My 2.8 NN is a world away from the trailblazer I had before. It’s big but doesn’t rub in my revelation, and is far more confidence inspiring, I can actually lean the bike over again. The back with a trailblazer is still all over the place but that is ok.

Almost considering trying the wheelset in my full sus bike now – the trailblazer just did’t have the grip to make it worthwhile, but the NN could be fun!

Not sure it would fit in the back of my Solaris but may try one in there, too.

My 2.8 NN is here. I aim to get it mounted (i35 rim) and tried in a Pike tomorrow. I’ll try it in the back of my Yelli too. Watch this space …

2.8 NN on a Scraper has a fair bit of clearance in a Pike 29.
2.8 NN on an i35 has almost enough clearance* in the back of a MK2 Yelli.

*Could be a bit better but might work in the right kind of mud.

Not sure it would fit in the back of my Solaris but may try one in there, too.

Just put a NN 2.8 on a 35mm rim in the back of mine. Clearance less than TB 2.8, but looks fine for the non muddy trails round the Lakes. Will test tomorrow (once it’s stretched overnight…) and report back.

Yup confirmed as above, a 2.8 NN on scraper rims fits comfortably in a 29er pike with enough clearance for a mucky nutz mini face fender 🙂

Went out this morning on the smuggler with TB on the back, NN on the front expecting it to be a handful in the slop thats around these parts, but I was pleasantly surprised. More grip than expected at the front with the TB struggling for traction a bit in the deep stuff, but thats to be expected given its tread. Despite the TB it was still a good combo and worked well.

Was far more predictable and stable through the 2-3inch greasy slop than my mates std 650b lapierre with 2.2NN’s all round. Managed some great wall rides along high banks.

Really impressed so will leave the wheelset on for a while. The NN is definitely an improvement compared with Trax Fatty. Still waiting for the rekon+ though. Once that comes through will put NN on the back. That should then be a really good winter combo. Doesnt sound like we will see the rekon+ anytime soon so may have to wait for next winter for that combo.

How do you find the BB height? It’s pretty low on the Smuggler with 29er wheels and by my calculations it drops something like another 7mm with B+ wheels which sounds like pedal strike city.

smuggler bb height is reduced and pedal strikes are a bit more common but not a problem. plenty of ruts and stumps today but no strikes

Thanks. You’ve got the Mk1 Smuggler right? The newer one has a 5mm higher BB so if it works for you it should be fine for me. I did try sticking my TB wheels in the Smuggler just to see how they fit and looked, but I’ve not tried it on the trail yet. I might give it a go when the snow comes though. It looked fine 🙂

nice 🙂 yes mk1. wouldn’t recommend a TB on the front though unless Super dry.

I’ve had them on my Solaris, but I agree that they are much more suited to the dry than the current slop. They might work on powdery snow, but only time will tell.

Couple of hours today on the Mk1 Solaris with 2.8″ N Nics. Riding around Braithwaite/Whinlatter on tarmac, mud, snow, ice and rock (and combinations of all of them). With higher pressure they felt fine up the tarmac of the Pass. Dropped pressures once off road. More grip than any 29″ tyre I’ve used (2.3 Purgatory, 2.35 Hans Dampf etc), in fact as much grip as my power up and skills/bottle down could use. Slid out once on a big greasy root and once on icy snow. Not much wider than a 29″ HDampf, but can be run at lower pressure without knackering rims on the frequent rocks round here. None of that sticky mud that some of you have to suffer, but surely a 2″ 29er mud tyre’s what’s needed there.
I’ve lost the only reservations I had of B+ now – grippy, reasonably light and tough tyres that are easy to set up tubeless. I’ll go back to TBlazer on the rear for dry summer and will stick 29er wheels on occasionally, but otherwise these are keepers.
Mk1 Solaris, RS Rev forks, 45mm Dually front rim and 35mm Arc rear, 2×10 speed with 180mm cranks (and no pedal strikes).
🙂

Nice one. Just need to find a S/H Solaris frame now

Firet ride today on the Tarn since putting a 29+ front wheel on it (650+ rear). Much prefer it to 2x 650+ mostly as it raises the BB closer to 300mm. Was too low on 650+ ft/rr. Loved it. At -3C today the sloppy conditions had firmed up enough for +tyres. When it warms up I’ll be back on the Zealous with 29er Barons or High Latitude with Beaver/Shorty.

