29 or 27.5+ for hardtail?

Faust29 said:
You touch on one of my biggest complaints with the Hightower... More with SC's marketing than the bike. The Hightower is not a plus bike, even though they originally sold and marketed it that way. It will only accept a 2.8" tire in the rear. That's barely plus... The only true plus capable bike in SC's lineup is the Chameleon. Its tire clearance starts where the Hightower stops...

If you were to try a real plus tire, which you can't on the Hightower, your conclusions would change. The 2.8s look like road tires next to a 3.0 and the overall height difference is maybe 1/4". With a really knobby plusser, it's not even that.

I'd be willing to bet that the proliferation of true plus capable bikes (The Smash for one...) was partly behind the decision to stop offering the Hightower as a plus bike. They have removed the word "plus" from all of the marketing on the new Hightower, and state specifically that it is only compatible with 27.5 x 2.8, without mentioning the word "plus".
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Nah, they stopped selling the Plus Wheel option because people were not buying them.
 
Cyclotourist said:
@buggravy As someone who runs and like both, I would recommend going with an initial 29er build, and picking up a used 275+ wheelset at a later date.
B+ is hella fun, but a different kind of fun. I think 29er fun is a better kind of fun most of the time.
But both are fun.
Because bikes are fun.
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As with most gear decisions, when deciding between two options the best choice is yes.
 
Matt, you ask about opinions for HT 27 + and 29r for local trails. My vote would be 29'r in a hard tail. I bought my 'full suspension' SC Hightower as a 27+ for the 2.8 tire capability to ride in sandy conditions and rocky downhill trails which for me are sub 20 mile rides. I bought my SC Chameleon HT 29'r for more efficiency around our mostly flat ( ish ) trails here in the local Santa Ana's. From what I've learned so far I wouldn't choose to run 27+ Hard Tail (even though the Chameleon accepts 27+ wheels borrowed from the Hightower ) around our local Santa Ana's. 29'r all the way. Keep in mind I've only been riding Mtn. bikes for just over 2 years so take my opinion with a grain of salt.
 
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Stkx66 said:
Matt, you ask about opinions for HT 27 + and 29r for local trails. My vote would be 29'r in a hard tail. I bought my 'full suspension' SC Hightower as a 27+ for the 2.8 tire capability to ride in sandy conditions and rocky downhill trails which for me are sub 20 mile rides. I bought my SC Chameleon HT 29'r for more efficiency around our mostly flat ( ish ) trails here in the local Santa Ana's. From what I've learned so far I wouldn't choose to run 27+ Hard Tail (even though the Chameleon accepts 27+ wheels borrowed from the Hightower ) around our local Santa Ana's. 29'r all the way. Keep in mind I've only been riding Mtn. bike for just over 2 years so take my opinion with a grain of salt.
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Your mad wheelie skillz give you a couple extra effective years in the experience/advice equation.
 
Good thread! I want a new steel HT and I am dancing back and forth on 29 vs 27.5. Based on my 6’3” height, the 29ers seem logical, but I’ve never liked the ones I have tried. Still on the fence.
I’m not going to be racing, I just want trail bike fun.
 
This thread is invigorating...

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@Oaken, you have Pedalhead, Honzo and Nimble9 on your list? The PH above with that 140 fork is the most trail fun I’ve had on a HT.

Sounds like Sir Gravy will be entering the realm soon. :thumbsup:
 
mike said:
This thread is invigorating...

View attachment 58367

@Oaken, you have Pedalhead, Honzo and Nimble9 on your list? The PH above with that 140 fork is the most trail fun I’ve had on a HT.

Sounds like Sir Gravy will be entering the realm soon. :thumbsup:
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Indeed, PH + 140 is my formula. I've ridden with a guy a couple times lately who rides a Canfield EPO. That's kind of what planted the hardtail seed, and then converting my full squish bike to a Smash was the fertilizer for the plan. I've always admired your PH from afar as well. Other two bikes I really kind of lusted after were a Stinner Tunnel and Moots Mountaineer, but both were beyond what I can reasonably afford, particularly the Moots. My experience with GG has been so good so far, and the cohesiveness of their drop down menu ordering process just makes so much sense for me, that the PH was really the obvious choice. I didn't deviate as much from the standard Ride 1 build as I did on the Pistola build.
 
buggravy said:
Indeed, PH + 140 is my formula. I've ridden with a guy a couple times lately who rides a Canfield EPO. That's kind of what planted the hardtail seed, and then converting my full squish bike to a Smash was the fertilizer for the plan. I've always admired your PH from afar as well. Other two bikes I really kind of lusted after were a Stinner Tunnel and Moots Mountaineer, but both were beyond what I can reasonably afford, particularly the Moots. My experience with GG has been so good so far, and the cohesiveness of their drop down menu ordering process just makes so much sense for me, that the PH was really the obvious choice. I didn't deviate as much from the standard Ride 1 build as I did on the Pistola build.
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The Smash-PH quiver is formidable. More breadth with the Revved Smash I’m sure. But obviously I think it’s the naz :geek: although given the chance, my PH might be a large. So much fun of all kinds to had on either bike, and the PH can be set up a few ways.

If you go 29 on the PH you can swap wheels, both frames use the 3mm NDS wheel dish, 30.9 seat post.

The weez stole my PH build for her Trail Pistol...so, that compatibility could work against ya. :cautious::D
 
Switched to 29er hardtail(s) from a Yeti 575 about 7 years ago. When I discovered what I could do on a 29er, I decided that I no longer needed rear suspension.
I have two 29ers now, a rigid SC Highball and a Specialized Fuse that is the most fun hardtail I've ever owned.
Get some!
 
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