Love my 26, but I agree on the "who you are" part...because height, weight and ride style preferences/discipline makes a good point on really nothing is actually better than the other; its about finding yourself as a rider in the sport, and what works for you. I've owned all sizes and still ride my 26 more just because of my style and where I ride. Didn't feel a large difference with 27.5 unless comparing widths/frames with that & 26... but 29 was a lil too big for my liking also.
I’m an older rider and fell for a mid-travel 29er 2 years ago. Now I’m exclusively riding a 153/160 27.5 for everything. Quicker in turns and more maneuverable and fun! Glad to see 27.5 getting some love. It’s not all about the hype
Just built up a 27.5 2019 Trance, big difference coming from my 29er with tight turns, switchbacks and rocky terrain so much easier and fun to go through. There was parts of my favourite trail that I always had to put a foot down on the 29er but not with the Trance.
If you’re racing/want to be fast, 29er. If you like to jump/whip/pop off of things/have fun, 27.5. When I went from 26er to a 27.5 I felt the difference in agility between the wheel sizes. I had to pull up harder to get the same amount of air (off of small jumps and things) on a 27.5 bike. I’m not racing, so I choose to have a fun bike. I’m not going to go to a 29er, it’s not worth losing more bike agility to me.
Thank you for your insight. 26" Enduro rider here. I also have a 29" XC Bike for commuting. For me, size does matter in terms of fun. But vice versa :D
Agility depends on geometry too don’t forget. My stumpy 29 feels like a 4X or a bmx to me but it gets squirly at high speeds (it has relatively short chainstays, short wheelbase and reach). It’s all relative!
You nailed this topic on the head. The industry tends to over-correct. Not enough travel a couple years ago to waaay too much travel. We are currently in the "too much" era. Tuned 29ers are taming trails and a some fun is lost. Your test is a great idea.
If the whole bike feels right, that's the one I buy. I don't focus on any one aspect because it all has to work together. Wheel size wouldn't be a deal breaker.
Think you are spot on thus far... miss the flick ability of my previous 27.5, and miss the clearance for my rear when trying to hang off the back... but that 29er can lay into corners and rough terrain at high speed like no tomorrow!
Dude get the 2020 Niner Jet. I got one 2 months ago and love it. Specs are great and I bought the 3 star build. All carbon frame, lifetime warranty on frame, 12speed XT drivetrain, XT 4 piston brakes, FOX Elite fork and shock, same as factory but w/o Kashima. 2.5 Maxxis DHF front 2.4 Maxxis Reckon rear. Can easily put 27.5 and wider tires with this frame. Best part got it for $4 K to my front door 99% assembled and ready to go...
While this is definitely a valid point if one is able to accommodate and add 2nd or even third bike to their fleet why not do it? Not all of them need to be top of the line $10k dentist special builds either 😂 For me, having two or more bikes also means im never without a bike when one of them is down for maintenance or repair.
The most important statement said on this video that can't be stressed enough: "it really depends on what you're riding". Even the definitions of what is considered cross-country, trail, enduro, can sometimes vary by personal opinions based your location; so if what you ride is typically pretty fast, flowy hardpack, then the 29 will rage. But if what you typically ride is more technical, tighter switchbacks, a lot of start/stop stuff, the 27.5 is going to be the better tool for the job. Which the same could be said about suspension; typically ride an area w/out a ton of vert & you're usually out for just an hour or so, full-sus may/maynot be worth it. But if you normally take multi-hour rides, or your go-to spot has a considerable amount of climbs, you may not want the extra weight of the full-sus (or the 29er wheelset, not that those usually add THAT much weight, but still). On the otherhand, maybe the multi-hour rider needs the extra comfort of the ful-sus. Me: I am still hardtail, 'cause I like the increased power-transfer & reduced weight for climbing; also I like the "direct connect" feeling with the trail, I feel like I lose some of the awareness of how "on the edge" the bike might be in if the suspension is eating up the feedback. (but admittedly, the weight & the climbing might just be a mental thing I need to overcome). I ride titanium frames for low weight, high durability, & stiff where I need it stiff & compliant where I need some give. As for wheels, I take my 29 hooped bike for flow track trails (although, the custom geometry is set on that bike to try to optimize the agility, more old school & less "slack" geom); then I take my 27.5 ride for rides with steep climbs, tight switches, and more techie obstacles (where they might even be pushing "trials" type stuff). But if someone can't afford more than one ride....... my advice for them is to get a good 27.5 & go have a blast, might not be quite as fast on the flow-trails or fire road type trails, but you'll be able to ride anything & everything well. (which is pretty much what you've said in the video, Clint)
Well as you said, 29er geometry has advanced a lot, however 27.5 didn't have geometry problems so much, it didn't develop a lot either. What I like the most about 27.5 is that you cannot go wrong with tire or handlebar width, you have so much freedom to experiment!
It's all down to the particular bike. To use the mid-travel trail bikes as examples. The Giant Trance 29er feels light and agile, just like the 27.5 version of the Trance, the trance as a whole has a very agile and precise feel to it. The Stumpy 29er (mid-travel version) feels like a barge at low speed, but feels like it would just smash through rock gardens like a monster truck. The Trek Remedy and Fuel EX kinda fall somewhere in the middle (and these two are very hard to tell apart when riding them most of the time).
Cause sometimes you just wanna launch off random rocks and take extra-credit lines. Are 29’ers faster? Yeah, probably. But that doesn’t mean they’re as fun.
Funny, I just bought a Trek Remedy (27.5) bike for winter riding vs my Slash (29er) even dry days (not that we have had many) I keep grabbing the 27.5 bike as its just so fun!
Just swapped out my 2018 RIP 9 RDO 29er wheelset to 27.5 plus with 170mm fork. The 27.5 plus wheel is definitely slower overall on my local 3 hours plus ride trail(Auburn SRA). The 27.5 wheelset requires more effort on the more technical steep climb area of the trail. I didn't feel much of the different on the cornering between these two wheel size. The 27.5 plus feel more lively going downhill on the more chunkier portion of the trail. I like both wheel sizes. I would use the 27.5 bike on the shorter distance ride that has more technical downhill area. I would use my other 29er bike on a longer(3 hrs plus) distance ride.
I've been demoing as many 29ers as I can lately. Recently demo'd a Kona Process 134 29er; it was a good bike and I got a bunch of PRs on a trail I'm familiar with....but it just didn't "feel right" to me - know what I mean. I butt-buzzed on a pretty good size drop too, and I DO NOT like that (5'5" for reference). The Rocky Mountain Instinct 29er I demo'd however felt great and I was able to maneuver it very well. So it depends on the bike - they ride differently. My current bikes are both 27.5 (Fully and Hardtail).
