Has anybody else gone 27.5+ with a fox 32 fork? Wont use a mega wide tyre but curious to try it in my 29er hardtail?

While on the on the subject of old fads coming back in a ‘new way’ just a heads up that Works are doing Ovals for less than £24.00 at the moment with a discount code summer – works off other stuff too.

http://www.workscomponents.co.uk/works-components-32t-oval-narrow-wide-chainring—104bcd—introductory-pricing-870-p.asp

Curious to try this oval thing out and at that price its worth an experiment, I am not old enough to be put off by biopace wives tales either 😉

15% off all lot of stuff
http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/psa-15-off-works-components

Missed that thread…. I only come on here to ask questions and share offers occasionally, should have known it would already be up.

Anybody done the plus size wheel thing in a 29er?

I’m waiting for oval wheels – 26″ to 29″ in one wheel – awesome!

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

Surly instigator uses 26+ tyres in a 32 (not sure if its 29er or 650b).

Cheers for that link – I don’t want to run 2.8″ tyres, more interested in the smallest ‘plus size’ tyre possible and wide 27.5 rims.

Will keep my eyes out for the nobby nic +

I have an Absolute Black oval chainring on my 29er hardtail.

I rather like it! Seems to smooth out power delivery on steep scrabbly climbs.

That’s what works seem to advertise – better traction and efficiency…

To be honest at that price so long as it isn’t worse than an round ring then I am happy, always nice to experiment with this stuff though and its the cheapest narrow wide I can find to replace my well worn one.

If I fit 27+ wheels to my 29er with an oval ring I cover most of the trends too, hopefully it wont ride like crap!

I don’t want to run 2.8″ tyres, more interested in the smallest ‘plus size’ tyre possible and wide 27.5 rims.

that would be 2.8″ then

I don’t want to run 2.8″ tyres, more interested in the smallest ‘plus size’ tyre possible and wide 27.5 rims.

So you just want to run 27.5 tyres on wideish rims then?

Surely 2.8 would be plus sized since regular tyres are 2.5-2.7 (eg Maxxis High Rollers and Minions).
My question is that if 650b+ is betterer and more amazinger than 29 then why were all the bike companies so adament that a 26 wheel with a decent 2.7-3.0 tyre Minion, HR, Scwalbe DH tyre, etc) much worse than a 650b wheel when they came out?

They said it would be too heavy, cause too much drag, be slower and probably lots of other negative things as well. But suddenly 650b+\2.75+ is the best thing in the world to happen to mountain biking EVER!

Tom KP

I don’t think anyone has said that though. Well apart from you. The industry is more saying ‘ here’s something new and we think it’s pretty cool ‘ not that it supercedes everything that came before it. Whilst it does look like 26 development had died, I reckon all other wheel sizes will find their place, whether it’s downhill, xc, enduro, trail, marathon, bikepacking or just plain mountain biking.

My question is that if 650b+ is betterer and more amazinger than 29 then why were all the bike companies so adament that a 26 wheel with a decent 2.7-3.0 tyre Minion, HR, Scwalbe DH tyre, etc) much worse than a 650b wheel when they came out?

Exactly. Just make the same model of tyres used in 27+ in 26 and they would be lighter than 27+ but almost same size as 27.5 non plus tyres. And they would presumably fit in a lot of 650b frames.

Looking at it that way, having a new wheel size/tyre size each year does provide a lot of flexibility to those who want to try different combinations in different frames/forks.

I just sit back and laugh at the marketing while riding around quite happily on my 26″ with relatively light 2.4 tyres.

650B seemed to come about because a lot of folk didn’t want a wheel as big as a 29er, so why are they now going to go for a wheel as big as a 29er, just because it’s on a smaller rim. It’s still going to have the handling characteristics of the bigger wheel that they didn’t like only more so as it’s heavier. Unless you think that people are idiots who don’t know what’s best for them.

Surely the logical thing to do (as suggested above) is to to put a plus sized tyre on a 26″ rim. Now you’ve got something that isn’t as big as a 29er, probably no heavier than a 29er, but with just as much (if not more) grip.

The simple answer is if you don’t like something don’t buy it.Though not sure how you know you don’t like it when you’ve not tried it.
It’s just a tyre nothing to be afraid of.
Oh and try and put the feeling that you’re missing out to the back of your mind. 😉

Big tyres good, lower pressure good, more traction good, looks bit like a tractor good. So scientifically there are only good points to + size.

Roverpig, with respect, that’s rubbish.

650b did not come about through anything but the rapaciousness and avarice of certain bike manufacturers.

