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What's the verdict on 27.5"+?

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,029
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That's a lot of punctuation in a row, 27.5"+… So what's the scoop?

I've been ogling the Pivot Switchblade because I'm starting from a clean slate and thus don't give a shit about standards (whether it's wheels, tires, spindle lengths, or axle widths). If the weight and geometry are similar to that of a 27.5" trail bike then why not go for the extra clearance? One wouldn't be mandated to run balloon tires…

@Nick? @stoney? Is + an ass-kickable offense? :insertofficespaceasskickinggifhere:

 

Adventurous

Starshine Bro
Mar 19, 2014
10,259
8,765
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:stupid:

Personally don't see the need and/or point but hey, if it tickles your fancy go for it. Seems like the answer to a problem that never was.
 

stoney

Part of the unwashed, middle-American horde
Jul 26, 2006
21,513
7,056
Colorado
One of the dad's from school rides an Enduro 27.5+/29'er. He loves it. Has ridden all the sizes and that works the best for him. He's definitely an all-mountain rider, so he's not skewed to skinny tires.

I would be interested in something like that if I was getting a new bike.
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,029
7,549
Ok. As long as the consensus is "meh" generally rather than "GTFO". :D

Pivot demo days in August btw (27th Green Mountain, 28th GBS).
 
Sep 11, 2015
332
118
Meh. I rode a 27.5 Plus bike and wasn't into it. The only word that comes to mind right now to describe how it felt is "vague."

I'm not sure how good an idea it would be to run standard 27.5" wheels on that bike. Wouldn't that drop the BB quite a bit?
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,029
7,549
I must have misunderstood the OP. I thought he was saying he would run 27.5.
Maybe 27.5" x 2.5"? You are right in that the quoted BB height is about the same for a Switchblade or a SB5C... with both on the wheel/tire setup they are supposed to have.

I'm still going to try one out. They come with 2.8" tires stock in the 27.5+ setup, fwiw.
 

dan-o

Turbo Monkey
Jun 30, 2004
6,499
2,805
Literally every weekend I see a + bike getting pushed out of the woods with a flat tire.
I'd offer a tube but 1) fuck those guys 2) I don't carry tubes.
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,029
7,549
I'm still going to try one. It looks like a monster truck bike. :D As JK notes it's the resurrection of the 24 x 3" Gazzo era, only without the Super Monster.
 

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
I'm still going to try one. It looks like a monster truck bike. :D As JK notes it's the resurrection of the 24 x 3" Gazzo era, only without the Super Monster.
They're kind of neat in with the tires do as an extra suspension device. Like everything else the bike industry is trying to push on people lately, they have have a speed limit, especially in corners.

I think you'll like it on the really bumpy slow stuff.
 

Adventurous

Starshine Bro
Mar 19, 2014
10,259
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They're kind of neat in with the tires do as an extra suspension device. Like everything else the bike industry is trying to push on people lately, they have have a speed limit, especially in corners.

I think you'll like it on the really bumpy slow stuff.
Perfect! Given that the only bumpy slow stuff around here I can think of is the hike-a-bike sections up Belcher Hill 27.5+ sounds like it's perfectly suited for CO.
 

Jeremy R

<b>x</b>
Nov 15, 2001
9,698
1,053
behind you with a snap pop
My honest advice is to test ride some bikes first before you buy. What you may not be factoring in is just how damn good regular bikes have gotten recently. I ran into a guy at Du Pont on Saturday who was on a 29er with huge 27.5" + tires. I asked him how he was doing and he said miserable. Du Pont is a really fun fast place to ride, and he said these things roll like ass and took all the fun out of the trails. He also said that his bike still sat an inch lower and he could not keep his cranks off the ground. I have no idea how much of that was legit, but his face matched the up with miserable pretty well. : )
Meanwhile that was my first real ride on my carbon patrol, and I was blown away by it. I still can not believe even after the years of riding, that a bike that slack and capable in the rough, can feel so light, efficient and fast on regular fun trails. I had a 2.35 Michelin on the front and a 2.3 Slaughter on the rear, and that bike was flying and gripping everywhere. I was not surprised that the patrol felt good on the rough stuff, but was amazed at its ability when climbing and riding really tight single track. So yeah, test ride some stuff first, because some of these new bikes are ridiculous.
 

