27-1/2" vs. 29" wheels?

[AustroTom]

Hello All,
What's your take on 27 1/2 vs. 29"?

 

[Rosemount]

27.5 fits riders under 5 ` 9 ' better .
29 er harder to manual and bunny hop .
29 slightly larger foot print of tread .
27.5 faster acceleration .
27.5 turns tighter .
29 can put your testes and taint in danger if you have shorter legs ...

 

[AustroTom]

I'm 5'-10" but it sounds like the 27.5 is the better fit for me

 

[Shinn]

Lots of variables, I'm new to 29 and they just seem so tall...but plan to give them a little more time before buying a set of 27.5. I've watched many videos and read many articles and I'd suggest doing the same doing the same. I'd think others would chime in with thoughts but there really are so many variables from terrain and even your height. There is no right or wrong wheel size and be prepared for it to possibly be a difficult decision.

 

[CodyDog]

I rode with 27.5's on my Rocky Mountain Altitude until I switch to a Levo Comp with 29's and never looked back. You adapt to what you ride. I like the 29's for rocks and roots. The 29's seem to roll over obstacles much easier. Some say its more challenging to maneuver but I have learned to move the bike around just as much as my 27.5's. I'm 5'11" and typically ride black and double black trails.

 

[AustroTom]

Oh boy, It'll take me forever to decide on a bike, I know it

 

[Shinn]

Oh boy, It'll take me forever to decide on a bike, I know it

Take your time, it can get expensive...if you make the wrong decision. Test ride before you buy and try the best you can to use your LBS

 

[Rusty]

26" or 29" - anything between is marketing BS as far as I am concerned.

Went through the wagon wheels vs 26" debate when I was sinclepeeding with all the 26 acellerate faster, make the bike more flickable, climb better and all sorts of arguments. The reality is that over a given distance that is anything other than a 10 metre sprint things average out, but the ability of the 29er wheel to eat more distance per revolution and being able to roll over thengs when climbing gives then the edge for me.

When I asked a designer a couple years ago when I was getting into eMTB I was told that while they were currently on 27.5 they were moving to 29er and 27.5 would drop out of their range eventually.

 

[Pdoz]

They're both round.

What I don't understand is why we call a 29/27 combination a mullet? Wouldn't a mohawk be closer? Or chopper?

Wheel builders are strange people ( hi gary)

 

[steve_sordy]

27.5 fits riders under 5 ` 9 ' better .
29 er harder to manual and bunny hop .
29 slightly larger foot print of tread .
27.5 faster acceleration .
27.5 turns tighter .
29 can put your testes and taint in danger if you have shorter legs ...

Except maybe the last one, all of those features are subject to the tyre tread, weight and pressure, but I'll go with the flow....
29er roll over rocks, roots (anything really) much better. It's the physics of it.
29er sustain momentum better.
29er better grip
27.5 weighs less

 

[Shinn]

They're both round.

What I don't understand is why we call a 29/27 combination a mullet? Wouldn't a mohawk be closer? Or chopper?

Wheel builders are strange people ( hi gary)

the first time I heard of a mullet I thought it would be stupid to put a taller wheel in the back - I'm with Pdoz.

 

[JoeBlow]

I prefer 29". The problem is I cant't really tell which has given me the most benefit as I went to 29" wheels and 160mm travel at the same time by buying a new bike. Whatever, my riding comfort and abilities have improved significantly and that's probably down to a combination of both.

 

[yorkshire89]

They're both round.

What I don't understand is why we call a 29/27 combination a mullet? Wouldn't a mohawk be closer? Or chopper?

Wheel builders are strange people ( hi gary)

Mullet = Business at the front, party at the back! ?

29" for grip and speed, 27.5" for a more playful feel

 

[Mabman]

20 yrs. ago at the advent of 29" wheels there was some interest in using a 29" wheel in the front and a 26" wheel in the rear. In fact Trek even made a bike that featured it although their Fisher line had them on both ends. They got tagged as mullet back then and it has transferred onto the 27.5/29" of today.

And it would be stupid to put the taller wheel in the rear that is why it is used the other way around......

 

[willeco]

It all depends on the bike geometry too as I experienced recently (and the used tires/compound).
Coming from (for about 25 years) 26" fully Rocky Mountain Element TO - one year Giant Trance E2 Pro 27,5" and now 29" Speci Turbo Levo Comp I found out that the 29" Levo is MUCH more playful and easier turning than the 27,5 Giant.
A friend has the exact same Giant and when comparing both bikes, he agreed that the 29" Levo tuns much better on tight singletracks. Acceleration feels the same, the Levo has better grip too.
Giant on Maxxis stock tires, Levo on Specialized stock tires.

 

[AustroTom]

?, I feel much better now

 

[Shinn]

20 yrs. ago at the advent of 29" wheels there was some interest in using a 29" wheel in the front and a 26" wheel in the rear. In fact Trek even made a bike that featured it although their Fisher line had them on both ends. They got tagged as mullet back then and it has transferred onto the 27.5/29" of today.

And it would be stupid to put the taller wheel in the rear that is why it is used the other way around......

I didn’t actually think the taller wheel was in the back. That would be stupid.

 

[Pdoz]

Yeah, you all think smaller front wheels look stupid at the moment...but just wait until the supermotard riding advertising they spills a macchiato on next years engineering pictures....

those mulletts are going to look soooo penny farthing

 

[Gary]

The wheel size debate will no doubt drag on ad infinitum.. And yet 26" wheels and tyres are still being used to ride flat out and jump 90ft doubles.

You're fooling yourself if you think everything about larger wheels is a positive or improvement. They're simply different.

I found out that the 29" Levo is MUCH more playful and easier turning than the 27,5 Giant.
A friend has the exact same Giant and when comparing both bikes, he agreed that the 29" Levo tuns much better on tight singletracks. Acceleration feels the same, the Levo has better grip too.
Giant on Maxxis stock tires, Levo on Specialized stock tires.

Yeah. As you noticed. It's not simply wheel size alone that means the Giant handles differently to the Levo.
They're just very different bikes.
Set up from bike to bike can also change riding characteristics hugely.

 

[Rosemount]

About to try a mullet set up today . Wish me luck .

 

[veryoldfart]

I had ridden 27.5" Santa Cruz bikes for years and was uber cynical about 29'ers.
BUT, no longer.
For me they work. I ride a turbo Levo Comp Carbon with Santa Cruz reserve rims on Chris King Hubs.
Fantastic- agile ( yes) responsive, and it rolls over stuff that would have me struggling before.
Don't hesitate- unless your name is Danny Macaskill

 

[granny girl]

I ride a 29r and I am 5'4". It was a learning curve for sure but now I can't ever go back to 27.5. The only thing I have noticed is that if I am leaning too far back when doing jumps, I will get a butt rub when I land. Because of this, I am learning better skills as I should not be that far back anyways.

 

[levity]

About to try a mullet set up today . Wish me luck .

You’re going to die!

(confirm ICU space at your local hospital before heading out ?)

 

[Rosemount]