650b+ Opinions?

Anyone ridden one yet? My Trek dealer was trying to get me to get the 2017 Fuel+ as said that I would benefit from the plus sized wheels.

Personally I’m not so sure as most reviews have them as not so good in the mud, which in the UK… is an issue we will face in the next couple of months lol.

The Stumpjumper fatty looks superb, but 3″ rubber and the muddy stuff? Not convinced it will become the new standard that some people are trying to push it as!

I love mine- but I will also be getting a set of 29er wheels for winter.
It’s been great in summer so far. Dusty and rooty trails are great fun. Plenty of grip and comfort on my rigid. I have yet to ride my current setup in serious mud though and I’ve got concerns of running some mud 3.0” with the clearance.

I always planned to stick my 29er wheels on with mud tyres for winter but I loved the b+ wheels so much I didn’t want to give that up for winter and found b+ tyres that worked in mud. Spesh purgatory 3.0 on the front and the trailblazer 2.8 though rubbish on the front in mud seems to work fine for me on the back.

Big long thread on b+ here

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/650b-and-other-plus-sizes-if-you-like-rim-tyre-frame-fork-combinations

Mine has been brilliant. Quicker up and down (much to the confusion of some of the people I ride with).

Love my Norco Torrent, but I have some 29er wheels for when it’s properly muddy….

Comparing Strava times, I’m as quick (if not quicker) than my other bikes on all but the places I’d take my FS trail bike

This was the Stumpy I was looking at:

https://www.evanscycles.com/specialized-stumpjumper-fsr-comp-6fattie-2016-mountain-bike-EV250228

Its good to get feeback from riders and not just 1 reviewer!

Nemesis, I ran a 2.8″ TB on the back during a few XC races in the Winter series. I found it just wouldn’t clear fast enough and it would just build up. This was on both chalky trails and loamy trails.

Possibly so. Didn’t find that in the Mendips which are normally good for blocking treads with mud.

I have the SJ carbon comp. It’s an absolute blast. Really like that orange one. I was going to get that but found an ex demo carbon version for a similar price.

My Solaris is currently sporting B+ rubber at the moment.

I’ve ordered a Stanton Sherpa in B+ set-up (its still 3 weeks away yet though).

Personally I’d be wary of Trek dealers recommendation unless they know and ride with you. Personally I like how they ride (although fat tyres and mud can be, er, interesting, even worse than Ardent 2.25s).

Let him.put his money where his mouth is and get in a demo for you.

If I had the cash I’d be dropping it on a Flare or Rocket Max (with both wheelsets though).

Anyone ridden one yet?

Yes. Great fun. But, like above, I’d get 29er wheels for teh winter. Or a different bike.

But, like above, I’d get 29er wheels for the winter

Not quite the same, but I have no problems with my 29+ 3″ Dirt Wizards in the gloop. I dodn’t quite have the bike built in tome for the snow last winter, I know its not proper-fat, but bring it on!

And I’m planning on a 650+ full-sus build to replace my Five at some point, probably won’t bother with skinny tyres.

12 replys and no experts claiming you’ll puncture every 100 yards or that they’re great for beginners but no good for someone as AWSUMZ as they are?
This place is slipping.

This place is slipping.

Or more people have actually ridden one. I’m sure one will be along in a minute with a link to the soho bikes video where Peaty and Tracy Moseley criticised them.

Or more people have actually ridden one

Don’t talk daft this is STW.

If that Stumpjumper 6fattie had been that price when I bought my Commencal in January I’d have had one. They just seem great fun.

singlespeedstu – Member
Don’t talk daft this is STW.

Good point. Maybe they’re just busy on the Corbyn thread then.

1. You’ll puncture every 100 yards
2. They’re great for beginners but no good otherwise and for riders like me who are da AwesUMZ, they’re rubbish.

HTH

It seems mud is the issue and mud will be coming my way soon and looking for a bike for all seasons! Maybe the not fatty option is best lol

I’ve got a 650b plus hardtail. I really like it as it makes you lazy on line choice and is great uphill. After a few rides on it I then go back to my normal 650b hardtail and am always impressed with the sharpness and accuracy of the thinner wheels. So you need both 🙂

12 replys and no experts claiming you’ll puncture every 100 yards or that they’re great for beginners but no good for someone as AWSUMZ as they are?
This place is slipping.

😆

I’ve got a 650b plus hardtail. I really like it as it makes you lazy on line choice and is great uphill. After a few rides on it I then go back to my normal 650b hardtail and am always impressed with the sharpness and accuracy of the thinner wheels. So you need both

Building one up at the mo after a test ride last spring (read winter). Got two sets of wheels for this reason. And for winter.

Anyone want to buy my spare 29er wheels then as I don’t need them…

I demo’d a regular 650b stumpjumper the other week, happened to bump into a guy on the fattie version at Hopton (also hired from Pearce’s in Ludlow), he said the grip was immense and it was really confidence inspiring, climbed well etc, and was great fun.

BUT, it was almost bone dry, and he said in the fast corners where he was really trying and leaning it over a bit they tyres did feel prone to roll over the sidewall and it got a bit scary.

Was running Specialized’s own tyres at 13psi I think he he said, and he was about 11 stone I’d guess.

I built up a Solaris on 27.5+ and having a 29er already figured I would experiment with the wider wheels.

Went for a Nobby Nic 3.0 on the front. Trailblazer on the back.

Have done 700 miles on it, since March. in sticky clay mud, it was a ballache.

in moderate mud, I was quicker than on other bikes. Up and down.

Dry and dusty….wow. I am wondering whether I need a full susser at all. It’s not far off the mile munching speed of a 29er on anything other than tarmac, and it’s not too lacking on the way down in comparison with my full suss. I keep reaching for it rather than my other bikes. Some of that may be new bike syndrome…but have been pretty impressed.

Tyre pressures. Definitely more critical. Too high and you don’t get the benefits. Too low and on any high speed corner it feels like you’re going to tear the tyre off the rim.

I live in the south east and find it an absolute weapon for the south downs and Surrey Hills.

Went to Fort William and hired a 6Fatty. Also impressed with that to the point I was considering buying one!

That said…I want to put a full winter on the Solaris before waxing lyrical about the tyres. I think that a set of standard 29 wheels would be a better bet for a typical wet british affair.

*and no punctures at all in 700miles.

Mine has been interesting in that wet squelchy mud as it seems to slide across the surface rather than cut through. Normal wet trails are fine and you’ll have more grip over wet roots. One of the great things about the Stumpjumper 6fattie (and possibly other 650b+ bikes) is its versatility. It’s a set of wheels away from a 29er or a set of tyres away from a standard 650b bike.

Its the same Bike Ive had for the last three months, 1st bike that tempted me to upgrade my 2011 SJ Evo. Things seem to have come a long way even from 2011. Fox fork is brilliant, rear shock I have found not wanting. You just pick any line. No punctures, tubeless set up. Live near(ish) Brechfa. Upgraded to Renthal bars and Stem.

http://forums.mtbr.com/26-27-5-29-plus-bikes/27-5-stumpjumper-6fattie-969685.html

This written by Leelikesbikes.

My Stumpy 6Fattie has been so insanely fun at the downhill resort. I’ve been wondering what a Specialized Bicycles Enduro with plus tires would ride like. Imagine more travel, modern slackness and extra burliness … plus crazy traction. Well …