Mullet Bikes...Here to stay?

[photocycycler]

Looking at buying my first eBike and somewhat hesitant to buy a mullet bike as I am not sure if its a novelty that will soon be gone.

Seems like that's where a lot of companies started but now moving to 29" eBikes. Thoughts?

 

[MrBrownstone]

It was definitely a novelty in the 80’s when cannondale mountain bikes came with 24” rear wheel and 26” front. Mullet=nothing new haha. It’ll be around for a bit this time till something else gets dreamed up to keep riders spending money.

 

[The Flying Dutchman]

I think mullets will become increasingly popular and there's no danger of getting one.

One thing you do miss out on with a mullet is the ability to replace a worn rear tire with the front which you replace with a freshy.

 

[R120]

Yup, and we are only going to see more of them - Specilized is about to bring out a new Mullet single crown free ride bike, and we are seeing a lot more normal MTB'b mullets coming out.

I am yet to be sold on them as I like 27.5, but I can see the logic, and the ones I have tried have worked well.

In racing I think they will stay around too, as they have enabled a lot of the DH guys who didn't like 29 out back to get a best of both worlds set up

 

[Bones]

I love my 2017 Mustache mullet bike and would definitely buy another one when the time comes.

 

[MrBrownstone]

Yup, and we are only going to see more of them - Specilized is about to bring out a new Mullet single crown free ride bike, and we are seeing a lot more normal MTB'b mullets coming out.

I am yet to be sold on them as I like 27.5, but I can see the logic, and the ones I have tried have worked well.

In racing I think they will stay around too, as they have enabled a lot of the DH guys who didn't like 29 out back to get a best of both worlds set up

View attachment 30441

Love the color^^^^^?

 

[Mabman]

You can always swap it out with a 29" wheel later with at least a 2.5 if you get too fad concious. Personally I like the way it works on my hardtail and have run it that way for 3yrs now.

 

[Eddy Current]

This came from motocross, rear wide and smaller for traction and accelerating, front bigger and thinner for better rollover and precise handling.

Some say is the best of both worlds, a forum member once say probably worst of both.

 

[urastus]

I have a mullet and really like it. I've never had a 29" before, so the front wheel feels like I'm cheating And I still get around really tight stuff, much to the surprise of my reign riding friend. The only down side I can see are keeping the front fresh (not being able to swap out to rear when half worn) - as the flying dutch man above has mentioned. Really that's it. I carry a 27.5 tube that should work for both ends if I get a bad puncture.

 

[GrandPaBrogan]

As long as the market still believes that having a short chainstay length is beneficial, a 27.5 rear wheel could remain even if the blummin wheel fad goes even bigger than 29s. Hyper-mullets anyeone?!

 

[Shane(NZ)]

I fitted a 29 to the front of my trek lt9, I really like, more than I thought I would.
I'll going to continue running it, dont really care if its trendy or not.
Best of luck with your purchase

 

[Fatbap]

i love my decoy mullet it rolls over anything and is still very playful. As said above fad or not I don’t care bikes change so fast on move on from 1 thing to another just like ebikes in general

 

[Waynemarlow]

Mmmm been riding a mullet for a couple of years and yes I have to say that a 29er on the front is better than the 27.5 2.8" on an Ebike, but a bit of a caveat, I have the identical frame ( and suspension ) non Ebike and the 27.5 2.8 fat tyre front is better in analogue mode. The only thing I can put it down to is the Ebike being faster on average ( basically convert km to mph ).

I also remember the days of the 21" front wheels arriving in MX ( yes I'm that ancient ) and how quickly they became the status quo and no they weren't a passing fad, they are still the status quo just like the vertical v cantilever rear suspension.

 

[Fivetones]

If you fancy an interesting listen there’s some interesting comments from Fabien Barel on mullets, wheel sizes, geometry and tyre inserts.

