Thinking about a new bike and looking at Bird’s offerings. I’ve currently got a Whyte T-129. I prefer the look of the Aeris 145 to the AE-9. Plus the AE-9 is huge. Any thoughts?

Nope.

I would consider a 650 or even 26in rear wheel if I always only rode steep off the back of the bike shorts catching the tyre type trails, but why else would you want smaller wheels?

I went from a 2017 Whyte T129S recently to a Santa Cruz 5010, and also demo’d a 2018 T130S (both 27.5) and being a fairly average rider i took all the internet and magazine reviews of there being a noticeable difference with a pinch of salt and didn’t think i’d see a big change. I just wasn’t getting on with the 129 and thought i’d try a few different bikes.

I was very, very wrong! The T130 felt instantly more lively, and quicker to turn and accelerate and the 5010 (which i bought instead) is just fantastic. It’s hard to explain without sounding all cliche and preachy but both bikes just felt far more fun, although both likely slower against the clock in most situations.

I’m sure a lot of it is preference, but having tried my 5010 a riding buddy of mine also went out and replaced his short-travel 29’er Trek Fuel with a 27.5″ trail bike too.

Edit – I’m only 5’8″ so i don’t know if that has any influence on it, perhaps a taller rider would feel more at home on a 29’er?

I have both. T130 and a Parkwood 29, so i regularly go from one to the other. they’re just different, neither is better or worse… just different to eachother.

I was borrowing a mates 29er for a few weeks and was all set to buy one. Went for 27.5 instead and glad I did. That said I do get that other features like geometry, frame material etc may have influenced my experience rather then just the the wheel size

I have both. T130 and a Parkwood 29, so i regularly go from one to the other. they’re just different, neither is better or worse… just different to eachother.

Similar experience here. I’ve two full suss bikes, one a 29er and the other a 27.5, both with around 140mm of travel. My 29er is heavier (because it’s made of aluminium) but is marginally quicker but isn’t quite as agile in the switchbacks.

I am happy to ride either.

I have switched to 27.5 from 29. Why? Well because the smaller wheel felt more fun. The big wheels are faster in a straight line my 29er enduro would steamroller over anything scary fast. But it didnt change direction or accelerate as quickly. For xc riding the 29 short travel bike was the way forward. My compromise is a 27.5 160mm fully and a 650b+ hardtail

I’ve been on 29ers for the last 8 years but have recently switched my full-susser to a 27.5”, I demo’ed both the 29” and 27.5” versions of the new bike and surprisingly (to me anyway) preferred the smaller wheel size. To me it feels very very similar, but just a bit more agile and poppy out on the trail, which I like. I think in a blind test I’d have been hard pushed to tell the difference, other than straight-lining through rock gardens when the bigger wheels were noticeable. For me overall 27.5” feels more sprightly and fun to ride, although I also still have a 130mm hardtail in 29er flavour.

I went from 26 FS to 29 HT and the hardtail felt dull in comparison. So went back to 27.5 after a couple of years. 27.5 still isn’t as much fun/playfull as the old 26 but it’s smoother, an probably faster, not that that matters.

I’ve both. Horses for courses.

Both here. The 29er HT even goes 650b+ occasionally. Different tools for different jobs.

My 29’er is the lightest of all my bikes at 8.9kg is silly quick on smooth flowing trails but i actually find it harder to ride, cornering is the down point and slightly slower acceleration.
I enjoy my 27.5 hardtails much more, acceleration is better, goes exactly where I want, i just feel more in control.

Comparing bikes on different wheelsize alone without consideration of respective frame geometry is folly.

This can only lead to certain doom!

Had a surly karate monkey (29er), kept catching my feet on the front wheel.

Sold it, stayed 26 with my other bike, santa Cruz blur then got a banshee Spitfire, ran it 26 for a bit then went 27.5.

Sort of wish I’d stayed 26, 27.5 is that bit harder uphill with the same gearing as I had on 26.

Thats progress though.

Comparing bikes on different wheelsize alone without consideration of respective frame geometry is folly.

This.

Had a surly karate monkey (29er), kept catching my feet on the front wheel.

Nothing to do with wheel size.

My 6505B bike is much slower accelerating and turning than any of my 29ers…
There’s so much more to how a bike rides than the wheel size.

I’ve ordered a 27.5+ HT that’s shorter travel but longer and slacker than my 29 FS. Just got fed up of carrying quite a lot of weight around and feel that the new bike will just feel lighter and more agile to have fun with. I quite like switching around until I find what’s best for me. No regrets, your best ever bike is only one away!

Thanks. I’m thinking that it may be best to stick with 29″ wheels ….

I ride both wheel sizes. If I only had 650b, I think I’d miss having a 29er. I can’t say the same if that statement is reversed.
But then I do think it makes a difference how big you are and what sort of terrain you enjoy riding. I’m 6’1″ and enjoy having the skills compensation of a 29er in the fast, rough and tricky stuff. Loic Bruni would not be impressed but I can live with that.

failedengineer – Member
Thanks. I’m thinking that it may be best to stick with 29″ wheels ….

You know you could always go and ride some bikes and see how they are…

It’s the best way I’ve found to see what the differences were. My last choice was between 4 bikes 2 650 and 2 29, the size of the wheels had no part in the outcome.

… but the Bird bikes specifically, seem quite similar in geometry. Travel is more or less the same. The 27.5 looks less ‘awkward’.

Buy a 650B then.
No one cares either way.
Well apart from the fact that it’s not 27.5.

It’s much more 27.5 than it is 650b (it’s about 715mm OD). And 650b is a touring road tyre or something, much smaller OD and narrower than 27.5 MTB tyres. Also, 29 was wrong first because it’s only 2.5” bigger than 26.

I ride a 26 and a 29, there’s a lot I like about 29 but a lot I miss about smaller wheels when I’m on it. not ridden 650b enough to know if that’s much different from 26. I like the rollover of 29, eg not getting snagged on roots so much, and the front wheel confidence going down steep techy stuff, it’s good when you’re tired or lazy, 29er smash!. I like wheelying and popping around like an idiot though and on 29 that’s just not the same, and it takes a faster trail to get the big wheeler feeling lively like 26 does, which I also miss. Not bothered about how it looks , null argument for me.