NSMB - 2021 - Hardtail Thread

I head up in elevation today in search of snow, but found only mud. They've got snow-rain, snain, snaux in the forecast for later this week. **fingers crossed** for one more decent snow ride this winter.

I haven't found any snow, but the trails have been running great.  It's too early to be thinking about Spring/Summer, but I can't help, but eye my drawer of SS jerseys and shorts.

Here's mine these days along with its main passenger. I don't think it will change a ton this year except the bucket seat with become a shotgun.

Longer term I want to do a rigid carbon fork and single speed, basically turn it into an ultra capable ~22lb gravel grinder. 

I love this thing it really is a chameleon especially with the slack-r angle set. 

^ Passenger looks satisfied. I think you're doing it right.

Posted by: Kenny

Here's mine these days along with its main passenger. I don't think it will change a ton this year except the bucket seat with become a shotgun.

Longer term I want to do a rigid carbon fork and single speed, basically turn it into an ultra capable ~22lb gravel grinder. 

I love this thing it really is a chameleon especially with the slack-r angle set. 

is that also a mullet?

Not a mullet in the photo but yeah I swap a 29er on the front for trail duty. If you mean the baby, yeah she has the full Joe exotic hair going on but the front is growing out lol. 

She likes the bike but she'll like a macride more as she already tries to hold the handle bars rather than stay in the seat but she's just a bit too little. By late summer I bet she'll be keen to head down highschool or Empress bypass on the macride.

Posted by: Kenny

Not a mullet in the photo but yeah I swap a 29er on the front for trail duty. If you mean the baby, yeah she has the full Joe exotic hair going on but the front is growing out lol. 

She likes the bike but she'll like a macride more as she already tries to hold the handle bars rather than stay in the seat but she's just a bit too little. By late summer I bet she'll be keen to head down highschool or Empress bypass on the macride.

If you're looking at Macrides, one thing I added to mine is a Shotgun handlebar. I am operating a very similar vintage of kid on my bike, and she loves having her own handlebar. I have a (new) chalk bag with crackers like goldfish for snacks and a bell hanging off/mounted to it.

This thing

So, I'm building up a Pipedream Moxie V1... It has limited 29er tyre clearance in the back. I have a commuter / gravel wheelset which will fit fine, but I'm pondering what to use for the mountain bicycling part.

Would you rather... 

Max 29x2.4 on i25 rim, or 27.5+? 

I'll be aiming for 29xi30-i35 with 2.4-2.6 on the front.

I've ended up preferring 29 any time I have a bike that works for 29/27+  and put the effort into trying both sizes. 

In my admittedly limited experience, 27+ tires are either flimsy or heavy - with few options in the middle. Havent tried them all though so maybe I am missing something. Maybe a light 27.5" tire with an insert is the ticket?

That’s been my experience too. The undamped rebound on a 27+ tyre is something I really struggled with.

Posted by: mrbrett

I've ended up preferring 29 any time I have a bike that works for 29/27+  and put the effort into trying both sizes. 

In my admittedly limited experience, 27+ tires are either flimsy or heavy - with few options in the middle. Havent tried them all though so maybe I am missing something. Maybe a light 27.5" tire with an insert is the ticket?

Good thoughts. I don't usually have a problem with flimsy - I'm not a smasher, but the undamped rebound doesn't appeal, and neither does the weight of an insert... Maybe tannus - it seems like the flavour of the month.

Posted by: velocipedestrian

Posted by: mrbrett

I've ended up preferring 29 any time I have a bike that works for 29/27+  and put the effort into trying both sizes. 

In my admittedly limited experience, 27+ tires are either flimsy or heavy - with few options in the middle. Havent tried them all though so maybe I am missing something. Maybe a light 27.5" tire with an insert is the ticket?

Good thoughts. I don't usually have a problem with flimsy - I'm not a smasher, but the undamped rebound doesn't appeal, and neither does the weight of an insert... Maybe tannus - it seems like the flavour of the month.

Agree with all this. I have had the experience of having 27.5 tires on the same bike with i26 and i30 rims, the difference is large. The tire would roll off the rim so much easier with the more narrow rim. The two wheelsets are now on different bikes but I still use them both. They both have cushcore pro inserts and both have similar tires with either exo or dd casings. I end up airing the narrower rim up to 22/25 where as the wider rims I can run 17/19. I wouldn't run an i25 rim on a pipedream, but thats me. I haven't run 27.5+ but I suspect I'd have to run it with the plus sized inserts, which would be a lot of foam and rubber. Ideally I would rebuild with a wider rim. You might be able to get away with it though. Tannus would probably be good.

Posted by: RAHrider

Agree with all this. I have had the experience of having 27.5 tires on the same bike with i26 and i30 rims, the difference is large. The tire would roll off the rim so much easier with the more narrow rim. The two wheelsets are now on different bikes but I still use them both. They both have cushcore pro inserts and both have similar tires with either exo or dd casings. I end up airing the narrower rim up to 22/25 where as the wider rims I can run 17/19. I wouldn't run an i25 rim on a pipedream, but thats me. I haven't run 27.5+ but I suspect I'd have to run it with the plus sized inserts, which would be a lot of foam and rubber. Ideally I would rebuild with a wider rim. You might be able to get away with it though. Tannus would probably be good.

Wouldn't run i25 when staying at 29x2.4 max? Or for the 27.5 option? 

Is that a vote for bigger tyres on the smaller diameter rim?

Posted by: velocipedestrian

Posted by: RAHrider

Agree with all this. I have had the experience of having 27.5 tires on the same bike with i26 and i30 rims, the difference is large. The tire would roll off the rim so much easier with the more narrow rim. The two wheelsets are now on different bikes but I still use them both. They both have cushcore pro inserts and both have similar tires with either exo or dd casings. I end up airing the narrower rim up to 22/25 where as the wider rims I can run 17/19. I wouldn't run an i25 rim on a pipedream, but thats me. I haven't run 27.5+ but I suspect I'd have to run it with the plus sized inserts, which would be a lot of foam and rubber. Ideally I would rebuild with a wider rim. You might be able to get away with it though. Tannus would probably be good.

Wouldn't run i25 when staying at 29x2.4 max? Or for the 27.5 option? 

Is that a vote for bigger tyres on the smaller diameter rim?

I think there are lots of riders who can get away with either, but I couldn't run either without a solid insert. If I had to choose between those two options, I'd go 27+ with the massive insert but a light tire (like a recon). I do like a soft tire preferably. On an i25 rim I'd have to run over 25psi (with or without an insert). If I ran a smaller tire on the i25, I'd still have to run more pressure to keep from pinching. With the 27.5+ in a light tire with CCplus insert, the weight may be reasonable and I could probably run it soft and it would probably feel amazing - like a couple of inches of suspension, yet lateral stability. Perhaps someone with experience of 27+ with inserts could chime in?