# Plus bikes - better or worse for Clydesdale?



## a63vette (Jun 23, 2006)

Just curious - haven't found much on the topic (apologize if j missed it). Thanks


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## DG73 (Mar 25, 2013)

I have a buddy of mine just bought an Orbea HT 27+ and hes really enjoying it so far, hes a clyde as well. Hes running around 20 PSI and noticed no rollover on the tires and even thought of going lower


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## *OneSpeed* (Oct 18, 2013)

better or worse for what? 

in general i think heavier riders benefit more from higher volume rims/tires than lighter riders. that includes every kind of offroad bike from cyclocross to 29er to + bikes to fat bikes. 

i read a lot of lighter riders say there is no benefit to + rims wider than 35mm but i bet their opinion would change if they weighed 250lbs. 

these are very generalized statements and of course personal preference and local riding conditions and the intended purpose trump all else. one size does not fit all.


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## KidCharlemagne (Dec 11, 2012)

BENKD29 said:


> in general i think heavier riders benefit more from higher volume rims/tires than lighter riders.


I agree with this. I weigh 250. I bought a cyclocross bike this year when I was shopping for a road bike. Upgraded the front chainrings from 46/36 to 52/36 so I could go faster on the flats and downhills and put 35mm road slicks on it. The ability to run 35-40mm tires at lower pressure reduces the number of blips to the rims from hitting potholes (the roads in CT are terrible due to budget cuts after two really harsh winters). So far, it's working: just had the spokes tightened at the shop and the mechanic told me the wheels were both perfectly true.

I consistently average 15-16 mph on rides, so I'm not that fast, and I doubt the rolling resistance of the bigger tires is holding me back. As I've lost 30 pounds this year I've moved the average speed up from 12.5 to 15.5 mph, so it appears weight is the biggest factor.


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## Dawgprimo (Mar 7, 2004)

Or you could all the way and go Fatty!
I did and loving it!
I bought a Surly ICT ops and have not regretted one bit!


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## ElBorracho62 (Nov 6, 2014)

I've got a Niner ROS 9 plus and absolutely love it, so much in fact that my Jet 9 carbon has sat for the last 3 months... I'm running around 18 psi in the front and 20 in the rear and it seems to work well in a wide variety of terrains.. Especially sand and loose ,prime example would be pine needles...if you are a Clyde plan on spending money on a good wheel set... Don't even waste your time with Stans Hugo's...


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## jonshonda (Apr 21, 2011)

A nice 29+ steel hardtail with a decent fork (I ride rigid) is a clydes dream. I have found no negatives about my Krampus except for my massive man power causing the rear tire to rub the chain stay from time to time, but I have it slammed all the way forward in the drops.


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## scottzg (Sep 27, 2006)

I wasn't that psyched on plus tires- i'd bottom HARD on roots and pointy rocks when i ran the 'right' pressure, and it was bouncy with more air. Cornering and low speed grip was rad, though. I still think clydes most benefit from tires with heavier casings; you can run a fairly normal tire pressure and they still behave nicely.

For a slower rider or if you live somewhere with slower trails they might be cool.


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## sirsam84 (Sep 20, 2006)

I will post up when I get my 29+/26 fat steel full suspension from Waltworks....hopefully in January . 260 lbs and 7 ft

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## jonshonda (Apr 21, 2011)

^ You better post up a lot of pics! Sounds awesome.


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## Bikin' Bric (Sep 7, 2003)

I just picked up a 27.5+ bike and think its great. I'm 260lbs and running tire pressures in the 13-16 psi area (still looking for that sweet spot) and it works great for my weight and the sandy soil in my area. The extra traction lets me rail corners much quicker than my old 29er. Its a nice quicker bike than riding a full on fat bike like I have for the last two years. I've been slowly fattening up all my bikes..... just put some 42c tires on my CX bike this fall.


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## Bttocs (Jun 21, 2014)

Very good thread. I haven't gotten a plus bike yet, but I changed my 29 hardtail tires from 2.2" soft sidewall to 2.35" stiff side wall and it was a tremendous improvement on rough trails. Night and day almost. I dropped from 30 psi to 19 psi and it really helped shock absorbtion and traction, while adding just the smallest amount of tire wiggle. I would expect the +size bikes to be a similar jump. A full fat seems to be a whole new ball game as the tire wiggle becomes extreme and part of the performance characteristic.


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## DABIGSEAT (Apr 29, 2012)

better or worse .................I cant tell............I recently got a Norco torrent 7.2 , and so far i'm enjoying it , I would have loved to demo a fat bike before my purchase but , no shops in my area carry xl to demo. so I'm a true believer in ride what you want , how you want.............don't let marketing keep you in a box your just money to them not a buddy!!!!!!


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## jeffj (Jan 13, 2004)

I think anyone looking for a new MTB owe it to themselves to at least check out some + wheel offerings. Been on 29+ since July. I don't know if they are for everyone, but they are certainly for me.


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## jxl118 (Jul 17, 2012)

Demod a Stumpy 6fattie in September. Had a an absolute blast on it. Was really surprised at how great it rode. traction was incredible and didnt notice any excessive tire wiggle. Unfortunately I already got a new bike a couple months earlier before I had even really heard about any of the new plus bikes but after riding one they would definitely be at the top of my list to checkout if I was in the market for a new bike again.

I'm 6'1" 265lbs


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