27.5 or 29

[Chugachjed]

More science than Kool-Aid. Does your current 2014 bike have Boost axle spacing? Otherwise, budget in a new wheelset with your frame swap.

No boost but I've got Hadley hubs and can get a different axle/freehub body to make them boost.

[Andeh]

Hmmm, I’m not sure about this. BB height off the ground should be about the same - every modern bike, regardless of wheel size, is designed to basically be as low to the ground as possible while still having reasonable clearance to avoid pedal strikes.

Ehhh... there's a caveat though. BB height is also a function of travel. If you put a 335mm BB height on a 160mm travel bike you're going to be smacking the shit out of your cranks and chainring constantly, regardless of wheel size. Likewise if you put a 350mm BB on a 120mm bike, it's going to ride really high.

I will add this to the original question: in the last 3 years or so, most brands have all gotten the geometry on their bikes nicely sorted out, and suspension kinematics have mostly gotten pretty good. In the bad old days, 29ers had even shittier geometry than the shitty geometry of the time, because the designers were trying to make them do flat turns like 26" bikes. You can forget about that now. Just about any bike from the last 3 or so years will grind its way uphill nicely, and be really comfortable and fun to descend on.

If you're not trying to race or are riding super gnarly chunky shit, a modern 27.5 will be just fine. Speaking as someone whose last 2 bikes have been mullets, I'd say they're not really best of both worlds. I mostly ride them to reduce ass buzz, and if I was a bit taller (I'm 5'8") and/or didn't ride as many steep trails, I'd probably just run 29.

One last random thought: bike weight really doesn't matter too much, within reason, on newer bikes. A 35# modern trail bike is going to climb way better than something from 5 years ago, even if it weighs 5# more. My Nomad 3 was like an ounce under 30#, ready to ride. My Nomad 6 is 35#, and it is hands down better in every aspect.

[XXX-er]

IME/ IMO on SC mullet ( 5'8" on a medium ) just turns snappier and i like it > the 29/29 yeti but ymmv

I get a lot of pedal strikes but i think thats cuz instead of pausing around " stuff " I keep pedaling to keep the motor boiling

[BCMtnHound]

Loved that bike once I got the specialized suspension off it.

I briefly looked into replacing the triple crown and front fork, but cost and hassle just didn’t spur the investment. Replaced the rear spec shock once with another for dirt cheap, no issues with either since, but then I am a complete hack, and a large heavy one at that.

Would love a new bike. But the prices and availability the past few years have been no bueno. Nice to hear the 29’er have improved - half a decade or so I gave one a try and it felt squeamish under my 100kg fat ass. Thought I was going to bend the rims. Might be time to do some shopping for a late model 29 under $2k.

[XXX-er]

Supply has caught up and possibly surpassed demand It would be a good year to buy a new bike !!

[toast2266]

I'm afraid to try a modern 29er. If I do I may need to sell guns/guitars/skis to buy one. I'm trying to convince myself that a 27.5 frame would be perfect and then I can just swap my parts. I'm mostly riding in Spokane for now, the trails are somewhere between techy and flowy. Other than being old and riding like a grandpa to avoid another concussion/injury I don't feel like my wheels are stopping me from riding any steep, rough, chunky shit.

The koolaid is so tempting though.

You can buy a specialized stumpjumper evo alloy frameset for $1500 right now. Buy that, a decent aluminum wheelset, a fork, and a dropper post (assuming yours is the wrong size). Move the rest of your parts over. You'll be ~$2800 into it, and it'll be a pretty sweet bike. That thing will kill it at beacon.

[EWG]

Word on the street is that Specialized is sitting on a billion dollars of inventory. Hence their current sales. Which means everyone else is running sales just to keep up. Which is putting massive pressure on local shops.

On the good news front they apparently have caught up from the covid product shortages. Ha.

Good time to buy a bike.

[BCMtnHound]

Would a bike produced since 2021 have the same QC issues I am seeing in the new vehicles? While it mostly seems to be electronic components that are at highest risk, some issues have been with mechanical components, and welds as well. No idea if the supply chain issues and rush to put anything into the market the past couple years might carry over until the bike category.

[One (+) Sentence]

Ehhh... there's a caveat though. BB height is also a function of travel. If you put a 335mm BB height on a 160mm travel bike you're going to be smacking the shit out of your cranks and chainring constantly, regardless of wheel size. Likewise if you put a 350mm BB on a 120mm bike, it's going to ride really high.

Sounds like we are basically in agreement. A current, modern 160mm travel bike will have approximately the same BB height regardless if it was designed around 27.5" wheels or 29" wheels.

[toast2266]

Would a bike produced since 2021 have the same QC issues I am seeing in the new vehicles? While it mostly seems to be electronic components that are at highest risk, some issues have been with mechanical components, and welds as well. No idea if the supply chain issues and rush to put anything into the market the past couple years might carry over until the bike category.

Current failure rates don't seem any different than before covid. Failures certainly aren't unheard of, but if anything, frames have gotten more solid.

[BCMtnHound]

Supply has caught up and possibly surpassed demand It would be a good year to buy a new bike !!

Then get cracking all you cheap dentists and buy new bikes so I can buy your 2019+ old full squish 29er for under $2k. Quick check on PK and only 1 within 350km, a ‘20 norco fluid mid spec in 108mile.

Current failure rates don't seem any different than before covid. Failures certainly aren't unheard of, but if anything, frames have gotten more solid.

Thanks, good to know!

[Velomayniac]

Both wheel sizes are so good for different things. I love both. I am on my first mullet right now and that is good too. Would never go back to 26”, but would never give up 27.5

[Velomayniac]

ChugachJed, do you still have those limited edition On3p “Wren Comps” from like 2015ish?

If you like those go 29

[whyturn]

For the smaller tighter trails the 27.5 is great. Fine on the open terrain also. Just better all around for my style.


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[geomorph]

Whatever you end up on, just remember to pick a size and be a dick about it.

[XXX-er]

A local guy has an SC mullet it looked wierder than usual so I asked and he said it was 26/29 I think they pulled some kind of warranty thing