Hi Clint, I just finish watching your video. I’ m not used to leaving comments on the web, but I share your analysis 100%. I just changed my Giant Trance advanced 1 2018 model one month ago (the same model you had 2 hears ago. I hesitated a lot, mostly because my friends ride 29 bikes. But finaly, after having tested some 29, I did not find them lively enough. I finaly chose a Rocky Mountain Altitude C70, which is considered in France like an enduro bike, but more like a agressive trail bike in US. And this is right. This bike is so much fun to ride. So, thank you for your video, which traduces exactly my way of thinking. Looking forward to see your own conclusions. Laurent, from France
At 5' 8" I can't see riding a 29er for a trail bike where I live in PA. For the fire roads, double track, and mild single track my 29er is great. But for tight, twisty, techy old school single track I need my 27.5.
I'm building a 27.5 hardtail right now, with 150mm in the front. I'll keep my 29er for XC races. I agree with everything you said, except I like 27.5 for Enduro as well.
One reason I love my Bronson V3 (150/160) is because, for one bike, it can do it all better than a shorter travel 29er trail bike. I can still smash gnar, enduro style trails, bike parks, urban free rides- pretty much everything. I never felt like short-mid travel 29er trail bikes have that versatility.
Agree with you Clint. I think in the future, trail bikes or “jib bikes” will have 120-140 mm travel with 27.5 wheels and also with the geometry of today’s enduro 27.5 bikes ( since geometry are getting progressive each year )
Good point about possibly being "overbiked" on a 29er, I can see them taming our local trails too much. On weekend rides it's sometimes more enjoyable to seek out the bumps and features instead of just picking the fastest lines. On a long travel 29er, some of those features like rock gardens could effectively be flattened too much with the speed and roll over ability. I don't want my local trails to all feel like XC rides, so a 27.5 trail bike does make sense!
Yep.. Ive got a 29er xc race bike.. And a 27.5 160/150 norco vlt 1 ebike.. I absolutely love both of them for different reasons.. Oh.. Im a min wage guy. So money management and keeping out of debt trying to keep up with the joneses is how I can afford them.
I have the 2019 trance 27.5 and 29er. The 29er is easier to jump and more fun on smoother trails. The 27.5 feels more stable and confident on rough descents and drops. My impression is that the differences are more related to suspension travel than wheel size. The 27.5 is very plush.
I haven't ridden any modern 29ers, and I recently purchased a 2020 Marin Hawk Hill 3 which is 27.5. I liked the idea of a more agile bike, and since I was riding a 26" bike before I thought it would be a good in-between where I'd gain some rollover-ability without losing too much agility. I do wonder if I should've gone for the Rift Zone (basically the 29" version) since people seem to be favoring 29ers these days, but nonetheless I'm happy with the bike I purchased.
I have the same bike, just not with XT components, glad Niner made this bike in 27.5, rode both RIP9 wheel sizes and for my riding and my trails this bike is pretty sweet. I'm 6ft and kinda like you said XC in 29 is great, I ride what here in SoCal is a mixture of all types of conditions and this bike has been my go to bike to ride all the time. Glad my local shop turned me on to this bike
I’ve got the Jet in the 29er, it can tackle everything that I enjoy riding, mostly Pa rocks as I don’t seek out jumps often. I do want to add the Rip 27.5 to my garage, so I can start hitting some of the bike parks.
I am a lighter, shorter rider at 5'8 and 145 lbs geared. I am also an older rider but like to jump and play around. I have never ridden a 27. 5 only 26 and 29 but assume 27.5 will be my sweet spot. I am coming from 26" and just bought a 2019 Trek Fuel Ex 5 29er because I had $500 invested in demoing it's bigger brother the EX 8. In my case I made a great purchase because I always upgrade everything on my stuff, computers, motorcycles, bikes etc. Also, this is the same frame used on higher end alloy models. Main thing is this will run 27.5 hoops. I wouldn't have bought it otherwise while now in the Huron River Valley of Michigan the 29er is perfect. I'm moving the family to the PNW later this year so I will be able to get some descending done, some 27.5s and see what's what!
Everything has it's pluses & minuses, worse in certain areas, good at some things, better at others, you just have to decide what kind of rider you are and which size best fits your talent, trails, intuition, preferred type of riding, etc. For people 5'10" or less the 27.5" is probably going to feel better, more right, taller people should probably prefer 29", but exceptions will always exist. ...having just written that, I find myself wondering which bike - brand, model, wheel size, travel, etc., is the most perfect compromise of all..?
Clint this is really interesting. It's more than the wheel size. It's geo (HTA, reach, BB height, CS length, travel, and fork offset). Also where you ride is critical. I'm local to Ellijay and lately I have been riding Pinhoti 2 and 3 as an out and back. And sometimes Pinhoti 1 out and back too. Right now I am on a Guerilla Gravity Trail Pistola, a 29'r that is 130/150 with reduced offset fork. This is the best climbing and descending bike I have every had experience to swing a leg over. Sorry to go long and specific to my local area but bikes are so good right now that it's really important to make sure your ride fantasy matches your trails and ability (or ability to learn). That Niner is rad and so is my GG. I have recently built up a Soma Riff, a steel 27.5 non-plus hardtail for my local easy rides as to make my local rides at Blankets fun again. My 29'r makes it just a bit to easy and boring.
Your trails are my home away from home. I get up there quite often during the warmer months. I'll have to say that Pinhoti 2 the reverse direction has some serious climbing! Trail bikes are definitely my choice. I feel over-biked on an enduro bike on those trails.
I'm feeling the 26er hardtail for skills building and choosing lines. Plus, we should be able to pick up nice 26 setups cheap since everyone is going bigger. Yay!
@@achaz23 Yeah I felt like 26 was way more nimble which is kinda what I like. Bigger wheels felt cumbersome. I'm sure there is an adjustment period but nah
I'm not very tall, so I decided to go 27.5"+ HT carbon MTB (Sonder Transmitter), 2.8" tyres are still some what OK on trails here and not too heavy. I didn't liked the 29er XC bikes I tried, not fun and not very agile for my riding. I've been loving that bike
I love my Revel Rascal 29 trail bike but I just switch wheels to 27.5 plus on my NS eccentric cromo hardtail. I want the cushion of the wider rubber on the hardtail for the different experience and to make my main trails more challenging again.
I had the Stumpjumper FSR 29er and have brought a Yeti SB5 27.5 and I love the 27.5 so much fun, and to be honest its slower on only 2 of the trails I ride over the 29er. I find it decelerates over the ruttier trails but other than that..... 27.5 is great!
If you want a bit more suspension, a 27.5 will offer that without raking out the front too much or raising the BB but you will need more tire width to get the same grip. 29 gives better roll over, lower rolling resistance (narrower tire) but if you want to keep the head angle more straight you will sacrifice travel. 29er is typically a bigger bike so perhaps a slightly heavier frame but that doesn't seem to matter much especially in the fun category. Find a good deal on a bike in the color you like and just ride.
I ride a Giant trance 3, 29er and I'm looking into trading it in for a 27.5. I'm new to riding and I'm super happy with the Giant but it just feels clunky to me.
Clint, you’ve finally got it about 27.5. Welcome to the club. Now go act like you’re 15 again. Heck, maybe even take it to a skatepark. Love my Bronsons.
