# 29 vs 27.5



## lpranger467 (Aug 18, 2012)

In process of deciding how much money to put into my older 27.5. For those who have gone from 27.5 to 29 have you noticed much difference as far as ease of hills etc ?


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## Eltbee (Jan 15, 2004)

Have you checked the state of 27.5+ tire selection lately? Seems like manufacturers have given up on it. 


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## Brad (May 2, 2004)

lpranger467 said:


> In process of deciding how much money to put into my older 27.5. For those who have gone from 27.5 to 29 have you noticed much difference as far as ease of hills etc ?


No I haven't seen much of a difference. But it's a lot easier to find the tyres and rims I want in 29er than in 27.5


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## lpranger467 (Aug 18, 2012)

Eltbee said:


> Have you checked the state of 27.5+ tire selection lately? Seems like manufacturers have given up on it.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Really, I thought it was latest greatest


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## cmg (Mar 13, 2012)

will a 29 wheelset fit in your 27.5 frame?

I did that on my HT after destroying the 27.5 rear, Ill never go back.........


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## MSU Alum (Aug 8, 2009)

I time my climbs (actually, my rides) because I try to get gear that enables me to keep up with my son who is 38 years younger than me. It's a lost cause, but at this point, I'm just trying to make sure he's not too bored to ride with me. When I went from a very nice 27.5 to a very nice 29er, all of my times consistently improved; climbing improved, but there were some descents that did as well. But, that could also be that between 2015 and 2018 when I made the change, designs across the board improved. One descent in particular, Bull Run in Moab, was a descent that I had not been able to clean until I got on the 29er. The suggestion that I should just get better, rather than get better gear is valid, but I'm 68....I'm not going to get better. But the gear will and I'm running out of time to spend the children's inheritance.


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## Eltbee (Jan 15, 2004)

lpranger467 said:


> Really, I thought it was latest greatest


When I got back in to riding in 2018, I ended up with a 27.5+ only frame and my buddy said it's on the way out. Then I switched to a 29/27.5+ karate monkey frame last year. Had an issue with new bike and decided to switch back to old frame recently. Was rather surprised at the lack of availability of tires. For example, WTB Rangers no longer made. Maxxis Ikon, same. Those are arguably 2 very popular tires. Lots of new 27 tires that are non plus (< 2.8). To your original question, there is a difference but it is subtle. For me, the biggest difference was down to the lowering of BB height and diff in CS length on the same frame (KM) when I switched back and forth. Another option is to ride a mullet configuration which I did do for a while. I just personally think because of 27.5+ tire availability I would not count on it in any way. It feels like a bit of a scam though because there are still 27.5+ bikes sold and marketed. Hate this part of the industry. Enforced obsolescence.

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## MSU Alum (Aug 8, 2009)

Eltbee said:


> When I got back in to riding in 2018, I ended up with a 27.5+ only frame and my buddy said it's on the way out. Then I switched to a 29/27.5+ karate monkey frame last year. Had an issue with new bike and decided to switch back to old frame recently. Was rather surprised at the lack of availability of tires. For example, WTB Rangers no longer made. Maxxis Ikon, same. Those are arguably 2 very popular tires. Lots of 27 lowering of BB height and diff in CS length on the same frame (KM) when I switched. Another option is to ride a mullet configuration which I did do for a while. I just personally think because of 27.5+ tire availability I would not count on it in any way. It feels like a bit of a scam though because there are still 27.5+ bikes sold and marketed. Hate this part of the industry. Enforced obsolescence.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I did a quick search on the Maxxis, Bontrager, and Continental sites and it looked like there was a very good selection of 27.5 plus tires. That may change though; who knows?
I've ridden 27.5+ and found the setup to be too sluggish for my personal preference, but it was mighty comfy!


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## lpranger467 (Aug 18, 2012)

cmg said:


> will a 29 wheelset fit in your 27.5 frame?
> 
> I did that on my HT after destroying the 27.5 rear, Ill never go back.........


No, not enough room sadly


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## lpranger467 (Aug 18, 2012)

MSU Alum said:


> I time my climbs (actually, my rides) because I try to get gear that enables me to keep up with my son who is 38 years younger than me. It's a lost cause, but at this point, I'm just trying to make sure he's not too bored to ride with me. When I went from a very nice 27.5 to a very nice 29er, all of my times consistently improved; climbing improved, but there were some descents that did as well. But, that could also be that between 2015 and 2018 when I made the change, designs across the board improved. One descent in particular, Bull Run in Moab, was a descent that I had not been able to clean until I got on the 29er. The suggestion that I should just get better, rather than get better gear is valid, but I'm 68....I'm not going to get better. But the gear will and I'm running out of time to spend the children's inheritance.