Podcast: Fabien Barel Talks Mullet Bikes, Tyre Inserts, Data Acquisition and More - Pinkbike

 

[urastus]

Mmmm been riding a mullet for a couple of years and yes I have to say that a 29er on the front is better than the 27.5 2.8" on an Ebike, but a bit of a caveat, I have the identical frame ( and suspension ) non Ebike and the 27.5 2.8 fat tyre front is better in analogue mode. The only thing I can put it down to is the Ebike being faster on average ( basically convert km to mph ).

I also remember the days of the 21" front wheels arriving in MX ( yes I'm that ancient ) and how quickly they became the status quo and no they weren't a passing fad, they are still the status quo just like the vertical v cantilever rear suspension.

I remember 23" front - were they the standard pre 21"?

 

[Waynemarlow]

I remember 23" front - were they the standard pre 21"?

Not sure about 23" but if so must have looked really penny farthingish

 

[Billy Rail]

Thinking about changing my Trek Rail to mullet. I am not 100% sure I will dig the 2.8 rear. It's a risk I think is worth taking tho!

 

[urastus]

I think this is the same model bike I had - it looks like it's bigger than 21"

 

[Waynemarlow]

Correct that man,

But what a crazy tyre width 3.0" with a 500 cc thumper

 

[GrandPaBrogan]

I think this is the same model bike I had - it looks like it's bigger than 21"
View attachment 30615

Well, yes if you're old enough to remember... Honda tried to instigate a hyper-mullet 41 years ago.

The 1979 Honda CR125R Elsinore came stock with a 23-inch front wheel. The larger-diameter wheel was supposed to roll through bumps better, offer a larger contact patch and improve steering. Unfortunately, it was a dismal failure (many ’79 CR125 owners cut and modified their frames so that they could revert back and run a 21-inch front wheel).

The premise of the 23-inch front wheel on an MX bike is still valid, on paper. As with all good ideas, there is such as thing as - having too much of a good thing. How wide is too wide for a handlebar? How long is a piece of string?

______________________

Personally I really do like the look and stance of a 27.5 x 29 eMTB mullet bike. I can also appreciate the advantages. However at my age and the kind of riding I do, the gains don't outweigh the inconveniences of having to deal with two different tyre sizes. But it's good that the option is there, for those that could benefit from mullet eMTB formats.

Being old school, I still subscribe to the idea that shorter chain stay lengths are better, so I do fantasise over a hypothetical 26 x27.5 mullet... sometimes.

 

[leftside]

First thing I was going to do when I got my Decoy was to swap out the front 29 for a 27.5, but I like it just the way it is.

 

[LAWHITEY]

I just took delivery of my Vitus E-Escarpe this week and after two rides i like the mullet set up, was a toss up between this and the E-Sommet but as i initially wanted a 29er when i started looking for a new bike, I thought this was the best of both worlds and i'll always have the option of swapping out the rear for a 29 if i feel the need with no massive effect on the geo.

 

[Etacata]

I own a Commencal sx, had an extra 29 fork so put it on with a 29 wheel and never looked back. The improved roll over is fantastic and the 29er improved the bb clearance too. Switched my Norco vlt sight to a mullet after that. I'm sold!

 

[cole_inman]

I think mullet bikes make a lot of sense on analog bikes that you’d ride on small local trails or bike park stuff, but for eMTB 29 rear is worth it because techy and steep climbs are actually fun. The extra climbing ability of the 29 is great. My logic is that on my analog bike I don’t care about “cleaning” climbs just having fun going downhill, so the eMTB would be something different, more 50/50 up and down so 29 front and rear makes sense. Mind you, most of my eMTB riding is backcountry stuff that’s not totally designed for bikes so 29 makes more sense keeping momentum. Spent a lot of time on the Decoy, now on the Sight VLT 29 which climbs much better and is still just as playful and has the same feeling on tight turns.

 

[R120]

View attachment 30457 i love my decoy mullet it rolls over anything and is still very playful. As said above fad or not I don’t care bikes change so fast on move on from 1 thing to another just like ebikes in general

I want that

 

[Rusty]

Geez - I really hope not.