Which Wheel Size is Better for Fat Bike? 27.5" or 26"?

Fat Bike Tire Size Test Vol.1:
I took two Foes Mutz's, with different wheel sizes, to the local bike park for some downhill comparison fun.
Same trail, back-to-back, I tried to just keep it normal/flowy/"coasty" to see which wheels rolled faster without too much pedal input. The results were interesting..
Foes Mutz(s) 150mm travel fat bike is.gd/uH7oAy
Shocks: DVO Topaz T3 Air is.gd/cLszKQ
Fork: Wren Sports 150mm Fat is.gd/AnklAh
Tires: Terrene Cake Eater 27.5x4" and 26x4" is.gd/cMwRu9
Camera stuff used: Panasonic Lumix G95, Insta 360 One X2, DJI Osmo Action (1)

[@thomasandrews8033]

First, thanks for all the great videos! Rant on: I currently own four fat bikes all are running 26X4.0 tires of some type. I ride them full time XC in the desert near Phoenix. Why? Because they are superior for this terrain. I've tried 27.5X4.0 and 26X4.8 and for me, neither handled as well or accelerated as well as the 26X4.0 configuration. I believe the 27.5 wheel was a marketing move by the big brands to get consumers to buy new products. It happens all the time with suspension designs and frame materials. Tell them the new stuff is better so they'll ditch the old stuff, in this case, the 26 in fat bike wheel. Unfortunately, the fat bike niche is not large enough to support varied choices and that's why it's getting harder to find a new fat bike with 26 in wheels. I support choice and the idea of running 27.5 if that works for you but what concerns me is how it seems the industry is extinguishing the 26. The 26X4.0-3.8 is easier to accelerate and handles better than any other configuration for fast XC riding, period. Don't believe it, come ride with me sometime. Sorry, not meaning to sound cocky, I just don't think people realize how capable a fat bike with 26x4.0 can be. Rant off. Thanks again for this video, looking forward to more.

[@intruder_ua]

strange, i thought that there would be no difference at all.

[@mtb10s40]

Ultras scientific indeed. Thanks for doing this test. I’ve had a total of seven fat bikes. All of which have been 26 inch wheels by 4 inch tires. I’ve always wondered which would be better. I assumed that with 27.5 I’d feel like I was on stilts. Can’t wait for the next science project. Of the seven fat bikes I’ve had, the only two I’ve kept are my Foes Mutz!

[@fatbikin]

Thanks! Seven fatbikes! 👊

[@FatTireVanVentures]

Personally I prefer 26 inch Fatbike tires 🍩

[@fatbikin]

Me too! 🤙

[@rasmusredfire2667]

it all depends.....on longer xc rides og just cruising around with long hills up and down i prefer 27.5 with barbegazi on technical singletrack 26 is the way.....thanks for the video.....

[@fatbikin]

Thanks for the comment! I agree, I keep finding different setups for different rides I like too. Tomorrow I'll be in 0° temps, on good snow, and running 27.5x4.5 front with 26x4.2 rear.

[@rasmusredfire2667]

thats a interesting setup.....the two wheelset you tested ind the video have you weighed them ??@@fatbikin

[@justinpare646]

nice production work...anyway the only benefit I could see on 27.5 would be potential for reduced tire squirm when pushing downhill fast [this happened to me at carrabasset], but in the classic new england chunk I love my 26 on my mutz. I bet the mullet? setup could be interesting.

[@fatbikin]

Thanks man! Yeah, I've tried the mixed fat since filming this. It's definitely worth a look.