I ride with guys who are alot younger as well, my main concern as well is not becoming and anchor. I'm leaning towards making a 29 my econd bike and holding onto my old 650


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## natas1321 (Nov 4, 2017)

I prefer a 27.5+ over a 29 tire, feels better to me and on average I am about 1-2 minutes faster per mile on a 27.5+. I have no problems finding tires for the bike. 

Sent from my moto g(7) supra using Tapatalk


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## Ogre (Feb 17, 2005)

Never dabbled with 27.5 since I was already on 29er and happy. What sold me was that I could ride things on a rigid 29er I struggled with on a moderate travel 26er. Switching back to 27.5 never appealed enough to invest in a new frame/ bike. 

It's always seemed to me that 27.5 was only appealing when paired with Plus, or if you were shorter.


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## Balduccimoto (Apr 25, 2018)

I have both wheels on my bikes:

2018 Cannondale Jekyll 3, 27.5
2020 Santa Cruz Tallboy C R, 29

I can't draw a fair comparison between the wheels because the jekyll is an enduro and tallboy is short travel. It's refreshing to switch between the bikes and I feel that I can't sell either because they're fun in their own ways. I will say though, if I had a choice, I would switch the jekyll to 29 because that bike is intended for technical/downhill riding. But the bike has been good to me and i'm not the type of person to change a good thing for a marginal benefit. I'll end up riding it until its tired and then make a significant upgrade. Idk where you are at with your 27.5 bike, but if you feel its tired, then yeah you might want to try something new.


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## glibsonoran (Dec 9, 2020)

It's hard to isolate wheel size as a factor in performance when so much has changed along with the larger wheels, some of the changes to better accommodate larger wheels. Trying to account for better acceleration vs less resistance to trail rollovers, faster side to side mobility vs better high speed stability especially when these differences are probably tiny... usually you end up with lots of conflicting opinions about what people prefer and which produces better times.


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## Riled (May 1, 2012)

I know it's tough advice to follow with current restrictions, but the more demo rides you can do, the better. I would avoid over-simplifying your choice to tire size. It may be tire size that makes the most difference for you, or it may be something else entirely and you won't know without riding the bikes. I know for me, I couldn't make the adjustment from 26" to 29" and got a 27.5. I've heard enough how 29 is faster that I believe it, but from what I've seen it's minimal (seconds in a mile). Based on that, whatever bike you enjoy regardless of tire size is the one you should ride.

If your enjoyment really does depend on getting every bit of speed possible, see if you can fit bigger tires on your 27.5. The same things I've read that convinced me that 29 is faster, also demonstrated that 27.5+ can be even faster still. If you can fit good 2.8's on your bike and run lower pressures, that may make the most difference for you.


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## jond63 (May 26, 2010)

I like my new 29er a lot more than the 27.5+ I had... It just rolls smooth and the miles fly by. Geometry has a lot to do with it, but it's also the best climbing bike I've ever had.


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## SanDiegoMTB (Nov 25, 2014)

Recently went 29 front and 27.5 rear - best of both worlds I think - love the benefits of the big wheel up front and the better handling of 27.5 rear. Mullet all the way (if your bike can do the setup, that is


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## Smiles for miles (Feb 26, 2021)

I got back into mtb in the past few years and have found that wheel size is less important than the overall geometry of the bike, and how that matches your personal preference (or not). I tried a full sus 27.5 first and it felt awkward and too tall, but then tried a hardtail 29er and it felt fantastic. Still riding that 29er. So my suggestion would be to try as many bikes as you can get your hands on. The other comments are 100% correct regarding tires though : tire companies are trying to phase out 27.5. Still, you could probably stockpile some if you found the perfect 27.5 bike and you have some skills finding things on the internet.


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## edubfromktown (Sep 7, 2010)

lpranger467 said:


> In process of deciding how much money to put into my older 27.5. For those who have gone from 27.5 to 29 have you noticed much difference as far as ease of hills etc ?


A lot depends on what terrain you typically ride.

I've been riding 29er's since ~2008 and picked up a rigid SS MTB (with more modern geometry) that can comfortably accommodate either wheel size. On more technical trails and somewhat shorter rides (maybe 35-ish miles or less), 2.6 rear / 2.8 front 27.5's are excellent. For more XC-ish trails, gravel or urban assault and longer all trail rides (up to 100 mi), I prefer 29er wheels 2.25 rear and 2.4 or 3.0 front.


