# 27.5 DH bike?



## Elfbkr50 (Jan 10, 2006)

Is Giant making one of these? Are they going to make 26'' wheel dh bikes obsolete and just totally kick ass? I'd like to say no, but since several bike manufacturers are not even making a 26" wheel bike (other than a dh bike), I'm starting to wonder. Just a thought to kick around.


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

27.5 and 29 er will be the leaders in xc and some AM....but the need for a strong rim will always keep a 26 in business....but the bronsons are nice


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## Pau11y (Oct 15, 2004)

SHIVER ME TIMBERS said:


> 27.5 and 29 er will be the leaders in xc and some AM....but the need for a strong rim will always keep a 26 in business....but the bronsons are nice


High profile carbon rims will make this a moot point. Tall profile to reduce spoke length, and increase stiffness. Plus, Derby is pushing 40mm wide, making a WAY stiff rim w/o weight penalty.

But, wagon-wheel'd DH sled might be most advantageous for tall riders.


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## Rob-Bob (Jun 11, 2004)

Giant is changing the glory and the reign to 650 b next year


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## Christopher Robin (Dec 1, 2004)

I think frame makers will have their DH bikes use 650b by about 2015 or 16. Some are playing with the idea now and I'm sure the rest will follow sooner or later. It's just a matter of time...

One argument I hear that's against 650b in DH right now is lack of tire choices. Once that sorts itself, I'm sure there's going to be more and more people switching.


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## Elfbkr50 (Jan 10, 2006)

29 dh bike seems like it would be way too tall. Also, rolling over everything like it isn't there might make it less fun. Kind of the way super fat skis make skiing too easy. Maybe not though. I'm fingers crossed that my newly purchased dh bike stays relevant to the scene and competitive for a little while.


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## cyclelicious (Oct 7, 2008)

My husband is building up a 27.5 Transition Covert... almost done :thumbsup:

I got a new DH frame late last season for my puny 26" so I'm sticking with tradition... for now


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## Deerhill (Dec 21, 2009)

Pics!icious


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## man w/ one hand (Dec 29, 2003)

I have watched 3 different experienced riders that have gone over to 29" wheeled bikes, try to ride them through the same stuff we have ridden for over a decade, nasty wasshed out gullies, drops, jumps & only one of them seems to be able to make the transition to 29" & still ride w/ the same "gusto" as they had on 26". They tend to come back from the mtns bleeding and "skint up". I guess we'll ALL follow the trends after a certain point, (have to when the "old stuff" is no longer made/supported). I guess I'll stick to the old school rig that is working for me presently - a 26" aluminum Nomad w/ CCDB air & 36 180 Talas.


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## Mr. Lynch (Jun 11, 2010)

Specialized cleared out all their 26" Demos at crazy prices, so I bet their new DH bike will be 27.5. It will probably be "announced" at Sea Otter. Like it or not it looks like 27.5 is moving into the DH market even for the bigger companies.


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## Yurik (Aug 25, 2012)

I think 27.5" DH bikes is likely to happen, but at the same time I don't think 26" DH bikes will become obsolete, obviously pro riders are going back and forth right now, so obviously they see the gains in each wheel size


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## cyclelicious (Oct 7, 2008)

Deerhill said:


> Pics!icious


Here's the frame.

Hawg's All About Bikes Thread, Vol. 4 - Page 109

Carbon rims








Pedals








Singlesprocket is waiting for the Pike fork


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## Deerhill (Dec 21, 2009)

Excellent


wish those had wrench flats


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## Elfbkr50 (Jan 10, 2006)

I thought at first that a 29" wheel bike was gimmick that would pass. Summer after summer I noticed more of them, and then tried keeping up with a dweeb riding one up my favorite hill. I've had a HT 29'r for 2 summers now, and spend most of my time on it in AK. I'd prefer rides that necessitate a big trail bike, we just don't have many of them. Anyway, maybe the 650b bike will rally in the dh scene.


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## sinfony78 (Dec 2, 2012)

I think first place at fontana was on a 650b


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## whoda*huck (Feb 12, 2005)

Deerhill said:


> Excellent
> 
> wish those had wrench flats


No 8mm allen?


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## Deerhill (Dec 21, 2009)

whodaphuck said:


> No 8mm allen?


