the NOT SO official 27.5+ thread.

[The Kalmyk]

Not in China. The four foot ten inch commuter calls the shots. 26inch they say. 26 inch its is.

 

[Norm]

Manufacturers are totally forcing the issue these days. Discs brakes are a bad example, because they actually work better than rim brakes. Plus-sized tires will not replace or obsolete anything, but the whole 27.5 thing was completely stupid, sorry. And yes I realize it's a done deal and my next bike will likely be a 27.5 because I have little other choice. Fuck the industry.

I currently have 4-5 sets of cross wheels in the house probably worth $3000 or so. The industry is trying to force me to scrap all that.

For cross there really is minimal gain at best running disc brakes over rim brakes. I mean in general cross courses are flat. Throw in the fact you can decimate a $40 set of pads in an hour and I'm not sure the value add is real. On a mountain bike, sure. On a cross bike I just don't see it.

Same deal with 11 speed. Funny that I just found a 9sp cassette and chain brain new in the basement. I mean we've gone from 9 to Spinal Tap in a real short time.

 

[jimf]

hmm, you want an el mariachi. really. we share the same ideas on the 26 and 29 thing. I was riding a 2009ish trance for a while, 26". I go back and forth and all around with my wheel sizes. The handling of a 26" bike is so under appreciated. Generally, people go from low end 26ers to mid to high end 29ers as they progress through their cycling addiction. They get back on their cheapo 26 and say it sucks, and then profess 29ers for the rest of their lives. Gotta get on a nice full suspension 26" to really appreciate it. They turn so much better without all that spinning mass. I find my 27.5 Mojo to be a good compromise. It turns well and the larger wheels do help ease the ride and prevent some fatigue. Curious how this works with the 27+ bikes, it's more mass, and roughly the same diameter as a 29er.
I'd like to demo a full suspension 26+ and 27+ at chimney rock.

Is that what you are riding now? I would like to take one out, I have to look at their demo schedule or local shops that have a demo bike in large. I was also thinking highball, it has the same chainstay length as the salsa

BTW we met in the winter at RW while I was demo'ing a fatbike I rented from Joesfixit, you were on a Pugsley. It was freezing and the bike they gave me was a medium(I did not notice until I was at ringwood) and I did not get any feel for the fatbike experience at all. No idea if I like it or not, I felt like I was riding a kids bike. Have to give that a shot again as well

 

[gtluke]

Is that what you are riding now? I would like to take one out, I have to look at their demo schedule or local shops that have a demo bike in large. I was also thinking highball, it has the same chainstay length as the salsa

BTW we met in the winter at RW while I was demo'ing a fatbike I rented from Joesfixit, you were on a Pugsley. It was freezing and the bike they gave me was a medium(I did not notice until I was at ringwood) and I did not get any feel for the fatbike experience at all. No idea if I like it or not, I felt like I was riding a kids bike. Have to give that a shot again as well

ha I remember that!
Yeah I broke my Canfield Nimble Nine and replaced it with a El Mariachi. It's awesome, it's almost the EXACT same bike, but way cheaper, with a way better warranty.
I also sold that pug, and got a fatbike from a team mate with 5" tires.
For snow biking, 5" is way better, but for dirt, it's rough. Better to have a 4" set for summer and 5" set for winter but I choose just to ride a regular bike in the summer.
last winter was so f'ing good in ringwood. I rode there like 2-3 times a week for 2 months straight, anywhere the snowmobiles went I could go so easy. It was so deep though that the singletrack wasn't rideable. But it wasn't even passable on cross country skiis, I even tried that.

 

[soundz]

steel might be fake

 

[HilltopSteve]

27.5+ wins in my book for an all purpose fun bike. Racers will stick to skinny 29er tires, but for a non-race day bike that still feels like a normal mountain bike but with tons of cornering ability, loose/chunky climb traction and endless plushness for dense infinite rock gardens like in Ringwood, all of my chickens are in the 27.5+ basket.

I have a Fuse 6Fattie and a Highball 29er, Ive essentially not touched the Highball more than twice since getting the Fuse. It's that good. Its low, slack and it rips. It comes tubeless ready, just pull out the tubes and add sealant and valves and youre done. I have an SWorks Stumpy 6Fattie on order too, that should be incredible beyond words even as a race day bike, the question is the Plus tire being classed.

The Fuse Expert was heavy out of the box, 31 lbs compared to me being used to my Highball at about 25lbs. The Ground Control 3.0 tire is almost 1100g, I ordered some Panaracer FatBNimble 3.5s that are just about 600g each, and what a difference. The sidewall is the same thickness as a piece of printer paper, which lead to one mishap in Ringwood that wouldnt seal for crap, but the second tire I got to replace that one has been fine thus far and the weight drop has been well appreciated.

Overall, tons of fun and truly one of the best things to come out in 10 years. I dont see myself ever buying another regular width (2.1-2.4) tire bike again.

 

[rick81721]

I'm pullinig the trigger on a 2016 horsethief, then will get a 27.5+ 3 in wheelset so I can have 2 bikes in one. Gonna have to wait until end dec/ear jan tho - hopefully not much deep snow and/or ice this winter

 

[JimN]

I rode a 27.5+ for four days and now I don't want my 29ers anymore.

