For reasons too complicated to explain (short summary, I’m an idiot), I found myself the owner of a new Yari fork that’d take 27.5+ in boost configuration. As I already has the Stache-9 with 29+ wheels and a mate who’d lend me his 27.5+ versions, thought I’d have a go.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/HKNYip]Chubby Evo[/url] by Alex Leigh, on Flickr

Removed Manitou forks I didn’t like much and the wheels which I do. Blooming centre lock tho so I had to rob a front disc for the 27.5+ wheels. The difference doesn’t look much but it definitely feels different. Accelerates quicker, switch direction without quite the same level of commitment, already prefer the fork.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/HKNWnR]Chubby Evo…[/url] by Alex Leigh, on Flickr

It’s not really any lighter. Manitou was light, Yari is fairly hefty. It’s lower tho and the a-c difference between the forks is only 10mm (so half the diff between the 29+ and 27.5+tyres). Maybe I should have gone for the 140mm Yari not the 120. That’s still 20mm more than the Manitou.

Proper ride tomorrow. I hope it’s not lost the fab roll-over/monster truck feel of the 29+. Best go chuck it down some rocks and see how it feels… shall report back.

Given 27.5+ is a fair chunk less than 29 you must have dropped the bottom bracket by near enough 2 inches haven’t you? Interested to see how you get on as I have a rooster frame on the way which I dithered about putting 27.5 plus wheels in rather than 29.

I didn’t measure it but the BB isn’t low in 29+ mode. It definitely feels lower now tho. I’ve left the stem stackers where they were for the 29+ but might add a couple below the stem after the ride tomorrow. Being able to pull in the chain stays should be really noticeable even to me, but we’ll see how it goes.

This is my fav bike in 29+ mode (and I have a few nice bikes) so it’ll have to be pretty damn good for me to want to invest in the 27.5+ wheels…

I’ve done this last week. The bb dropped 10mm and I’m in cyb now about to ride it for the proper first time off road. It’s taken me ages to like the stache 7 I have and now I’ve there I go and change to 650b plus. This week will be the test.

I really liked mine 29+. I’m not sure it’ll stay 27.5+ for long…

I never changed my forks just the wheels. I’ve just ridden it down a Welsh rocky trail for about an hour and enjoyed it. I will be swapping the wheels over all week here and will have made my mind up by the end. Maybe.

Be interested to know how you get on with it…

[url=https://flic.kr/p/HUE7Kc]First ride of the Chubby Evo[/url] by Alex Leigh, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/HNfL3t]First ride of the Chubby Evo[/url] by Alex Leigh, on Flickr

First ride done. New fork (Yari), new rims (Scrapers), new tyres (Chronicle/Rekon) so lots to try and work out. Plus it was very loose in the Malverns so I spent quite a lot of time trying not to crash. Not always successfully. And the chubfinger was complaining after a day at Antur, even so I did learn a few things

– it accelerates noticeably more quickly
– it changes direction in a flash. First descent even felt a bit twitchy
– There is a bit less rollover/cushioning on rocky stuff. Not like going back to a std hardtail but definitely notable. I was running a bit more pressure (16/13 as opposed to 13/11) and not sure I’ve got the fork dialled – was running quite a lot of compression damping.
– easy to manual – shorter chainstays probably the thing
– It’s a bit lower! The a-c on the Yari’s is less than 10mm more than the Manitou’s. I think I’ve steepened up the head angle a bit. Need to ride it loads more but I’m already wondering if it’d be better with a 130mm or 140mm fork.

Do I like it more than the 29+? Sometimes (in the twisties), sometimes not (when you want to steam roller stuff). It’s lost some of that monster truck feeling but it’s traded it for quite a bit of liveliness.

Need to ride it a load more before I decide. Whichever configuration still much prefer it over a std hardtail and probably my fatty.

I’ve just done a short ride in cyb on the 650b plus wheels. Absolutely loved it, fast comfortable and just blasted over everything much faster than I could normally on a ht. Tomorrow I’m going to do exactly the same route with the 29+ and see what nimbleness I lose and what extra speed I might gain. But I’m definitely impressed with the smaller wheels on the rocks here.
I do agree with what you say above. I’ve not seen the benefits of the plus wheels so much where I live and normally ride but here in Wales it is night and day better .

What forks did you have on the 650s Chris?

The original manitou forks that came with the bike, magnum comps. I’m not going to buy new forks as I’m wanting a new 29er and I’m very happy with the stache now in 29+ and also 650b+.

– it accelerates noticeably more quickly
– it changes direction in a flash. First descent even felt a bit twitchy
– There is a bit less rollover/cushioning on rocky stuff. Not like going back to a std hardtail but definitely notable. I was running a bit more pressure (16/13 as opposed to 13/11) and not sure I’ve got the fork dialled – was running quite a lot of compression damping.
– easy to manual – shorter chainstays probably the thing

sounds like a win to me.

Well I’ve done almost back to back runs on the same trail with the different wheels. The end result is the 29+ climb better and roll faster to an extent that I got myself in trouble a few times with almost forgetting the rear had no squish. They seemed harder to turn in on tighter trails as first and I was drifting wide until I made the concious effort to man handle the bike more. The 650b+ wheels were slightly slower but still fast enough and were much easier to flick around on the tighter sections. They seemed slower to climb and not so bulldozerish in there contempt of rocks etc in their way. So in my experience this week I would say the smaller wheels are more fun overall with the larger ones being faster and maybe more for longer higher mileage rides. I will be keeping both sets and swapping over as and when but I can see myself enjoying the 650b+ wheels maybe a little more for my short blasts in my local woods.

That’s a good summary Chris. Interesting using the same fork, guess the HA steepened up a bit but maybe not enough to notice? I’d pretty much agree o your assessment, having had a second ride on local trails here that I know well. Tight and twisty for the main part, few open sections, lots of fireroad and singletrack climbing

[url=https://flic.kr/p/HaiYYr]Chubby Evo – 2nd ride[/url] by Alex Leigh, on Flickr

– 650b+ accelerates faster but climbs slower. Sounds stupid, but goes with your experience
– One trail is really tight and I noticed how much easier it was on the 650b+
– Same but in a negative way over a little rock garden where 29+ just monsters it
– Had a couple of pedal strikes. Still hankering after a longer fork.
– Got a bit of ‘hardtail arse’ on the bumpy climbs where the 29+ seemed to provide more cushioning. Running a bit more air in the 650b+ so might try with fewer PSI. Same landing jumps where the 29+ was a revelation. 650b+ jumps better tho.
– Felt low at the front, if I stick with it will add 20mm under the stem.

I wonder if Trek built the stache for 29+ and did the engineering for 27.5+ to sell more bikes or were they ‘wheel size neutral’. I need to ride the 650b+ some more but my current summary – odd as it sounds – is the 650b+ make it a better hardtail but I’m not sure it makes it a better bike.

I’m curious enough to buy a rear (as my mate would like his wheel back!) and get a couple hundred KM on 650b+. Then I’ll try 29+ again.

End of the day, both good, keeping both, choice is fun to mess about with.

Alex, perchance have you tried the 29+ wheel in the Yari fork? I understand some 27.5+ forks will accept 29+ too.

I haven’t because I bought the 2015 Yari fork which won’t take 29+. I thought I’d bought the one that did. A mistake I realised only after I’d cut the steerer 😉 So after that decided to try the 650B+ wheels in there. I think a 29+ Yari that could take either would be brilliant. It’s a proper stout fork. A pike would be even better, but that’s big money.