27.5" Vs. 27.5" Plus Bikes - Which Is Faster?
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- čas přidán 12. 08. 2015
- Neil got his hands on the new SCOTT Genius LT with 27.5"+ wheels. Is this new, fatter wheel and tyre standard faster for general riding? Watch the video and find out.
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With all the wheel standards about, it might be difficult to keep track of them, let alone the benefits of each. We got the chance to directly compare the 27.5" and 27.5"+ bikes in SCOTT's range to see which is the fastest over an undulating singletrack course - something similar to the great trails that we all love to ride.
Which bike would be faster? Would one tyre/wheel standard feel better than the other? Check out our findings and let us know your thoughts down in the comments.
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I'm buying a scott genius 720 plus bike. what sealed the deal for me is that you can fit 29ers onto it if you want. 2 bikes in 1, what's not to like.
Personally, but I don't care about which one is faster, but which one is more enjoyable to ride.
+James Garvey Having the same feeling here. I realize though, that listening to his comments in the videos is very important. As it describes how climbing feels, technical parts, downhill sections and loose surfaces. This may give you an idea of how much fun it is to ride on various terrains. Pick your preference and stick to it for the moment. Until you find something better and have a few bills left in your wallet.
+Ikreisrond Bills left in my pocket? With this hobby!!? LOL
Sorry kids! You're gonna need a full scholarship, daddy's got a new bike!... again.
James Garvey personally if u go full suspension then pick 27.5 but for hard tail definitely 27.5 plus
27.x2.8 the bike just rolls and manuals
love my 27.5+... sooo fun and smooth.
How do they feel in tight technical sections?
Sivy's Misadventures Fantastic. I have a fullly rigid single speed with 2.8” tires and a geared full suspension with 2.6”. My local trails have tons of technical rock gardens. Both bikes make me smile when I ride them every time. I’ve ridden 26” and 29” over the years but have settled on 27.5” plus as my tire of choice
@@batterybuilding you have a hardtail? i was keen to buy a 27.5 hardtail for trails or a Fs but the Fs are expensives
@@rjsvids riding 27.5+ now. For trail hardtail it's must have. Plush is insane. Previously i was riding a 29 but now I'm 27.5+ boi)))
1 second is essentially negligble. I would actually be pretty impressed if you could ride the same trail twice on the same bike and get the exact same time.
I would like to know if they ran them at the same PSI as that has a significant impact on rolling resistance.
Wild Outdoor Living
He just did.............
still rocking them 26"
Arthur MacNerd
they have to entice people into buying new bikes.
+Jeff K 26" is waaaaay to small for me (I'm 73 inches)
+Jay Kae I'm 72 inches and 26 is perfect.
+Moon Pie I'm not a little rich boy . I bought a USED Giant XTC 26er and I think I'm having as much fun as little lord Fontleroy!
Karl Fonner do know how to save ?
I've been crushing trails on my 26" Santa Cruz Chameleon for years, occasionally I'd test ride FS bikes but holding my cash tight until I found something truly inspiring. Well that just happened two weeks ago, I got on a pivot switchblade 27.5+ bike. Two days later I bought it and have been on the trail every other day since. The 27.5+ was unbelievable especially aboard the new pivot switchblade. Climbs that were Laden with rocks and roots I'd just make it up before, now I blaze up them with enough speed to catch some air at the top. Granted this has to do with the full suspension and taller tire, but it is even more pronounced with the added traction of the plus size tire.
Before raking the industry for introducing yet another "gimmick" give the plus size a ride, you'll be full impressed like I was.....I'm sure if it
Lol
Anyone else notice the lateral movement on that rear wheel in the intro...is that normal?
and i still use 26 on my bike
27.5 plus was sooooooo last week this week its 28.2 plus got stacks more grip and less rolling resistance! lol
lopon12 30 inch is 2019
More videos like this please. Maybe some bike geometry tips videos too.
Geat and usefull contents on GMBN! But sometimes it will be good to see just raw footage of you two blasting down the trail !
I'm all for the 27.5+. If you want to run 27.5 you can if you want to run 29 you can if you want to run 27.5+ you can. Seems like a win win to me.
By the past I've used 26", after that 27.5" and now 27.5 PLUS / 2.8 and for me the "27.5 PLUS / 28" is really better.
