love for the 27.5

PB Forum :: 27.5/650b
love for the 27.5
Author Message
flag boris-mtb
Posted: Dec 17, 2020 at 3:03 Quote
TibZ wrote:
27.5 is the real deal when it comes to jumps, nimbleness and playfulness. 29 is for those who like to pick a line and go straight from point A to point B, letting the bike work underneath them. I like to use any little feature of the terrain to get as much air time as possible on the trail, so 27.5 it is.

Totally agree... For now. ????
27.5 fun guarantee 100%, especially on the enduro/dh trails. Love it
flag skitchy
Posted: Jan 13, 2021 at 7:00 Quote
I am so torn...

Been riding a Capra for 4 years at this point... Never even bothered thinking about wheel size to be honest...

Started looking at refreshing my setup because it seems like a few years ago the industry's sizing was all over the place and I ended up getting a bike that was a bit too small for me which wasn't really a problem for my riding that was mostly downhill back then but now I've started incorporating more trail riding and thought it could be a good timing for me to review that factor.

Started with the idea of getting a Yt Capra Shred because it was basically my dream bike from a few years ago which was an Enduro bike that could ride everywhere including crushing downhill rides.

Then I started looking around and fell in love with the new Nomad's design and look so I've been heavily considering it but I'm scared I'm missing out on something by not getting bigger wheels...

Also tried my friends Stumpjumper evo comp S5 2021 on one of our rides which felt like a complete tank of a bike with absolutely no room for anything else than going down stuff...

Now I've been debating heavily basically between the emotional side which is more Fun and the Loud factor which the Nomad V5 hits perfectly and the more reasonable side which says to go with the industry that has shifted and seemingly abandoned 650b...

I also do not understand at all... Everybody describes 650B as being more fun but yet everybody seems sold on bigger wheels?

Is everybody agreeing that strava time and comfort riding roots is better than fun and agility?! I'm so confused...

I just relocated to Sweden and am planning to idealy spend my summers in various bike parks like Chatel and Are and was scared upsizing my frame AND wheels at once would make it for a pretty heavy and sluggish ride but at the same time... What's going on with the industry and everybody?! Feels like I'm wrong for not giving enough f*cks about it?

What do you guys think?

I'm 6'2 and 95kg and for now sort of hesitating between the loud Nomad Green/Magenta XL or a pretty average looking (and seemingly less liked ) Megatower for the wheel size sporting a similar platform...

It does feel like 27.5, although described as more numble and fun is dying with a strong shift towards performance and speed over fun?! Why?! I feel like I'm in the wrong for not caring enough about it as the tide shifts?

Anybody's input on the situation and Nomad vs Megatower is apreciated.?

Thanks
flag Danzzz88
Posted: Jan 14, 2021 at 17:04 Quote
I'd say bigger wheels are more suited to taller riders and 27.5 more suited to average height and below...then you add peoples personal preference on top of that. There is no denying a 29er will roll over stuff better, it's a bigger wheel after all, but obviously that comes at the cost of agility. Imo somethinf as long travel as the Nomad etc doesn't need 29 wheels as it already soaks bumps and hits up adequately...where 29 has the advantage is in a race setting where the larger wheels roll over stuff better without having to have loads of super squishy suspension reducing efficiency to do that instead. However as a dh / bikepark weapon I think long travel 27.5 is still the way to go, that's why I got myself an sb165. Only 29er I would consider for the same use would be the Specialized Enduro, but my bike soaks stuff up great as it is so rather benefit from more agility than more rollover.

Though tbh if you really want to get with the latest fad / trend, then 29ers are so 2019 lol, the new trend is mullet, and mulleting is almost universally considered better to do on a 27.5 frame than on a 29. If you mulleted a 29 the bb would be so low the cranks would almost touch the floor...So there is another option for you, maybe build up a Nomad etc as a mullet to get an idea of the larger wheels and if you don't like it switch it back to 27.5... then if you decide you want 29er all round then keep the Nomad till the next generation of gearbox bikes hit the market in a few years.
flag skitchy
Posted: Jan 16, 2021 at 4:51 Quote
Thanks man!

Hadn't thought of that actually but on SC's website they specify the nomad can be mulleted but the Megatower cannot...

For everything I enjoy doing on a bike it seems like the nomad would be it.. I feel so much pressure looking around that 27.5 is the wrong choice and 29' are where it's at!