To know what your personal preference is on the trails you ride, you need to try to ride both. Call it a test, a demo, a comparison... However many people don’t have the opportunity to try multiple bikes which is why I’m motivated to make videos to help them decide.
I own both. I use both. Not willing to abandon either doh!! still running a Ibis HD3 and its still fun and poppy when thats the mode I want to be in. Not sure what to replace it with (revel rail, gg revved frame, hd5 among the list).
I just complete my build on a 29 trail bike with 130mm/140mm travels. Field tested it on the same trail as I normally ride my 27.5 enduro bike with 160mm travels. I love the agility of the 29 setup but not feeling confident on descents (maybe I need to get used to it).
Ive got both on hardtail and tbh i like both. I came from 26 so both seem larger. You save some weight and the agility makes it seem faster. I'd hate to choose.
I bought my Giant Anthem two years ago and it’s 27.5”. Love it on the trails and climbing but probably misses the mark as an XC bike. My Giant rides bigger than the stats though here in Colorado. 120mm front and 110mm rear travel.
And that is about the least travel I would take on a Colorado tech trail, our trails are chunkfests. but we also have masochists who ride single speed hardtails on the same trails haha.
I have the 2018 Anthem Advanced 27.5 and I love that bike! Super capable on everything. It’s 130/110. And for 90 percent of my riding it’s awesome. I have the 2019 giant reign 27.5 for the other 10 percent!
I have a 2017 Anthem 2 with 27.5 wheels and I love it! Got rid of my hard tail 29er to get this and glad I did. I tried earlier models of the Anthem 29ers and I just did not like the feel.
Would love to see you test a Trek Stache. You haven't really hit the 29+ category at all yet and based off of your idea of "fun", this would be the bike. You might really be surprised by its playfulness and general, all purpose qualities. Think of it as a "trail" hardtail. Less expensive and more accessible for many of your viewers in terms of cost. Could be compared to your other trail bikes (full sus) and could be compared to other "trail" hardtails such as the RSD middle child, Canfield nimble 9, etc.
I just ordered the 2020 Giant trance 3 in 29er it's a small, and will be used almost exclusively for trail riding, my terrain is very rocky here on the east coast, I am 5'6" and now wondering if I should have stuck with a 27.5 bike. It will be my first ever 29er, and was a total shot in the dark as to see if it is as good as what all the reviews say about it. Hope I don't regret my purchase
You cannot go wrong with the trance 29. It’s a fabulous machine. I highly doubt you’ll regret it. The more you ride it the more familiar you will become on it.
I think it comes down to personal preference. You do notice the loss of travel on the Trance 29er vs the 27.5, the 29 inch wheel doesn't fully compensate in rock gardens. If you're a fairly light rider I think the Trance 29er will do just fine in rock gardens. As a bigger rider, I am personally gravitating towards the 27.5 version as my next bike, I live in Wyoming and the trails in Wyoming and Colorado are extremely rocky as well, and riding the two back to back, i found the 27.5 had just a bit more comfortable ride over the rocks.
I think geo is a big part of this, the giant trance 29 with less progressive geo is almost an over forked XC rig, but with newer geo it’s a trail bike. I completely agree with the categories and fun factors. But I am curious as to what category you’d place a short travel 27.5 trail bike, something like a 5010.
I mean you have some 29er options. The new pivot switchblade for example will fit down to 5 foot flat in an XS. That is a 140/160 29er. My wife on the other hand is 4'11and is limited to like 5 bikes on the entire market, all 27.5 and all butique carbon. Not sure 29er geometry will ever get to the point where she can try it out...
Richie Rude recently was asked what bike does he prefer to race the 27.5 or 29er. He said it depends on the course. He was asked do you think the 29er is faster? He smiled at the guy like he was an idiot and said "don't you think id only ride the 29er if it were faster?"
I like a trail bike had an enduro had to much travel for trails I was riding,so one extreme to another I got a trek full stache 29 er love it ,just steam rolls everything lol...We also have a Merida 140 it’s been a great trail bike also with 2.6 tires ...Go with what works for you some different trails out there.
If your going to be doing more extreme riding then being closer to the ground is a better idea, but in reality 29ers can do just about everything well. A good lightweight xc bike will do more than most riders.
i went on 29er purely for trends and felt that its inda big and cumbersome, but heck its fast and it steamrolls over many things . i went over to 27.5 this year and i felt wow it feels a lot lighter and easier to handle while riding... but then i felt i had to relearn my climbing and timing my pedals so i dont pedal strike . my front wheel gets stuck in ruts a lot more
You did not discus tire width. I am also in Florida. 85% of my riding is in Florida. My current bike is a 2017 Scott 720+ (AL frame) with I think 130mm travel. I love the bike mostly because it fits me like a glove. It has 27.5 x 2.8 tires. What are your thoughts on tire width for Florida?
Unless you were riding super sandy trails, I would not go wider than 2.35. I think a good combo is 2.35 in the front in about a 2.2 to 2.35 in the back.
Get a few rides on an Ibis Ripley or even Ripmo and you'll see that 29'ers can be fast AND fun. The frame itself can have as much to do with how it rides as the wheel size. I, as well as several other friends, have ridden Niner bikes in the past and never felt any of them were really that fun or poppy.
Looking at the Nukeproof Scout Expert can't decide between 27.5 and 29. At 1.83m tall, so large frame and 29er wheels seem the way to go... However, i smashed an off road hill climb on my crappy commuter bike with 700c rims and commuter tyres over my crappy mountain bike with 29ers...go figure? in a huge dilemma as i have an order for the 29er and at £2k for the hardtail, i am not confident i have made the right decision on 29er wheels....Help!
I'm about to get a hardtail and I don't know...I just can't see myself being happy on a 29r for a trail bike. And it's hard to find a 27.5. It's like the industry is trying to force everybody into the 29r range. Makes no sense.
Man, I've ridding both. If you're getting a hardtail go 29er. It will allow you to ride nearly everything better unless you're into "trials" or something. Lots of modern 29ers that are fun and not xc machines. Look at Kona and Norco as well for options.
Not sure, i comeback to 27.5 on XC hardtail from 29. Feel better acceleration, little lighter bike and same grip on 27.5. Two seasons i ride niner on light competitions
@@aslmx8320 yes. Let's put it this way, Brandon Semenuk won Rampage this year on a 26. You could probably say the terrain he rode is a little bit more technical than what us mortals ride.
I’m curious what you think about about the way that height impacts wheel size decisions. I’m 6’5” and have actually only ridden 27.5 because I’ve been told that 29ers are better suited for taller riders
Thanks for the vids...really enjoy them. I am at the crossroads of making the choice of 27.5 va 29. I am 6 "3 235 lbs...would my size and weight make more sense on a 29? I am not looking to race and just want to have fun.
It's a tough call...I still don't have a definitive answer for a fun trail bike. I'm going to make my decision in the next 3-4 weeks. But you really can't make a wrong decision. The RIP 27.5 is SO GOOD. But so is my JET 9 RDO. And so is the Transition Scout. There are some really good bikes on the market right now.
