setup weighs less than tubeless, needs no cleaning out old goo and refill every few months...so zero maintenance, and the kevlar is bomb proof against pretty much anything and as said less weight. Only draw back is - sidewall protection is a bit more vulnerable.

Now someone who likes a more stable rigid setup prob 29 is better.

GenesGrnMachine

I had looked at 29” bikes about 12 years ago, but a test ride felt slow and heavy so I opted to stay with 26” going with a Giant Trance X1. 10 years later when the Giant was getting long in the tooth, I tried 29ers again and found the geometry and weight issues to be negligible compared to the previous experience. I’ve been super happy the last couple years with my Trek Fuel EX 9.8 with a 2.6” up front and a 2.4” in the back. I can see where some would like the 27.5” wheel setup running some fatter rubber (2.8+) but that rolling weight can start to slow things down, but really depends on where you plan to ride, your riding style and a number of other factors. Test ride and see what works for you!

tungsten

winner winner chicken dinner

Chandne

I prefer 29ers generally, but my trails are more open and fast. I do have a 27.5 but I like the feel of 29ers...they feel more stable and especially at higher speeds. They also hold speed better. I think taller guys usually will prefer 29ers. 27.5s are a bit more nimble (unless they are super slack) and easier on tight trails due to a shorter wheelbase (all else being similar). I have been on 29ers since 2009 or so and every time I try a 27.5, it just doesn't feel as good. I like them but I just prefer 29ers. I do not like 26ers at all. I'm 6 ft tall.

cabledawg

26er all day. But I'm short and old and set in my ways. I started mountain biking back in the mid 90's and never really left that decade...…

Wongway

So what would everyone’s thoughts be for mullet bikes, where they run a 29 up front and a 27.5 in the rear?

prj71

I've seen a few people around here like that.

Chandne

The 27.5/29 combo is still nice because you can get that front-wheel rollover of the 29er and it keeps the wheelbase shorter. That its, if you prefer the shorter wheelbase for tight turns and switchbacks. I still prefer 29/29 but I have ridden the "mullet" which isn't bad at all. I may do that to my 27.5+ bike and put a 29 x 2.5 in front. However, I suspect I will end up getting a 29er rear wheel too, and I am trying to save up for a new mountain bike instead.

Eyesonly@mj12

I have a Giant Talon 1, 29er. Can I put 27.5" rims on this bike without screwing up the rideability? Thanks.

prj71

You'd gain nothing and your bank account would be emptier.

Happy Feet

Practically speaking:

If you run disc brakes no problem but rim brakes will require adjustment for the smaller rim size, if possible.

You also have to consider your bottom bracket height when swapping wheel sizes. If you run a 2.0/29r and swap to a 2.0/27.5r you lower the BB. That may or may not cause pedal strike when cornering.

Mostly, when people do that swap it's so they can run a fatter tire on the smaller rim, thus maintaining roughly the same BB height.

I have a 700c road bike with a second 650b wheelset for my gravel tires. The smaller rims allows fatter tires and still maintains the BB height.

Some fat bike riders have two wheelsets for winter/summer use to deal with snow or mtb trails. 26x4.5 is roughly the same as 29x3. That's another 2nd wheelset I plan to get one day.

There is a wheel size conversion chart on the net that allows you to compare rim/tire combinations in terms of circumference. I'm at work now but later I will link it so you can see what size tire at 27.5 would equal a similar tire at 29.

The question would be: Why do you want to go from 29 to 27.5? The answer will dictate the practicality of the swap.

PeteHski

I went from 26 to 29” back in 2014. Never looked back once. I’m fairly tall at 6’1” on a size L frame. Local terrain is very tight, techy singletrack. I have no issues with the handling in tight spots and the bigger wheels roll over obstacles better. I always thought 26” wheels felt too small. First time I rode a 29er I was sold instantly. I haven’t ridden a 27.5 but don’t really see any point for me now. My wife has a 27.5, but on a small frame. She prefers it to her old 26 too.

Having said all that, it’s probably best to focus on the whole bike, rather than just wheel size. A great bike with 27.5 wheels is always going to be better than a crap bike on 29 wheels.

Russ Roth

I took a 15 year hiatus from MTBing and when I bought a new bike a few years back it was a 29er. Yesterday I rode fast, flowing singletrack and the bike just rocketed along. Today I went to CT and rode what seemed like endless rock fields and the bike just flowed over everything. I know that yesterday and today I was fast than I was on that old 26er and I only had to walk one spot between both days. In every other aspect of the sport I'm slower than I was so I'm convinced the wheel size is the difference.

Chandne

Russ Roth- it was the same for me- instant love for the wheel size. I bought two 29ers almost at the same time. One was a Titus Racer-X 29er and the other was a Moots YBB 29er. I was pretty shocked at the ability to improve the way I could ride through flow fast trails. Even. my beloved 5-Spot didn't stand a chance and was sold. The regular 26er is long gone for almost every manufacturer's lineup. The 27.5+ seems to have gone too but the regular 27.5 is just hanging on, with usually one model having 27.5 wheels. I think they keep those for shorter riders though. Speaking of 27.5, I just picked up a new fatbike...a Trek Farley which has 27.5 fat tires instead of the usual 26" ones like the Specialized Fatboy (Specialized has discontinued its fatbike). The carbon Farley is hard to find due to demand, but it is far nicer than my carbon Fatboy in how it rolls and the overall feeling of stability. It is more versatile as well and feels much better on dirt, though it is primarily going to be a bike for snowed in trails each winter. The overall height (I have not had time to measure) is likely a bit taller than a 29er with 2.4 tires.

prj71

It was funny watching Giant go "all in" on 27.5 a few years back and not offering any 29ers. That was short lived. They lost sales and started bringing them back.

