Really, really sorry for starting a thread about wheel size….not asking what is ‘best’, just asking for personal experiences, so please spare me the marketing spiel….

In the last few years I switched from 26′ to 29ers and really liked them. I’m currently considering a 27.5 light weight XC full suss (and will be keeping my other 29ers). I’m interested in other peoples experience of going from 29 to 27.5. How has it worked out for you? Any success or horror stories?

wheels don’t make bikes, they are just one component of the bike. I swap between 26 & 29 and it’s different but both bikes are very different.

Ride the bike, decide what you think of it, that is the most important thing.

Agreed. One of the reasons for asking the above is that I stopped enjoying one of my old 26 inch bikes once I moved to 29ers. Not entirely sure why, just seemed like hard work compared to the 29ers. As you say, it could be down to the individual bike rather than related to wheel size.

Obviously I will test ride any potential new bike, but its not the same as living with it and forming an opinion over a longer term.

Wot they said.

No one’s found going from 26 (fine) to 29 (amazing) then 27.5 (terrible).

I’ve got all 3 at present. I find that the risk of getting a flat and having the wrong size spare in my pack has increased

I’m currently riding 29+,29, 27.5+, 26×4, 26×5 and 26.
All feel different because they’re all on =different bikes intended for different things.
As much as I hate to agree with mike up there.

Ride the bike, decide what you think of it, that is the most important thing.

Is pretty much spot on.

No one’s found going from 26 (fine) to 29 (amazing) then 27.5 (terrible).

While I’m sure this is true, my experience is: went from 26 (been fine for ~20 years, so didn’t know any better) to 29 (really liked them) then still used existing 26 (felt slow and hard work, and didn’t want to ride it).

I’m aware there is a whole load of additional variables to consider….I’m just interested in other peoples specific experiences rather than generalisations. Thanks anyway.

If you preferred 29 to 26 why do you want to go back to a smaller wheel? I thought the consensus was that 27 felt very much like 26 (indistinguishable to some), which you didn’t like as much. But what the heck, as they all said, try one, maybe you’ll love it.

If you preferred 29 to 26 why do you want to go back to a smaller wheel? I thought the consensus was that 27 felt very much like 26 (indistinguishable to some), which you didn’t like as much. But what the heck, as they all said, try one, maybe you’ll love it.

Fair question, and basically the crux of the (first world) issue. The 27.5 bike I have seen is an end of season sale bike offering an amazing spec for the price. I can’t find a 29er bike that comes anywhere near to it value wise. Based on my 29er bias, I would not be considering 27.5 if the deal wasn’t so tempting….but it is!

So, you’re thinking of buying a bike that you don’t want just because it’s cheap. That could get expensive 🙂

Just pulling your leg really though. If you like it, can afford it and think you’ll ride it then go for it.

So, you’re thinking of buying a bike that you don’t want just because it’s cheap. That could get expensive

Just pulling your leg really though. If you like it, can afford it and think you’ll ride it then go for it.

Come on, dont go all STW on me. 🙄 😆
Swap ‘don’t want’ for ‘might want, but thinking it through because it’s a big chuck of cash’. I’ve already tested the bike, and liked it…but a single test doesn’t really tell me much about long term ownership. I really liked my last 26er when I first got it.

I’ll stress again, anyone with first hand experience?

It’s a fair cop guv, but if you want sensible replies you’re probably going to have to tell us what the bike is. As has been said, there is more to a bike than the size of the wheels.

My own experience with different sized wheels is mainly with Orange single pivots, so I suspect it is rather different. But, personally, I found the 29ers to be usefully different to the 26″ bikes. Not better or worse, but different enough to exist alongside each other. The 650B on the other hand, just seemed to be a bit worse than the 26. The differences were tiny, but they all seemed to be negative (to me). It was a bit heavier and a bit less agile (slower steering), but without any significant increase in roll-over efficiency. But that was one bike (and not even the current version of that bike) and plenty of other people seemed to like it.

