Is there anything out there? Currently on a five and to change to a 27.5 five I’d need new forks and wheels

Is there a ‘decent’ full suspension frame out there that is designed to handle both without messing up the ride?

My forks and wheels are newish so I could sell them but prefer not to as they are exactly what I wanted and don’t think I’d be able to afford them brand new again on top of a frame

Any ideas?

Banshee Spitfire or Rune
Empire MX6-EVO (looks so hideous but is only £999 frame and shock)

As most of the rest of the industry claim that the geometry needs to change between 26 and 27.5 I’m a little wary of the “you just change the rear dropout to increase chainstay length and use a fork with 10mm less travel” school of thinking that Banshee put forward. They may be right but in my mind one (or both) of the options will be a compromise, and so far Banshee have refused to tell me which wheel size their bikes were originally designed for, instead giving mealy mouthed marketing answers. I suspect they were designed around 26 and then adapted for 27.5 as the dropout for 650b came along later.

Why do you need to change the 5? How old is it? Would a slackset or a new shock reinvigorate it for long enough to outlive the wheels and fork?

Hi Shackleton

Five is only 1 year old, tbh if I’d have known they were discontinuing 26 I would never have bought it and waited the extra few months for the 27.5 version

It’s not a need I just like new things being honest, I do love fives as I’ve owned them as my only f/s ever, they really suit the peak being single pivot and maintenance free etc

But if I could get a good deal on a nice frame that’s also future proof on the 27.5 front then I’d consider a different brand too

Doesn’t one of the ibis mojos allow both sets of wheel? Or is that just a bodge?

I think the mojo HD can be adapted with a new swing arm but I still think it is likely a stopgap rather than a long term solution.

If I was you I would stick with what I had but buy a CCDBair CS shock. You will probably find that makes more of a difference than 27.5 and will match the Pike performance very nicely.

Like most, the Mojo is a bodge to it bigger wheels.

I’d rather buy a bike designed for the bigger wheels, and run the old kit on it for the time until you decide to upgrade.

Being able to change the dropouts to he wheelsize is a half assed approach, as pretty much all frame designers will tell you.

BB drops, wheelbase, chainstay length etc will all be a compromise. I’ve ridden a bike (for a couple of months) ‘designed’ for both (Liteville 301) and it was neither one thing or the other. The clearance with 27.5″ tyres was a joke. Borderline unusable in the mud.

Remedy 2011 will with sensible tyres on the back, best to shorten shock eye to eye though to drop bb 😉

Why not just run your bike as is.
Then in the future buy a 650b bike if it is still the current standard at the time.

Riding something that is not specifically designed for the wheels size you have seems odd if you plan on keeping those wheels for the foreseeable.

Cheers folks , see my other thread up there ^

I’m gonna stick with what I’ve got then when I want a new bike I’ll consider everything by everyone and not bodge type efforts to make 650b work

Cheers sometimes just sometimes this forum is so very useful at pointing you in the right direction and seeing sense

You have a great bike. The new 27.5 version would still only be marginally better if all the marketing bumf behind the wheel revolution turns out to be true.

Internet forums, mtb magazines and marketing do generate a lot of bike envy to the point of turning you against your own trusty steed and believing your once beautiful bike is really a heep of crap that is holding you back whilst making you the laughing stock of the trails.
And by buying the latest bike you will reach mtb nirvana and thus being eternally happy.

Thing is, there will always be a new bike, much better than any that have came before,
Meaning you will never be happy.

All of the above is easily cured.
Stop looking, and ride your bike instead.