Better because we can have a low pressure, more grip and more soft when you ride on the rocks, I live in south of France and "27.5 Plus / 2.8" is perfect for my county.
It's not a comercial reason but just one evolution to the future...
I'm surprised at these results. Another comparison would be appropriate I think on a track with a more varied terrain and then do segment timings to see where each tire size falls short and where they excel.
Great video. Would be nice to see more testing.
I ride a specialized fuse expert edition with 27.5+ tyres. as you may know already its a hardtail and i get a lot of fun out of it and i find that it just soaks up the landings on jumps a lot better than the normal tyres!
They also handle the real loose gravel so much better, they don’t squirrel around hardly at all like regular tires. Also, there’s not a whole lot more drag on hard gravel, hard to differentiate on dirt roads or even pavement. Overall from my riding experiences, plus tires are a clear winner, never looked back.
Damn, I was pulling for the 27.5 to win. But the times really tell you that you should just ride whatever you're comfortable with. Very helpful video. Thanks Global Mountain Bike Network!
-Alex
Thank you for the review.
I really enjoy my 29er bike, so the fact that the diameter of a 27.5 plus is approximately the same as a 29er while increasing the width of the tire significantly, though not to fat bike extremes; is very appealing. I am waiting to see if they catch on; if so, I'll be getting a 27.5 + bike within a few years.
How about a longer comparison (maybe a trail ride with climbing & descending) between the Genius 700, the Genius 700+ and the Genius 900?
Just bought a Cannondale Cujo3 with 27.5+ wheels, wow wat a difference absolutely love them, great for climbing
I'd love to see anything with the Cannondale Bad Habit (27.5+)
Great video! Have a nice day! 😉
great video thanks
Thanks for the video. I'm in the market for a new cross country bike and Scott Scale with the 27.5" wheels is a real contender.
Great video!!
nice review. having ridden a spez 6fattie stumpy, I agree with your findings. fun AND fast.
Cool comparison. I went from a Klein Rascal ('93) to a Specialized FSR 6Fattie (27.5+) and LOVE it all! Hard to say it's only the bigger tires because I'm new to disc brakes, dropper post, and full suspension. But I do notice rolling over ruts and things more CONFIDENTLY with the + tires, and that alone is a big + for me and my style of cruising type of riding--my racing days are over so I'm not as concerned about how fast uphill than I am with confidence and comfort on the downhill runs. Never going back to "skinny" 2.0 tires! ;-)
I have ridden a 27.5 2.3" tire for a couple years. I also rode a true fat bike with 3.8" tires for quite some time. I can honestly say that my current bike with boost front and rear and 2.8" tires is the best bike I've ever ridden. It is a hard tail and as such the playfulness, and the cushion and suppleness of the plus tires including the added grip make it SOOO FUN to ride. I can push the plus tires to the limit and they just stick..corner like they are on rails and the slight squish makes the ride that much more compliant. I run 13psi up front and 14 psi in the rear I weigh 158lbs. PERFECT! I think 2.6 would be another great option. I wanted the 2.8 for the added low-pressure ability and I went with Schwalbe 2.8 nobby nics with the addix compound. Super light!
I definitely want to try it, I have several years using my bike wich tires are26 x 2.8 but not being produced anymore and would love to take advantage of the wide rubber together with increasing radius of rotation.
wow... top 10 mtb innovations add with the old rockshox poster..... I had that poster on my wall as a kid....
I think you got -1 sec on the the + size because you felt you had more contact with the ground which made you brake less and also the inertia of the rolling wheel made you go a tad faster.
Interesting piece - thanks. Were the standard 2.3 and the plus 3.0? Cheers?
plus tires are awesome on trail bikes i rided steel plus bike and i have to say it was pure pleasure the most fun bike ive ever tried cuz it made me feel like a kid whos just learning, its so forgiving
I got a plus hardtail for a steal with 3inch tires and a good trail geometry. My new Enduro stays at home since I bought this bike. The plus bike is a blast to ride - You can shred it like a boss. It is simpler, more direct and has the best Price/value/fun ratio you can have on a mountain bike!!
Would you consider the 2.6" width be considered a "plus" tire? That is the widest my bike will take, right now it has 2.4" Maxxis High Rollers and those seem super grippy, and slow as hell on my current trails which are covered with leaves most of the time.
