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What do I want here? Guide me, oh wise Forum...
I think I've decided I want a Flare Max... but which one?
Either way it'll be with a 130 Helm and "Gold" finishing kit... I'm giddy at the prospect frankly😐
Have you ridden plus much ? I’ve got a Solaris that I run plus all year round and love it . Having said that I’m not convinced that plus on a full suss is the best use of those tyres .
I think I would go 29er with some relatively large tyres , just to be awkward how about silver finishing kit and 2 sets of wheels 🙂
pretty cool decision to make , they are lovely looking bikes .
Nope... never ridden 27.5"+... and the Helm is part of the Gold package, hence me wanting that... I really want a Helm!!!!
You can add the Helm to the Silver package, or downgrade some bits on the Gold, if your want to eek your money out to get 2 sets of wheels. Plus on the FlareMAX is a giggle… and great for climbs.
29er gold and then treat yourself to a love mud rumpus wheelset for Xmas!
D4ddy has answered the question I feel 😂
Ta
Not the same bike, but my Pole is 27+ on 50mm nextie rims and 3" tyres.
Despite the keyboard warriors assurances that the sidewalls will shred at the first signs of gnar and they squirm on any hard cornering and kill you dead, I love this setup.
I often think I should get a 29 wheelset too, but I genuinely don't think I'd use it for anything.
I’ve demoed the flare max as 29 and I own a Solaris in 27.5+
The 29 was so good, I can’t think how a plus could be better. The amount of grip and confidence that the geometry gave me, I didn’t think there would be a additional benefit by going chubby. And it’s slightly more efficient rolling in 29.
dont get me wrong, I love plus wheels too and am very happy with the Solaris. In the mid winter mud they slide about a bit but otherwise they’re a riot - but with a well set up full suss you get a lot of the traction benefits anyway.
I rode the first gen plus for 90% of the time and 29 the other 10%.I preferred it on the chubbies, it just made it such a laugh. It was probably faster on the 29s but I had more fun on the plus tyres. Until winter, then it was 29 all the way!
I ran around on a Solaris with b+ for about 12 months before getting my FlareMAX. Have tried both b+ and 29er wheels on the FlareMAX, but really prefer the 29er wheels. Not just the FlareMAX though, as I’ve tried b+ on two other 29er full sussers, and I’m just not convinced that they’re best suited to them - almost like the undamped rebound of the tyres starts fighting the suspension damping. I guess it depends where youre riding really - if you live for smashing down the roughest descents in places like the Peak, Lakes etc., then the b+ might make more sense.
D4ddy’s suggestion is a good un. That’s what I’d do - get the 29er, then pick up some cheap + wheels to experiment with.
HTH
right... 29" it is... i think...!
I'm loving mine in 29 mode and have no desire to try plus any time soon. I did have a Solaris (now sold) that I ran as a plus bike for a while. It was fun, at least in the summer. A bit more grip and a bit more comfort. But the FlareMax has all the grip and comfort I need as it is. Also, for me, a big part of the attraction of the FlareMax was that the BB was higher than on many of the alternatives. I like pedalling through rough sections and previous bikes with low BBs have driven me mad. So, putting smaller wheels on and lowering the BB doesn't appeal. It's all personal preference at the end the day though.
You’re all wrong 😉
I’m probably biased because I have another FS plus bike, but I thought they brought something to the ride you don’t get on std 29s. I was running mine at 16-17psi so not silly fat tyre pressures. Yeah there was a bit more rebound but you could use that.
Certainly for the trails around the FoD, they were great. Also did a week in rocky spain without any tyre issues and a few uplift days. Don’t remember the BB being noticeably lower on a 2.8 plus tyre.
If you get the chance, you should try it. If I was only going to buy one set of wheels I’d buy 29 as plus and winter are not very compatible. I tend to ride HT over the grim months anyway so happy with the compromise..
I notice the diff in bb height on my hardtail (Genesis Tarn). Between 29 x 2.35 and 27.5 x 2.8. nominal sizes. It may be less noticeable on a full bouncer, and you can tweak things with offset bushes etc. there as well. Be interesting to try 27.5+ full bounce, but my full susser won't take it. Hmmm, is it new frame time?