I'm on the look out for a another hardtail frame. Nothing expensive or super flash.
I have 27.5 boost wheels and a Surly Rigid fork, plus most of the bits required to make another bike.
These would go nicely to make a bike packing/adventure machine. I'm struggling to track down a frame that isn't 29er. Secondhand ideally, keeping this a cheapo build.
Suggestions welcome!
Some frames take 27.5 and 29er wheels. Although not fashionable anymore, 27.5+ tyres are great for rigid bike packing bikes. I'm running 3" 27.5 tyres on my Stooge.
Nothing in the Ragley sale at Chain Reaction?
Nothing in the Ragleys really, the 27.5 offerings are all a bit too lively for a sedate pedalling rigid affair.
I have a 2022 Meta HT that is about to come on the market if that helps. It's done 300 miles and is in size L. PM me if that's of any interest.
If it going to have a rigid fork on it, but was designed for a suspension one, then just buy a 29er.
It'll be fine in terms of crank/BB clearance as the fork won't be sagging and dropping at all.
Opens up your options alot.
I've got a Genesis Tarn that fits this bill perfectly - handles everything from a 100km off-road ride through mid-wales to pootling about in the woods. It's technically a 27.5+ but I run it with normal 27.5 tyres (and I also have a spare 29er wheelset I throw on for more gravel type riding).
as Lardman said
29er with 27.5 on rigid fork wont matter. you wont be bashing the cranks, and for bikepacking you won't be searching for short chain stays as the intention of the bike won't be to be nimble.
Only caveat, look at the chainstay yokes. my sonder signal is sculpted around the tyre of a 29er, and a 27.5 won't fit unless super skinny
Ah yes, didn't think of the Genesis or Sonder options...
As for the fork, and thinking of a 29er frame, I can see how that might work. I have the fork currently on a Pace RC127, with 2.8" on the front, and it can just squeeze in a 2.6 on the rear with minimal clearance and the dropouts slid right back as far as they can go.