In a previous installment of Trail Tech we examined the development of 29+ mountain bike tyres, rims and frames. We’re returning to the subject of slightly chubby, 3in wide tyres, but this time in a smaller diameter. The 27.5+ platform is poised to become the “next big thing†in mountain biking.
Like 27.5in wheels, 27.5+ occupies a middle ground between two existing platforms: fat bikes, with 26 x 3.8in and (ever larger) tyres, and traditional mountain bikes, whose tyres generally range from 2 to 2.5in wide.
Why do companies feel there’s an opportunity to capitalise on this middle ground? One reason is that many mountain bikers have gained an appreciation for the additional traction and float that fat bikes can provide. Many mountain bikers have also come to appreciate the increased stability that wide rims give their tyres. Last but certainly not least: some of these new tyres may work with the bike you already own.
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Video: What Mountain Bike magazine's Jon Woodhouse and Tom Marvin on whether plus and fattie are here to stay
Prior to this year’s Sea Otter bicycle expo, few people had given the concept of 27.5+ much thought, and with good reason; the 27.5in wheelsize itself was still gaining ground. But Wilderness Trail Bikes saw an opportunity to develop a new rim and tyre combination that could be used in the 29er mountain bikes many riders already own.
“The idea of a plus-size tyre on a smaller diameter rim fitting existing 29in bikes came from a friend of mine, Bob Poor, when he visited me at my house shortly after Interbike in 2012,†said Mark Slate, WTB’s vice president of product development.
You can read more at BikeRadar.com
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