# 27.5 versus 29er mtb



## han168 (20 Jun 2015)

Hi All,

What is better? 27.5 mtb or 29er mtb? pros and cons?


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (20 Jun 2015)

Test ride, make your own mind up. The following posts will contain buzz words like "speed" "science" "marketing" "geometry" and "gimmick"

None of which are better than test riding.


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## han168 (20 Jun 2015)

T.M.H.N.E.T said:


> Test ride, make your own mind up. The following posts will contain buzz words like "speed" "science" "marketing" "geometry" and "gimmick"
> 
> None of which are better than test riding.


Have you tried those wheels?


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (20 Jun 2015)

han168 said:


> Have you tried those wheels?


Yes


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## han168 (20 Jun 2015)

What do you like between the 2 wheels? Right now, I think the 27.5 would be great. On monday when I disembark, I will definitely try both of them.


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (20 Jun 2015)

Personal preference, 27.5 just felt right. That may not be true for everyone


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## han168 (20 Jun 2015)

I have a road bike before and climbing is really not easy. So I am thinking riding a 700cx40 wil be the same effort. So, right now I am thinking of Giant ATX 27.5 instead of Giant Roam. What do you think?


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (20 Jun 2015)

Climbing really won't get easier on a MTB regardless of wheel size. What may happen is you end up spinning a much smaller gear and spending longer on the climb than you would have before.


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## han168 (20 Jun 2015)

What do you think should I go for? Roam or ATX?


T.M.H.N.E.T said:


> Climbing really won't get easier on a MTB regardless of wheel size. What may happen is you end up spinning a much smaller gear and spending longer on the climb than you would have before.


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (20 Jun 2015)

Test ride


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## han168 (20 Jun 2015)

T.M.H.N.E.T said:


> Test ride


Ok. I will do what you adviced me Sir. What is your bike?


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (20 Jun 2015)

Boardman FS Team 650B + Vitus Nucleus 27.5 HT


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## ScotiaLass (20 Jun 2015)

Do test ride both. I love my 29er but find tight turns on those wheels rather fiddly! (or maybe I'm just a rubbish rider lol).
Either way, it's such a personal thing - try both and see what you think!


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## Slioch (20 Jun 2015)

There have been a number of previous threads on this forum discussing the pros & cons of the different wheel sizes, so it might be worthwhile doing a search for these as there's a lot of great comments. Some people think 29'ers are the best thing ever, some think they are the work of the devil, and some think it is a load of marketing bo**ox.
Me personally, if I was upgrading my 26'er I would consider a 27.5 but wouldn't touch a 29'er. That's just down to personal preference and prejudice.

As T.M.H.N.E.T. says, test ride is the best way to make your own judgement.


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## Deleted member 23692 (20 Jun 2015)

It looks like 27.5+ will be the next big thing - wider 27.5 rims running 3" tyres which gives an overall wheel diameter equal to that of a 29" wheel.

And to make all this happen the industry 'needs' to introduce a whole raft of wider parts - tyres, forks, frames, hubs, BB's and crank sets etc.


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## mrbikerboy73 (20 Jun 2015)

I found 29" wheels a bit cumbersome for my liking but I really like the 27.5. The manoeuvrability is still there, all be it slightly less than a 26" wheel, and they roll over stuff better than a 26". There is a trade off between one and the other so a test ride is the only way to know which size is for you.


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## Motozulu (20 Jun 2015)

This is such a personal choice subject that there really is no 'correct' or 'wrong' answer. Mrbikerboy is spot on - you have to decide for yourself, neither is 'better' than the other, but you may prefer one to the other - not the same thing at all.


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## PaulSecteur (22 Jun 2015)

I have done a lot of research into wheel sizes and I can tell you, with some confidence that the facts are...

26 is the best and worst size.
27.5 is the best and worst size.
29 is the best and worst size.
You may need to grow a beard to ride some wheel sizes.


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## e-rider (23 Jun 2015)

if you are tall and ride a large frame you will be good on either 27.5 or 29"
however, if you are short with little legs and a small frame size then 27.5 is the way to go as a 29er will just be too large
26" wheels are rubbish - I thought that back in 1992


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## mickle (23 Jun 2015)

No-one is buying 29ers these days. Manufacturers are abandoning the standard like rats leaving a sinking ship.


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## Crackle (24 Jun 2015)

The new standard is plus size bikes. Everything else is now obsolete and should be retired.


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## PaulSecteur (24 Jun 2015)

Oh dear... looks like im going to have to start doing night rides round Cannock chase, just so people don't see me on a 29er.


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## Drago (24 Jun 2015)

I'm not such a fan of 29ers meself, and after s brief foray with a Carve went back to a 26. All mine are still 26, although I'm building a 650B at the moment with a recently acquired Pace frame.


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## PaulSecteur (24 Jun 2015)

At the recent Specialized demo day over Cannock they had a Stumpjumper with 6-fatties on. I don't know if its going to be the next big thing, but it did look good.

I think it could well be my next wheel size


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## KneesUp (24 Jun 2015)

PaulSecteur said:


> I have done a lot of research into wheel sizes and I can tell you, with some confidence that the facts are...
> 
> 26 is the best and worst size.
> 27.5 is the best and worst size.
> ...



There speaks a man who hasn't ridden 28 1/8th wheels


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## PaulSecteur (24 Jun 2015)

KneesUp said:


> There speaks a man who hasn't ridden 28 1/8th wheels



Just tried them.

They are the best... and worst.


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## psychopomp1 (4 Jul 2015)

Crackle said:


> The new standard is plus size bikes. Everything else is now obsolete and should be retired.


+99999999999
Currently in Chile and just bought a Trek Stache 9 29+ for £2.3k (2.8k in blighty). Its like riding a motorbike but with the agility of a mountain bike  I don't think i will ever ride a standard mountain bike again. It came with 29" wheels, however they can be swapped with 27.5". Oh and it looks so damn sexy


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