I have a 26 Soul and a 27.5 Anthem. Can’t say I am aware when riding that wheel sizes are different. Of course the bikes feel different, but is it the wheels, the geometry, the suspension, the material…..

I’ll stress again, anyone with first hand experience?

I’m currently riding 29+,29, 27.5+, 26×4, 26×5 and 26.

I’ll say it again. You’re focusing on the wrong thing.
Wheel size does not make or break a bike.

Thanks for the input all.
Bike in question is a Giant Anthem Advanced 27.5 0 Team 2015. Carbon, very light, great spec…but not a 29er.

Wheel size does not make or break a bike.

Certainly not disputing that. However in my ~20 years of riding MTB’s moving to a 29er has easily been one of the biggest improvements (hence my hesitation on buying a 27.5, despite liking it on a quick test ride).

I concede my 29er bias could just be related to the bikes I have ridden long term, and I obviously haven’t tested the same models back to back with different wheel sizes.

What height are you ? Giant 27.5 is well sorted geometry and likley to suit if you are average sized.

About 6’2′.

Usually ride a L.

Hmmmm, the Anthem 27.5 is quite a compact frame, so I’d say you need to try it… Had you been 5’10 plus or minus a bit then less so..

Already tried it, and liked it.

If I was getting an anthem and your size I would get the 29, awesome bike! Not much will touch it out on xc trails, seems a bit pointless give the type of bike it is to then get the 27.5

Unfortunately Giant don’t import a high spec Anthem 29er, and appear to have given up developing 29ers altogether. The current Anthem 29ers are frames that have not been tweaked for a few years, and Giant appear to be offering them through gritted teeth!

Bargain fever has abated a bit overnight, and right now I’m edging towards waiting for a 29er instead (not a Anthem 29er though).

There is something about the way Giant & Spesh went about it all declaring one wheel size was the way the truth and the light that put me off both of them really. Spesh now admitting that 29″ doesn’t work right for all the bikes but giant have a raging 650b one going on 🙂

“No one’s found going from 26 (fine) to 29 (amazing) then 27.5 (terrible).”

oddly – we hired a trek ex7 27.5″ wheel … it was shite… even my mrs who doesnt care what her bike is thought so. I found it REALLY long in the rear with a really steep head angle for its length to try and rein in the turning circle which was about as big as the turning circle on my landy. It was a really hateful bike. The trails were awesome though. still did about 80k on it.

we hired a 29er a few days later – specialized – the brakes were back to front – i thought it was nice , she thought it was the best thing since sliced bread and how she wanted to change her 26er merida (which was a much higher spec bike than the spesh we hired) for a 29er…..

and thats without me even telling her there was a difference in wheelsizes….

i still have 26s and can jump either way without being too bothered on my bikes…. which are set up for me. how ever when i go to the garage the bike i grab first and foremost and want to ride the most – is my ragley TD-1 29er.

given the fact that you have found it, want it, have tried it and liked it…..

surely just buy it ! 🙂

given the fact that you have found it, want it, have tried it and liked it…..

surely just buy it !

It does seem to add up doesn’t it! I just have some lingering doubts about living with 27.5, based on my experience on swapping between 26 and 29 in practice.

You’re tall and are looking for an XC bike. If 29ers aren’t the ideal option for you then you have to wonder what the point of them is.

Put it this way, if you came on here and said that you were 6’2″ and lloking for an XC bike, I bet 90% of the suggestions would be 29ers.

Didn’t we come to the conclusion that 29ers were best for XC bikes and hardtails and 27.5 were best for more gravity based exploits?

The battle ground was for the “Trail” market…

I switched from 20″ to 29″ to 26″ (yes, really – I had an Airnimal Rhino). I like the handling of the 26 a little more than the 29er, but miss the faster rolling. I’d imagine that the middle ground would be just that; not too hot and not too cold.

They are all bikes at the end of the day. My next mtb will probably be an Anthem 29er or equivalent for XC and racing because I haven’t had a FS bike.