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
Perfect! Given that the only bumpy slow stuff around here I can think of is the hike-a-bike sections up Belcher Hill 27.5+ sounds like it's perfectly suited for CO.
I would actually like one of those bikes climbing on belcher. Not so much coming down anything, but definitely on the up.


As far as perfectly suited for CO? No way man. Far too many good fast descents to overwhelm those pinner little sidewalls. Maybe as a second bike. At least for me.



JR: a buddy of mine just got a carbon patrol. Those things are badass.
 

Adventurous

Starshine Bro
Mar 19, 2014
10,259
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I would actually like one of those bikes climbing on belcher. Not so much coming down anything, but definitely on the up.


As far as perfectly suited for CO? No way man. Far too many good fast descents to overwhelm those pinner little sidewalls. Maybe as a second bike. At least for me.
I was being very, very sarcastic. I can't think of a single place in CO I have ridden where a a plus bike would be a distinct advantage. Like, not single one. Back in MA it wouldn't have been such an outlandish idea, though I'm still not sure I'd drop all that coin to make it my primary MTB.
 
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Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,029
7,549
Why do you hide your reply in the quote?

Points taken, all. I don't think I'd be happy with a 12" bottom bracket Switchblade on 2.4" tires so that idea's out. That narrows the list down to just something like this:

Yeti SB5C
Santa Cruz Bronson
Santa Cruz 5010
Kona Process 134 DL
Guerrilla Gravity Megatrail
Transition Bikes Patrol Carbon
Transition Bikes Scout
Pivot Mach 4
Pivot Mach 6 Carbon

Kill me now.
 

Adventurous

Starshine Bro
Mar 19, 2014
10,259
8,765
Crawlorado
Oops, I didnt' see that I muffed that one.

Also add the Knolly Warden to that list. I personally didn't like it as it was a very bi-polar bike but it's still in the same realm as the rest of them.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,558
24,181
media blackout
My honest advice is to test ride some bikes first before you buy. What you may not be factoring in is just how damn good regular bikes have gotten recently. I ran into a guy at Du Pont on Saturday who was on a 29er with huge 27.5" + tires. I asked him how he was doing and he said miserable. Du Pont is a really fun fast place to ride, and he said these things roll like ass and took all the fun out of the trails. He also said that his bike still sat an inch lower and he could not keep his cranks off the ground. I have no idea how much of that was legit, but his face matched the up with miserable pretty well. : )
over the winter i saw two guys on fat bikes that were stopped. 15°F but no snow. They didn't look like they were having a particularly good time.
 

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
I was being very, very sarcastic. I can't think of a single place in CO I have ridden where a a plus bike would be a distinct advantage. Like, not single one. Back in MA it wouldn't have been such an outlandish idea, though I'm still not sure I'd drop all that coin to make it my primary MTB.

Sorry, I'm an idiot.

You never know when someone mentions belcher/white's. If you live there you know that uh......'scene'. Some of mtbr's finest.


You did get me to admit a slight appeal of a fat bike though, at which you'll be able to laugh for years.
 

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
Why do you hide your reply in the quote?

Points taken, all. I don't think I'd be happy with a 12" bottom bracket Switchblade on 2.4" tires so that idea's out. That narrows the list down to just something like this:
Keep in mind what I call the jeep effect: bigass wheels will keep you up higher on pointy rocks that would otherwise fall between smaller wheels and smash your BB. The big wheels encroach more into that space between them.

You really do get more effective BB clearance with larger hoops.
 
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Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,225
20,003
Sleazattle
I have seen a lot of commuters riding electric fat bikes. I am guessing they really smooth out those rough sidewalks. And of course anyone riding an electric fat bike sticks to the sidewalk.