#Pierre Sensebe At your height it definitely makes sense to tend toward a 29". What we shorter (5'9") people feel as fun-factor in the 27.5" - *you* should feel on a 29".
You can but it will throw off the geometry and you’re not getting the full advantage of a 27.5 bike. For example, the wheelbase will be longer and the chain stays will be longer on a 29 frame versus a 27.5 frame. You’ll still get some benefits of 27.5 wheels if you do that but not the full advantage.
@@ClintGibbs ....I have a carbon Transition Patrol that's the 2016 Bike of the Year version that's 160 - 155. I loved that bike and rode the wheels off of it, and I still have it. I wanted to move up to 29, so I demo'd everything, despite being convinced at the time that I would land on the Sentinel. When I got on the Ripmo, I was blown away to the point that I was instantly faster, it jumped better, and pedaled more efficiently than the Patrol. It became my measuring stick for the remainder of the October Outerbike event in Bentonville in 2018, and nothing measured up. The Yeti SB130 was close....but less travel for only moderately better pedal efficiency. I kept thinking it was a fluke, so I got on it again when Ibis came to town for a demo in the spring. Nope...not a fluke, and at this point I was convinced. I got the carbon version, and since then I have added the Works Components angleset to add 1* to the HTA. That made it more stable descending, and matches my lean in the corner style of riding better, and I actually like that it dropped the BB slightly. I'm being told that Ibis is going to make the same geo changes to the carbon lineup in 2020 that they have with the Ripmo AF. I think that will entice a lot of people to put even more stock into the Ripmo by eliminating the slight regression at the end of the rear suspension stroke, which prevents running a coil, and makes the more linear Float X2 face some challenges. It also slackens it 1*. Those minor changes will make it even more desirable, so I would consider waiting to get your hands on that version. I have no complaints with mine with the DPX 2, because it's a pretty progressive shock, and I've already slackened mine 1*, but obviously the new changes are significant to tweaking the bike's kinematics and geo to improve its performance. I thought I would ride the Patrol on my "fun days," as you suggested, but the Ripmo is just more fun. I don't see any downside at all. I can maneuver it in the air just as well, and the only place there is any downside would be on VERY narrow switchbacks where the length of the bike, and higher center of gravity make the Ripmo slightly more difficult to get turned. I wouldn't ever go back to 27.5, because of all of the advantages of 29ers, but that's just me, and at least in part due to how versatile the Ripmo is!
I am interested to see how a 27.5+ wheelset will work on my Pivot Firebird 29. The bike is compatible with both sizes, but does a long travel (170front/162back) work well with a 27.5+ setup. Anybody change their 29er to a compatible 27.5 plus? if so what is the difference in ride... Pivot geometry says I will lose 1/4inch BB height, which I dont mind if a can corner better and climb better.
@@weekendmountainbiker9457 good to know, I had to put riding down for a half a dozen years, lost track of the latest trends, I come back to lookin at bikes and all of a sudden it looks like I might be able to find a 26' wheel or tire for sale anymore lol
roddas26 ......depends on your experience and skill level. Where you ride and your ride style. Personally love my Ibis Mojo SL 26er. Not gunna debate which is better because what works for me may not work for you.
@@nikolaibohachevsky2301 yep and because of the no-scientific-proof fad of 27.5/29ers, quality 26ers can be had for bargains. Don't fall prey to the industry's fabrications. They're just trying to part you with your money
This is what I’ve been waiting for! My son and I are leaning towards 27.5 bikes this time around. Can’t wait for next video!!
Love my 26, but I agree on the "who you are" part...because height, weight and ride style preferences/discipline makes a good point on really nothing is actually better than the other; its about finding yourself as a rider in the sport, and what works for you.
I've owned all sizes and still ride my 26 more just because of my style and where I ride. Didn't feel a large difference with 27.5 unless comparing widths/frames with that & 26... but 29 was a lil too big for my liking also.
I’m an older rider and fell for a mid-travel 29er 2 years ago. Now I’m exclusively riding a 153/160 27.5 for everything. Quicker in turns and more maneuverable and fun! Glad to see 27.5 getting some love. It’s not all about the hype
Just built up a 27.5 2019 Trance, big difference coming from my 29er with tight turns, switchbacks and rocky terrain so much easier and fun to go through. There was parts of my favourite trail that I always had to put a foot down on the 29er but not with the Trance.
29” have no turning radius🥲
If you’re racing/want to be fast, 29er. If you like to jump/whip/pop off of things/have fun, 27.5. When I went from 26er to a 27.5 I felt the difference in agility between the wheel sizes. I had to pull up harder to get the same amount of air (off of small jumps and things) on a 27.5 bike. I’m not racing, so I choose to have a fun bike. I’m not going to go to a 29er, it’s not worth losing more bike agility to me.
Thank you for your insight.
26" Enduro rider here.
I also have a 29" XC Bike for commuting.
For me, size does matter in terms of fun. But vice versa :D
Preach
Agility depends on geometry too don’t forget. My stumpy 29 feels like a 4X or a bmx to me but it gets squirly at high speeds (it has relatively short chainstays, short wheelbase and reach). It’s all relative!
@@partyongarth0 This is an obvious fact :D
But in this video it's all about the wheelsize.
You nailed this topic on the head. The industry tends to over-correct. Not enough travel a couple years ago to waaay too much travel. We are currently in the "too much" era. Tuned 29ers are taming trails and a some fun is lost. Your test is a great idea.
Very well said. I’m 6 foot and love me a 27.5. I agree 29 is faster but I don’t race enough to justify the less fun wheel size.
If the whole bike feels right, that's the one I buy. I don't focus on any one aspect because it all has to work together. Wheel size wouldn't be a deal breaker.
Newt Tella wheel size is absolutely a deal breaker. 27.5 FOR LIFE
Think you are spot on thus far... miss the flick ability of my previous 27.5, and miss the clearance for my rear when trying to hang off the back... but that 29er can lay into corners and rough terrain at high speed like no tomorrow!
Dude get the 2020 Niner Jet. I got one 2 months ago and love it. Specs are great and I bought the 3 star build. All carbon frame, lifetime warranty on frame, 12speed XT drivetrain, XT 4 piston brakes, FOX Elite fork and shock, same as factory but w/o Kashima. 2.5 Maxxis DHF front 2.4 Maxxis Reckon rear. Can easily put 27.5 and wider tires with this frame. Best part got it for $4 K to my front door 99% assembled and ready to go...
Niner definitely knows how to spec a bike.
most ppl will just ride whatever their bike came w because they cant afford to swap bikes and components just like that
Like you can't decide which bike to buy..
While this is definitely a valid point if one is able to accommodate and add 2nd or even third bike to their fleet why not do it? Not all of them need to be top of the line $10k dentist special builds either 😂
For me, having two or more bikes also means im never without a bike when one of them is down for maintenance or repair.
pan0rama Sooo true. In my case 2 bikes is enough. MTB and Gravel.
Se Bikelife 1975 Haha awesome. Bikes are wonderful.
Se Bikelife 1975 The carbon footprint is strong with this one.
