27.5+ roll call Please tell me more + or -

Co-opski

Expedition Leader
Looking for a new summer wheel set for my fat bike and now that more 27.5+ tires are hitting the market I would like to hear some more real world experiences.

I'm not looking for 29 or 29+. I most likely will be building a set of Velocity Duallys in 26 for full fat (I run them now with my 45nrth HuDus) or build a set of Duallys in 27.5+.

Tires I'm looking at are in 26 Van Helga's, HuDu's or Dillinger's or Jumbo Jims on a 40mm rim.
Tires I'm looking for input on in 27.5+ are any of the WTB, Maxxis or Panaracers that are out there.

You know summer bikepacking duty; gravel, mud, lots of roots, and beach rides.
 

Flagster

Expedition Leader
Why not 29+? I have just ordered a bluto and hubs/ 29+rims for my beargrease...but would be interested in why you decided to go with 27+...tire selection???

I am going with jungle fox rims dt350 front and I9 rear...still have to decide on spokes

http://www.nextie-bike.com/29-inch-plus
 

Co-opski

Expedition Leader
Its the frame. I tried a fitting a 29 knard and it is tight. 16 inch non-slider 170 fatback. So that got me thinking about building another set of 26 duallys for this bike and running HuDus, Dillinger 4.0 or the VanHelgas. But before I went back to skinny 40-45mm fat I got to thinking about the 27.5+ rigs. I guess I have more options with 4.0 fat tires.
 

Flagster

Expedition Leader
Ok makes sense...I also want a more three season friendly wheel setup...not sure what tire options I will have but really sick of running the 80mm/4.0 inch combo in the dry...
 

jayspies

Adventurer
You said you're currently running HuDu's on a Dually 45mm rim? Wow, that seems like squirm city. How do they ride, if you don't mind me asking a bit off topic? I'd probably not go lower than 65mm (i.e: Marge Lite width), but am curious if you have real world experience. I haven't run 27.5+ now as I'm full fat, but I'm with you in that I'd probably go that route over 29+ as that's where the market seems to be heading and will probably have more selection/lower price points.
 

Co-opski

Expedition Leader
You said you're currently running HuDu's on a Dually 45mm rim? Wow, that seems like squirm city. How do they ride, if you don't mind me asking a bit off topic? I'd probably not go lower than 65mm (i.e: Marge Lite width), but am curious if you have real world experience. I haven't run 27.5+ now as I'm full fat, but I'm with you in that I'd probably go that route over 29+ as that's where the market seems to be heading and will probably have more selection/lower price points.
I have run them for 2 summers tubeless. I run them in the wet organic heavy temperate rainforest (Nates or Van Helgas would be better here), alpine tundra and arctic tusuk tundra , gravel roads, pump tracks and alpine scree and talus. Overall I've been happy that is why I'm thinking about another set. They hold a bead and I've aired them down low (yes they get squirrelly) and I've pumped them up firm for some long (for me) gravel grinds (60+ miles). I do like the Velocity Dually I have hard on them an they just keep rolling straight and true for how light they are.

Yes those are Marb Reds in the feed bag, I found them on the trail 30 miles back in the Chugach Range. :costumed-smiley-007
fatback.jpg
fatback2.jpg
glacier bike small.jpg
 
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deuxdiesel

Observer
I am running Fat B Nimble 3.5 x 27.5 on my Pugsley right now, and it is a good tire for single track use, but they are relatively light due to the thin casing, so for extended touring, they might not be the most durable tire. The WTB's are really 2.5" at best, and are best at doing "fat-lite" conversions to F/S 29er's. I have run 29+ front and a small fat tire out back (3.8 Knard, 120 TPI, on a 50 mm Trials rim) which worked really well. Spinning a big diameter 29+ out back was just too much work for me, hence the smaller tires.
 

Navman

Adventurer
I can't comment on a bikepacking specific setup, but 27.5+ is the future of mountain biking - you know regular old trail riding. Every year you will see more bikes with tires in the 2.8-3.0 range. After spending time on a proper trail setup, I can't see going back to 29r for the trails that I like. It is that good.

It'll be interesting to see how long normal 27.5 last once it becomes the third size of choice over time. I give it 3 years max before it's really reduced to a handful of models.

You will also see the number of fat bikes sold drop rapidly now that the + bikes are hitting the showroom. Well, at the growth will slow dramatically.
 

jayspies

Adventurer
You will also see the number of fat bikes sold drop rapidly now that the + bikes are hitting the showroom. Well, at the growth will slow dramatically.

Hmmm. I dunno. With the availability of lighter and lighter tires and wheels for the fatbike crowd, I see that segment slowly shedding it's bloatarian rep. I have a Mukluk, and weighed heavily the choice of building a plus size mid-fat wheelset, or going full (chinese) carbon fat with lighter tires. Ended up sticking with full fat and will migrate towards rotating mass weight loss rather than ponying up for a full second set of wheels. The difference is less than 1/2 pound between them.
 

Navman

Adventurer
Jayspies, it's already happening and quickly. Sure there will be a core Fatbike community that won't change and shouldn't, but outside of the snow belt the + sizes will win out over FBs. To me it's more about performance than weight. Riding a FB on dirt is fun but it has some downsides. People that would have been interested in picking up a fat bike as a 3rd bike for fun but don't live in Minnesota, will probably be better served with a +, especially if they want full suspension. Unlike 27.5/650B (in my mind), the + tires are indeed a good compromise for dirt.

Having said that, new wheels/tires and carbon frames are definitely making the next gen of fat bikes much better. They still put a smile on my face and that's what it's all about.
 

Co-opski

Expedition Leader
Thanks for all the info so far.
Alaska State Parks just made the call this year that fatbikes on winter trails have to have a min of 3.7 inch tire and a tire psi of 20 or less. I see land managers trying to stay in the game and reduce user conflict and resource damage. It would be interesting to see how beaches and shorelines will be managed in the future with these true all terrain bikes.
 

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