The nomad seems to have outstanding reviews everywhere and was just revamped this year so I guess I can't really go wrong getting that...
flag Danzzz88
Posted: Jan 16, 2021 at 6:54 Quote
skitchy wrote:
Thanks man!

Hadn't thought of that actually but on SC's website they specify the nomad can be mulleted but the Megatower cannot...

For everything I enjoy doing on a bike it seems like the nomad would be it.. I feel so much pressure looking around that 27.5 is the wrong choice and 29' are where it's at!

The nomad seems to have outstanding reviews everywhere and was just revamped this year so I guess I can't really go wrong getting that...

It's not a wrong choice, this is the affect of marketing unfortunately.. the industry said 12 speed is better too... Tell me what is better about the extra weight of an extra gear and useless 52t cog when you could walk faster.

29ers will be faster and more efficient in a lot of settings, rolling over obstacles is more efficient than soaking them up with big squishy suspension and there is a lot of flow trails etc in the usa which I think is part of the reason they are so fond of 29 over there...

However if you are doing a lot of dh stuff, drops and jumps there is no replacement for more travel, a bigger wheel can roll over obstacles better but it can't soak up landings and big hits any more than a 27.5 could..

It is literally a decision between agility or rollover, that's all it is if not in a race setting, do you want a bike that is a bit more efficient and maybe a few milliseconds faster on certain trails or do you want a squishy bike that is comfortable, can take big hits and is more agile and fun to throw around.

Anyway a lot of people that initially try 29ers love them, because what is unique about them in terms of rollover and speed will jump out to them initially and they will be comparing it to their previous bike and notice the improvement... But then you sometimes see these 29 guys tell how they decided to try 27.5 again and realised just how much more agile and fun they are. Personally after jumping on a 26' bike recently I realised how much more agile they are than even 27.5 and pick up speed faster, I think a lot of people don't notice what gets worse over time and only what gets better, if you compared a 29 to a 26 wheeled bike nowadays you would realise just how much less agile and heavier bikes have become, it would be like when 29er first came out and everyone called them wagon wheels...but unfortunately due to marketing the slow introduction of more gears, more travel, bigger wheels etc has been so slight each year that people have forgotten how bikes used to ride, and for a lot of the benefits of the new long travel 29ers we have also given up a lot in terms of cornering speed, agility, acceleration, weight and fun.
flag TibZ
Posted: Jan 16, 2021 at 8:13 Quote
The human brain is biased towards « more = better ». And it's very easy to use this bias for marketing: more travel, bigger wheels, more gears etc. It sells itself. The drawbacks are harder to catch: it requires some technical knowledge to understand why 11 gears might actually be just as good, if not better for you than 12.
For us bike-educated people, who know what are the advantages and inconvenients of the different options, it's just a matter of trying not to be (too) influenced by the marketing / advertisment, and decide based on facts, data, technical aspects... i.e. knowledge, and not belief, to pick the right tool for the job.
And as I want to have fun throwing my bike around the trail as soon as I can, and do not intend to race, 27.5 is still my choice in 2021.
flag rahrider
O+
Posted: Jan 16, 2021 at 21:43 Quote
I like the looks of the new nomad. I don't think 27.5 is only for short riders. Its just a different style. If you want to get in the middle of the bike and stay there and just carve out your corners a big 29er will plow. If you want to move around the bike, get it on its back wheel and have the option to choose alternate lines and change lines, the 27.5 will be better.

If you are thinking of reselling in 1 to 2 years, 27.5 bikes are a poor investment. If you are going to ride it for years, buy what you want.

Personally, I still keep liking 27.5 more and more every time I go back to it. I have 29ers l and they are fine but every time I get back on the small wheels, I remember why I live them. I have mulleted a few bikes and it can be good. Ideally you have a 27.5 bike with 20mm more travel in the fork. Then you run a 29 fork with 20 less mm than the 27.5 had leaving the suspension equivalent front and back. Not sure how well this would work on the nomad, which is 170/170 I believe.
flag natas2125
Posted: Jan 17, 2021 at 0:02 Quote
rahrider wrote:
I like the looks of the new nomad. I don't think 27.5 is only for short riders. Its just a different style. If you want to get in the middle of the bike and stay there and just carve out your corners a big 29er will plow. If you want to move around the bike, get it on its back wheel and have the option to choose alternate lines and change lines, the 27.5 will be better.

If you are thinking of reselling in 1 to 2 years, 27.5 bikes are a poor investment. If you are going to ride it for years, buy what you want.