So i managed to get the BigWig built up for a quick blast this morning ,absolutely bloody mental thing it is. [/url]DSC_0928 by RYAN KENT, on Flickr[/img][/url]DSC_0935 by RYAN KENT, on Flickr[/img]

That BigWig looks fun!

absolutely bloody mental thing it is.

review of the year.

Anyone tried a Rocket Ron 3.0 on the back yet .now that I have decent clearance I quite fancy one of these.

A 2.8 Nic on an i35 just about squeezes into the back of a Mk1b Yelli Screamy. Won’t be able to do a ride test for a while.

That BigWig looks ace. I think it might have settled the 29er/27.5+ dilemma I’ve been having for my Last

That BigWig looks ace. I think it might have settled the 29er/27.5+ dilemma I’ve been having for my Last

That BigWig looks ace. I think it might have settled the 29er/27.5+ dilemma I’ve been having for my Last

One frame for both!

Must say I’m looking forward to seeing your Last George, looks like a lovely bike from the blurb on their website.

I’ll be looking at the Last with interest too.
When’s it arriving?

February. Which is a lot more looking forward than I want, really.

Just been out for a quick spin on my Yelli.
First time out of the NN’s as I’ve been ill for a bit.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/CiqMTa]IMG_20151218_104712496_HDR[/url] by multispeedstu, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/BJUYPK]IMG_20151218_104558040_HDR[/url] by multispeedstu, on Flickr

Head and shoulders above the Trax Fatty, Trailblazer combo in the wet.
I’m now able to go forwards and change dirrection. Which is nice. 8)

Good news Stu. I had those bars on mine too.

(your pics look very N Downsy).

how much clearance do you have on the DS chainstay?

Same as the NDS.
Mark2’s have a more central design at the chainstay bb junction.

With the i35 rim replacing the Scraper it’s gone up from a knats cock to two knats cocks.

Some setup in a Mk 1 & the gnat gets his cock lightly buffed.

Have you thought about trying a WTB Breakout 2.5 tyre?
I’ve just bought one in case it doesn’t work out with NN.
Comes up at 67mm on a Scraper so will give another knats to the clearance. But more importantly it seems to be as tall as the NN.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/Bm6b77]IMG_20151218_142317803_HDR[/url] by multispeedstu, on Flickr

I assume they’re the 2.8s Stu?

Thx no I wasn’t aware of that. Good fallback if the NN doesn’t work out (which is very likely).

I assume they’re the 2.8s

Yep. Front on i45 rear on i35.

I have just popped a set of 3.0 Purgatory wheels on 29mm ID rims in my ’13 Transition Bandit 29er. They’ll work in dry conditions but it is too tight for the sticky mud I have here.

Where can I get some 2.8 Nobby Nics, I have been searching but no joy as of yet. Or what else is out there, i’m talking proper tyres, with nobs on rather than the Trail Blazers.

Super excited as the Bandit is still my favourite bike… might mean the Enduro spends a lot of time alone!

https://www.bike-components.de/de/Schwalbe/Nobby-Nic-Evolution-SnakeSkin-PaceStar-27-5-Faltreifen-Modell-2016-p45460/schwarz-27-5×2-8-o28030/

Thanks Stu

Just ordered a pair from Slam69 which are both Trailstar, would have preferred a Pacestar on the back but very happy, can’t wait to get out on the old bike once they arrive.

Just need to find a S/H Solaris frame now

I think my small MK1 will be for sale, just can’t get on with the 29er thing much prefer my 26″ Soul.

Out for a ride earlier today.

B+ really does seem to be the bastard love child of a 29er and a fatbike. What I’m not comprehending at the moment is how it seems to pick up speed out of nowhere.

Spotted this on PB would be good if you picked up an older Sultan for sensible money. From the article looks like it was on 650B+ 3″ wide tyres

This Turner Sultan was retro-fitted with 27.5+ tires, and is the only complete bike we have found so far in Taipei with the mid-sized fat tires on it.

The 29″ Pike fork on this Turner had average clearance with a 27.5″ wheel and this 3.0″ Trax Fatty.

Had a very muddy 50 mile ride on the Zealous. I actually found the TBs very good for my local trails. It gripped 95% of the time. The only issue I had was claggy mud covering the tred- but I think most tyres would have struggled. The Zealous Mk2 has plenty of mud clearance outback and the Revs were okay. I had to stop a couple times to clear the mud out.

I’m very impressed with the big tyres and rims. The ride is comfortable but it’s still easy to cover ground quickly. Love the bike!