I didn't expect that to happen 😮😮😮
I just got the 2.5 minion wt on a 28id wheel and it feels closer to a plus bike but I kept the 2.3 aggressor in the rear to keep some pedaling efficiency. Seems like a good mix to me. My wheels are the enve m60 hv. I’ve tried a plus bike but I like to climb my recents in the Sierra and the seem to sluggish up hill.
So Neil, if you were to buy a new Scott Genius today, would it be the 27.5+ or would you stick with the 27.5 skinny? I think it'd be interesting also if you took the 27.5+ down some more narly trails and see if you can get the performance out of it as the 27.5.
One thing I'm surprised more people don't do is mix voluminous and plus tires, for example 2.8 front and 2.4 rear. That can work very well, because the 2.8 provides traction and stability up front, and the 2.4 provides more acceleration in back. If the handling is weird because the front is taller than in the rear, you can always go down one size in the front, as in 27.5+ front and 29x2.4 rear, or 26+ front and 27.5x2.4 rear. The latter can work very, very well on everything but very steep descents and trails with large obstacles. The 26x2.8 measures between 26.7 (DHRII) and 27.2 inches high (WTB Ranger, DHF), which provides just enough rollover on the smaller obstacles, handles very good for a plus tire, and then the 27.5x2.4 rear provides stability and keeps the bottom bracket at an OK height. The only issue with 26+ is that it can really slow down on obstacles that are more than 3-4 inches high. That's why tomorrow I'm going to do 27.5x2.6 front (28.1 inches high) because one of the three downhill trails has a couple of embedded rock formations and the 26+ can't handle them well. Otherwise, on most trails, 26+ is great.
I'm highly interested to know what difference; if any, can be found between a 27.5 "Mini Plus" and a regular 27.5+ bike.
In my case, I define "Mini Plus" as being my 2015 Derby 27.5 All Mountain 40mm tires (outer diameter measurement) and 34mm (inner width measurement). My wheels are connected to my 2015 Yeti SB5C.
27.5+ shines on rocky loose narly trails
So neil, now that you've got a new bike how about a giveaway? i'm going to need a bike for those new mallet pedals when I win them.
i would like to see a kind of comparison between plus hardtail and a normal enduro / trail full suspension bike on a technical trail. is it possible to replace the fully with the plus bike?
My question is how would 27.5 compare for downhill racing, particularly certain muddy courses like the 2016 Crankworks DH in Les Gets, France? I watched this race recently and was amazed at how many riders struggled in the conditions and were getting completely bogged down in nearly bottom bracket deep mud and ruts. I had a similar experience years ago at a Big Bear, California nationals DH race. The course was a total sludge fest after it had snowed the night before and rained in the morning. It seemed like there might be an advantage to running tires in the 3" range and having a higher bottom bracket (e.g. 15-16") in some conditions. So, if you're taking requests, I'd like to see a downhill course mud test 27.5 v 27.5+...please ;)
can you do a 27 v 29er loop? I just got a 29 and love it but I agree it's a bit large for the technical stuff but I want to compare on more cross trails!
i bought a bike .. the seller said they were tubeless tyres but couple months later i get a snakebite and find tubes in the wheels ... is there a easy way of checking without letting air out and disturbing the bead seals ? many thanks in advance
It would be neat to have you guys review a plus bike that is 3.0 wide with 29" wheels. My suggestion is a Trek Stache.
Its quite funny when you remember the 3inch DH tyres in the late 90's, they soon died a death as did 24inch wheels with a deeper carcass. I wonder If Its all just to get us changing parts every few years. unless your racing and need to find tenths of a second, just try and enjoy what you've got. my mate had the most hilarious old bike made up of all our cast off parts and he was always smiling and could ride as quick as anyone, I think there's a lesson in there somewhere... ;-)
joe Gatrill I couldn't agree more! Nothing matters (component wise) unless you're racing... otherwise you're out there to have fun!
wich one should i get 27.5 or fatbike i live at finland so its snowy 4-6 monts of the year. I ride everyday to school+gym/other things so its like 10km+ every day.
what type of mud guard do you have on that bike. Please let me know! Thanks
Curious on the 27.5+ .... what tire dimensions were you running ?
Depend s on how you can ride still sticking with 26inch blur 4x the bike that still brings a smile is the one (my old scott 20 nitrous did the same back in the day dropped z1 for climbing and coil shock love to see a video with new against old ?