Kind of big feet, have spacers..maybe they can be drilled out


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## LarryFahn (Jul 19, 2005)

It's unfortunate, but it's all marketing. The 650 will overtake the market because the frame companies want you to buy new stuff all the time. 
2010 my buddy gets a warranty frame. 31.6 post. They tell him it's bigger to accommodate height adjustable post. 2 years later, his new bike accepts the "new standard" 30.9. That was $300 wasted. Wait 3-4 years. Either 31.6 will be the standard or 34.7 (made up) will be. 
Last year a buddy breaks his Fuel ex. It started off he needed a cassette, rings and a chain. All 10spd cause it's hard to get the 9spd anymore. I noticed the crack. When the new frame came in I noticed he would need a different bb and a headset reducer. I rebuilt his fork this year and noticed wear on the stanchion. Fox offered a crash replacement. Now the fork has a tapered steerer, 15mm to, and post mount brakes. A new headset was ordered and a new wheel. He wanted the ta and knew a new wheel would be necessary. But the brake mount is the issue. He has elixirs and a 185mm rotor. The adapters are only for 180mm anymore and cost $20 (which are all sold out) and a new disc is $35+. All because the 51mm "international standard" isn't standard anymore and the 185mm disc is discontinued for a couple years now. 

My point is just because it works, doesn't mean it's here to stay. I believe the industries motto is "If it ain't broke, we ain't makin' money!"


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## man w/ one hand (Dec 29, 2003)

LarryFahn said:


> It's unfortunate, but it's all marketing. The 650 will overtake the market because the frame companies want you to buy new stuff all the time.
> 2010 my buddy gets a warranty frame. 31.6 post. They tell him it's bigger to accommodate height adjustable post. 2 years later, his new bike accepts the "new standard" 30.9. That was $300 wasted. Wait 3-4 years. Either 31.6 will be the standard or 34.7 (made up) will be.
> Last year a buddy breaks his Fuel ex. It started off he needed a cassette, rings and a chain. All 10spd cause it's hard to get the 9spd anymore. I noticed the crack. When the new frame came in I noticed he would need a different bb and a headset reducer. I rebuilt his fork this year and noticed wear on the stanchion. Fox offered a crash replacement. Now the fork has a tapered steerer, 15mm to, and post mount brakes. A new headset was ordered and a new wheel. He wanted the ta and knew a new wheel would be necessary. But the brake mount is the issue. He has elixirs and a 185mm rotor. The adapters are only for 180mm anymore and cost $20 (which are all sold out) and a new disc is $35+. All because the 51mm "international standard" isn't standard anymore and the 185mm disc is discontinued for a couple years now.
> 
> My point is just because it works, doesn't mean it's here to stay. I believe the industries motto is "If it ain't broke, we ain't makin' money!"


Reality based perspective, IMO.


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## Jumpcaser (Apr 7, 2012)

Yeah, I keep thinking maybe if I wait a year, all these "standards" will sort themselves out with what's best. I don't think that will ever happen and, as you say, it's probably by design.


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## mykel (Jul 31, 2006)

26 will be back in a few years as the- "New Light Fun Size" with "Moar Maneuverability[SUP]TM[/SUP]"


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## meSSican (Aug 8, 2010)

man w/ one hand said:


> Reality based perspective, IMO.


I think there is a lot of truth there. I think the designers have plateaued and a bigger wheel is about as "you need this" as it gets since it is a higher price tag item. I remember Giant putting out a 2 page spread showing the difference between the wheel sizes. After reading all the specs they put in the ad I concluded that 26" wheels would be my choice. I have never ridden one but I have never had a day where I thought my bike could do more or was missing something. 
Just my opinion.


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## Elfbkr50 (Jan 10, 2006)

LarryFahn, that is exactly the experience I've been having with 2 different brands I ride. High end bikes, expensive as hell to get going on, frame breaks, and I deal with a lot of the similar crap. Specifically, new tapered head tube, need a new fork or it won't work. New seat post, rear shock, bottom bracket, crankset, wheel and hub. Oh, and frame upgrade charge since the new frame is so much radder than the other one, and stronger and won't break this time.


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## Thrasher (Jun 18, 2005)

I find this interesting. I ended up buying a new 2014 Specialized Demo I and got 1k off so I'm not complaining but I had no idea they were moving to 650b/27.5".

Either way, I've only road my Demo two times at the resorts and I'm really liking it!! I just wish I would have known this was happening. It seems like when the manufactures do this crap they de-value all our existing bikes! 

And when I talked to one of the Specialized Reps at Winter Park durning the Colorado Free Ride festival he was kind of a d-bag. When I asked about the difference between the 2014 and 2015 Demos he acted like my bike was worthless because it's "Old Tech". Either way, I shread way harder on this bike at the resorts than I could on my XC. So, no regrets but I think the manufactures are acting like 26" shouldn't even exisit anymore. D-BAGS! :madmax:


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## cookieMonster (Feb 23, 2004)

^^There is very little difference between a 26" wheeled bike and a "27.5" wheeled bike (The reason I put 27.5" in quotations is that they don't really measure 27.5" -- they're smaller). And 29" bikes handle like schoolbusses. Don't let anyone convince you that these new designs are magic and will make you faster.