The most important statement said on this video that can't be stressed enough: "it really depends on what you're riding". Even the definitions of what is considered cross-country, trail, enduro, can sometimes vary by personal opinions based your location; so if what you ride is typically pretty fast, flowy hardpack, then the 29 will rage. But if what you typically ride is more technical, tighter switchbacks, a lot of start/stop stuff, the 27.5 is going to be the better tool for the job. Which the same could be said about suspension; typically ride an area w/out a ton of vert & you're usually out for just an hour or so, full-sus may/maynot be worth it. But if you normally take multi-hour rides, or your go-to spot has a considerable amount of climbs, you may not want the extra weight of the full-sus (or the 29er wheelset, not that those usually add THAT much weight, but still). On the otherhand, maybe the multi-hour rider needs the extra comfort of the ful-sus.
Me: I am still hardtail, 'cause I like the increased power-transfer & reduced weight for climbing; also I like the "direct connect" feeling with the trail, I feel like I lose some of the awareness of how "on the edge" the bike might be in if the suspension is eating up the feedback. (but admittedly, the weight & the climbing might just be a mental thing I need to overcome). I ride titanium frames for low weight, high durability, & stiff where I need it stiff & compliant where I need some give. As for wheels, I take my 29 hooped bike for flow track trails (although, the custom geometry is set on that bike to try to optimize the agility, more old school & less "slack" geom); then I take my 27.5 ride for rides with steep climbs, tight switches, and more techie obstacles (where they might even be pushing "trials" type stuff).
But if someone can't afford more than one ride....... my advice for them is to get a good 27.5 & go have a blast, might not be quite as fast on the flow-trails or fire road type trails, but you'll be able to ride anything & everything well. (which is pretty much what you've said in the video, Clint)
Well as you said, 29er geometry has advanced a lot, however 27.5 didn't have geometry problems so much, it didn't develop a lot either. What I like the most about 27.5 is that you cannot go wrong with tire or handlebar width, you have so much freedom to experiment!
It's all down to the particular bike. To use the mid-travel trail bikes as examples. The Giant Trance 29er feels light and agile, just like the 27.5 version of the Trance, the trance as a whole has a very agile and precise feel to it. The Stumpy 29er (mid-travel version) feels like a barge at low speed, but feels like it would just smash through rock gardens like a monster truck. The Trek Remedy and Fuel EX kinda fall somewhere in the middle (and these two are very hard to tell apart when riding them most of the time).
26" HT with 80mm coilover forks is the funnest.
‘Nuff said...😂. and totally true 🤙
Builds character
Cause sometimes you just wanna launch off random rocks and take extra-credit lines. Are 29’ers faster? Yeah, probably. But that doesn’t mean they’re as fun.
I'm able to do the same stuff on my 29er. I think rider height has a lot to do with it as I'm 6'2.
@Alexander Craven its definitely noticeable at first then after an hour or so you get used to it and it's the same.
27.5 is perfect, for me 🤘🏻
Faster at elite level riders I think. Wouldn't affect my speed much 😭😂
Funny, I just bought a Trek Remedy (27.5) bike for winter riding vs my Slash (29er) even dry days (not that we have had many) I keep grabbing the 27.5 bike as its just so fun!
Just swapped out my 2018 RIP 9 RDO 29er wheelset to 27.5 plus with 170mm fork. The 27.5 plus wheel is definitely slower overall on my local 3 hours plus ride trail(Auburn SRA). The 27.5 wheelset requires more effort on the more technical steep climb area of the trail. I didn't feel much of the different on the cornering between these two wheel size. The 27.5 plus feel more lively going downhill on the more chunkier portion of the trail. I like both wheel sizes. I would use the 27.5 bike on the shorter distance ride that has more technical downhill area. I would use my other 29er bike on a longer(3 hrs plus) distance ride.
I've been demoing as many 29ers as I can lately. Recently demo'd a Kona Process 134 29er; it was a good bike and I got a bunch of PRs on a trail I'm familiar with....but it just didn't "feel right" to me - know what I mean. I butt-buzzed on a pretty good size drop too, and I DO NOT like that (5'5" for reference). The Rocky Mountain Instinct 29er I demo'd however felt great and I was able to maneuver it very well. So it depends on the bike - they ride differently. My current bikes are both 27.5 (Fully and Hardtail).
Hi Clint, I just finish watching your video. I’ m not used to leaving comments on the web, but I share your analysis 100%. I just changed my Giant Trance advanced 1 2018 model one month ago (the same model you had 2 hears ago. I hesitated a lot, mostly because my friends ride 29 bikes. But finaly, after having tested some 29, I did not find them lively enough. I finaly chose a Rocky Mountain Altitude C70, which is considered in France like an enduro bike, but more like a agressive trail bike in US. And this is right. This bike is so much fun to ride. So, thank you for your video, which traduces exactly my way of thinking. Looking forward to see your own conclusions. Laurent, from France
At 5' 8" I can't see riding a 29er for a trail bike where I live in PA. For the fire roads, double track, and mild single track my 29er is great. But for tight, twisty, techy old school single track I need my 27.5.
I'm building a 27.5 hardtail right now, with 150mm in the front. I'll keep my 29er for XC races. I agree with everything you said, except I like 27.5 for Enduro as well.
One reason I love my Bronson V3 (150/160) is because, for one bike, it can do it all better than a shorter travel 29er trail bike. I can still smash gnar, enduro style trails, bike parks, urban free rides- pretty much everything. I never felt like short-mid travel 29er trail bikes have that versatility.
Agree with you Clint. I think in the future, trail bikes or “jib bikes” will have 120-140 mm travel with 27.5 wheels and also with the geometry of today’s enduro 27.5 bikes ( since geometry are getting progressive each year )
Good point about possibly being "overbiked" on a 29er, I can see them taming our local trails too much. On weekend rides it's sometimes more enjoyable to seek out the bumps and features instead of just picking the fastest lines. On a long travel 29er, some of those features like rock gardens could effectively be flattened too much with the speed and roll over ability. I don't want my local trails to all feel like XC rides, so a 27.5 trail bike does make sense!
I have couple 27.5s and one 29r. Each has its strong points so I just go from one size to the other depending how I feel or the trail.
Yep.. Ive got a 29er xc race bike.. And a 27.5 160/150 norco vlt 1 ebike.. I absolutely love both of them for different reasons.. Oh.. Im a min wage guy. So money management and keeping out of debt trying to keep up with the joneses is how I can afford them.
I have the 2019 trance 27.5 and 29er. The 29er is easier to jump and more fun on smoother trails. The 27.5 feels more stable and confident on rough descents and drops. My impression is that the differences are more related to suspension travel than wheel size. The 27.5 is very plush.
I haven't ridden any modern 29ers, and I recently purchased a 2020 Marin Hawk Hill 3 which is 27.5. I liked the idea of a more agile bike, and since I was riding a 26" bike before I thought it would be a good in-between where I'd gain some rollover-ability without losing too much agility. I do wonder if I should've gone for the Rift Zone (basically the 29" version) since people seem to be favoring 29ers these days, but nonetheless I'm happy with the bike I purchased.
