Thisold chestnut. Again, we’re going to be mildly controversial and say that the difference between 27.5in bikes and 29er bikes isn’t as pronounced as it was back in the mid ’00s. Nowadays you can get 29ers with decent amount of suspension travel (up to 170mm – more for DH) and with decent geometry, so the wheel size debate has fizzledWhilethere are plenty of 26-inch-wheeled bikes still around, 27.5-inch wheels have become the new standard. 26-inch wheels have largely been assigned to the MTB history books. 29er wheels. 29er wheels are the largest diameter MTB wheel and are best for fast rolling and getting over obstacles, they also hold momentum well. 29er wheels
Ihave noticed a steady decline in the number of 26" MTB's being built by some major manufacturers, particularly in the XC and trail market. The 29er has embedded itself successfully into the MTB so. To confuse things even further, we now have another wheel size: the 27.5" (or 650b).29ersand 27.5 bikes tend to have comparable performance when it comes to jumping. 29ers carry more speed downhill, which offsets their slightly heavier weight on jumps. For climbing hills, 29ers may take more effort to accelerate, but they also roll over obstacles more easily, helping you maintain momentum. 275 vs. 29-Inch Wheel Mountain Bikes July 3, 2023 Erica Tingey, Owner and Founder of Women in the Mountains, riding her 29-inch wheel Jamis Portal mountain bike. Much Ado about Wheels One of the Sincethe 29″ wheels began gaining popularity in the mid-2010s, manufacturers began experimenting with different wheel sizes, introducing the mid-sized 27.5″ or also known as the 650b wheel size. Nowadays, almost all MTBs use either 29″ or 27.5″, with subtle but noticeable differences between the two.
LoneRager said: The 27.5+ is roughly and inch less. I can't conveniently measure the actual at this point. IMO, the added + tire compliance makes up for its somewhat smaller OD in rollover of irregularities. I've found that the difference between my WTB Bridger 3.0 and 29.4" Conti Mountain Kings is about 5/8" or 15mm.
Winner– 27.5. Again, the 27.5 was introduced to narrow the distance between the 26er and 29ers. What most riders find though, is that the 27.5 aligns more closely with the 26er. P3xy0.