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## lpranger467 (Aug 18, 2012)

Smiles for miles said:


> I got back into mtb in the past few years and have found that wheel size is less important than the overall geometry of the bike, and how that matches your personal preference (or not). I tried a full sus 27.5 first and it felt awkward and too tall, but then tried a hardtail 29er and it felt fantastic. Still riding that 29er. So my suggestion would be to try as many bikes as you can get your hands on. The other comments are 100% correct regarding tires though : tire companies are trying to phase out 27.5. Still, you could probably stockpile some if you found the perfect 27.5 bike and you have some skills finding things on the internet.


I'm going to have to find a demo event before I buy, the problem is they generally dont bring their mid range hard tails


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## lpranger467 (Aug 18, 2012)

edubfromktown said:


> A lot depends on what terrain you typically ride.
> 
> I've been riding 29er's since ~2008 and picked up a rigid SS MTB (with more modern geometry) that can comfortably accommodate either wheel size. On more technical trails and somewhat shorter rides (maybe 35-ish miles or less), 2.6 rear / 2.8 front 27.5's are excellent. For more XC-ish trails, gravel or urban assault and longer all trail rides (up to 100 mi), I prefer 29er wheels 2.25 rear and 2.4 or 3.0 front.


Holy cow your a monster doing those kind of rides. Way to go


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## edubfromktown (Sep 7, 2010)

lpranger467 said:


> Holy cow your a monster doing those kind of rides. Way to go


Thanks... just takes some getting used to and you will end up a better geared climber after riding SS for ~3 months or so in my opinion. Also, does feel good when other (geared) peeps shake their heads when we start a ride and then roll in a few minutes or more later at the end 

You can see the world at ~12-15 MPH average on fast-paced geared rides or take a bit more chill/churnage approach on SS. I like mixing it up on geared/SS MTB's and also hammer on a geared gravel bike with 2.2 front and rear knobbies (for work commute and gravel riding). Variety is the spice of life!


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## Radium (Jan 11, 2019)

MSU Alum said:


> I time my climbs (actually, my rides) because I try to get gear that enables me to keep up with my son who is 38 years younger than me. It's a lost cause, but at this point, I'm just trying to make sure he's not too bored to ride with me. When I went from a very nice 27.5 to a very nice 29er, all of my times consistently improved; climbing improved, but there were some descents that did as well. But, that could also be that between 2015 and 2018 when I made the change, designs across the board improved. One descent in particular, Bull Run in Moab, was a descent that I had not been able to clean until I got on the 29er. The suggestion that I should just get better, rather than get better gear is valid, but I'm 68....I'm not going to get better. But the gear will and I'm running out of time to spend the children's inheritance.


With me, I've always suffered from NBS (New Bike Syndrome), in which EVERY new bike I've gotten is faster than the previous bike. This can last for up to 6 months, before the speeds tend to shift down to where they were before the new bike. Warning: this can result in a garage full of bikes......


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## lpranger467 (Aug 18, 2012)

Radium said:


> With me, I've always suffered from NBS (New Bike Syndrome), in which EVERY new bike I've gotten is faster than the previous bike. This can last for up to 6 months, before the speeds tend to shift down to where they were before the new bike. Warning: this can result in a garage full of bikes......


I've actually had the same 2 bikes since 2014. I sold one recently with anticipation of getting a Specialized Fuse but not sure about 27.5 vs 29er, or about buying without riding first


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## thegock (Jan 21, 2014)

I have three Stumpy's and a Tallboy 2. The baby is the 2021 Stumpy Expert, built with rims and cranks @ about 27.5 lbs. up to Pro level. (If you run into Mrs. G, don't tell her about this, cuz I haven't broken the news yet.) This bike is what I rode Saturday at Allaire State Park and PRed three uphill segments that I have ridden up to 55 times each. Point of reference: I am 66 years old. I REALLY like this bike.

One of the Stumpy's is five year old Aluminum 27.5" with 150mm suspension, 50mm wide rims and 3/2.8" meat. I rode it today on muddier trails than I prefer. It is 32 lbs. and not fast.

My Stumpy ST is 27.5 with 2.4" tires and fastest down old school boulder gardens, but not on flats or climbs.

The Tallboy 2, a 29er with Lite Bicycle rims at 26 lbs. is really fast and has three podiums in 3 years when I used to race. I took it out last Thursday, cuz a friend of mine who is 18 years younger, but rides less, had posted a better time on a local segment. Unacceptable, so I put 17 seconds into him at 2:41. Neither of the 27.5s would have been able to do that segment as fast.


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## upstateSC-rider (Dec 25, 2003)

For some reason a lot of people equate your height to wheel size, shorter people on 27.5 and taller on 29er but that makes no sense to me, I'm 5'7" and ride 29+. I have 29er xc bike that's a lot of fun also but my Go-to is always the + bike.


