27.5 plus

Monkey Soup

Angry Wanker
when I first started riding just a few years ago, the 27.5 was replacing the 26 and 29s were the general fashion. The XC decision tree only had two branches, hardtail or full squish.

Since then, they've widened the rear spacing twice and given us larger tires in 0.2" increments. Each time making some parts on last year's bikes insignificant. Looks I'll need to demo a bunch of stuff to dial in what's best for me. I originally was hung up on linkages but before that I'm going to have to figure out this tire thing first.


Dude, don’t get hung up on the equipment, especially tire size. A wider or bigger tire is not going to make that un-rideable section of trail suddenly easy. You’re going to get yourself into analysis paralysis. After years of stagnation, the bike industry has finally decided to follow the Steve Jobs model to become profitable; develop new technology or “improvements” to obsolete your previous model, to force consumers to buy-up. This year its plus, next year they’ll be shoving 29” down our throats (again), after that maybe 29+. Maybe after people get sick of building 12lb wheelsets or $2000 carbon ones, on top of a $5000 bike, the market will shift again, who knows. Tire width is just background noise. The only real innovation in the last 10 years that measurably changed the quality of my ride is dropper posts, wider bars, shorter stems, and the geometry changes that made it possible. The only radically new development is fat bikes, which have their use and their niche and can actually do things a standard bike cannot. Buy something you like, then stop thinking about it.
 

The Kalmyk

Well-Known Member
Dude, don’t get hung up on the equipment, especially tire size. A wider or bigger tire is not going to make that un-rideable section of trail suddenly easy. You’re going to get yourself into analysis paralysis. After years of stagnation, the bike industry has finally decided to follow the Steve Jobs model to become profitable; develop new technology or “improvements” to obsolete your previous model, to force consumers to buy-up. This year its plus, next year they’ll be shoving 29” down our throats (again), after that maybe 29+. Maybe after people get sick of building 12lb wheelsets or $2000 carbon ones, on top of a $5000 bike, the market will shift again, who knows. Tire width is just background noise. The only real innovation in the last 10 years that measurably changed the quality of my ride is dropper posts, wider bars, shorter stems, and the geometry changes that made it possible. The only radically new development is fat bikes, which have their use and their niche and can actually do things a standard bike cannot. Buy something you like, then stop thinking about it.


This is great advise!
 

qclabrat

Well-Known Member
Dude, don’t get hung up on the equipment, especially tire size. A wider or bigger tire is not going to make that un-rideable section of trail suddenly easy. You’re going to get yourself into analysis paralysis. After years of stagnation, the bike industry has finally decided to follow the Steve Jobs model to become profitable; develop new technology or “improvements” to obsolete your previous model, to force consumers to buy-up. This year its plus, next year they’ll be shoving 29” down our throats (again), after that maybe 29+. Maybe after people get sick of building 12lb wheelsets or $2000 carbon ones, on top of a $5000 bike, the market will shift again, who knows. Tire width is just background noise. The only real innovation in the last 10 years that measurably changed the quality of my ride is dropper posts, wider bars, shorter stems, and the geometry changes that made it possible. The only radically new development is fat bikes, which have their use and their niche and can actually do things a standard bike cannot. Buy something you like, then stop thinking about it.
Agreed, great advice Mr Soup
Unfortunately I'm a sucker for buyer's remorse and it's just the way I am, I'll analyze the shit out of things before I plunk down money
And usually just as some thing new comes out and that just Fs it up all over for me

interesting you mention a dropper, I rode for the first time with a dropper today on my bike
I've used one before but never consciously thought about using it, I still don't fully get it....
 

UtahJoe

Team Workhorse
Team MTBNJ Halter's
You constantly complain about riders not supporting LBS and yet you and some of the racers your support continually belittle a segment of the riding population. Actions have consequences
LOL...You guys know Halters?
Ya...
DONT EVER GO THERE...EVER!!!
Why did they rip you off?
No no...the owner...he made a joke about fat bikes on a message board.
no shit?
Ya...go to X shop instead...they belittle roadies and leg shavers there.
 

Monkey Soup

Angry Wanker
The dropper is a game changer, kind of like clipless was when they first came out. Getting the seat down and out of the way will make you corner faster because you can lean the bike easier, faster and get your center of gravity lower. You’ll hammer through rock gardens faster for the same reason, because you’ll be free to let the bike move around without a seat hitting you in the ass. On steep and technical terrain, you won’t have to get behind the seat with your ass on the rear wheel, instead slam the seat and lower your center of gravity. Jumps, same thing.
 

Monkey Soup

Angry Wanker
What we are seeing is:

-if you are racing xc = 29 x 2.2 - 2.3ish
-Just playing and having fun (mostly w/o a number on your bike) 27x 2.8" - 3.0"
-Drive a hummer or Jeep or just love attention 26 x 4"-5"
-love to jump more than pedal 27 x 2.3" - 2.5"
-eyeing the bike packing thing 29 x 3.0

This is of course a wild generalization and results may vary.

