Here we go 27.5 or 29?

The fork diameter is the most important aspect. Wheel diameter and tire OD is not as important. Tire width is important too. the fork diameter keeps the bike on line. Small diameter forks allow the front to shimmy creating an oversteer condition. A large diameter keeps the front where you place it. Of all the components; the fork is what keeps you on line when cornering. There is a weight difference but if you do not like oversteer (I hate oversteer) and want to carry speed on the downhill single track there is no other option. The only time tire diameter plays is in tight switchbacks, and that can be overcome with understanding the SB and how to drive it, (up or down).
 
herzalot said:
I barely noticed the handling difference when I went from my Knolly Endorphin to my Intense Tracer. I think I noticed the wheels for about half of the first descent (probably Rock-It or 5 Oaks in Aliso). I did notice that the Tracer was kinder to my back and it climbed better, but that was kinematics and geometry, not wheel size. I actually remember feeling a little disappointed that the wheel size wasn't truly noticeable.

I notice 5mm in crank length more than I notice a difference between 26 and 27.5. :facepalm:
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You definitely noticed 27.5 to 29 though, as it got you a near instant helicopter ride. :whistling:
 
I have a long travel 27.5 bike, I have a mid-travel 29/27.5 mullet, I have a short travel 29er and I have a long(er) travel 29er and the simple answer to this age old question is....it depends. No one bike will satisfy all riders as you can tell by the previous 30 responses. I choose what bike I'm going to ride by the terrain on those specific trails. As I tell my wife, different tools for different jobs.

All that being said, if I could only have one bike, I'd personally go with a 140/130 or 150/140 29er like the Revel Rascal or new V5 Ibis Ripley.
 
Cyclotourist said:
Curious as to why? More so the suspension range and tire more than the bikes, but they are related obviously.
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I would say that for MY riding style and the terrain I generally like, they are the most versatile options.
FWIW, I ride my 130/120 Ripley 95% of the time in Prescott but ride my 130/130 Mojo4 mullet in Sedona, Hurricane & *most* road trips.
This Summer, I took my 160/142 Switchblade on my Oregon/Whistler road trip because I knew we were going to be doing several shuttles with plenty of long, high speed downhill sections. Admittedly, I missed having my long travel 27.5 on the ultra tech in Squamish.
 
mtbMike said:
I would say that for MY riding style and the terrain I generally like, they are the most versatile options.
FWIW, I ride my 130/120 Ripley 95% of the time in Prescott but ride my 130/130 Mojo4 mullet in Sedona, Hurricane & *most* road trips.
This Summer, I took my 160/142 Switchblade on my Oregon/Whistler road trip because I knew we were going to be doing several shuttles with plenty of long, high speed downhill sections. Admittedly, I missed having my long travel 27.5 on the ultra tech in Squamish.
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Yeah, I'm trying to match bike to terrain myself, but find I'm going in the opposite direction with a lighter XC/DC sort of a bike. I was curious about the 130 to 140 bikes, and how those work out, and where. Just sucking up the data points!!!!
Thanks!
 
Well first off…
Welcome to imtbtrails!

Second, nearly everything in mountain biking like most other things is subjective!
Opinions from experience is golden, but only to that person based on their current skill level and preferred trail terrain.

So like shoes, helmets, pedals, bars, grips… etc, etc,etc.

You just gotta demo bikes.

I’m old school and started on 26’er when there were no options, resisted 27.5, resisted 29’ers ended up using both, then ended up on 29 and never looked back.

Personally I think Mullets are silly but there are those on here who swear by them. I have never ridden a Mullet so I should keep my mouth shut until I do, because I always find that being closed minded about new technology comes back to bite me.

But you should listen to ME… because I’m the Owner and Moderator of imtbtrails. :coffee:

I kid.

Welcome to imtbtrails. Thanks for joining!
Go ride a lot of demos and get the best one you can afford. Try riding them with buddies with years of experience that want for you what YOU want and not what “they” want you on.

:cool:Mikie
 
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Obsidian said:
The only wheel size combo that has not tried to kill you. Yet. :eek:
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I had to do some thinking on that claim. My worst crash was probably my 2014 Lynx crash - but I have no recollection of that. My face remembers however. That was on my Knolly Endorphin (26er).

I really only had a couple of minor crashes on the Tracer (full 27.5), including a boxer break on my left hand NOT caused by hitting the ground. That was a crash on 5-Oaks. I can't recall any other crashes. I believe my best DH times on local trails were probably achieved on that bike, but I wasn't doing STRAVA then, so I'll never know.

My short-live Pivot Firebird (29er) never threw me to the ground, but I didn't like it very much. I did have at least one very fast run down The Luge on it, but again, not documented, so who knows? @Runs with Scissors was with me. Way, way, way way behind somewhere. ;)

Then there was the Megatower (full 29) that threw me to the ground very roughly at least 3 times in its short time in my possession, including an airlift off Rock-It. We did not get along. That was one unforgiving beast!

The Revel Rail, in its full 27.5 or in its Mullet iteration has been highly dependable and friendly to me. I slid out on it once on Lizard, but no injuries or even scrapes from that one. I set some pretty solid times in its mullet form. Most of my documented STRAVA records down were in 2021 on the mullet version of the Rail.

My full 29er Yeti SB 130 LR is a great bike, but I have not really put it to the test climbing chunk or descending anything harder than Rock-It or Luge. I did ride it on T and A once, but my hip was so bad then I didn't want to risk an "unplanned dismount" so I walked the crux and the last drop. Maybe the SB 140 is my true goldilocks do-everything bike - since that bike allegedly fixed some of the negative characteristics of the 130.

So for purposes of this thread for the original poster posing the question, I still stand behind my assessment that a full 29er is the best option.
 
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