To suggest anything else is just nonsense.

It does however give a nice snapshot of the current mid to high end market, which, by it’s unquestioning willingness to spend money on whatever is presented to them has opened all of us up to a future of yearly standards changes.

@ Rusty Spanner.
I read what RP said a different way.
The manufacturersame were trying to sell something different (29) not everyone was buying in to it so they tried again with 650b.

True.
Sorry RP, bit grumpy this morning, last day of hols.
🙂

I think it’s important to keep stating it though – the industry is trying it’s best to rewrite history – their version is a barefaced, cynical, manipulative lie, but is quickly becoming the accepted truth.

Surely the logical thing to do (as suggested above) is to to put a plus sized tyre on a 26″ rim. Now you’ve got something that isn’t as big as a 29er, probably no heavier than a 29er, but with just as much (if not more) grip.

😀

Still not as fast as the Swift, though.

Thanks NM, that’s exactly what I meant, but obviously didn’t explain it very well. No offence taken though RS, hope you enjoyed the hols.

I’m no fan of 650B. Quite the opposite. I’ve always felt that 26 and 29 make sense. They give two usefully different options and if you want a slightly bigger wheel than a standard 26, you can just fit a bigger tyre. But apparently that wasn’t a good idea. So it’s amusing to see that bigger tyres on 650B rims are now the next big thing, especially as some folk clearly didn’t want a wheel as big as a 29er (for whatever reasons).

That said, there probably is a market for B+, but it’s the people who liked the 29er and fancy even more grip and a bit more comfort. Presumably though, the people who wanted a 29er are in a minority and only a fraction of those will want to move to a heavier wheel, so it’s hard to see it taking off.

Unless there are lots of people who really would be better off with a larger wheel but were scared off 29ers for some reason. Maybe you really can sell these people a B+ “all the advantages of a 29er without actually being called a 29er” 🙂

You explained it very well.
If only I’d read it properly.
🙂

The way I see it is.
After a few years of mainly riding fatbikes my cheek muscles were aching all the time from all the Grinz™ it gave me.
So now I’m trying out B+ for the Smirkz™ as it uses a different muscle group.

Choice is wonderful and variety is the spice of life. The problem is that the average bike shop couldn’t even stock a fraction of available products when there was one wheel size, never mind four. Or five. Or whatever.

A new standard every year has to impact on economies of scale and push prices up, rather than help keep them down.

Unfortunately 29ers proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that riders would jump on any bandwagon to gain a theoretical advantage, opening the doors to 650b and 650+ and god knows what else next year. I really feel that these manufacturers are displaying a highly cynical attitude towards their customers and milking them for all they are worth.

Does no one else think it strange that when the biggest manufacturers in the industry were developing 29ers to be the next big thing, they didn’t experiment with any other wheel size? They just decided “yup 29″ is the best thing ever. That’s the new thing” and went for it lock stock and barrel without contemplating a mid size wheel or a plus size tyre. Imagine the motor industry decided vegetable oil would be the new standard fuel next year, then ethanol the year after and hydrogen the year after that.

A new standard every year has to impact on economies of scale and push prices up, rather than help keep them down.

Really?
How come i can now buy 29er tyres from almost anywhere in the UK for a fraction of the price I was forced to pay when I had to import them myself from the States?

Remember when over-priced Endos and Larrys were the only 4″ option available?

Yep.
Shit and expensive. 🙁
Thank god there’s a better selection of tyres now.

But what size?
And what do you think is a reasonable price for fat tyres?

I’ve been riding a borrowed Surly ECR most of the week.
I love it.

But I’m not blowing two months wages on a wheelsize that might already be obsolete.

But I’m not blowing two months wages on a wheelsize that might already be obsolete.

There’s no such thing.

the-muffin-man – Member
I’m waiting for oval wheels – 26″ to 29″ in one wheel – awesome!

You probably thought that was a mad idea, but that’s effectively what this does… 🙂

I’ve recently changed out my steel Charge Cooker for 27.5+. Gone with Superstars DS25 rims and WTB Trail Blazers 2.8’s Wouldn’t have wanted much more internal width on rims as there’s just enough clearance on fork to run these tyres. Currently on Manitou Tower Pro’s. Absolutely loads of clearance on rear!

Unfortunately can’t tell you how it rides yet as I’m laid up with broken Scapula!

IIRC – the B+ came about from WTBs 2.8″ Trailblazer tyre, which was designed to fit a 29er, to give it a bit more squish to emulate the 29+ tyres. When it came out there weren’t many ( none?) 650b frames it would fit, other than custom made.