I have a question sir. can 27.5+ fit tear fit into a frame of 27.5? or 27.5+ have a specific frame?
Hi, I have a question About the every day bike you use (scott genius lt). I want to buy a new enduro bike but I dont know if I have to go with an alloy or a Carbon frame. Are Carbon frames really durable and do they last a long time??? Or are alloy frames better? Whats your opinion?
Btw awesome video! Best CZcams channel
I demo'd yeti sb 5 and sb5 + I noticed the plus bike wasn't as flickable over tecky terrain and noticed the extra weight on plus. Try riding over alot of rocky terrain with drops and having more precise landings on drops. Maybe works for others but I didn't like plus at all.
Did you try combo them either front/rear or rear/front? (one of each) That may be the answer.
I ride a 6fattie fuze and a 26" carbon HT. I'd have to agree with Neil on the plus size tire gives you the gains for climbs and longer big sweeps, but is slower around the aggressive stuff. I am struck if it is the future or not, it def. has a few years of refining to do regardless.
Does the 27,5+ make the bike feel higher or is it the same feel as a normal. Reason I ask is because I’m in between to bike sizes and maybe going for the small size with big weels..... any response on that ??? Thx.
Close times...Question is..How does this translate to a 3hr ride, or a 3 lap 15-18mile race? Is the + less fatiguing to ride, and would it be faster over time. Or does it require more energy to get back up to speed after braking, etc...
I switched from 26" Kona to 27.5 Norco Sight LE (with 2.35 Minions)last year. I can't trow it around as easily as my 26", but it's a lot more fun than a 29 and it flies thru the rock gardens.
There's no perfect setup, and 27.5+ looks like a pretty good one quiver answer, but for me, it's my 27.5...and looking into a 4" Salsa Beargrease for the mud and winter.
Was it 27.5 x 3.00 tyre that you tested? How does the handling compare with, say, 26 x 2.5 ones?
I'm going from 25yrs on a 26 straight to a 5+ 3.00" tyre. Differences? I bet there will be. Good ones I'm hoping! 🤞👍
What tyres are you riding at your bike? You can have 27.5x2.4 or even 27.5x2.5 as rear tyre and a 27.5x2.35 in front to get good grip and also decent rolling resistance with quick handling. I think one main reason to push 27.5x2.8 into market is the fact that it fits well in a 29er frame so the developers doesn't have to make separate frames for 27.5 and 29 on some trail-models anymore.
You definitely adapt to a 27.5+, I ride an hardtail and it does almost everything my full sus will. The trails where it tight and there's a stop start I haven't found it a problem at all..
I’m running a plus 2.8 back wheel / tire and a normal front wheel / tire. I’ve chosen this because I’m rocking a herd tail.
How did you measure the times? GPS cycling computers only measure at up to 1 Hz, so a delta of 1 s is well within the margin of error.
are the rims the same size? just the tyres are bigger? :S is 2.6 tyre considered + or just a bigger 27.5 tyre. Cheers!
More important..... which is more fun...
Do the 27,5"+ size fit into an normal enduro frame (i have a yt capra)
What size 27.5 tires do you run, how wide? 2.4 2.25 ect?
I have a 27.5 350 cr marzocchi fork. does plus tyres will fit in?
How about the same test over more technical steeper terrain ?
At 3:35 there is a man eating ice cream in the background!
Hello! Is the frame size of 27.5+ and 27.5 the same? And could I convert 27.5+ to 27.5 or 27.5 or 27.5? Newbie here.
Depending on the trail, either could be fastest.
I personally think a midsize plus (2.6) version of the 27.5 maybe the best of both worlds.
I prefer ma 26, its way to fit especially on trails, easy to bunny hop with too💥✔👍
Hey guys, can one use normal 27.5 wheel sets on a plus sized frame, or do you need to use plus sized wheels as well?
guys can u help me what is the best fork for downhill and for every day use at the same time ??
I think the + tyres would be great on a hardcore hardtail , especially if you were racing Enduro. Smooth out some of the chatter on the back end
nice vid i love u guys
When is the dirt shed show gonna be downloaded
Global Mountain Bike Network interesting thing about the tires. But hey the + size look just awesome. Would really like to know if it fits well to enduro riding.