 

[The Kalmyk]

I rode a 27.5+ for four days and now I don't want my 29ers anymore.

Ive been reading similar stories more and more often.

 

[The Heckler]

steel might be fake

 

[Magic]

I rode a 27.5+ for four days and now I don't want my 29ers anymore.

Same bike for all 4 days? Did you have a selfie stick? Got some sweet pictures of it on West coast singletrack?

 

[JimN]

Same bike for all 4 days? Did you have a selfie stick? Got some sweet pictures of it on West coast singletrack?

Same bike, the Stumpjumper FSR Comp 6Fattie. Not cool enough for a selfie stick. I've got pictures on my phone but they don't do it justice.

 

[trailhead]

Same bike, the Stumpjumper FSR Comp 6Fattie. Not cool enough for a selfie stick. I've got pictures on my phone but they don't do it justice.

there seems to be some concern that the 30mm rim in combination with a 3" tire on this bike is not such an ideal combination. Does the rear end feel a little squiggly when climbing? for some reason they chose not to put the scrapers on it....probably weight concerns. Do you have the weight on this bike?

 

[JimN]

It felt fine to me, but I wasn't looking for it either. I was expecting the bike to feel heavy or sluggish, but it wasn't. Keep in mind that I normally ride a 32-33 pound all mountain 29er, so my definition of "not heavy" is different than others. I have no idea on the weight, but it felt considerably lighter than my bike. I need to ride one on trails that I know, but my impression of it was that it just felt like a 29er with big grippy tires when I was riding it. Now that I'm not riding it though, my 29er feels like a cross bike. I'm sure I'll get used to my bike again, but I'll probably buy a fatbike in the next few weeks, and then sell my 29er in the spring and pick up a 27.5+. Not necessarily the Stumpjumper, but I was very impressed with it and would happily own one.

 

[alex_k]

It felt fine to me, but I wasn't looking for it either. I was expecting the bike to feel heavy or sluggish, but it wasn't. Keep in mind that I normally ride a 32-33 pound all mountain 29er, so my definition of "not heavy" is different than others. I have no idea on the weight, but it felt considerably lighter than my bike. I need to ride one on trails that I know, but my impression of it was that it just felt like a 29er with big grippy tires when I was riding it. Now that I'm not riding it though, my 29er feels like a cross bike. I'm sure I'll get used to my bike again, but I'll probably buy a fatbike in the next few weeks, and then sell my 29er in the spring and pick up a 27.5+. Not necessarily the Stumpjumper, but I was very impressed with it and would happily own one.

Did you consider to replace wheels? Many 29ers have enough clearance for 27.5+ tires.

 

[The Kalmyk]

Did you consider to replace wheels? Many 29ers have enough clearance for 27.5+ tires.

I looked to see if my el mariachi could do it. Found nothing so far.

 

[JimN]

Did you consider to replace wheels? Many 29ers have enough clearance for 27.5+ tires.

No, but I would consider it. My Yeti is already pretty low though, and I expect 27.5+ tires would lower it a little bit more. I also haven't measured the rear tire clearance, but I doubt 3" tires would fit; maybe 2.8's would be ok. I guess I'll have to find some 27.5+ wheels to test it out.

 

[Steve Vai]

Here's the opposite side of the 27.5+ coin, summer wheels for the Fatty. With no concerns over clearance I built up 52mm Nextie rims with the Trax Fatty, which is the widest real size combo out. Coming from a 4" tire the bike feels like a rigid 29er. I kept letting air out of the tires throughout the ride. I think I ended up with 9-10PSI as I started with 12. Wheelset is exactly the same weight as my 85mm HEDs but the tires are a pound lighter, and these are heavy tires.

 

[Magic]

Here's the opposite side of the 27.5+ coin, summer wheels for the Fatty. With no concerns over clearance I built up 52mm Nextie rims with the Trax Fatty, which is the widest real size combo out. Coming from a 4" tire the bike feels like a rigid 29er. I kept letting air out of the tires throughout the ride. I think I ended up with 9-10PSI as I started with 12. Wheelset is exactly the same weight as my 85mm HEDs but the tires are a pound lighter, and these are heavy tires.

So you're at what, 17.5lbs now?😛

No, but I would consider it. My Yeti is already pretty low though, and I expect 27.5+ tires would lower it a little bit more. I also haven't measured the rear tire clearance, but I doubt 3" tires would fit; maybe 2.8's would be ok. I guess I'll have to find some 27.5+ wheels to test it out.

If you live anywhere close to @skyrokz maybe you can do a test fit with his setup. Side by side with his friends 2.5" Minions, it appears to be maybe half an inch shorter if you find the post he put up not long ago on his Enduro conversion. If you normally run narrower tires, it may even measure out even closer in diameter. Worth a shot!

 

[Juggernaut]

Here's the opposite side of the 27.5+ coin, summer wheels for the Fatty. With no concerns over clearance I built up 52mm Nextie rims with the Trax Fatty, which is the widest real size combo out. Coming from a 4" tire the bike feels like a rigid 29er. I kept letting air out of the tires throughout the ride. I think I ended up with 9-10PSI as I started with 12. Wheelset is exactly the same weight as my 85mm HEDs but the tires are a pound lighter, and these are heavy tires.

Interesting. Was the front tire at all floppy at 9psi on the 3" meats?