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Why did I choose 27.5" wheels this time?


TheX
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2 hours ago, AustinBike said:

This entire discussion would make more sense with an outer diameter discussion. How different is a 27.5 w/2.8 vs. a 29 with 2.4? Not sure anyone has ever done that apples to oranges compare. Typically I see 27.5 v 29 using the same approximate tire. And that defeats the purpose of the comparison in my mind.

In the first post I mention that the 27.5 with the bigger tires  (2.5) rolls over things better for me, than the 29er's on my XC bike at 2.25. I love the XC bike but it definite has a different purpose.

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I barely have anyone asking for 27.5 bikes anymore.  I quit stocking them and having demos in that size.  My brands have scaled back the the 27.5 offerings for 2020. 

29ers were pushed to popularity being driven by the consumers.  Later the 27.5 size came around being manufacturer driven.  

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56 minutes ago, xl_cheese said:

I barely have anyone asking for 27.5 bikes anymore.  I quit stocking them and having demos in that size.  My brands have scaled back the the 27.5 offerings for 2020. 

29ers were pushed to popularity being driven by the consumers.  Later the 27.5 size came around being manufacturer driven.  

Got into MTB just as 29ers were hitting the floors and owned both those and 26ers. To me the 27.5 was the copy/printer/fax/scanner of tire sizes. It was promised to be the best of the 26 & 29 but ended up being the lesser of each. 

Id like to try a mullet combo on my 27.5 but it'd be too slack.

Edited by ATXZJ
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1 hour ago, ATXZJ said:

Got into MTB just as 29ers were hitting the floors and owned both those and 26ers. To me the 27.5 was the copy/printer/fax/scanner of tire sizes. It was promised to be the best of the 26 & 29 but ended up being the lesser of each. 

Id like to try a mullet combo on my 27.5 but it'd be too slack.

Whoa. Four functions? Nice. Is it networkable?

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That's why I was wondering about how the trend was going. I always suspected that it was indeed manufacturer driven. "Hey look! The newest and latest that you just HAVE to have!"

I use to be an avid golfer. That industry is driven by coming out with "new and improved" stuff every year. 

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My experience with 27.5 was on my hardtail which is 27.5+/29. I personally did not like the 27.5+ on the hardtail. Granted I was running 2.8 and later 3.0 at low pressures. I found that with the hardtail the tire pressure had to be spot on or the bike was squirrelly at low pressure and a bouncy house at higher pressure either way it was trying to kill me. I have no experience with 27.5 on a full squish but would think that a lower tire volume with longer travel for full squish would be better. The other factor that comes into play on full squish is that the higher the volume tire the more it messes with your suspension tune. I think it's really a personal preference to your riding style. I believe that smaller people my be more comfortable and able to get a better fit on 27.5 than on 29.

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Mostly seeing comparisons to 27.5+ but 2.35/2.25 is the setup on my 27.5 and it’s my fastest bike (Giant Adv Anthem2)...when I’m at my fighting weight. It takes a lot more energy and momentum to roll it through the chunk, but it’s way more nimble and lighter than my 29’s in the stable. Since I’m rarely at my proper weight I end up on my 29’s on almost every ride. When I want to crawl over chunky stuff, I can’t slow roll my 27.5 without working the front end a lot more than the 29’s (2.35/2.35). And I have similar treads (ikons) and sizes on the 27.5 and my 29 Primer.

But to say my 27.5 isn’t significantly easier to ride than my 26 would be malarkey; fs versus ht as well, but still...

I’ve thought about selling the 27.5 because she gives me guilt trips every time i walk by, but with the used market being saturated, I’d rather avoid the beating and maintain the variety in the stable. And if it were one bike for me, it’s undoubtedly a 29.

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28 minutes ago, Craft said:

but with the used market being saturated,

I’m just happy I’m not the only one who’s seeing this. Seems like every Tom, Dick, and Harry are flipping a bike 6 months after buying it and expecting to get 90% MSRP. Really bogs down the market and hurts the visibility of a decently priced bike/spec. 

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2 minutes ago, bestbike85 said:

I’m just happy I’m not the only one who’s seeing this. Seems like every Tom, Dick, and Harry are flipping a bike 6 months after buying it and expecting to get 90% MSRP. Really bogs down the market and hurts the visibility of a decently priced bike/spec. 

