[Closed] 27.5+ Q

My Cujo on 2.8s was a fun bike, without looking like it would be. The tyres allowed you get grip anywhere (barring sloppy mud) and roll over everything. It would just tank along. I'm now on 29 x 2.6s (on a different, more hardcore HT). I prefer these, but still enjoyed the 27+ for the year I rode them. Obviously, tyre choice will be important, and people will say that pressure is vital - I wasn't too fussy about that but could tell when it was in a sweet spot as far as PSI was concerned.

I rode my FlareMax, SolarisMax and Mojo3 on Chubbies. 2.8s of various flavours including a couple of grim winters and a weeks trip to rocky parts of Spain. I didn't have the issues a lot of riders seem to have: punctures, rolling off the rim, lack of support, etc.

I did run rim inserts as 12psi was pretty much my default. I switched the flaremax to 29s and preferred it, but tried the 'max on 29x2.3 and preferred the chubbies.

Now I'm running 29x2.6 on the new hardtail and that seems to be the best of both worlds. Running low pressures on these as well.

I'd give it a go, it's definitely a different / fun experience. I'm sure they'll be loads telling you they are rubbish, but that wasn't my experience.

I run a Solaris - primarily in 29 (2.6) but have a second wheelset that I run chubby 3.0 fr/2.85 r on. They are back on for the snow and frozen ground this week!

I never suffered from punctures with them - in fairness I don't ride them in really rocky areas. actually... that isn't quite true. I never had issues except when I ran a 2,8 Rocket Ron that weighed about the same as the 2.3 version! That tyre was quickly moved on.

I wanted to ditch them and get 29 for the quicker/easier XC miles. That said, for a lot of offroad they roll very very well. My experience is that they are fantastic in summer, and offer loads of grip. Quite the opposite in grease and mud though (I am not running hugely knobbly tyres, mind).

If I were to have one wheelset now, it would be 29. But they offer a fun alternative...albeit one that I think has had it's day given that fewer and fewer are being seen on new bikes.

I built both wheel types for my Pact. I've used the 29ers twice in 4 years. The B+ just feels better with improved grip, comfort and floatation. I'd only consider the 29ers if I was doing lots of tarmac between off-road sections.

cheers. I will get 2 sets of wheels eventually. i have a nice set of tune hubs which will be the primary build so will ponder rim size a wee bit more. As im more an xc kinnda guy and have the mojo HD for playing, 29ers are looking like the option at the mo....ahh, come to think of it i can always change the rims on the 650b hadley wheels and use them as the +..... now why didnt i think of that sooner....

i have a plus bike

currently running normal 2.6 tyres as the plus tyres are crap in the wet and quite squirmy in turns in the dry. i`m defo a more jumpy turny techy type orientated rider

for general riding ,where you are not pushing it hard a lot, a plus tyre is probably quite nice

29 x 2.5/2.6 seems to be the sweet spot from what I’ve tried and having spoken to friends. I didn’t like plus size tyres as personally I like my tyres much harder than most people as don’t like them folding and squirming (old BMX day habit) so run them at about 30PSI(ish).

But then some of my less aggressive friends preferred the bigger tyres for the added grip and suspension.

I didn't take to it at all, the times when + was better than 29er were pretty and always at the times when it mattered least. But, even so, it's still a good way to add a ton of variety to a bike- kind of like replacing a suspension fork with a rigid, it's definitely not better but it can still be fun

Maybe I'd have been more into it if I didn't already have a proper fatbike.

I have both 27.5+ and 29er wheelsets for my Fuel Ex - 9 times out of Ill go for the 27.5+. I find them a little bit more nimble than the 29ers. It could be all in my head of course, but i like them.

What would be the minimum rim size people would recommend for 2.8 or 3.0 tyres?
I too have been thinking about some + wheels for my SolarisMax and wondered what to go for

35mm works for me.

I'm in the joyful position of having an fs 29er, light ht 29er and a 27.5 plus hardtail. The plus bike is steel and built like a tank. It's the most fun bike of the 3. 2.8 magic mary up front on a 40mm rim. All the grip you could ever need, even in Pennine winter filth. Amazing up hill rocky traction. It's been out to Zona Zero. Bloody awful on tarmac though! 😅

Solarix max as a winter bike here with 2 wheelsets
29 x 2.4 conti baron fr/trail king rr, 30mm rims
27.5 x 3.0 Spec purgatory fr/rr, 40mm rims

As a bike, its better on 29 imo.
I'll put the 27.5+ wheels on when we have snow season. Hasn't happened this year though
Or mullet if my backs really hurting

run my chameleon with both. have a very nice set of numen 27.5 x 35mm wheels i run with a 2.8 dhf front and 2.8 spesh slaughter out back. i rebuilt my 29er pro4 hope enduro wheels with some hong kong fuey 30mm carbon rims and despite being lighter and wider than the hopes i didn't find them the improvement i'd hoped for running relatively easy rolling tyres. i do need to put on some burlier 2.5 or 2.6 and see how i go, but like smogmonster i find the 27.5+ more nimble, and they're more lively/spin up quicker than the 29ers, despite the grippier rubber. pressures are critical. on the plus tyres i'm 9psi front and 15 rear.

My 29/27.5 frame I've only run 27.5 so far, so can't compare with 29. However, my 2.6 tyres (accepted not really "+") are I think quite different on these 35mm rims compared to the 30mm rims they were on on another bike. I think I'm getting a bit of the 27.5+ thing from them and I think the rim is a big part of that. Also, I was surprised to find the DHF is visually indistinguishable from a 2.8 DHF on a mate's bike (same rim). Pressures right down, good grip, no issues so far.