loboseb

Sorry for the worn out question.

I live in Atlanta and want to get a mountain bike soon

I would use it quite a bit in the city to have fun and bomb through the city when I dont feel like using my road bike.
Mountain biking here and there too, nothing hardcore, I dont have experience with real mountain biking.

I have read plenty on pros and cons of 27.5 vs 29 and have tried both at LSBs but need to try some more.

Im aware that 29s are faster for city and thats a big plus. Im wondering though if when I do take it out on trails/mountains, I would maybe regret not having a 27.5 which is more nimble?

Thanks

ussprinceton

get 29er

gsa103

5'6" and below --> 27.5
5'8" and above --> 29

hig4s

I'm 5'9" and prefer 27.5 my wife is 5'1" and rides a 29. It is totally personal, test ride a couple of each in your size out at the trails. Look for a couple of demo days from different manufactures.

mstateglfr 

Its apparently shocking i can somehow manage to ride 26" wheels being 6'5.

gsa103

You can ride a bike with any size wheels. The question is what bike would you be best suited riding, if you were buying a new one. At your size, that's likely a 29er.
There's a guy I work with who's 6'8", his road bike looks like he's riding a kiddie bike, there's no question he could easily ride something with much larger than 700c.

29er's are difficult at the smaller end of the size range, because the geometry is inherent compromised by the wheels. You can't just make the seat tube shorter because it runs into the saddle, so you have to change the seat angle (and similarly for the front end). Basically the manufacturer has a choice, scale the whole bike (changing wheel size) or change the geometry. If you're in the middle, it'll go either way depending on the specific bike geometry.

At the larger end of the range (L-XL), there's no worries about interference, so there's no downside to 29er wheels, which are faster in all conditions. All of the XC racers have moved to 29er, the DH pros are switching to 29er.

prj71

You probably look like this.

mstateglfr 

Ha, its been suggested that I get this tattoo-

cyber.snow

The only way to tell is to try both. I am 5'9" tall but have 30" inseam. My bike of choice is a Santa Cruz Chameleon in 27.5+. I am buying a set of 29" wheels for city riding and enjoy the 2.6" tires on the single track. The nice thing about 27.5+ is that you get both wheels!

bikemig 

It's the fat tires . . .

MisterK

Im 5'11 with a 32 inseam. I ride a medium 27.5. I find it comfortable. Its not that 29 wasnt comfy i just found them kinda loafy for the time i spent on it.
I dunno if its being much closer to 26" that makes me feel more comfortable but i personally didnt like 29

stockae92

Its really a personal choice with regarding to what and how you ride.

I rented a 29" HT during a vacation, loved it so much that I replaced my 26" XC FS with a carbon 29" HT.

People said you can get up to speed faster with 27.5" and 29" will roll over "stuff" better/easier. Also tire volume will affect all these as well.

Lucryster

27s are easier to move around and manuver, 29s absorb the bumps better. Its all what you are after.