Just noticed this on Ian Alexander’s Twitter feed:

Apparently the outer diameter = 27.5 outer diameter but it won’t fit in old 26″ frames or current 27.5″ frames. So what’s the point? Choice is good, but isn’t this just more inventory for bike shops and more confusion for non-bike nerds (and that means you, BTW) who just want a mountain bike?

Tries to give a shit.
Fails to give a shit. 😉

Not even skinwall.

I’m out.

I remember 3 inch wide tyres when I was a kid. Same old sh1t being recycled again

This one is Surly’s fault – Instigator 2 (which launched a few years ago) was 26+.

Marketing for the sheep who follow the fashion, like 29ers & 650b’s.

It fits in my 26″ frame. I think it has been around a while as above, but yeah it’s be oddfor mfrs to push it now.

who knew there was no limits to the extent the industry will go to create new standards[ or in this case pretend new standards] we just must have.

130mm. OLN hubs?

Saw the size listed on next day tyres . . . Whatever next fat Bromptons?

Hasn’t this been around since before b+? Surly have been doing Dirt Wizards in 26+ for a number of years as ratherbeintobago said above

A quick look around the cul de sac here would have some people frothing at the mouth. No two cars with the same wheelsize.

What’s the issue? It’s an extra choice on the market, it probably fits in a lot of 27.5 bikes same as 27.5+ fits 29ers. Choice is good.

Told you all 26 wasn’t dead

They’ve gone and put this fella in charge of wheel standardisation haven’t they.

Anyone know where I can get some 2 inch wide slicks for a 26inch rim 😉

ssboggy – Member
Anyone know where I can get some 2 inch wide slicks for a 26inch rim

Schwalbe Super Motos

ratherbeintobago – Member
This one is Surly’s fault – Instigator 2 (which launched a few years ago) was 26+.

26+ is actually over 18 years old.

My 1998 Surly 1×1 was built to take 3″ tyres, so 26″ is actually the original +size.

(I’m currently running 2.8″ tyres on it.)

It will also take 27.5+ wheels and tyres, so it was ahead of that game too. 🙂

BTW if you want to play around with + sizes get wide rims too.

Good luck to them. They may or may not have noticed that Western consumers are not exactly rolling in it at the moment…

Don’t worry about a bit more choice for the old 26+ brigade. Worry about 27.5 fat.

24×4″ will be next, I reckon…

There is simply no way I’d ruin my Surly like that sir no bloody wayyyyy.

Ooh, I have a 26×3 tyre (a Duro Leopard) hanging in my garage – is it suddenly trendy again?

aracer – Member
Ooh, I have a 26×3 tyre (a Duro Leopard) hanging in my garage – is it suddenly trendy again?

Now you can get decent wide rims again, yes.

But there are better 3″ tyres now – more supple and lighter.

Dirt Wizards are proper gooduns.

Smaller and wider? Remember these?

Oh yes blank squares before the wheel was invented yaaaas.

;-d

Worry about 27.5 fat.

[video]https://youtu.be/t41bMUtYPOI[/video]

Oh bugger. Was supposed to be that Hanebrink bike with the quad bike wheels.

26 plus has been a thing since the Nokian Gazzaloddi and On One have the baby fatty which is 24×4.

Aint no new thing, to quote somebody else.

It’s just the labels that change really, isn’t it. Wheels have always been available in sizes ranging from around 16″ to around 29″ and tyres have been made to fit the various diameters in thicknesses ranging from around 1″ to around 5″. Popularity (and availability) of some combinations has waxed and waned as people try to find the optimum combination for riding off-road (a pointless task as the gradient, terrain and conditions vary far to much for there to be one optimum) but they’ve always been there if you looked hard enough. It’s just that whenever a particular combination becomes popular we have to give it a name, so it’s a thing.

Hasn’t this been around since before b+? Surly have been doing Dirt Wizards in 26+ for a number of years as ratherbeintobago said above

Most surly’s were sized around daft tyres, the instigator 2.0 was probably the first modern ‘plus’ bike though, they just backed 26+ rather than 27.5+.

I really wanted an instigator, even got offered a stonking deal on one from charlie, but broke my arm instead!

If this means some affordable 26+ tyres then I’ma ll for it, I’ve got a few barely used 26″ wheels, with a cheap 45650b (assuming enough clearance) and a boost fork it’d be a nice cheap trail bike. Didn’t fancy the dirt wizzards route in isolation as a tyre cost as much as a 650b rim + cheaper tyre

26+ can’t be a thing. I distinctly remember all the bike companies categorically stating that putting a bigger tyre on a 26 bike would give none of the benefits of 27.5 as well as being too heavy and affecting handling.

You can’t tell me that all these big bike companies were either:
A) wrong or
B) lying to us the whole time.

I just can’t believe it.

Tom kp

Works for me. I have no intention of changing my 26″ bike but do want to try bigger tyres. Currently use 2.3 Race Kings which are great and just the sort of tyre I would like in a 2.8 (rather than a heavy downhill type tyre of old)

2.8 would fit in my frame/fork so just need to buy rims and tyres hoping some good options come onto the market. Also gives me an excuse to build up some wheels.

Hugo and 3″ knard. Fun. Handling was on the fast side of fast before, so it’s a very nice compromise now.

Worry about 27.5 fat

This is definitely a thing, Trek even do full sus 27.5 fat 😀

27.5 fat is like garlic bread .. the future

I quite like the idea of running 26+ in the front of my rigid bike, probably the cheapest way of getting a bit more grip and comfort at the front.

zero cool – Member
26+ can’t be a thing. I distinctly remember all the bike companies categorically stating that putting a bigger tyre on a 26 bike would give none of the benefits of 27.5 as well as being too heavy and affecting handling.

You can’t tell me that all these big bike companies were either:
A) wrong or
B) lying to us the whole time.

I just can’t believe it.

Don’t worry, they wren’t trying to mislead you, they were just confused…. 🙂

Surly had it right back with the 1×1 in 1998, and it’s still right. 🙂

I quite like the idea of running 26+ in the front of my rigid bike, probably the cheapest way of getting a bit more grip and comfort at the front.

Me too, see last post on page 1!

Wasn’t that cheap an option though: Knard, Hope pro 2, Hugo, 32 DT revs, nips, valve … over £200. Yikes. I’ve even got a pair of Reba Team’s on the wife’s old bike I could have used instead. Pfff… I like it like this, though. And there are some sandy trails near me, so it’s practically a necessity. Ahem.

Cheapest way to try would be rebuild your current wheel on a wide trials rim (£50ish), and try your existing front tyre on that. Hardly any difference in width and volume between a 2.4 Conti X-King and a 2.75 Dirt wizard on the same rim.