Mountain Bikes: Anybody gone from a 29er to the 27.5?

BlueThumper
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BlueThumper 2/10/2016 6:23pm
2/10/2016 6:23pm
I have a 29er full suspension and my friend just bought a 27.5 full suspension. I have gotten a chance to ride it a couple times and it's different. Quicker turning in tight stuff. Front end is raked out a little further. Climbs a littler easier than my 29er. Fast, flowing trails you have to hustle it a little more to keep up with the 29ers.

I am 6'3" and my buddy is 5'11". He loves it.

sostoked
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sostoked 2/10/2016 6:42pm
2/10/2016 6:42pm
I love bikes but that industy is even worse when it comes to "the next big thing".

Dont buy into everything they sell you because in 2 years it will be completely flip-flopped.
RACERX69
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RACERX69 2/10/2016 7:00pm
2/10/2016 7:00pm
sostoked wrote:
I love bikes but that industy is even worse when it comes to "the next big thing". Dont buy into everything they sell you because in...
I love bikes but that industy is even worse when it comes to "the next big thing".

Dont buy into everything they sell you because in 2 years it will be completely flip-flopped.
Ha! Isn't that the truth!!!
three9zero
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three9zero 2/11/2016 5:08am
2/11/2016 5:08am Edited Date/Time 2/11/2016 5:17am
I just stuck with 26 and upgraded components over the last few years. Seems like the 29 is very out of "fashion" out West here for all except the pure cross country crews(flat trails). Once gravity takes over I really disliked the 29's that I've ridden. Seems like all the bikes shops are blowing out the 29's now and going the 27.5 route, and 26 is coming back, I'm a BMX rider/racer too so I'm not really a bike fitness guru, I'm a bike adrenaline rider, so I ride either shuttle runs with random climbs thrown in or lift accessed resort stuff, I really do not see any 29's anymore except for tourist from out East . the Giant Reign, Scott Genius and Santa Cruz Bronson seem to be the most popular all mtn bikes around here, mines a 2011 so its a 26 but ALL the new popular stuff is 27.5.


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TailSoHard
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TailSoHard 2/11/2016 6:30am
2/11/2016 6:30am
I've had them all... It's exactly like you'd think:

Large wheels = Easier to ride/keep momentum
Small wheels = More fun/playful

These days I don't race (and if I do I definitely don't win), so I like to ride fun rather than trying to be the first one around the loop. I settled on my (second) Transition TransAM this past year as my go-to bike (27.5"). Ditched my full-sus bikes and my Kona Honzo (29er) since they weren't getting ridden after I got the TransAM.

Short stem, wide bars, slack headtube, flat pedals, single speed, steel frame, hardtail. That's the magic formula Cool
SandProtege 2/11/2016 8:43am
2/11/2016 8:43am
I recently bought a 27.5 Trek Slash 9.9 and I fell in love with the wheels. They roll much better than 26 yet still nimble. I would highly recommend the 27.5 over the 29ers.
peelout
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peelout 2/11/2016 8:48am
2/11/2016 8:48am Edited Date/Time 2/11/2016 8:50am
three9zero wrote:
I just stuck with 26 and upgraded components over the last few years. Seems like the 29 is very out of "fashion" out West here for...
I just stuck with 26 and upgraded components over the last few years. Seems like the 29 is very out of "fashion" out West here for all except the pure cross country crews(flat trails). Once gravity takes over I really disliked the 29's that I've ridden. Seems like all the bikes shops are blowing out the 29's now and going the 27.5 route, and 26 is coming back, I'm a BMX rider/racer too so I'm not really a bike fitness guru, I'm a bike adrenaline rider, so I ride either shuttle runs with random climbs thrown in or lift accessed resort stuff, I really do not see any 29's anymore except for tourist from out East . the Giant Reign, Scott Genius and Santa Cruz Bronson seem to be the most popular all mtn bikes around here, mines a 2011 so its a 26 but ALL the new popular stuff is 27.5.


quite the opposite here, all you see on our trails is 29ers.

my take on the OP is that i would keep my 29 if i were you and get the 27.5 to have for the trails you want tight and technical. if you aren't going to have 2 different wheel size bikes to ride, then sit down and decide what type of riding you are going to be doing the most of. the 27.5 seems like a middle of the road to me so i'm going to stay away from it for now.

