Curiosity has got the better of me, I’ve been wondering what my fatboy (26×4.6) would be like as a 29er as I suspect the frame started life as a svelte 29er before being put on the Greggs diet by the feeders in Spesh’s RnD dept

So my question now is 2 fold, the first part is whether or not to put it on a slightly lackadaisical, not really trying ‘January’ diet, that will take it to a chubby 29+ or the full Mckieth anorexia to regular 29 x 2.1-2.3. TBH I’m erring toward skinny as I fancy it being a quickish xc bike…

With that in mind, what rim should I go for? Wheelsets are out, unless you can recommend me one that comes with a 150x15mm/190x9mm hub combo.

Is there a mythical width that will accommodate all tyre sizes?

Why not go the whole hog and whack some cyclo cross tyres in there.
Mud clearance to die for.

I have jumbo Jim 4.0 on my Fatbike, I’ve just got a set of DT Swiss XM551 27.5 rims on Hope fatsno hubs, WTB Ranger 3.0 Tyres.
40mm internal width.

Diameter is 10mm less compared with the Jumbo Jim 4.0’s
27.5 3.0 Ranger 725mm
26+ 4.0 jumbo Jim 735mm

If your running 4.6 tyres, I’m pretty sure 29+ is closer in diameter

Cheers golddigger, looking at your pic, I’m now not sure 29+ will be great on the clearance front, time to get the tape measure out I think.

What’s the ride like now?

The ride is awesome, my favourite bike.
It light, grippy, nimble and riding up hills seems a lot easier than my other bikes.

Clearance wise even though it’s a different bike, but if you’ve got a bluto on yours these might help..

Yeah got a bluto so that helps, cheers. Will have a dig around for measurements on 29+

29+ is win-win.
Comfort, speed and grip without the usual drawbacks of fatness (lifeless sluggishness)

Someone on here recommended that I go for a velocity ‘dually’ rim, and having read a great review on twenty nine inches.com, I got one at a great price. Hopefully wiggle will be getting some more of them in.

Here’s my effort. Hope Pro 4 Fatsnos on WTB KOM i-25s
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/fr/en/hope-pro4-fatsno-on-wtb-kom-i-25-rim/rp-prod159173
This is one I returned to CRC for cosmetic damage. Mine ride great. Sort of accidentally on purpose took them down a really (within reason) rough rocky descent wearing only Thunder Burts and got through with no damage at all.

Surley quote 773mm diameter for a 29+ knard on a 50mm rim

778mm is quoted on most of these wheel size comparison pics

Interested in this, I have a spare set of hubs for my Beargrease and am looking to build some 29+ wheels for it, anyone done the same (using 40mm Easton rims from CRC) wondered about clearance?

I have a fatbike, a 29+ plus and a barely-used pair of regular 29er wheels that have been barely touched in the last 4 years since going plus/fat. I had to use the 29ers a while ago as I was waiting for some replacement 29+ tyres – took they out on my regular trails and crashed painfully on some exposed roots. The big, round carcass of the 29+ means you get silly grip at all angles, is big enough to cope with loose, sandy conditions and rolls very quick on hardpack as the contact patch is no wider than normal tyres. The only exception is mud and I’ll take my fatbike with chunky tyres instead.

Are the stock Mulefoot rims on the Stache worth upgrading or are they pretty good?

Sorry for slight hijack!

I have a set of 29 plus wheels for sale if any use. Pro2 fatsno hubs (170/135) on Easton ARC i40 rims 🙂

Andy, i’m very interested in the 29 plus wheels. will email you

Tom,
All things being equal if you were to use a 29er XM551 rim and WTB Ranger 3.0 rubber.
27.5 to 29 is 1.5″ which is 38.1mm bigger in diameter.
Divide by 2 and the wheel will be 19.05mm bigger in radius.

I measured mine at 725mm in diameter with my maths that’s makes a 29er version of my wheel 763.1mm.

When I’m home I’ll measure how much clearance I have in the bluto.

There’s 23mm clearance from the top of the tyre nobs to the arch of the bluto.
Based on my maths above you’d only have 4mm clearance, probably more with a 2.8 tyre.