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## fredcook (Apr 2, 2009)

Like others eluded to, wheel diameter is only one of many variables in a bikes overall geometry. I stopped choosing bikes based on wheel size. I choose bikes that work best for me on the trails I ride and how I ride them. If they're 29 inch, so be it. If they happen to be 27.5, that's OK too.


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## Rev Bubba (Jan 16, 2004)

lpranger467 said:


> In process of deciding how much money to put into my older 27.5. For those who have gone from 27.5 to 29 have you noticed much difference as far as ease of hills etc ?


Yes, I have noticed that it is easier to climb but part of that is my 29" has a 52 tooth cog. That makes a big difference as far as ease of hills is concerned. The 29" does roll over things better then my 27.5 too. None of this is new. People have been saying it for years but I was a late comer to the big wheels.


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## TheBaldBlur (Jan 13, 2014)

Geometry trumps wheel size, but I switched from a 29er HT to a 27.5 FS a few years ago and am very happy with it. I trade bikes on some rides with my riding buddy on his 29er FS and notice the very slight rollover improvement and the speed increase, but also it's less nimble in tight quarters even though both are "modern geometry" bikes. There's also significant loss of traction too, he's running 2.3's and I'm on 2.8's. I'd like to do a side-by-side with 29x2.6 sometime if demo events get going again. I wouldn't turn my nose up at another 29er, but I'm not bike shopping anytime soon.


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## Rev Bubba (Jan 16, 2004)

lpranger467 said:


> In process of deciding how much money to put into my older 27.5. For those who have gone from 27.5 to 29 have you noticed much difference as far as ease of hills etc ?


I'm going to address your question again with a little more first hand knowledge.

I rode my 29" 2021 Santa Cruz Tallboy C/S on the same trails I rode my 27.5" 2015 Santa Cruz 5010 C yesterday and the day before so my comparison is fresh in my mind.

Both bikes have identical Maxxis tires. Both have the same Fox shox with 120 mm travel. Both are size large. Both have the same drivetrains - Sram Eagle GX. Both have RS dropper posts.

Differences? The Tallboy is six model years newer and has the latest geometry changes. You will have to decide if the latest changes are an improvement or not. The 5010 has a RS Pike set at 140 mm. The Tallboy a Fox 34 set at 130 mm. The Tallboy has a 10/52 cassette. The 5010 a 11/50. The 5010 weighs 29.1 lbs. The Tallboy, 29.9 lbs.

My thoughts on the difference? Ummm, not much, really. They each climbed well though I think the 10/52 cassette makes climbing feel a lot easier. The 29" tires do feel like the climb better but enough to spend $5k + on a new bike, probably not. The 27.5" were better in the tight turns I ride in NW NJ but I still had no trouble riding the 29" wheels in the same turns. On some very tight downhill turns, I give the 27.5" the edge while the 29" has an edge going over rocks and roots.

My conclusion? The average speed on each bike was so close, I can chalk it up to how I was feeling that day and the weather. Wattage as a measure of power on each was very close. Too close to pick a winner. Which would I buy?

That's easy. I demoed so many bikes last season before making a purchase that I can't remember them all but in the end, I spent my money on the SC Tallboy. For me, the 29" wheels were an improvement as was the newer geometry. I played with 27.5+ and liked the way they rode but there was a sluggishness I did not want to live with. I already had a 27.5 in the 5010 and wanted to dive into the 29" pool. I have no regrets or buyer remorse.


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## cmg (Mar 13, 2012)

l tend to think geometry is catching up to wheel size, and that helps 29ers ride better than before.


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## lpranger467 (Aug 18, 2012)

Rev Bubba said:


> I'm going to address your question again with a little more first hand knowledge.
> 
> I rode my 29" 2021 Santa Cruz Tallboy C/S on the same trails I rode my 27.5" 2015 Santa Cruz 5010 C yesterday and the day before so my comparison is fresh in my mind.
> 
> ...


Thanks very much, leaning 29er


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## roadkill401 (Mar 14, 2017)

One would think with this being the 50+ group, we'd be talking about the 26" wheels. I only just upgraded to a 27.5+ a couple of years ago. don't tell me that I have to do this again. I thought that it was just smart phones that only last 2-3 years unless you wanted to be the cool apple kid, and then you'd need to upgrade yearly.


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## OldMike (Apr 30, 2020)

roadkill401 said:


> One would think with this being the 50+ group, we'd be talking about the 26" wheels. I only just upgraded to a 27.5+ a couple of years ago. don't tell me that I have to do this again. I thought that it was just smart phones that only last 2-3 years unless you wanted to be the cool apple kid, and then you'd need to upgrade yearly.