I have the same bike, just not with XT components, glad Niner made this bike in 27.5, rode both RIP9 wheel sizes and for my riding and my trails this bike is pretty sweet. I'm 6ft and kinda like you said XC in 29 is great, I ride what here in SoCal is a mixture of all types of conditions and this bike has been my go to bike to ride all the time. Glad my local shop turned me on to this bike
I’ve got the Jet in the 29er, it can tackle everything that I enjoy riding, mostly Pa rocks as I don’t seek out jumps often. I do want to add the Rip 27.5 to my garage, so I can start hitting some of the bike parks.
Wheel size is such a funny thing. Every Rider has an opinion. Some even ride 29 front with 27 rear. I like hearing all the arguments 🤔
YT Jeffsy carbon 27.5, the 19-20 models are amazing. Great builds for the money
I am a lighter, shorter rider at 5'8 and 145 lbs geared. I am also an older rider but like to jump and play around.
I have never ridden a 27. 5 only 26 and 29 but assume 27.5 will be my sweet spot.
I am coming from 26" and just bought a 2019 Trek Fuel Ex 5 29er because I had $500 invested in demoing it's bigger brother the EX 8.
In my case I made a great purchase because I always upgrade everything on my stuff, computers, motorcycles, bikes etc. Also, this is the same frame used on higher end alloy models.
Main thing is this will run 27.5 hoops. I wouldn't have bought it otherwise while now in the Huron River Valley of Michigan the 29er is perfect.
I'm moving the family to the PNW later this year so I will be able to get some descending done, some 27.5s and see what's what!
I LOVE my Canyon Spectral, with 650b wheels, when im just out for fun, and have loads of confidence, on my bike
Great video!
I have a 27.5 trailbike and a 27.5/26 parkbike. I tried some 29ers and loved the Speci enduro and Rocky Mountain BC instinct though.
Everything has it's pluses & minuses, worse in certain areas, good at some things, better at others, you just have to decide what kind of rider you are and which size best fits your talent, trails, intuition, preferred type of riding, etc.
For people 5'10" or less the 27.5" is probably going to feel better, more right, taller people should probably prefer 29", but exceptions will always exist.
...having just written that, I find myself wondering which bike - brand, model, wheel size, travel, etc., is the most perfect compromise of all..?
Clint this is really interesting. It's more than the wheel size. It's geo (HTA, reach, BB height, CS length, travel, and fork offset). Also where you ride is critical. I'm local to Ellijay and lately I have been riding Pinhoti 2 and 3 as an out and back. And sometimes Pinhoti 1 out and back too. Right now I am on a Guerilla Gravity Trail Pistola, a 29'r that is 130/150 with reduced offset fork. This is the best climbing and descending bike I have every had experience to swing a leg over. Sorry to go long and specific to my local area but bikes are so good right now that it's really important to make sure your ride fantasy matches your trails and ability (or ability to learn). That Niner is rad and so is my GG.
I have recently built up a Soma Riff, a steel 27.5 non-plus hardtail for my local easy rides as to make my local rides at Blankets fun again. My 29'r makes it just a bit to easy and boring.
Your trails are my home away from home. I get up there quite often during the warmer months. I'll have to say that Pinhoti 2 the reverse direction has some serious climbing! Trail bikes are definitely my choice. I feel over-biked on an enduro bike on those trails.
I tried . 27.5 . And 29 .. honestly.. am fit in 27.5 wheels..
I guest yeess its mean more fun to ride ..
Am use xc bikes hard tail..
I'll just stick to my 26er HT. I'm not in a place to spend $3-4k on a bike every year.
still ride a 26er here too haha!
I'm feeling the 26er hardtail for skills building and choosing lines. Plus, we should be able to pick up nice 26 setups cheap since everyone is going bigger. Yay!
@@achaz23 Yeah I felt like 26 was way more nimble which is kinda what I like. Bigger wheels felt cumbersome. I'm sure there is an adjustment period but nah
I have a disc Gunnar Rockhound 26 mountain bike. I have had this bike for 15 years.
Aaron Charles ......yep I picked up an Ibis Mojo SL 26er for a good deal. Love it
I'm not very tall, so I decided to go 27.5"+ HT carbon MTB (Sonder Transmitter), 2.8" tyres are still some what OK on trails here and not too heavy. I didn't liked the 29er XC bikes I tried, not fun and not very agile for my riding. I've been loving that bike
I love my Revel Rascal 29 trail bike but I just switch wheels to 27.5 plus on my NS eccentric cromo hardtail. I want the cushion of the wider rubber on the hardtail for the different experience and to make my main trails more challenging again.
Good Video, I have been on 29 SB95 back to 27.5 Turner RFX now I'm eyeballing 29 again for Enduro racing.
Anything for speed 29. But for everything else 27.5... it's just more fun!! Unless you're really tall or really short
27.5 is a perfect balance for speed and handling for me... Plus it's the perfect fit in my current mini porch lol
I had the Stumpjumper FSR 29er and have brought a Yeti SB5 27.5 and I love the 27.5 so much fun, and to be honest its slower on only 2 of the trails I ride over the 29er. I find it decelerates over the ruttier trails but other than that..... 27.5 is great!
If you want a bit more suspension, a 27.5 will offer that without raking out the front too much or raising the BB but you will need more tire width to get the same grip. 29 gives better roll over, lower rolling resistance (narrower tire) but if you want to keep the head angle more straight you will sacrifice travel. 29er is typically a bigger bike so perhaps a slightly heavier frame but that doesn't seem to matter much especially in the fun category. Find a good deal on a bike in the color you like and just ride.
I ride a Giant trance 3, 29er and I'm looking into trading it in for a 27.5. I'm new to riding and I'm super happy with the Giant but it just feels clunky to me.
Went for a 26 hardtail to a 29 hardtail and im now on 27 enduro. I liked all of them. But 27.5is better for me
I went from a 26 full suspension to a 29er hardtail. Now on a 27.5 hardtail, the 29er collects dust.
26er hardtail for technical climbs all day.
26 for life.
Got my vote....26 for life☝️
Clint, you’ve finally got it about 27.5. Welcome to the club. Now go act like you’re 15 again. Heck, maybe even take it to a skatepark. Love my Bronsons.
What a nice set of wheels .
27.5+ is the most fun bike I've ever ridden.
Derek Taylor Love my Roscoe 7 with the 27.5 x2.8
Agree with the + is fun but I prefer 29+.
Pivot Mach 5.5 (27.5" wheels, 160mm Front/ 140mm Rear) = Amazing trail bike!
True trail shredders will always love 26!
I’m still running my 2015 giant reign advanced 1 27.5. Much upgraded but haven’t felt the need to go up to bigger wheels.
mullet is the most fun this month for me :)
In my opinion, their should be no test between 27.5 and 29.
It comes down to personal preference and the trails you ride.