I'm kind of in the same boat as you, I bought a 26" Specialized SX Trail in 2013 (2012 model). It is a phenomenal bike -- the best I've ever owned. But now it's worthless on resale because it's 26" (not that I _want_ to sell it now, but eventually I'll need to replace it). Your experience with the Specialized rep is the same as I've experienced with most bike shop employees lately -- they act as if you can hardly make it down the mountain on a 26" wheeled bike. That's funny because every 27.5/29er rider I've seen in the last 3 years has been SLOOOOOOOOW as hell....

I'm all for technological advances, but the bike industry is out of control. I have a good friend who has been in the industry (he manufactures high-end aftermarket components) for quite a few years now and he says the same thing a lot of us are thinking -- the big companies keep changing things, for better or worse, just to sell more product. They have to to stay as big as they are. The worst part is that "old" tech gets phased out so fast/often that you're basically FORCED to keep "upgrading" your bike if you want to keep any equity in that bike. I don't know about anyone else, but when I get a new bike, I have to rely on the sale of my old one to take as big of a chunk as possible out of the new one's price. I can't cough up $5000 every 3 years, sorry, bike industry. Call me a Luddite, but nobody NEEDS big wheels.


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

Santa Crus new Carbon V10 650 wheel...amazing

one might want to think about this....when the military had scientist do a study on bike wheels in the late 1800's early 1900's...they found the 650 wheel the best for bike riding

IDK....I love my 26


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## Trekbro (Oct 25, 2005)

Specialized S-Works Demo looks really sweet but Ratboy Killed it on the new Santa Cruz V10, what to choose? aaarrrrgggghhhh!! what to do! :madman::madman::madman::madman::thumbsup:


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## Thrasher (Jun 18, 2005)

cookieMonster said:


> ^^There is very little difference between a 26" wheeled bike and a "27.5" wheeled bike (The reason I put 27.5" in quotations is that they don't really measure 27.5" -- they're smaller). And 29" bikes handle like schoolbusses. Don't let anyone convince you that these new designs are magic and will make you faster.
> 
> I'm kind of in the same boat as you, I bought a 26" Specialized SX Trail in 2013 (2012 model). It is a phenomenal bike -- the best I've ever owned. But now it's worthless on resale because it's 26" (not that I _want_ to sell it now, but eventually I'll need to replace it). Your experience with the Specialized rep is the same as I've experienced with most bike shop employees lately -- they act as if you can hardly make it down the mountain on a 26" wheeled bike. That's funny because every 27.5/29er rider I've seen in the last 3 years has been SLOOOOOOOOW as hell....
> 
> I'm all for technological advances, but the bike industry is out of control. I have a good friend who has been in the industry (he manufactures high-end aftermarket components) for quite a few years now and he says the same thing a lot of us are thinking -- the big companies keep changing things, for better or worse, just to sell more product. They have to to stay as big as they are. The worst part is that "old" tech gets phased out so fast/often that you're basically FORCED to keep "upgrading" your bike if you want to keep any equity in that bike. I don't know about anyone else, but when I get a new bike, I have to rely on the sale of my old one to take as big of a chunk as possible out of the new one's price. I can't cough up $5000 every 3 years, sorry, bike industry. Call me a Luddite, but nobody NEEDS big wheels.


Very well stated cookieMonster. When it comes down to it I could really care less what the industry says. I'm out riding my 26" wheel bikes and having a blast. I'll likely demo a 650b when one of my LBS's has a demo day at some sort of trail system. I really want to see what they are like but I'm in no hurry to jump in and buy one.

It sucks how all my 26" bikes and wheel sets got de-valued by the bike industry and are hard to sell on craiglist,etc. But, what ever, the industy can be pushers all they want but not everyone is going out to buy a 27.5". One of the guys at my LBS was acting the same way when I talked to him about 26"'s. He was like, pfftt, I don't see anybody on 26"ers anymore. Whatever! :madmax:

If I were to guess, I'd say at least 50% of the bikes people are riding are still 26"ers.


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## Pau11y (Oct 15, 2004)

Trekbro said:


> what to choose? aaarrrrgggghhhh!! what to do! :madman::madman::madman::madman::thumbsup:
> 
> 2015 Canfield Jedi.


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## ianjenn (Aug 1, 2004)

Are any of you qualifying for a WC? If you spend 15 years saying you have the best suspension while never changing it you run out of improvements to make. Then a kid named Dave Weagle comes along and designs a suspension thats 3x as good as the garbage you bought off another company. Your only hope to squeeze more sales out of it is a rim thats .75 inches taller per side.....


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## charging_rhinos (Jul 29, 2008)

Pau11y said:


> Trekbro said:
> 
> 
> > what to choose? aaarrrrgggghhhh!! what to do!
> ...


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