Personally, I still keep liking 27.5 more and more every time I go back to it. I have 29ers l and they are fine but every time I get back on the small wheels, I remember why I live them. I have mulleted a few bikes and it can be good. Ideally you have a 27.5 bike with 20mm more travel in the fork. Then you run a 29 fork with 20 less mm than the 27.5 had leaving the suspension equivalent front and back. Not sure how well this would work on the nomad, which is 170/170 I believe.

I also am reminded each time I switch bikes how much more I prefer a 27.5 over a 29er.
flag DonLopez
Posted: Jan 17, 2021 at 18:55 Quote
I ride a 27.5 RM Altitude and old 26 Element, but my preference would be 29x2.4. Now the Altitude XL and L frames come with 29, the S is 27.5, and M either 27.5 or 29, so I guess Rocky thinks taller riders benefit from bigger wheels.
flag rahrider
O+
Posted: Jan 17, 2021 at 23:39 Quote
DonLopez wrote:
I ride a 27.5 RM Altitude and old 26 Element, but my preference would be 29x2.4. Now the Altitude XL and L frames come with 29, the S is 27.5, and M either 27.5 or 29, so I guess Rocky thinks taller riders benefit from bigger wheels.

Is it that rocky thinks big people benefit or that little people do not? Either way, this thread is not about which is superior, its about paying respect to the 27.5 despite all the press (like from rocky) that 29 is "the best".

Just aired up the tires on my warden. Gonna go shred some 27.5 action tomorrow. Can't wait!
flag militantmandy
Posted: Jan 18, 2021 at 1:56 Quote
I've been on a Nomad 4 for the last couple of years. It's an absolutely superb bike and amazingly versatile given the amount of travel. I've recently moved to a 160/145 29er. The biggest difference for me is that it makes gnarly trails feel a touch slower, even though I am definitely going faster. This has positives and negatives depending on your point of view.

It definitely doesn't change direction quite a quick as the Nomad, but it feels like it has more grip in corners. The other area I really notice, is that if I'm riding something a bit flatter, the 29er holds its speed much, much better and is generally less work than the Nomad would be in the same situation. This is particularly evident on really rough, techy trails, where I know there are parts I would need to put in some pedal strokes to keep my speed up on the Nomad, I don't have to on the new bike.

They're both great! I was originally planning to keep the Nomad, but I think the intended purpose of both bikes is too similar, so I'll probably sell it. I would definitely have another 27.5 bike though.

ETA - for reference, I am 5Ft 7 (171cm) and have no issues with buzzing the rear tyre. I generally ride, steep, techy, but not super super fast trails.
flag Jd888jd
Posted: Apr 11, 2021 at 11:57 Quote
Can i run 29x2.5 front assegais and 27.5x 2.4 or 2.8 rear (spank357rim)
flag Jd888jd
Posted: Apr 11, 2021 at 11:57 Quote
Can i run 29x2.5 front assegais and 27.5x 2.4 or 2.8 rear (spank357rim)
flag rahrider
O+
Posted: Apr 11, 2021 at 19:47 Quote
Jd888jd wrote:
Can i run 29x2.5 front assegais and 27.5x 2.4 or 2.8 rear (spank357rim)

Not sure the context here. What bike?

If I helps, I run a 29x2.5 minion up front with a 27.5x2.4 rear on my Insurgent. Works great!
flag OldMan76
Posted: Apr 13, 2021 at 18:28 Quote
I demo’ed a 2020 Slayer C70 29er and decided I needed to have one. With 27.5” wheels. The 29” bike felt gigantic and I felt like I was riding on top of it. The shop I bought it from thought I was bonkers when I told them to order a “small wheel” bike for me.

My 27.5” Slayer C90 is the best bike I’ve ever ridden. A Fox 38 Factory and CushCore are the only things I changed from new. I trail ride it as well as ride park (Mountain Creek) and it’s better than I ever expected it to be as an all-rounder. Even with 180mm fr/rr. Oddly enough, I haven’t seen one review on the “small wheel” Slayer. Only the 29”. I have a feeling a lot of people who bought these bikes made the wrong choice as far as wheel size. The 27.5” is so good. It’s an absolute blast at Creek!

I noticed the 2021 27.5” Slayers are only offered in small and medium. So taller people who want the small wheels are out of luck I guess? Anyway, long live 27.5!

 


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