Hiland 26 27.5-Inch Mountain Bike. $330 at Amazon. Pros. Salsa Rangefinder Deore 10-Speed 29 Mountain Bike. $749 at REI. Pros. Reliable Salsa build in affordable model; Hydraulic disc brakes;
Pros. Fastest top-end speed when compared to the 26 and the 27.5”. The 29” bikes offer the most forgiving ride when it comes to traveling over rocks, bumps and roots. Larger wheels result in less suspension needed to travel, which results in a decrease in pedal bob as well as increased efficiency. Ideal for taller riders.
Advantages of the 27.5 -. More travel 120-140 as opposed to 120 on the 29er. More nimble in tight spots. Possible better descending than 29er. And of course, the biggest, 1000 bucks cheaper than the 29er. Advantages of 29er -. Perhaps a little more XC oriented with the faster rolling wheels (fact is, most of my riding will be XC). Better Schwalbe Big Betty. MSRP $45 – $95. Categories: Trail, Gravity and Downhill. Addix types: Soft, Ultra Soft. Big Betty is a slightly larger version of the Magic Mary, with a more solid tread and excellent side grip. It’s often used as a rear tire in conjunction with a Magic Mary on the front for extreme downhill riding.
27.5’s are preferred over 29 for technical terrain where turning is plentiful. Smaller tire, less mass to lift when wheeling over roots etc. Higher pressure does not mean easier rolling resistance unless the terrain is glass smooth. If it did then elite racers would be fighting for higher pressure tyres.
Just as the 650b wheel was adopted by mountain bikers and became 27.5″, the 700c wheel has taken the mountain bike world by storm in recent years and become known as 29″. All the advantages of a larger wheel mentioned above are pushed to the limit on a 29″ (or 29er) mountain bike, although some riders feel the sacrifice in maneuverability
This story first appeared in our March 2012 issue, when only a few companies were offering bikes with 27.5-inch (650b) wheels. At that time, the dilemma for
For more information check out: "26" vs 27.5" vs 29" wheel tech and knock-on effects" and "An introduction to 650b (27.5") wheels" Short travel Dual suspension or XC bikes Bikes like the Scott Spark, Specialized Epic and Giant Anthem all fit into this category.
Hoping the 29 x 2.6 is a better match. I stuck a yardstick behind my 29x2.6 XR4 on an i30 rim and eyeballing it, it's a bit over 29 1/2 inches tall. My 27.5x3 i36 wheel is just a bit over 28 3/4. So about 3/4 inch taller. Figure half of that for rise in BB.
Those are 29+ rims, not 29. Similar to 27.5+, the tires that fit on those rims will be larger in volume than standard 29. Most bikes will not fit them, it's generally some fat bikes and some purpose built mountain bikes that have them. First of all, make sure you can fit 29ers on your bike.
Nowadays 650b wheels are used by tandem bikes, old European utility bikes and many mountain bikes. 27.5″ wheels offer several advantages compared to 26 and 29″ wheels. These advantages include: 27.5-inch wheels offer a shallower attack angle than 26″ bike wheels, which makes crossing uneven terrain and large obstacles smoother.