i personally would like a 26" park/downhill bike and keep my 29er for everything else. the only gripe i have about my 29 is that i can't keep up with the smaller wheels on the tight stuff. but everywhere else they can't keep up with me. i don't race and i'm not trying to set records on the mountain, but i do enjoy the fast flowy feel of the 29er.
seth505
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seth505 2/11/2016 10:09am
2/11/2016 10:09am
I'd stick with the 29s if your main concern is xc racing/xc trail pace. Everything else, just having pure fun on a bike, I recommend 27.5 for. Personally, I like jumping and turning/slalom type stuff too much to ever ride 29ers
Beast666
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Beast666 2/11/2016 10:57am
2/11/2016 10:57am
I had a Giant TransX 29er that was just perfect for myself in terms of handling, suspension, fit. Then it was stolen last year and after i got paid by my insurance, I found out that Giant stop producing them.

After months of searching the only bike I could find was this Fezzari Alta Peak had a stand over height low enough that i could straddle the bike on the trail without singing soprano. The Fezzari handles like shit the suspension has way too much pedal bob so climbing sucks needless to say I don't enjoy riding it as much as I did the Giant.



three9zero
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three9zero 2/11/2016 1:37pm
2/11/2016 1:37pm Edited Date/Time 2/11/2016 1:41pm
three9zero wrote:
I just stuck with 26 and upgraded components over the last few years. Seems like the 29 is very out of "fashion" out West here for...
I just stuck with 26 and upgraded components over the last few years. Seems like the 29 is very out of "fashion" out West here for all except the pure cross country crews(flat trails). Once gravity takes over I really disliked the 29's that I've ridden. Seems like all the bikes shops are blowing out the 29's now and going the 27.5 route, and 26 is coming back, I'm a BMX rider/racer too so I'm not really a bike fitness guru, I'm a bike adrenaline rider, so I ride either shuttle runs with random climbs thrown in or lift accessed resort stuff, I really do not see any 29's anymore except for tourist from out East . the Giant Reign, Scott Genius and Santa Cruz Bronson seem to be the most popular all mtn bikes around here, mines a 2011 so its a 26 but ALL the new popular stuff is 27.5.


peelout wrote:
quite the opposite here, all you see on our trails is 29ers. my take on the OP is that i would keep my 29 if i...
quite the opposite here, all you see on our trails is 29ers.

my take on the OP is that i would keep my 29 if i were you and get the 27.5 to have for the trails you want tight and technical. if you aren't going to have 2 different wheel size bikes to ride, then sit down and decide what type of riding you are going to be doing the most of. the 27.5 seems like a middle of the road to me so i'm going to stay away from it for now.

i personally would like a 26" park/downhill bike and keep my 29er for everything else. the only gripe i have about my 29 is that i can't keep up with the smaller wheels on the tight stuff. but everywhere else they can't keep up with me. i don't race and i'm not trying to set records on the mountain, but i do enjoy the fast flowy feel of the 29er.
I actually live in a community @ at the top of our local ski hill "Canada Olympic Park", we have half decent lift accessed runs that are more BMXish clay bobsled than gnarly rocky stuff, hence the bike I'm riding. Its Reign SX with 6.7 f/r travel with gas/spring supsension and I added Zee brakes with the ice 1,8' rotors. It still works pretty good for dh, but is great for park laps, I've also upgraded the rear cluster and my top chain ring is 11 teeth larger than stock so it climbs pretty good still. I'm saving for a "cunt puncher" seat post next......
https://www.google.ca/maps/@51.0773673,-114.2191637,1208m/data=!3m1!1e3
peelout
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peelout 2/11/2016 2:37pm
2/11/2016 2:37pm Edited Date/Time 2/11/2016 2:39pm
three9zero wrote:
I actually live in a community @ at the top of our local ski hill "Canada Olympic Park", we have half decent lift accessed runs that...
I actually live in a community @ at the top of our local ski hill "Canada Olympic Park", we have half decent lift accessed runs that are more BMXish clay bobsled than gnarly rocky stuff, hence the bike I'm riding. Its Reign SX with 6.7 f/r travel with gas/spring supsension and I added Zee brakes with the ice 1,8' rotors. It still works pretty good for dh, but is great for park laps, I've also upgraded the rear cluster and my top chain ring is 11 teeth larger than stock so it climbs pretty good still. I'm saving for a "cunt puncher" seat post next......
https://www.google.ca/maps/@51.0773673,-114.2191637,1208m/data=!3m1!1e3
that looks epic! i usually ride one of our ski resorts in the summer, but i ride from the bottom to the top so i can come back down. i'll be investing in a dropper seat post this season, it sucks to get off and adjust my seat down before i start to descend.