To know what your personal preference is on the trails you ride, you need to try to ride both. Call it a test, a demo, a comparison... However many people don’t have the opportunity to try multiple bikes which is why I’m motivated to make videos to help them decide.
Clint Gibbs, No person knows what a wheel size feels like until they try it themself.
I own both. I use both. Not willing to abandon either doh!! still running a Ibis HD3 and its still fun and poppy when thats the mode I want to be in. Not sure what to replace it with (revel rail, gg revved frame, hd5 among the list).
I’ve done the opposite, had a couple of mid travel 27.5 s, and just gone to 29 , atm enjoying that rolling speed
Had a 27.5 once. Never again. 29 is definitely the way to go. It just rides so much better.
Not for short people. Feels like a semi.
Your reviews are A+
I would like to hear you comment on Rider Height vs. Wheel Size. Seems to me that Trek has sorted this out in wheel size/frame size options.
I'm sure that will come up in one of the videos
I just complete my build on a 29 trail bike with 130mm/140mm travels. Field tested it on the same trail as I normally ride my 27.5 enduro bike with 160mm travels. I love the agility of the 29 setup but not feeling confident on descents (maybe I need to get used to it).
Ive got both on hardtail and tbh i like both. I came from 26 so both seem larger. You save some weight and the agility makes it seem faster. I'd hate to choose.
Clint have you ever try 29er front 27.5 back? If dont please try and told us how it was! Thanks
Great content. Always look forward to what you have to say.
I bought my Giant Anthem two years ago and it’s 27.5”. Love it on the trails and climbing but probably misses the mark as an XC bike. My Giant rides bigger than the stats though here in Colorado. 120mm front and 110mm rear travel.
And that is about the least travel I would take on a Colorado tech trail, our trails are chunkfests. but we also have masochists who ride single speed hardtails on the same trails haha.
I have the 2018 Anthem Advanced 27.5 and I love that bike! Super capable on everything. It’s 130/110. And for 90 percent of my riding it’s awesome. I have the 2019 giant reign 27.5 for the other 10 percent!
I have a 2017 Anthem 2 with 27.5 wheels and I love it! Got rid of my hard tail 29er to get this and glad I did. I tried earlier models of the Anthem 29ers and I just did not like the feel.
Would love to see you test a Trek Stache. You haven't really hit the 29+ category at all yet and based off of your idea of "fun", this would be the bike. You might really be surprised by its playfulness and general, all purpose qualities. Think of it as a "trail" hardtail. Less expensive and more accessible for many of your viewers in terms of cost. Could be compared to your other trail bikes (full sus) and could be compared to other "trail" hardtails such as the RSD middle child, Canfield nimble 9, etc.
I'm Considering the Stache or even the Kona Big Honzo you can do both 29 and 27.5 wheelsets on the Honzo.
I just ordered the 2020 Giant trance 3 in 29er it's a small, and will be used almost exclusively for trail riding, my terrain is very rocky here on the east coast, I am 5'6" and now wondering if I should have stuck with a 27.5 bike. It will be my first ever 29er, and was a total shot in the dark as to see if it is as good as what all the reviews say about it. Hope I don't regret my purchase
You cannot go wrong with the trance 29. It’s a fabulous machine. I highly doubt you’ll regret it. The more you ride it the more familiar you will become on it.
Great bike you'll love it
I think it comes down to personal preference. You do notice the loss of travel on the Trance 29er vs the 27.5, the 29 inch wheel doesn't fully compensate in rock gardens. If you're a fairly light rider I think the Trance 29er will do just fine in rock gardens. As a bigger rider, I am personally gravitating towards the 27.5 version as my next bike, I live in Wyoming and the trails in Wyoming and Colorado are extremely rocky as well, and riding the two back to back, i found the 27.5 had just a bit more comfortable ride over the rocks.
The Trance is a great bike in either size.
I think geo is a big part of this, the giant trance 29 with less progressive geo is almost an over forked XC rig, but with newer geo it’s a trail bike. I completely agree with the categories and fun factors. But I am curious as to what category you’d place a short travel 27.5 trail bike, something like a 5010.
Good thing I am 5'3 in height so 27.5 is my choice 😊
Yep.
I mean you have some 29er options. The new pivot switchblade for example will fit down to 5 foot flat in an XS. That is a 140/160 29er. My wife on the other hand is 4'11and is limited to like 5 bikes on the entire market, all 27.5 and all butique carbon. Not sure 29er geometry will ever get to the point where she can try it out...
@@michaelwrigley5438 29er would be quite a challenging bike to maneuver for someone who is not gifted in height like I do. 😀
I rode on a 29er and now ride a 27.5 and 27 is the better option .
It gives a lot more overall control .
I think a persons height also plays into it.
I have an enduro bike and im sticking with 27.5. At only 5 foot 7 a 29er would feel like a wagon wheel
Richie Rude recently was asked what bike does he prefer to race the 27.5 or 29er. He said it depends on the course. He was asked do you think the 29er is faster? He smiled at the guy like he was an idiot and said "don't you think id only ride the 29er if it were faster?"
I like a trail bike had an enduro had to much travel for trails I was riding,so one extreme to another I got a trek full stache 29 er love it ,just steam rolls everything lol...We also have a Merida 140 it’s been a great trail bike also with 2.6 tires ...Go with what works for you some different trails out there.
Boom! On point review Clint 👊🏽
If your going to be doing more extreme riding then being closer to the ground is a better idea, but in reality 29ers can do just about everything well. A good lightweight xc bike will do more than most riders.
i went on 29er purely for trends and felt that its inda big and cumbersome, but heck its fast and it steamrolls over many things .
i went over to 27.5 this year and i felt wow it feels a lot lighter and easier to handle while riding... but then i felt i had to relearn my climbing and timing my pedals so i dont pedal strike .
my front wheel gets stuck in ruts a lot more
You did not discus tire width. I am also in Florida. 85% of my riding is in Florida. My current bike is a 2017 Scott 720+ (AL frame) with I think 130mm travel. I love the bike mostly because it fits me like a glove. It has 27.5 x 2.8 tires. What are your thoughts on tire width for Florida?
Unless you were riding super sandy trails, I would not go wider than 2.35. I think a good combo is 2.35 in the front in about a 2.2 to 2.35 in the back.
Get a few rides on an Ibis Ripley or even Ripmo and you'll see that 29'ers can be fast AND fun. The frame itself can have as much to do with how it rides as the wheel size. I, as well as several other friends, have ridden Niner bikes in the past and never felt any of them were really that fun or poppy.
So it's a 275 bike with "NINER" written on the down tube?
Clint do you like the rear shock tune on the niners? Felt over damped and never enough clicks of rebound available.
I do like how supportive they are in the midstroke. You may want to see if you can remove a volume spacer if indeed there is one in there.
I agree. But what amount of travel rear and front do you mean hits the sweetspot for fun trail bikes?
I think about 150 in the front for 27.5 and 130 to 140 in the front for 29. About 10 less than the back.