This is how you properly generalize:


- 29 x 2.2 - 2.3ish – My Honda CB750 and old Triumph are real bikes, newer bikes are plastic shit.

- 27x 2.8" - 3.0" – Harley Davidson, for old guys with money who go slow but want to feel bad-ass.

- 26 x 4"-5" – RZR 1000. Trails? We don’t need no stinking trails!

- 27 x 2.3" - 2.5" – GSX-R, R1, Panigale 1299. Speed, handling, feel first, everything else doesn’t matter.

-29 x 3.0 – Hippies and tree huggers, or bike packers. Does anyone actually do this?
 

qclabrat

Well-Known Member
The dropper is a game changer, kind of like clipless was when they first came out. Getting the seat down and out of the way will make you corner faster because you can lean the bike easier, faster and get your center of gravity lower. You’ll hammer through rock gardens faster for the same reason, because you’ll be free to let the bike move around without a seat hitting you in the ass. On steep and technical terrain, you won’t have to get behind the seat with your ass on the rear wheel, instead slam the seat and lower your center of gravity. Jumps, same thing.
interesting, and I was thinking it was only for downhills.... lots to learn
 

jumpa

Well-Known Member
dropper post
wider bars
shorter stems
narrow wide rings
clutched derailleurs
long/low geo.

these are the best moves the industry has made by far and have benefited everyone in almost every riding category.

as far as tires go, I like to have options, i like that my friends have options. regardless of what my times are, b+ tires still dont "feel" as fun. they sure do ride nice though. but fun wins every time. Im not a racer. maybe those "kinda-but-not b+" tires in the 2.6 range will be for me, who knows.
 

Supermoto

Well-Known Member
LOL...You guys know Halters?
Ya...
DONT EVER GO THERE...EVER!!!
Why did they rip you off?
No no...the owner...he made a joke about fat bikes on a message board.
no shit?
Ya...go to X shop instead...they belittle roadies and leg shavers there.

Halters is the only shop that I've seen that continually belittles other riders while crying that people don't support his LBS
 

jdog

Shop: Halter's Cycles
Shop Keep
This is how you properly generalize:


- 29 x 2.2 - 2.3ish – My Honda CB750 and old Triumph are real bikes, newer bikes are plastic shit.

- 27x 2.8" - 3.0" – Harley Davidson, for old guys with money who go slow but want to feel bad-ass.

- 26 x 4"-5" – RZR 1000. Trails? We don’t need no stinking trails!

- 27 x 2.3" - 2.5" – GSX-R, R1, Panigale 1299. Speed, handling, feel first, everything else doesn’t matter.

-29 x 3.0 – Hippies and tree huggers, or bike packers. Does anyone actually do this?


By far my favorite post in a long time.
 

Mr.Moto

Well-Known Member
interesting, and I was thinking it was only for downhills.... lots to learn

What @Monkey Soup said. It is a game changer once you get it figured out. I've had one for a couple of years and it took me a while to learn some of the nuances of a dropper post. How high or how low to set it and when. Then you need to commit it to muscle memory so less thought on when to push the button and more focus on what you are riding. Some people seem to take to it right away. A little higher when climbing to get the legs stretched out. Lower when railing some turns. Low in the techy or downhill spots. I'm still learning but I understand it much more now.
 

rick81721

Lothar
What @Monkey Soup said. It is a game changer once you get it figured out. I've had one for a couple of years and it took me a while to learn some of the nuances of a dropper post. How high or how low to set it and when. Then you need to commit it to muscle memory so less thought on when to push the button and more focus on what you are riding. Some people seem to take to it right away. A little higher when climbing to get the legs stretched out. Lower when railing some turns. Low in the techy or downhill spots. I'm still learning but I understand it much more now.

I continually forget to use mine. Gotta make a mental note
 

The Kalmyk

Well-Known Member
Halters is the only shop that I've seen that continually belittles other riders while crying that people don't support his LBS


There are fucking humans drinking out of puddles right now. Sounds like 1st world problems really affect you. Be done with it guy. Otherwise your posts just come off as insecurities
 
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rick81721

Lothar
You constantly complain about riders not supporting LBS and yet you and some of the racers your support continually belittle a segment of the riding population. Actions have consequences

Last time I was at Halters (and I'm there all the time), they sell fat bikes.
 

Patrick

Overthinking the draft from the basement already
Staff member
dropper for getting on and off bike easier! Fits in car better (don't leave overnight)

and yeah, full height set just higher than normal mtb for those fire road moments....

goes well with my 2.8 tires that make me feel faster!
 
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