Chandne

Yeti's Chris Conroy basically called 29er a fad and said they would never do it. This was maybe 7 years ago. Look at their lineup now. They are doing incredibly well too. Sadly, Niner was one of the pioneers of 29ers and lost their way.

prj71

Niner sure did. Affiliated with Huffy these days.

https://www.bicycleretailer.com/indu...n#.YQqjCkBOmUk

Chandne

Yeah, they had to sell. I think they relied on the CVA design (which is actually quite amazing) for too long and people started to go for the newer and fancier designs. Mountain bikers are fickle and always look for the next "cool" bike so manufacturers have to keep up, and that is pretty expensive for a small company. IRC, it is 100K per carbon mold per size. I had an early RIP9. I am not a fan of this constant low and slack thing that has been going on for 6-8 years now. Each year the bikes get lower, longer, and slacker. I'm on a Yeti SB4.5 and am almost afraid to buy a new bike (as nice as her are) because they have even lower bottom brackets and are sometimes super slack and pedal like crap in slow technical sections. I'm also picky with suspension design so I'm waiting and watching.

prj71

My buddy and I rode Monday night. We swapped bikes because he is interested in buying a bike like mine ...Spot Mayhem. He has a Jet 9 RDO. It was OK. Didn't notice anything outstanding about the CVA suspension unless you can expand upon that.

Couple manufactures are bucking the lower bottom bracket if you look around. I hate lower bottom bracket as well. Mine is at 349mm on my first generation Spot Mayhem.

Chandne

The CVA was ahead of its time, when the Horst Link was pretty much the best. CVA was active yet had little pedal feedback and has more anti-stat built it. Now the others have caught up and have their own characteristics, which are even better....DW Link, Split Pivot, Switch Infinity, and even Spot's design. Santa Cruz has also made improvements to the old VPP design. Niner just relied too much on CVA and got caught exposed when DW Link came out. The Jet9 is a fast little bike but CVA on the RIP9 was much better.

gis_guru

I have a 650b Ritchey and the only issue I have is the lack of choices for the tires. They are out there but they seemed to dry up for a while. With the move to mullet bikes I think they are starting to offer/stock more 27.5 tires. I also have a 29ner and find myself riding the 27.5 more often. Cheers

LV2TNDM

And that's EXACTLY where the 29er does really well. Just retired my 26" hard tail after 23 years, so this was finally my delving into the realm of big wheels and full suspension. Another poster said something like "a revelation" and I'm in the same boat. Being mid 50's, I was finding the trusty old steed tended to want to buck me off! (Perhaps a bit top heavier these days?!!!!) Anyway, I LOVE technical stuff. I mountain tandem and love most things gnarly (Trail 401, Moab, Hole in the Ground, among many others on the tandem). I never mastered doubles or big hucks, so there's that. But technical climbs and descents are a blast. Rode Moab's portal many times fully rigid.

Anyway... so I get lucky and find an Ibis Ripley. Holy ****! Am I a happy camper! Tahoe technical stuff is a completely different world. OMG! I'm 5'9" and was pretty sure the 29" wheel was the way to go. Yup, totally psyched. And guess what? I CAN actually jump! Holy crap. Night and day experience for me. But then again, I'm coming from "90's tech," so it's pretty certain that I'd be all excited and psyched if I had landed on a 27.5". But hey, if a bigger wheel rolls over stuff, go 29", especially for the technical.

Soquel Demo was a blast on the Ibis. It had been 20 years since riding there. Didn't expect to hit too much tech, but then found the ridge trail TOTALLY rutted out. Blasted through it without a dab. On the old bike I'd have been walking a lot. But the 29" wheels (and the whole bike in general) is amazingly confidence inspiring. Again, whole new world here.

That said, when my wife got a bike last year, I strongly recommended a 27.5" for her at 5' tall. If you're not above about 5'5", then a 27.5 may be a better bet. Or if you're an obsessed weight weenie. These new 29" wheels & tires are NOT svelte by any means!

thehammerdog

Holmes good for you man. i have a sweet old school Ibis hat i bought in Arizona in 1990's while at the cactus cup. loved the brand ever since. tahoe moab wow great places.
enjoy the ride...

Matt93eg

[QUOTE=mobile1mobile1;22082017]I am 6f3. I have a 29 and a 27.5... I take the 27.5 all day long, so the wife got the 29. I love how snappy and playful the 27.5 is. [/fQUOTE]

Just found this forum and joined so my first post. Im of same opinion as you, not as tall though at 5ft11. I have ridden all 3 sizes and currently have a 29er and 27.5. I always ride the 27.5. Just suits my style of riding better. I can flick it in and out of corners super easy and to me just overall seems way more playful. I ride mostly XC trails.

Moisture

It mainly depends on what the geometry of the frame is designed around. It's also something to do with your height and size.

I'm 6ft3. ive tried 26, 27.5, and 29 on trails. This is the first time I'm using a good, properly equipped bike in my size on the trails. It just rolls over everything and maintains speed with zero effort involved. Turn in is still fast. You get a better angle of attack.

It also depends on what your riding style is. If you want faster response and a more agile feel, 27.5 might work better, perhaps with a rigid fork.

More things to keep in mind - 26" was popular for a long time because it gives manufacturers an easier time to optimize frame geometry. Take a look at this link -

https://www.giant-bicycles.com/int/technology/detail/94

My personal verdict? With all things considered, I think it'll depend on what sort of riding you wish to do, if we are comparing between similar bikes designed for different wheel sizes.

I love my XC bike, but maybe a rigid fork and smaller wheels will prove to challenge the riders skill a bit more.