Looking at the Nukeproof Scout Expert can't decide between 27.5 and 29. At 1.83m tall, so large frame and 29er wheels seem the way to go... However, i smashed an off road hill climb on my crappy commuter bike with 700c rims and commuter tyres over my crappy mountain bike with 29ers...go figure? in a huge dilemma as i have an order for the 29er and at £2k for the hardtail, i am not confident i have made the right decision on 29er wheels....Help!
At 6' and 215 lbs 29er are easy to ride and throw around for me. Rider size need to be accounted for I think.
I think you're right. I'm 5'5 and been demoing 29ers lately. 27.5 may be right for me. Still waiting for a Ripley demo though!
I'm about to get a hardtail and I don't know...I just can't see myself being happy on a 29r for a trail bike. And it's hard to find a 27.5. It's like the industry is trying to force everybody into the 29r range. Makes no sense.
NYCEVO Nukeproof Scout 275- slack 27.5 bike looks like tons of fun.
Man, I've ridding both. If you're getting a hardtail go 29er. It will allow you to ride nearly everything better unless you're into "trials" or something. Lots of modern 29ers that are fun and not xc machines. Look at Kona and Norco as well for options.
Not sure, i comeback to 27.5 on XC hardtail from 29. Feel better acceleration, little lighter bike and same grip on 27.5. Two seasons i ride niner on light competitions
Most important question when discussing wheel size. How tall are you?
5'8". I actually don't think it's the most important thing. My wife is just over 5 ft and rides a 29er HT.
Can a 6’3” person fit on a 27.5? I’m new to this game and thought 29 would be my only option
@@aslmx8320 yes. Let's put it this way, Brandon Semenuk won Rampage this year on a 26. You could probably say the terrain he rode is a little bit more technical than what us mortals ride.
@@ClintGibbs I don't know why but you look like a tall dude in your vids. I'm 6'3" and have a long face like you so maybe that's why I think that lol.
@@norcalchrismeister lol...I wish. But then again I may have pursued professional tennis instead of mountain biking...so it worked out 😉
I’m curious what you think about about the way that height impacts wheel size decisions. I’m 6’5” and have actually only ridden 27.5 because I’ve been told that 29ers are better suited for taller riders
6'5?? That IS the "taller riders"!
Thanks for the vids...really enjoy them. I am at the crossroads of making the choice of 27.5 va 29. I am 6 "3 235 lbs...would my size and weight make more sense on a 29? I am not looking to race and just want to have fun.
It's a tough call...I still don't have a definitive answer for a fun trail bike. I'm going to make my decision in the next 3-4 weeks. But you really can't make a wrong decision. The RIP 27.5 is SO GOOD. But so is my JET 9 RDO. And so is the Transition Scout. There are some really good bikes on the market right now.
#Pierre Sensebe At your height it definitely makes sense to tend toward a 29". What we shorter (5'9") people feel as fun-factor in the 27.5" - *you* should feel on a 29".
Back to 26er maybe is good idea. What do u think?
I like both my stumpjumper feels great as a 29. My hard tail is 27.5 plus also feels great. Wait maybe it's me that feels great lol
If i am buying a 29er bike can I just buy some 27,5 er wheels and put them on it? Or is that not good because of the different angles? 🤔
You can but it will throw off the geometry and you’re not getting the full advantage of a 27.5 bike. For example, the wheelbase will be longer and the chain stays will be longer on a 29 frame versus a 27.5 frame. You’ll still get some benefits of 27.5 wheels if you do that but not the full advantage.
Clint, have you had a chance to ride an Ibis Ripmo or Ripley? Any thoughts?
Not yet but the ripmo is on my list
@@ClintGibbs ....I have a carbon Transition Patrol that's the 2016 Bike of the Year version that's 160 - 155. I loved that bike and rode the wheels off of it, and I still have it. I wanted to move up to 29, so I demo'd everything, despite being convinced at the time that I would land on the Sentinel. When I got on the Ripmo, I was blown away to the point that I was instantly faster, it jumped better, and pedaled more efficiently than the Patrol. It became my measuring stick for the remainder of the October Outerbike event in Bentonville in 2018, and nothing measured up. The Yeti SB130 was close....but less travel for only moderately better pedal efficiency. I kept thinking it was a fluke, so I got on it again when Ibis came to town for a demo in the spring. Nope...not a fluke, and at this point I was convinced. I got the carbon version, and since then I have added the Works Components angleset to add 1* to the HTA. That made it more stable descending, and matches my lean in the corner style of riding better, and I actually like that it dropped the BB slightly.
I'm being told that Ibis is going to make the same geo changes to the carbon lineup in 2020 that they have with the Ripmo AF. I think that will entice a lot of people to put even more stock into the Ripmo by eliminating the slight regression at the end of the rear suspension stroke, which prevents running a coil, and makes the more linear Float X2 face some challenges. It also slackens it 1*. Those minor changes will make it even more desirable, so I would consider waiting to get your hands on that version. I have no complaints with mine with the DPX 2, because it's a pretty progressive shock, and I've already slackened mine 1*, but obviously the new changes are significant to tweaking the bike's kinematics and geo to improve its performance.
I thought I would ride the Patrol on my "fun days," as you suggested, but the Ripmo is just more fun. I don't see any downside at all. I can maneuver it in the air just as well, and the only place there is any downside would be on VERY narrow switchbacks where the length of the bike, and higher center of gravity make the Ripmo slightly more difficult to get turned. I wouldn't ever go back to 27.5, because of all of the advantages of 29ers, but that's just me, and at least in part due to how versatile the Ripmo is!
I am interested to see how a 27.5+ wheelset will work on my Pivot Firebird 29. The bike is compatible with both sizes, but does a long travel (170front/162back) work well with a 27.5+ setup. Anybody change their 29er to a compatible 27.5 plus? if so what is the difference in ride... Pivot geometry says I will lose 1/4inch BB height, which I dont mind if a can corner better and climb better.
hmmm I'm still riding 26
Duh...and there’s no need to change...
@@nikolaibohachevsky2301 I know, it almost as is 26" bikes dont exist anymore though
Me too
Got three 26 and just bought my first 27😁
@@weekendmountainbiker9457 good to know, I had to put riding down for a half a dozen years, lost track of the latest trends, I come back to lookin at bikes and all of a sudden it looks like I might be able to find a 26' wheel or tire for sale anymore lol
you should get a SB140 T1 way better than any of the bikes you mentioned purchasing.
The 29er is just a big glider...the 27.5 is the fighter!
sharp bike, guessing you will bring it to Croom 50 on Saturday?
If I go I will ride the RKT9. I started coming down with a pretty bad cold yesterday
The real question is, is how good are 26ers?
roddas26 ......depends on your experience and skill level. Where you ride and your ride style. Personally love my Ibis Mojo SL 26er. Not gunna debate which is better because what works for me may not work for you.
There is no question about 26. It’s here to stay. Once the dust settles and the smoke and mirrors lose their effect......26
@@nikolaibohachevsky2301 yep and because of the no-scientific-proof fad of 27.5/29ers, quality 26ers can be had for bargains. Don't fall prey to the industry's fabrications. They're just trying to part you with your money