I bought my Bronson C S for $3,100. It was 8 months old, still had 95% life on the original tires, and the BSS Wear and Care plan that was transferable to me. They paid over $5,500 for the bike new. I'm a bargain hunter for sure. New prices are crazy.

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One thing I'm curious about given some of the comments on this thread is the sidewall height aspect ratio for MTB tires. Is it true in all cases that the wider the tire the taller it gets, or do manufacturers shrink the sidewall height aspect ratio to maintain a consistent height regardless of width. Just curious - getting ready to mount some 2.6" 27.5 tires and hadn't really thought about the added benefit of a little extra rolling diameter compared to my 2.4s.         

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26 minutes ago, TheX said:

I bought my Bronson C S for $3,100. It was 8 months old, still had 95% life on the original tires, and the BSS Wear and Care plan that was transferable to me. They paid over $5,500 for the bike new. I'm a bargain hunter for sure. New prices are crazy.

Nice deal on the Bronson - its a good bike. 

It would be great if someone created a marketplace for people who buy expensive bikes and stop riding after 3 months. I am guessing that bikes fall into 3 distinct categories (my marketing head at work):

1. Buy a top line bike, ride multiple times per week, eventually ride it down to a nub.

2. Buy a top line bike, ride for 3 months then it site for a year, only to be sold.

3. Buy a mid line bike, ride on a regular basis and get 5+ years out of it, eventually upgrade when all parts go obsolete

 

The rest of the market is low end that nobody wants (but tries to sell at a premium on craigslist.)

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14 minutes ago, AustinBike said:

1. Buy a top line bike, ride multiple times per week, eventually ride it down to a nub.

Then there's me...

  • (Year 0-3) Buy a top line bike, ride multiple times per week, eventually ride it down to a nub.
    • (Year 3-4) Sell it to someone who milks the worn out components for another year.
      • (Year 4-9, AKA ME!) Sell it to some poor sucker who is just getting into MTB'ing and doesn't mind/doesn't know that they are riding a bike with sacked components from the PO spares bin because it is 10X better than their department store MTB they came from
      • (Year 10-14) Instead of selling it, invest 2X what it's worth in new components and ride it, wondering at what point do you cut your loses and invest in a new bike...
  • Haha 2
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33 minutes ago, throet said:

One thing I'm curious about given some of the comments on this thread is the sidewall height aspect ratio for MTB tires. Is it true in all cases that the wider the tire the taller it gets, or do manufacturers shrink the sidewall height aspect ratio to maintain a consistent height regardless of width. Just curious - getting ready to mount some 2.6" 27.5 tires and hadn't really thought about the added benefit of a little extra rolling diameter compared to my 2.4s.         

They're all over the place. I've had 2.6 schwalbe in sticky vs regular compounds that measured different widths. Same model and size.

Only true volume measurement is laying tire carcass flat and measuring bead to bead. Wider rim width shortens height a bit too.

I'd do 2.6 all day long on a 27.5. Currently running a 2.6 DHF and will probably switch to an assegai  and move to rear once minion SS wears out.

anecdotal but interesting test on vital:

1 hour ago, Craft said:

Mostly seeing comparisons to 27.5+ but 2.35/2.25 is the setup on my 27.5 and it’s my fastest bike (Giant Adv Anthem2)...when I’m at my fighting weight. It takes a lot more energy and momentum to roll it through the chunk, but it’s way more nimble and lighter than my 29’s in the stable. Since I’m rarely at my proper weight I end up on my 29’s on almost every ride. When I want to crawl over chunky stuff, I can’t slow roll my 27.5 without working the front end a lot more than the 29’s (2.35/2.35). And I have similar treads (ikons) and sizes on the 27.5 and my 29 Primer.

But to say my 27.5 isn’t significantly easier to ride than my 26 would be malarkey; fs versus ht as well, but still...

I’ve thought about selling the 27.5 because she gives me guilt trips every time i walk by, but with the used market being saturated, I’d rather avoid the beating and maintain the variety in the stable. And if it were one bike for me, it’s undoubtedly a 29.

It'd be interesting to swap the fork/wheel out of the 29 to your giant but you'd probably have to reduce it to 120mm.

Edited by ATXZJ
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