Battle of the Hardtails! | 27.5” Vs. 29” Wheels

One of the most common MTB questions is: Which wheel size is best? With Anna riding a 27.5" hardtail and Blake riding a 29" hardtail, we thought it would be a good idea to put them up against the clock on both bikes to see which size came out on top!

⏱ Timestamps ⏱
0:00 - Intro
0:59 - The bikes!
3:00 - Flow trail
8:02 - Tech descent
12:59 - Tech climb
16:26 - Conclusions

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Which hardtail would you choose? Anna's 27.5" or Blake's 29"? Let us know 👇

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[briw]

You ride what you got, what you can afford and what you can handle. The thing is, just ride

[Pshady]

29’s are like riding a monster truck. It has its good moments cruising over stuff….. but when jumping or flicking it about, I feel like a small child who’s riding their dads bike.

[scstinger]

I’ve been riding a 29 hardtail for a year now and am definitely going back to 27.5. 29er’s roll over stuff (like a tractor) but don’t corner, or jump, or feel very good. I want my bike to be playful and fun to ride. I will gladly give up a couple seconds of speed to have a bike that’s fun and doesn’t ride like a tractor lol!

[dvpemberton]

I'm running a Vitus Sentier Vrx on 27.5 and absolutely love it. Something about 29s always feels a bit too big for me. I did, however, grow up riding 26s, so that might be the reason why I'm more confident with smaller wheels.

[kjracz]

"I can't believe I did the mega on a 27.5."
Blake, you used to be an adamant believer of 27.5. 🤣🤣

[milesholland]

Unless I am racing (which I don’t anymore) I think the time comparison could actually mislead me to buy one for the wrong reason (does a second really matter in most cases?). I would compare both without time and just feel which size feels more fun and natural, and challenges me to maximize my skills as much as possible, and then choose accordingly. With that said I have both 😂 Great video!

[leonbond]

Anna and Blake make a brilliant combination. Love it!!

[chrisjones]

I come from a BMX back ground and in the Bike Park I ran my 2010 giant Reign SX all the way till '22. I rode one 27.5 for a whole day and really didn't notice the difference so that why I stayed with the 26er for so long. I now have a 27.5 Reign more because of the slacker geo. Than being said since 2020 I have been riding a 29er HT for local trails and its fun but despite it being lighter at 27lbs, with the big wheels I just cant throw it around like my heavier smaller wheeled bike. Blake and Anna were racing for times. If you're just out having fun, not racing for the absolute best time, a couple seconds doesn't matter. Everyone was having fun on 26's but the market was saturated with them. New standards sell more bikes.

[mixification]

Having both a 27.5 bike and 29er bike I prefer the 27.5 its just way more playful, agile and a lot easier to flick about.

[Chaddlee]

I have recently upgraded massively to a good hard tail. It also meant going up to 29" wheels. I was sceptical at first, but it is so fast, and so smooth I wish I had done it years before.

[carloswithac]

I have a 27.5 carbon hardtail. I recently went mullet, and am loving it. Best of both worlds!

[winklertribe]

What a great video! I’d love to see a 29/27.5 mullet added into this comparison!

[michaelwhite]

I really love my 27.5 ht. Especially when making sharp, precise turns I am always happy with the format.

[slantedorbit]

The outside diameter of the 27.5 x 2.6 on my hardtail is almost exactly the o.d. of the 700 x 45 on my gravel bike. I really like that similarity as I’m so frequently jumping between the two bikes, which also have matching chainstay lengths and seattube angles. I didn’t plan it that way, it was just chance, but my body notices, on techy climbs and tight turns especially.

[phoenixinthetrees]

There's still nothing wrong with my 26" wheels...

[henrikjohansson]

Great video, but I've got to say: Who really cares which is quicker? A trail/enduro hardtail's never going to be a race bike anyway. Which is more fun would be more relevant IMO, but I guess that's too subjective.

For me and my trails: One full sus 29er trail bike (140/130 travel) and one moderately rowdy 27.5" hardtail (120mm travel and 66° HTA). The former for ripping through the woods at speed and the latter for flicking about on tight single track, pump tracks and (trying to) jump. Wouldn't want to part with any of them, and certainly wouldn't want my hardtail to be a 29er. I've got my trail bike for plowing over roots and tech. If you could only have one, I guess 29er hardtail kind of makes sense though.

[RicardoPetrazzi]

I went for 27.5 scout, as I'm used to my 27.5 Mega. Got the advantage of interchangeable parts too.

[masaharumorimoto]

Love my 27.5, I'd have a hard time going up to 29, still also love my old 26 bike :) gonna give the 26er lots of love this summer.

[PaulFlude]

Jokes on you. I've run a 26" hardtail for 20 years

[bobomb]

I had a Hardtail in 27, 5 and now I have one in 29 and I have to say, I like it. The 29 is rolling over everything really easily. But it's harder to do anything else on it.