Mullet vs 29er With The Same Geometry - Which Is Faster?

Full timed results:

Track 1 lap times
Lap 1 49.9 (29")
Lap 2 49.5 (29")
Lap 3 50.5 (27.5")
Lap 4 50.1 (27.5")
Lap 5 49.9 (27.5")
Lap 6 49.1 (27.5")
Lap 7 49.3 (29")
Lap 8 49.1 (29")
Average: 49.45 (29"), 49.9 (27.5")

Track 2 lap times
Lap 1 19.38 (29")
Lap 2 18.70 (29")
Lap 3 19.40 (29")
Lap 4 19.15 (27.5")
Lap 5 18.28 (27.5")
Lap 6 19.29 (27.5")
Lap 7 18.61 (27.5")
Lap 8 (crashed) (27.5")
Lap 9 18.36 (27.5")
Lap 10 18.39 (29")
Lap 11 18.46 (29")
Lap12 18.31 (29")
Average: 18.77 (29"), 18.74 (27.5")

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[Coerced]

Oh man, Pinkbike - you guys are cherry picking the very best presenters from all over the globe to join your pinkbike nation. You are going to take over the virtual mtb world, going like this!
Whoever your marketing / business tactics manager is, he / she's on fire

[grigoryrechistov]

Finally I hear words "statistically significant" in a comparison review! Now, what is left is reporting not only average times but also confidence intervals of the experiments. Keep up the good job!

[jensbruggemann]

I'm 6'5", and I like riding 27.5" wheels. Just like the maneuvreability it gives me. Don't care about the KOM's, just having fun on the trails. Hell yeah climbing is harder, but I dont pretend I care because I'm not going for times.
And other people like 29ers and they're right as well. As long as you ride your bike and have fun, that's what matters.

[manningthomson]

“All pink bike readers are engineers”

I feel seen..

[thescheibe]

"Once you've had a chance to MULLET over, let me know why I'm wrong in the comments." Haha brilliant

[joshjohnson]

Need a short rider to replicate the test. I'm 5-7 with a 30" inseam, I need all the rear wheel clearance I can get! The advantages of the 29" front wheel are undeniable.

[rushclovis]

still a 27.5 front and rear guy. I don’t race, and I’ve found that proper line choice through chunk can keep pace (not beat) with a 29er

[Tzestos]

Been running Mullet for the last 2 years, both on hardtail and full sus, both 26/27 and 27/29. The main reason I don't plan on going "regular" is because I love the way the bike turns. It's easier to lean. Also, the smaller rear wheel travels a shorter distance in a turn so it's further inside so it can help rotate the bike in a berm, and I love that, and I adapted my riding style around it. If you do 10 laps the fastest time will be on a full 29 set up, but the thing that matters most is the slab of meat in between the wheels, so the best best setting is the most fun, consistent and confidence inspiring setting for the rider.

[BGraves]

Gmbn would have just foregone all of the science and testing methodology and read off bullet points written by a guy in the office between techno music shots of the bikes going down the hill

[koopatrpa]

I have been waiting for some nerdy Seb videos since he joined Pinkbike.

[SWOP_B]

Seb does an amazing job with these tests! Love the back to back fork testing he's done as well.

[bobhopeandnohope]

Good to see Seb back on youtube. Always find your videos informative.

[Lexcampbellza]

Loved this review, Seb is great! Properly unbiased and transparent

[CoticBikesUK]

Interesting test Seb, and i am releaved to say also agrees completely with our testing. Given that your biggest difference in feel was 29er rear on roots and holes, and we are seeing a lot of shorter world cup dh riders going mullet mainly for clearance reasons (i suspect), how about a test of mullet at maximum travel and 29er with 30mm less rear travel (which would give the same clearance to rider at bottom out)? Could a 170mm 29er dh bike be faster than a 200mm mullet in really holed out rooty terrain?

[RapidVisionLoss]

Fantastic comparison, love the use of repeat runs and actual statistics.

[ericpeysar]

Watch out Youtubers - see there is room for HONEST and OBJECTIVE reviews. No need to sell your soul to push the latest hype. This is the best comparisons ive ever watched to help one choose A vs B. Solid methodology, strong points and rational conclusion all without the “gotta buy this latest and greatest” BS hype. Thank you - you guys totally rock!!!

[mikeclarke]

‘Mull it over’ 🙄 don’t think we didn’t miss that you cheeky scamp!

[BerserkerNick]

I've built a few 26/27.5 mullet bikes and they were alot of fun, currently getting ready to build up my first 27.5/29 mullet

[joed]

I've got a 27.5 GT fury with a 29" front end. If the forks are at full height the bike definitely flops into corners and feels unstable when sitting and riding on flat ground. However if you point it down some rediculously steep terrain it is awesome.
I've lowered the crown's on the forks about 10mm and it's more stable but not as stable as it could be. I definitely notice better steering when going through rock gardens at speed but that's probably the only real useful difference. I can't say I'd recommend buying new forks and front wheel to go mullet but I had a frame and had to get forks anyway. It was a fun and expensive experiment.

[bigslacker]

Truthfully I don't 'get' mullets. You get the floppy wagon wheel up front and hung up more in the back as mentioned in the vid. Having ridden 29ers for the last season I just went back to 27.5 F/R (Evil Insurgent V3) and am lovin it. I'm about good times, not lap times! ;)