Whether plus is dead or alive and well depends on whose definition of "plus" you subscribe to. 26-29x2.6 used to be considered the smallest "plus" size tire that bike and tire manufacturers were willing to grant the title of "plus" to, but then somewhere between 2018 and 2020 something weird happened. Brands started putting 2.5s and then 2.6s on more of their "normal" bikes, and not wanting to call them "plus" bikes... Simply didn't. By 2020, the Fuel Ex came with 2.6s front and rear, but wasn't a plus bike (interestingly, for 2021 and onward, it only got a 2.6 out front). Plus tires very quickly and very quietly became exclusively 2.8-3.0, simply because the industry didn't want 2.6s to be considered plus anymore. So if you go off the mid 2010s definition of plus, well then hey, plus bikes are alive and well and can be purchased directly from the sales floor of many local bike stores (supply issues notwithstanding).
On another note, I loved my stache. I had that sucker down to sub 26 lbs in "XL" and I loved it for more than 3 seasons. I rode it everywhere, my two bike quiver was the 120mm plus hard tail and my DH bike for a number of years. Sadly, a knee issue that developed from an injury resulted in the elevated stay making extremely uncomfortable contact with my ankle on every bump so it had to go.
I still dream of a custom TI replacement however...
EDIT: there's probably a joke here related to how no one will be able to afford 29X3.0 tires anymore now that crude is $120 a barrel
March 8, 2022, 11:30 a.m. - Lu Kz
Whether plus is dead or alive and well depends on whose definition of "plus" you subscribe to. 26-29x2.6 used to be considered the smallest "plus" size tire that bike and tire manufacturers were willing to grant the title of "plus" to, but then somewhere between 2018 and 2020 something weird happened. Brands started putting 2.5s and then 2.6s on more of their "normal" bikes, and not wanting to call them "plus" bikes... Simply didn't. By 2020, the Fuel Ex came with 2.6s front and rear, but wasn't a plus bike (interestingly, for 2021 and onward, it only got a 2.6 out front). Plus tires very quickly and very quietly became exclusively 2.8-3.0, simply because the industry didn't want 2.6s to be considered plus anymore. So if you go off the mid 2010s definition of plus, well then hey, plus bikes are alive and well and can be purchased directly from the sales floor of many local bike stores (supply issues notwithstanding). On another note, I loved my stache. I had that sucker down to sub 26 lbs in "XL" and I loved it for more than 3 seasons. I rode it everywhere, my two bike quiver was the 120mm plus hard tail and my DH bike for a number of years. Sadly, a knee issue that developed from an injury resulted in the elevated stay making extremely uncomfortable contact with my ankle on every bump so it had to go. I still dream of a custom TI replacement however... EDIT: there's probably a joke here related to how no one will be able to afford 29X3.0 tires anymore now that crude is $120 a barrel