Can you make a video about light systems for MTB ? I cycle a lot and even when it is midnight, the dark would not stop me to ride single trails and other stuff. It looks like that no light can really keep up to the tougher fast rocky/bump sections or just heavy technical sections. All of them get lose, some of them wont but they will eventually break over time. Latest thing but best so far was a Powerled EVO + Karma EVO from Sigma Sport. Still the battery packs holder on the handlebars will break over time.
If 26+ ever takes off again I would like to see 26+ vs 27.5 and 27+ vs 29 because they are more equal wheel sizes
Well, they kinda do, it's called a fat bike.
I'll convert my standar 27.5 bike (boost hubs) to 26+ with WTB Scraper rims and Ranger tires 26" x 2.8, maybe new Maxxis Minion DHF 26 plus in front
I don't know if the plus wheel size will be the next big thing, but I feel that it will be around for awhile kind of on the sidelines like fat bikes are.
I dont own a 27+(650b+) but i do own a full fat & a regular 26. My fat does everything i can do on my 26 HT. Trail centres i keep up with my mates on their full bouncies, im thinking the 27+ (650b+) will smash the trail centres and go almost as much off road as the full fat. Im very interested in this option. People moaning , well hey its the curse of the the troll factor!!! Good work chaps
Sorry to bother you Will a 27.5 mountain bike tires fit on a crosstrail hybrid with 700, ×38 tires
Any good downhill bikes for beginners? Or people with budgets?
do you think they'll 650b+ ?
It was a joke *****
+James Watson Just think of all the styles, 29"+ 26"+ fat-(minus) with normal 2.35" tyres, 1.9"+ tyres which are 2.35"
ah don't you just love wasting money on a bike with a different wheel size
I don't get it...
Yes... Yes I do. And I'm about to do it again. Crap!!
the real test is 27.5+ vs 29
Do you guys run a lizard skin or something to protect your chain stay? In your slow-mo shots I saw the chain moving a lot and I couldn't tell if you had one or not
Just one run on each bike or did you make multiple? You should really make a bunch of runs on each bike and take the average time or even the best time to get a more accurate result. Still, I would consider 1 second well within the margin of error, and it's not unlikely to get that difference or more between 2 runs on the same bike. Certainly for me anyway! Also, not being as used to the 27.5+ as you are to the 27.5 will probably effect the times negatively for the plus model. Love your videos, keep up the good work! :)
Im a little late to this video, but im looking forward to my new bike with 27.5+ tyres 👍😎
I recently got a light weight 29 hardtail xc bike. When i eventually go full sus i will probably go with 27.5+. It will be harder work on a 6hr enduro but the comfort and extra grip should net a faster time.
Smart comment, I just did that and I couldn't be happier
great video again but i am always 27.5
im a newbie, and to be honest im confused as to what wheel size fits me
im 5'10" and currently riding 26, im planning to upgrade, but due to alot of debate going on which wheel size is better, im confused.
if i stick to 26, it will become obsolete 1day,
if 27.5 almost the same as 26
but i dont like 29er, but people around my place recommend 29er but, i really dont like the looks of 29
If you were really wanting to decide between the two it probably helps to look at the trails around your neighborhood. If they are rocky and technical the plus bike is probably a better bet. If it's hilly and flowy or smooth then the regular size will do.
What rim widths are they? This might have a time difference.They are not the same bike I would think the plus has wider rims not just tyres or the profile would be wrong for a genuine comparison.
Tested a plus bike last night. Amazing how "easy" it makes the technical terrain. Felt gassed at the top of climbs though. For someone who wants to ride everything (meaning I want to enjoy the climbs and not just "get through" them) I am having a hard time deciding if I should go 27.5 or 27.5+
Suggestions?
(Still riding an old 26 xc setup, looking for something more aggressive, but enjoy the challenge of a good climb)
Isaac Haupt that's me too
Same here...
What was your choice?
After months of hesitation, I choose a norco torrent 7.1. It's a +bike and I'll have two sets of wheels. It will be my first do it all bike (anyway I'll keep my old 26 xc, love this one), and I really don't know what to expect. I read tons of articles with everything and its opposite about this wheel size...
I bought a orbeak loki (know called "laufey") and im super happy with it. Its also a +bike and you know why i bought it? its super FUN to ride :D besides all these tests and the people who say its just marketing... just try a +bike and than you can make a decision. I rent a felt surplus and i immedeatly fell in love with these +bikes. cheers!
I wish there were 26 inch plus 😍😍😍
Supriya Sagar there is