What is the real truth about 27.5+?
04-28-17, 01:38 PM
#26
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Europe had clincher tires way before the US did, as in Europe they weren't forced into using tubular tires like people in the USA were:
AMERICAN SINGLE-TUBE TYRES | The Online Bicycle Museum
AMERICAN SINGLE-TUBE TYRES | The Online Bicycle Museum
I particularly noted this couple of sentences, and especially that last one about being a sports machine:
"In the case of the American bicycle, this ensemble featured the following technical elements: wood-rims, minimal brakes, hard saddles, high gears, light construction, the notable lack of practical amenities such as fenders, stands, or luggage racks, and the use of fast, single-tube tires. In short, the typical American bicycle was a sports machine, or at least pretended to be so. "
Are we any better today than way back then? Maybe somewhat. I have bookmarked the site. Thanks again for the link to it.
04-28-17, 01:48 PM
#27
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Nope.
27.5 MTB tires have been around for about ten years, but the 650b tire size has existed way way longer than that.
This page shows a 1952 bike that has them, and it wasn't the first. That means at least 65 years.
https://janheine.wordpress.com/2014/...se-randonneur/
There are sparse accounts of this size being in use around the beginning of the 19th century in Euro-land.
And likewise, 700c road bicycle tires have been around way way longer than MTB 29" as well.
It's difficult to pin down exact years (and it depends on what country you're talking of also) but they've been around for at least ~75 years.
Europe had clincher tires way before the US did, as in Europe they weren't forced into using tubular tires like people in the USA were:
AMERICAN SINGLE-TUBE TYRES | The Online Bicycle Museum
As for today--
the steps in bicycle tire manufacturing that are diameter-specific are based on the bead size, and modern tire companies already had the equipment on hand to produce 584mm and 622mm tires.
It's just that previously, they were only making narrow road tires in those bead sizes.
27.5 MTB tires have been around for about ten years, but the 650b tire size has existed way way longer than that.
This page shows a 1952 bike that has them, and it wasn't the first. That means at least 65 years.
https://janheine.wordpress.com/2014/...se-randonneur/
There are sparse accounts of this size being in use around the beginning of the 19th century in Euro-land.
And likewise, 700c road bicycle tires have been around way way longer than MTB 29" as well.
It's difficult to pin down exact years (and it depends on what country you're talking of also) but they've been around for at least ~75 years.
Europe had clincher tires way before the US did, as in Europe they weren't forced into using tubular tires like people in the USA were:
AMERICAN SINGLE-TUBE TYRES | The Online Bicycle Museum
As for today--
the steps in bicycle tire manufacturing that are diameter-specific are based on the bead size, and modern tire companies already had the equipment on hand to produce 584mm and 622mm tires.
It's just that previously, they were only making narrow road tires in those bead sizes.
When 29rs where first introduced one of the major hold backs was that there were not enough tires available. People were, again, cutting and sewing tires together to try to get decent treads because tire makers had no interest. (The other big hold back with 29rs was the lack of decent suspension forks. But that only lasted a year or two)
And by the way, same thing with fat bikes. 26 inch tires have been made for a long time, but there were not many options on the 3.5 or fatter range. And what there was sucked -even the Endomorph was a shifty tire.
Anyone who thinks that the changes in tire size in mtb over the last decade and a half are the result of tire makers wanting to sell more tires has no idea what they are talking about.
Last edited by StanSeven; 05-08-17 at 06:13 PM.
04-28-17, 02:08 PM
#28
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You two are talking around each other, and both agree on the details of what tires were available at what points in time.
04-28-17, 08:36 PM
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04-28-17, 08:44 PM
#30
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And on the 29er tip, they coulda got some late '80s/early '90s (622-41) knobbies to tide them over 'til some fresh 50+mm molds could be made.
From something like this Bianchi that looks like it still had orig rubber up front, but they had to replace the rear with a skinnier CX tire.
From something like this Bianchi that looks like it still had orig rubber up front, but they had to replace the rear with a skinnier CX tire.
04-30-17, 08:06 AM
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This thread is about 27.5+ tires (tires that are 2.8-3.0 wide), I am not sure why 27.5 tires (2.0-2.25 wide) are being discussed here.
05-04-17, 07:41 AM
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I'll admit that for a long time I was very against + bikes. I thought it was getting ridiculous to have every single cm tires size possible between 2.0-5.0.....then I rode a 27.5+ bike. OMG I absolutely loved loved loved it. I have a big mountain trail bike and a race rocket hardtail and the 27.5+ was a fricken blast. I want one so bad!!! They are awesome for the loose rocky CO trails.
05-04-17, 07:58 AM
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For example, from yesterday's ride, and mine is the bike on the left:
20170503_180926 (Large).jpg
05-07-17, 07:07 AM
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I don't think a plus tire is going to cut it for soft conditions like sand or snow. Will a 27.5+ at 3.0 actually do well in sand? I'm guessing it will be sinking and floundering all over the place. You'd want a 4.0 or more fat tire to really handle sand.
My take is the bikes that accommodate 27.5+ and 29er provide great wheel size range options for trail bikes, but the plus tires aren't going to give you fat bike ability.
My take is the bikes that accommodate 27.5+ and 29er provide great wheel size range options for trail bikes, but the plus tires aren't going to give you fat bike ability.
05-07-17, 10:24 AM
#38
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27.5+ is the idea of a versatile bike that can do almost anything. Wide for better float, or narrower 29er for cross-country.
05-07-17, 03:17 PM
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05-09-17, 03:19 PM
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Your example is a great point though. You wouldn't pick hiking boots for a 5mi hike through the snow, but they would be ideal for a 10mi hike that goes through a section of snow field.
27.5+ is the idea of a versatile bike that can do almost anything. Wide for better float, or narrower 29er for cross-country.
27.5+ is the idea of a versatile bike that can do almost anything. Wide for better float, or narrower 29er for cross-country.
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