I run 29+ on one of my personal bikes (DHF 3") up front with a 27 +/- (2.6") tire out back. I love it. I also have a 29" hardtail that'll be running with 29+ up front - so I'm definitely a believer in the concept particularly when paired with short travel forks.
I think 27+ is probably universally the best option for hardtails (now that great tires exist) in terms of the balance of comfort, traction, rolling and handling. Being able to accept both 27+ and 29" rubber is a huge feature as far as I'm concerned:
35-40mm alloy rims with 27x2.8-3" tires for nasty winter rides. 29x2.3-2.5 tires on lighter 28mm ID rims for epic rides and summer conditions. Hard to go wrong. Especially owning two bikes where the wheels can be swapped back and forth.
I'm actually so into the idea I wrote a piece about it: [https://nsmb.com/articles/4-bikes-for-price-of-2/](https://nsmb.com/articles/4-bikes-for-price-of-2/)
May 2, 2017, 7:27 p.m. - Andrew Major
I run 29+ on one of my personal bikes (DHF 3") up front with a 27 +/- (2.6") tire out back. I love it. I also have a 29" hardtail that'll be running with 29+ up front - so I'm definitely a believer in the concept particularly when paired with short travel forks. I think 27+ is probably universally the best option for hardtails (now that great tires exist) in terms of the balance of comfort, traction, rolling and handling. Being able to accept both 27+ and 29" rubber is a huge feature as far as I'm concerned: 35-40mm alloy rims with 27x2.8-3" tires for nasty winter rides. 29x2.3-2.5 tires on lighter 28mm ID rims for epic rides and summer conditions. Hard to go wrong. Especially owning two bikes where the wheels can be swapped back and forth. I'm actually so into the idea I wrote a piece about it: [https://nsmb.com/articles/4-bikes-for-price-of-2/](https://nsmb.com/articles/4-bikes-for-price-of-2/)