So is 27. 5+ dead in the water?

Thanks scotroutes, a picture replaces many words !

I started this year on 26in, started building a niner EMD because I fancied a 29er…. But had a try of a broken road at Northern Grip and really liked it, was tempted to get one, but didn’t. Having finished my niner I prefer 29 (chunky and smorgasbord) because it’s got the right mix of cushion vs dig in.

Its only just getting started. Problem with all wheel sizes is that the first gen tyres are designed for America, therefore of very little use in the UK for 364.5 days of the year. Same was said about the 29er size at first, the same wheel size you’re all raving about now. That didn’t change until aggressive tyres started to appear. It’ll be the same with plus.
I’m running Rekon+ and they’ve been great in all conditions.

I’m running Rekon+ and they’ve been great in all conditions.

As previuosly posted I’m a great believer In + tyres but there’s nothing to beat the grip of 29 2.5 Shorty’s over +Rekons in mud.
Then again there’s nothing to beat the grip of +Rekons on Spanish rock and dust.
Tyres and wheelsizes to suit all terrains, What’s not to like. 😀

Problem with all wheel sizes is that the first gen tyres are designed for America, therefore of very little use in the UK for 364.5 days of the year. Same was said about the 29er size at first, the same wheel size you’re all raving about now. That didn’t change until aggressive tyres started to appear. It’ll be the same with plus.

First time I tried 29ers, I liked lots of things about them, I didn’t like the lack of any decent tyres and the mandatory 72deg head angles. Look where we are now with 29er development!

It’s annoying that for whatever reason, the US market seems only to be interested with weight and rolling speed, and we have to make do with crap rubber as a result until the market matures and the tyre manufacturers start listening to UK customers.

I’m running Rekon+ and they’ve been great in all conditions.

That’s the thing though, at £120 an end (yes really, though about £90 if you shop around) they’d need to be absolutely bloody amazing everywhere and last twice as long as anything else at the same time to consider them! I suppose the price is only likely to come down as and when the size becomes more popular too, so it’s a bit of a catch 22 situation, but I think it’s coming.

Certainy I’d ike to give the upcoming 2.8″ Maxxis Minion DHF/DHR2 combo a go.

Certainy I’d ike to give the upcoming 2.8″ Maxxis Minion DHF/DHR2 combo a go.

Thought + bikes were only any good for novice riders…

That’s the thing though, at £120 an end (yes really, though about £90 if you shop around)

Never paid anything even remotely like that for the four I own.

Thought + bikes were only any good for novice riders…

🙄

psycorp
That’s ones one of mboys quotes from previous threads not mine…
Try actually reading the thread.

Thought + bikes were only any good for novice riders…

I’ve certainly commented on how I felt that + tyres would be more beneficial for Novice riders on harder terrain like trail centres, and given the complete lack of agressive rubber until just recently I’ll maintain that their appeal to harder riders has been limiting…

The same would have been said about 29ers in general for probably a decade or so until manufacturers started recognising they weren’t just for XC racing and the tyre companies got on board too.

B+ has held little appeal to me until recently because of lack of decent tyres on the market. This looks like its starting to change.

Never paid anything even remotely like that for the four I own.

Let’s hope you don’t need a new one soon then, you’ll have a shock! 3 months ago they were £90 RRP and available for about £65 online, RRP is now £120 and online prices gone up in line too.

the complete lack of agressive rubber until just recently I’ll maintain that their appeal to harder riders has been limiting…

TBF even earl + rubber was more than up to anything you’re capable of so I’m really not seing your problem.
To me all I see is people that haven’t actually tried something repeating something they’ve read about on the internet.
It’s a bit like the 29er wheels will explode if you ride over a pebble bullshite from a few years back.
But now 29ers are cool because bullshite mags have declared them somehow OK.
BTW you were quoting the shite rubber stuff when +Rekons were about too.

i paid 290 Euro for 2x Knards 120tpi in late 2013, when about the only place in the whole world with stock was was singlespeed.nl and i had a full build waiting for tyres 🙁

TBF even earl + rubber was more than up to anything you’re capable of so I’m really not seing your problem.

for sure, so much web hate about knards being terrible in the wet when i had a krampus, i got on fine with them 😕

Now Knard were and still are Shite. 😆

One problem with 27.5+ is that manufacturers make a bike that’ll take them and 29, and then the BB is too high as a 29…

Not with a small chip in the linkage though. 😉

TBF even earl + rubber was more than up to anything you’re capable of so I’m really not seing your problem.

😉

I hope you’re not running 1×11. All that back-pedalling will be giving you gyp 😉

Some are doing tricks with suspension links and/or drop-outs to resolve that. I run my Pact in both B+ and 29 guises and the changing BB height has little effect. It probably helps that I’m running full 3″ tyres though – that’ll minimise the difference.

I hope you’re not running 1×11. All that back-pedalling will be giving you gyp

😆

I have an ebb so can alter the BBC height 😉

I hope you’re not running 1×11. All that back-pedalling will be giving you gyp

12 actually… But who’s counting?

BTW you were quoting the shite rubber stuff when +Rekons were about too.