I'm still on a 26 but my research tells me it's not the 29 tire size that's drastically changed the last few yrs (3), but the bike geometry to get the larger wheels to climb and steer as well as they decend.
How or if this is applicable to one is still a personal choice.


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## MSU Alum (Aug 8, 2009)

roadkill401 said:


> One would think with this being the 50+ group, we'd be talking about the 26" wheels.


We're old, not stupid!


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## roadkill401 (Mar 14, 2017)

MSU Alum said:


> We're old, not stupid!


Then we should be talking about the best deals on an ebike. having a bit of extra power to make it up them hills with ease sure will do more good for you than the difference between 27.5 and 29"


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## MSU Alum (Aug 8, 2009)

roadkill401 said:


> Then we should be talking about the best deals on an ebike. having a bit of extra power to make it up them hills with ease sure will do more good for you than the difference between 27.5 and 29"


We're old, we're not weak.
Let's call it, "less strong".
And yes, I AM looking at them.
I'm 68. I figure by the time I turn 70, I'll be ready.


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## EJ (Aug 29, 2005)

MSU Alum said:


> ...
> I'm 68. I figure by the time I turn 70, I'll be ready.


Then you should put a deposit down now. Lead times on a lot of ebikes are currently a year or more.


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## Lou_D (Feb 25, 2013)

natas1321 said:


> I prefer a 27.5+ over a 29 tire, feels better to me and on average I am about 1-2 minutes faster per mile on a 27.5+. I have no problems finding tires for the bike.
> 
> Sent from my moto g(7) supra using Tapatalk


I too ride 27.5+ on both my FS and my Hard Tail bikes. I ride in Fort Ord and the wider tires are great for floating over the soft sandy areas.


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## bitflogger (Jan 12, 2004)

Once 29rs didn't handle crappy and I got used to the axle height that was it. I liked big wheels for most riding and my 26r DJ style for play. The approx 30 mm inner rims with bigger tires cemented my attitude more. Our beloved Honzo got a wheel and worn parts refresh and I felt the big 29r but not plus setup is what the plus movement should have been to begin with.

That said, try lots of stuff. Delay gratification. That will help you be happy with a new purchase.


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## MSU Alum (Aug 8, 2009)

bitflogger said:


> Delay gratification.


That's crazy talk!


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## D. Inoobinati (Aug 28, 2020)

29" makes it easier to roll over stuff, especially rocky or rooty uphill. 

That's just a fact, regardless of geometry, frame material, tires, suspension type, moon phase, rider type, pivot lubrication, weather, and time of day.


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## bitflogger (Jan 12, 2004)

lpranger467 said:


> In process of deciding how much money to put into my older 27.5. For those who have gone from 27.5 to 29 have you noticed much difference as far as ease of hills etc ?


Ease of hills is a bike engine thing vs tire diameter unless you're trying to convey trials style moves and ease of handling your bike while it's not touching the ground.

Delay gratification and try stuff. Better yet is rent so you have enough time to know the higher axle height. The try, demo, rent helps it be your decision and not someone else's.

I'll give you why I like bigger wheels but it's me, not you. Once the industry didn't have stupid handling for big wheel bikes and I got used to axle height I fell for the roll over and traction advantages. Instead of 650 B I preferred my 26r jumper for play and big wheels.

In trying a lot of stuff I realized pretty much all the known brands make great bikes now. I rode and rented $1200 - $9500 bikes including 3 versions of my own trail bike to get that honesty about diminishing returns as you spend.


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## kevymetal (Mar 23, 2021)

lpranger467 said:


> In process of deciding how much money to put into my older 27.5. For those who have gone from 27.5 to 29 have you noticed much difference as far as ease of hills etc ?


I just recently made the jump from a 27.5 bike to a 29 and it's made a huge difference in every way. It definitely feels a bit more "wagon wheely" in tight corners and switchbacks, but the trade offs are well worth it. The biggest difference I've noticed is how the bigger wheels smooth out the trail. They roll over everything. I've also found more confidence in rolling through steep, rocky and rooty chutes and have seen consistently faster Strava times climbing and descending. I am also 6'2" so there was no question for me to move up to bigger wheels. I think if you are on a medium or small bike it may not be the best move. Or if you do a lot of jumping or park riding, you probably would prefer to stick with 27.5. Not saying you can't jump a 29er, but the smaller wheels are better suited for bikes that spend a lot more time off the ground.

Sent from my SM-G973W using tiny.cc/Mtbr_android_app


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