i really want a dedicated downhill bike because i'll be honest, my bike is great downhill but i have to hold back and don't really dare take it off to big of jumps/drops. in that case i'll be looking at 26" with a lot of suspension.

buuut... unfortunately that will have to wait as i'm getting ready to spring some bucks for an adventure dirt-bike
three9zero
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three9zero 2/11/2016 2:52pm
2/11/2016 2:52pm
three9zero wrote:
I actually live in a community @ at the top of our local ski hill "Canada Olympic Park", we have half decent lift accessed runs that...
I actually live in a community @ at the top of our local ski hill "Canada Olympic Park", we have half decent lift accessed runs that are more BMXish clay bobsled than gnarly rocky stuff, hence the bike I'm riding. Its Reign SX with 6.7 f/r travel with gas/spring supsension and I added Zee brakes with the ice 1,8' rotors. It still works pretty good for dh, but is great for park laps, I've also upgraded the rear cluster and my top chain ring is 11 teeth larger than stock so it climbs pretty good still. I'm saving for a "cunt puncher" seat post next......
https://www.google.ca/maps/@51.0773673,-114.2191637,1208m/data=!3m1!1e3
peelout wrote:
that looks epic! i usually ride one of our ski resorts in the summer, but i ride from the bottom to the top so i can...
that looks epic! i usually ride one of our ski resorts in the summer, but i ride from the bottom to the top so i can come back down. i'll be investing in a dropper seat post this season, it sucks to get off and adjust my seat down before i start to descend.

i really want a dedicated downhill bike because i'll be honest, my bike is great downhill but i have to hold back and don't really dare take it off to big of jumps/drops. in that case i'll be looking at 26" with a lot of suspension.

buuut... unfortunately that will have to wait as i'm getting ready to spring some bucks for an adventure dirt-bike
I'm hoping the price of oil goes up again some day...I'll be getting one of these once the oil guys start buying bikes/quads/SideXsides and sleds again by the truck load...lol


Beast666
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Beast666 2/11/2016 2:59pm
2/11/2016 2:59pm
peelout wrote:
that looks epic! i usually ride one of our ski resorts in the summer, but i ride from the bottom to the top so i can...
that looks epic! i usually ride one of our ski resorts in the summer, but i ride from the bottom to the top so i can come back down. i'll be investing in a dropper seat post this season, it sucks to get off and adjust my seat down before i start to descend.

i really want a dedicated downhill bike because i'll be honest, my bike is great downhill but i have to hold back and don't really dare take it off to big of jumps/drops. in that case i'll be looking at 26" with a lot of suspension.

buuut... unfortunately that will have to wait as i'm getting ready to spring some bucks for an adventure dirt-bike
My Giant came with a dropper seat post on it and I miss it big time. I am planning on putting a dropper on the Alta Peak this year.
three9zero
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three9zero 2/11/2016 3:02pm
2/11/2016 3:02pm
peelout wrote:
that looks epic! i usually ride one of our ski resorts in the summer, but i ride from the bottom to the top so i can...
that looks epic! i usually ride one of our ski resorts in the summer, but i ride from the bottom to the top so i can come back down. i'll be investing in a dropper seat post this season, it sucks to get off and adjust my seat down before i start to descend.

i really want a dedicated downhill bike because i'll be honest, my bike is great downhill but i have to hold back and don't really dare take it off to big of jumps/drops. in that case i'll be looking at 26" with a lot of suspension.

buuut... unfortunately that will have to wait as i'm getting ready to spring some bucks for an adventure dirt-bike
Beast666 wrote:
My Giant came with a dropper seat post on it and I miss it big time. I am planning on putting a dropper on the Alta...
My Giant came with a dropper seat post on it and I miss it big time. I am planning on putting a dropper on the Alta Peak this year.
Dropper seat posts are the bomb, 100% my next upgrade.

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