Rekons are certainly the best + tyre available right now, but they’re an equivalent to an Ardent maybe. They’re certainly not aimed at hard(er) riders or riding. Availability of the 2.8 Minion’s and HR2’s should up the ante.

It’s annoying that for whatever reason, the US market seems only to be interested with weight and rolling speed, and we have to make do with crap rubber as a result until the market matures and the tyre manufacturers start listening to UK customers.

You should try the US some of it is very like the UK for weather.

Mboy have you thought that perhaps grip can come from something other than ‘big spikes?’ Likeeeee a nice round 3″ tyre? Perhaps plus tyres don’t have to be designed like normal tyres…

Coming off a mary/minion setup and now running WTB Ranger 3″ toughs.

Tyre set is the same weight, grip is higher, they roll faster, I am faster. Up and down.
Everything is that last bit is fact.

Mboy have you thought that perhaps grip can come from something other than ‘big spikes?’ Likeeeee a nice round 3″ tyre? Perhaps plus tyres don’t have to be designed like normal tyres…

On some terrain, yes I quite agree with you.

For the trails I ride mostly, even in the summer a squarer profile tyre with aggressive side knobs is preferable.

I hope not as really enjoy riding my 27plus, I almost got the stache 29plus but due to my height issues even on the small the 27plus was the perfect choice, 3″ tyres 100mm front sus, I really do enjoy just riding around on the Fuse.

I will admit I haven’t seen any out in the wild, i’ve seen some full fat bikes but very few semi skimmed. Maybe its too early to tell but scott, specialized and trek still seem pretty keen on the wheel size, you know its a winner when Giant start making one they haven’t as yet that I’m aware of.

That’s ones one of mboys quotes from previous threads not mine…
Try actually reading the thread.

Of course. Silly me, I forgot my mind-reader cap again. 🙄

you know its a winner when Giant start making one they haven’t as yet that I’m aware of.

https://www.giant-bicycles.com/global/showcase/xtc-advanced-plus

Its a new 2017 so they are 2 years behind? that Giant is a good looking bike, pity looks like no UK version online.

For the trails I ride mostly

😆
Like I said the + Rekon has been a great tyre for a couple of week long trips to propper mountains and various uplifts around the UK.
Though I am looking forwards to trying out the DHF on the front as I really like that tyre in 2.5 29 form.

I forgot my mind-reader cap

No need for one if you read the thread.

I’m using purgatory grid 3.0s on my bike, they seem to be pretty decent but I do still want to try out some 2.6s as I think they might suit me better. I run the front pretty soft at ~10 psi and the rear at ~16 psi and had no squirmy issues or punctures yet, I’m only 65-70kg though. Most of what I ride is rock with not a lot of mud FWIW.
I did demo another bike with ground control 3.0 tyres that weren’t grid casing and I managed to get 3 flats on those… In conclusion, I don’t imagine they’re going to disappear as the tyres do appear to be improving and some big names (e.g. specialized) do seem to be trying to herd us that way but I’m not sold on them just yet.

I’ve not had an issue with WTB Bridgers, grips like the preverbal to a blanket. Weight might be an issue for some but I’m near 14 stone and my other bike has an Alfine….so I’m not fussed…. I’m yet to go tubeless as I don’t think I get to ride ofter enough at the moment, maybe in 2017….

Years ago Nokian and Intense did massive tyres;2.6/2.8/3.0 it was ****

And the relevance of that is?

Years ago Rock Shox did forks with the structural integrity of a cotton bud and pretty much no damping. Guess current Rock Shox must be crap too.

Mtb Tyres pretty much a tyre tbh.

Plus at that time they had the Pike. Hardly crap back then.

hora, we’ve done this conversational point before too.
the gazzalodi weighs ~ 1600g.
bonty’s chupacabra is ~ 800g.

go and read some reviews of the nokian on mtbr. the guys all rave about what a monster it is, eating everything in it’s path, but they also wail about the weight.

wonder what would happen if someone made a tyre that was the same size but half the weight… 😉
come on. about time you bought a new bike. 😀

Slightly OT, but very important (to me):

Can ALL 27.5+ bikes take 29 wheels?

I ask because I am very interested in a 27.5+, but its description says nothing about interchangeability; some of the 29ers, however, are quite explicit about also being able to accommodate 27.5+.

[If I don’t get an answer here, I’ll start a new thread.]

I’d check on each individual bike. It’ll depend (a bit) on what size of 29er tyre you opt for. A 2.1? Most likely. A 2.4? Maybe not. The issue will be the seat tube/front mech clearance (plus it’ll add a wee bit to BB height).

Can ALL 27.5+ bikes take 29 wheels?

no. for instance brant confirmed the sonder transmitter wouldn’t take a 29er ( or not one you would want to ride, anyway )
edit: i imagine anything with adjustable dropouts would be a fair bet, but i would check.

It would probably be worth getting one with an adjustable bb too. Mine takes a 45mm 29er rim with a 2.3 wtb breakout tyre easily in the back (all I had to test it) it’s a pinnacle ramin plus BTW

FWIW I’ve not found the changed BB height to be an issue, but that’s running a full 3″ B+ tyre or a 2.1 29er on the rear.