Wheel Size Help--Plus or 29

[ElectricalGuy]

Hello,

I'm fairly new to bikepacking and working on setup over the winter.  Can anyone advise me under what conditions I should use a standard 29er wheel/tire vs. 27.5+ wheel/tire vs. 29+ wheel/tire?  I've not yet tried any plus sized wheels/tires and have new frame that will take any of them.  Thanks for any advice.

[MikeC]

Given a choice, and assuming you're over 5'7" tall, I'd always, always, ALWAYS choose 29+ for bikepacking trips.  Except if I needed fat tires for snow or sand.

The overall rollover capabilities of 29+ wheels are highly desirable for multi-day trips.

[ElectricalGuy]

Height is 5'10".  I think frame takes 29x3.0, 27.5x3.0 maximum.  I'm going to give them a try.

[alpamayo]

Given a choice, and assuming you're over 5'7" tall, I'd always, always, ALWAYS choose 29+ for bikepacking trips.  Except if I needed fat tires for snow or sand.

The overall rollover capabilities of 29+ wheels are highly desirable for multi-day trips.

And if I’m shorter than 5’7”?

[MikeC]

And if I’m shorter than 5’7”?

How much shorter?

[alpamayo]

I’m about 5’5”-5’6”. I have two bike packing bikes, a Fargo with 29” and I also use a Mukluk. Ive wondered about a 27.5 wheelset for the Fargo.  I’ve also thought about getting a second set of wheels for the Mukluk with 27.5+ or 29 to use as a bike packing setup.

[ElectricalGuy]

And if I’m shorter than 5’7”?

My guess would be 27.5, 26, or 26+ wheels.

[MikeC]

I’m about 5’5”-5’6”. I have two bike packing bikes, a Fargo with 29” and I also use a Mukluk. Ive wondered about a 27.5 wheelset for the Fargo.  I’ve also thought about getting a second set of wheels for the Mukluk with 27.5+ or 29 to use as a bike packing setup.

If efficiency is important, use the tallest wheel/tire combo you can.  People down to 5'2" can easily, easily run 29" wheels with no adverse effects on frame geometry.

If you've already got 29" wheels on your fargo, no reason you can't ride them on your Mukluk as well.

27.5+ is capable and fun, just not as efficient as 29" or 29+.  27.5" wheels fall into 28" holes after all...

I suspect you could easily run 29+ as well, but you'd likely need a custom frame to get the geometry just right with no unwanted side effects.

[the tortoise]

I am 5 foot 5 on a good day and ride a small 29 plus Stache with absolutely no problems. A friend of mine is an inch or two shorter and she also loves her Stache. You will have no problem with one. I also had one which was the next size up and had no problems fitting to that bike either and didn't have the slight toe overlap that I have on my small.

You might want to try the Trek 1120 since it is set up with bikepacking racks. Add a front suspension fork for rough trail riding. Or go with the Stache 7 which is their best value 29 plus bike.

You don't need a custom bike at your size even for 29 plus.

[wahday]

I have both a 29er and 27.5 plus wheelset for my bike (rigid). I like the 29er for trips that have less gnar - forest or jeep road tracks or where one cranks out long miles on flatter terrain. The bike really moves in those situations. I like the B+ wheelset for more technical riding. With the extra weight, the tires provide just a little more cush and the smaller diameter gives more control in technical situations.

All that being said, these differences are pretty subtle. Both setups are just fantastic for most any journey. What the 29er wheels lack in cush, they make up for with the increased diameter and reduced angle of attack. 29er plus won't fit in my bike, but I would expect that would be the supreme bikepacking setup.

[dh024]

I have a dedicated "dirt touring" bike (29x3) and a regular hardtail (27.5x2.5). I bought the 29+ bike first, and honestly, I thought I really needed the huge tires for bikepacking, but I am finding the hardtail with smaller, narrower wheels always gets the job done, and it is lighter and zippier by a lot, even though it has a heavy front suspension and the 29+ bike has a much lighter, rigid fork. Those 29+ wheels and tires are just so massive, and they take a fair bit of effort to get them rolling, so you really feel them on a hike-and-bike trip and they feel clumsier to me on tight trails (I am only 5'7" so that might contribute).

In hindsight, a 27.5 bike that could accommodate wider tires for specific conditions (e.g., long-distance riding on loose, sandy fire roads that I bought the 29er-plus for) as well as a regulr 29er wheelset for trail riding would have been a better choice for the type of biking I do. I love both my bikes, but one bike could have done it all, and I could have saved a ton of money, or had one less bike to maintain or find space for in my garage. Having both now, I realize that the benefits of wheelsize alone get a bit over-stated, in my experience.

[bikeny]

I have a dedicated "dirt touring" bike (29x3) and a regular hardtail (27.5x2.5). I bought the 29+ bike first, and honestly, I thought I really needed the huge tires for bikepacking, but I am finding the hardtail with smaller, narrower wheels always gets the job done, and it is lighter and zippier by a lot, even though it has a heavy front suspension and the 29+ bike has a much lighter, rigid fork. Those 29+ wheels and tires are just so massive, and they take a fair bit of effort to get them rolling, so you really feel them on a hike-and-bike trip and they feel clumsier to me on tight trails (I am only 5'7" so that might contribute).

In hindsight, a 27.5 bike that could accommodate wider tires for specific conditions (e.g., long-distance riding on loose, sandy fire roads that I bought the 29er-plus for) as well as a regulr 29er wheelset for trail riding would have been a better choice for the type of biking I do. I love both my bikes, but one bike could have done it all, and I could have saved a ton of money, or had one less bike to maintain or find space for in my garage. Having both now, I realize that the benefits of wheelsize alone get a bit over-stated, in my experience.

What wheels and tires do you have on the 29+ bike? In my experience, heavy 29+ tires and rims make a huge difference in the feel of the bike and make it feel sluggish and hard to accelerate. If you have a light setup, just ignore me!

[dh024]

What wheels and tires do you have on the 29+ bike? In my experience, heavy 29+ tires and rims make a huge difference in the feel of the bike and make it feel sluggish and hard to accelerate. If you have a light setup, just ignore me!

I don't have a light setup by any means - the bike still has the stock wheels (Surly Rabbit Hole 50mm rims and Surly hubs) and 120 TPI Surly Knards for the tires (running tubeless). They are definitely heavier than my 27.5+ wheels that only have 30 mm rims, but a lot of that is the extra diameter in the rims and tires, I'm sure. I think I might have to drop a big chunk of cash on new wheels to get them comparable in weight to the 27.5 mtb wheels. If I thought the benefit of 29+ wheels greatly outweighed the smaller wheelset, I would probably do that - but after riding both bikes, I am not so sure it is worth it now, even though I used to be a huge proponent of 29+. If I could do it again, I think a bike that could run 29er and 27.5+ wheelsets would probably have suited my body size and riding style much better. For larger riders though, it might not make sense.