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So spent most of last year off the bike due to injuries, so been allowed to ride but ideally a full suspension will assist me maintaining a injury free riding year. I was an early adopter of 29ers but 27.5 long travel bike has caught my eye.
Will I regret the 27.5 wheel size coming off 29ers and fat bikes?
Funny you should say that as I have a 140mm 29er that I've not long started experimenting with 170 27.5 forks and wheels
Now after a few rides I can say that even though I prefer mine setup as 27.5, there's no getting away from the fact that 29er is much better for general xc stuff. With the 170 forks on but downsizing the wheels the front end is about 20mm lower than it was and the rear about 15mm lower.. The bb is about 17mm lower which makes it more fun in the tight and rough stuff
Suppose it depends on the bike more than the wheel size (what you are coming from and what you are going to). To be honest, I do prefer 29ers. I've just listed my Intense Spider for sale after buying a Trek Slash 8.
I had 29ers previous to the 27.5 (and smaller wheels before it), but I don't think I regretted it.
Good points coming from stooge full rigid but has yeti 29/ Rocky/ turner 29 to a 170 front and 155 rear with a 66.5 headangle.
I’m on 27.5, 29 is faster pretty much everywhere. But I just enjoy the chuckability, cornering on 27.5. I’m on the latest Trek remedy and very very happy
I swapped my 29er for a friend's 650b on a descent the other weekend, so she could try my bike.
Very nice bike, posher than mine, but it just felt weird going back to the smaller wheels and less BB drop. I do still have a soft spot for mucking about on B-plus, but couldn't go back for normal riding.
Some amazing long-travel 29ers out there now, you know.
27.5 makes trails come alive !!
I know including Orange stage but just have a few parts from daughter that are 27.5 add a frame and I have a relatively inexpensive 27.5 with 170/155 coil travel.
Really want something that handles like my stooge
There can be such huge variations between bikes that figuring out how wheel size factors in is hard
That said I do sometimes feel like I'm cheating on my process 153 29, it's a massive skill compensator, while my old 650b process was just chuckable fun, even if it might have left me on my arse where my new bike let's me get away with mistakes.
But, I have a 29er xc hardtail that is as 'chuckable' as my 26er dh hardtail, - it's lighter and carries momentum better on big bermy stuff and the right jumps
To sum up my gibberish, try the 650 it could be amazeballs
I have gone from long travel 29 back to 27.5 and prefer it 90% of the time. Find it much easier on tight technical stuff and generally easier to get in with. Few of my group have gone back as well.
My bike takes both 29 and 27+ wheels. I have a nice set of wheels for both sizes. With big, grippy 29er tyres 2.5 DHRs, I find the 29 too much like hard work. With similarly grippy 27+ tyres (2.8” Magic Marys) the bike is much easier to ride. I think some of it is down the the quicker acceleration of the smaller wheel, and I am definitely considering going back to 27.5 for my next FS bike
trail bike? i'd never go back to 27.5
DH/ park shred sled? 27.5 bro!
Sorry not trail bike it is a downcountry or all terrain bike or a ride across the Moors and slither down the side.
I have thought on and I ride in the main the same trails did 25 years ago and the crushing effect of 29er steamroller everything into oblivion is good on one for my aged body but I did move to rigid fat bike and a 98mm full sus bike to keep some of the challenge/enjoyment.
27.5 maybe amazeballs...or it might not