26 or 27.5 Fat?

qclabrat

qclabrat

Well-Known Member
I like the weight of 120tpi but with the bigger 26" tires the sidewalls are mushy. Won't going to a 27.5x3.8/4 give you about the same tire diameter but stiffer sidewalls and still lower weight?

Which leads to the next question. What's the best rim width for a 27.5 x4 fat tire? Would you want it more round for dirt as opposed to squared off for snow?
 
qclabrat

qclabrat

Well-Known Member
FatTaco said:
Ive got Maxxis Colossus 27.5 x 4.5 on my new bike I have yet to ride but they are pretty wide. I weighed them with my 4.8 JJ and they are only a few grams heavier. Pretty darn close. Im feeling like i may have remorse going to 27.5 but I'll see when I ride it
Click to expand...
How much bigger in diameter are the Colossus compared to the Jims?
 
qclabrat

qclabrat

Well-Known Member
pkovo said:
I can't speak to truly fat 27.5 tires, but I am a big fan of 27.5 x 3.8 on my Ice Cream Truck for 3 season use. Makes the bike feel more like a forgiving trail bike in non-snow conditions. I'm running Bontrager Hodags which I really like also.

I plan to try some 26" jumbo jims this spring, but If I still feel that I like the 27.5" tires better, I'm probably going to breakdown my 26" wheels and steal the hubs to build up a better set of 27.5" wheels.


I run a mastodon though. If rigid, I might want the cush of the bigger tire up front.

I'm giving some serious thought to trying a mullet setup with a 26" in the back and a 27.5 up front, but with tire choices that keep the diameter pretty much the same.
Click to expand...
How are the Hodags at shedding dirt and mud? Their tight knobs looks like they might be better for dry fast dirt.
 
one piece crank

one piece crank

Well-Known Member
qclabrat said:
I like the weight of 120tpi but with the bigger 26" tires the sidewalls are mushy. Won't going to a 27.5x3.8/4 give you about the same tire diameter but stiffer sidewalls and still lower weight?
Click to expand...

I used to think I wanted stiffer sidewalls, but adding volume solved that. I went from Ground Controls to Buds. I don’t have direct experience with super-low PSI, but I’m told Buds have flexy sidewalls. I can say they ride great under my 6’4”/230lbs, at 6-8 PSI.

I can’t understand wanting narrower tires, or fast tires for that matter. I run the fattest my frame will fit, year round, which is 4.8” for now. My Ground Controls weighed less than the Buds, but the Buds feel faster and handle better, so I’ll take it!
 
pkovo

pkovo

Well-Known Member
qclabrat said:
How are the Hodags at shedding dirt and mud? Their tight knobs looks like they might be better for dry fast dirt.
Click to expand...

I've not had a problem with them shedding mud/dirt. For me they have been a pretty good do everything 3 season tire, and they are wearing really well.
 
rmap01

rmap01

Well-Known Member
One of the reasons I purchased a Beargrease was the ability to run different wheel sizes, i.e. 26, 27.5 or 29+. Stock build came with 27.5 wheels and 3.8” minions. I had a 29+ wheelset built running 3” minions which is what I typically ride at sandy places like Allaire or Wharton. I only run fat in the snow so those wheels haven’t seen any action this year. :( Although I haven’t tried them, Salsa claims the bike can be ridden with 26” wheels with up to 4.8” tires.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom