[k1creeker]

I've been eyeing the Foes Mixer for a while, but am hesitant to make the leap since a demo is impossible, and it's still a lot of money for an aluminum single pivot. But I like the idea of a 7-9er.

So, I've been toying with converting my Mach 5.5 by adding a 29" front wheel and 36 fork lowered to 140. I'm wondering is anyone else has done this (on a 5.5 or any other bike)? Terrain is mixed new england style (mostly rocky, natural, terrain with some lift access flow trail days mixed in)

 

[SHAHEEB]

Maybe if you are thinking go this way, you want more control at speeds? better confidence cornering? Seems like it would work.

if its higher up front you could offset with low rise bars and less spacers.

an angle set could be your friend. asked about this just now on the 5.5 thread.
do you have the parts already???

 

[bizango]

I'm intrigued how this works if you decide to do this. This seems like a great candidate frame given how they spec it stock and its intended use. It could make for a very capable yet sporty trail bike.

 

[k1creeker]

Thanks for the replies guys.
Shaheeb, the 29er front wheel addition would mainly be to take advantage of the larger rolling diameter (less diving deep into ruts, roots, between rocks, etc.). I'd be okay if the front end went a little higher since I run a 40mm rise bar, 10 degree rise stem, and a bunch of stem spacers. I wish every manufacturer didn't feel the need to chop the steer tube lengths on even their XL frames.

That said, I think I can get close to stock height by dropping to 140mm travel in the fork and with proper fork selection. I may make this a winter project (in hopes of finding some blowout pricing).

 

[LoneStar]

I hope someone tries this as I think it would be a killer combination!

 

[SHAHEEB]

i will be forking around as i just picked up a smokin deal on a medium raw frame
very stoked, hope this thing rips. dude said his new sb5 was better downhill.
Hmph?

 

[_tarzan]

It still mixes the geo a bit. I don't know for better or worse for you. And I know you don't have a Switchblade but I would start with that and swap shock for longer + 27.5 rear wheel so you would have the exact same geo and a 79er with 150ish/150 travel back/front. Someone ought to at least try this and if there's clearance in the frame for it! I did this on my Devinci with success.

 

[_tarzan]

Or am I wrong in that the same fork with same travel made for a 29er is about 20mm longer a-c? Add the 18mm extra radius of the 29er wheel/tire-combo and you can't get to the same geo by dropping the fork to 140 with a 29" wheel. In addition, less travel = less sag... So to get the same static geo, you'd probably need to go 120 front

 

[Jayem]

Mixer bikes are fascinating to me, I wouldn't go back to a 29er for enduro/AM stuff, but I would consider a mixer, which seems to mix the best of both, like resistance to wheel-catchers/drops up front with the 29er and faster acceleration and less gyroscopic effect with the smaller wheel. Riding a 29er enduro was taxing due to having to pedal more for trail features and not being able to get as much "air" off of said features and then there was the corning issue at speed, where I had to slow more before and accelerate more out of the corner. But a mixer really seems like it could be the sweet spot. I wish there were more companies doing it with more choices. 29" "enduro" just ended up being way too much bike for most stuff and more work to go fast, not that you can't go fast or do jumps of course.

 

[litany]

I had a tantrum shinedown which I rode for about a year. It was 29 front 27.5 rear 160mm front ~150mm rear. I now have a ripmo. I bought the tantrum frame because it was inexpensive and it was before stuff like the ripmo came out and I didn't like the switchblade.

Anyway, I thing a mixer bike is fine but I think it's always going to be a niche for bike geeks. The simple fact that you can't swap tires or inserts or anything front to back is surprisingly annoying. Maybe on my home trails I run something like an aggressor front and a ikon rear, but I want to go to the bike park so I want to move the aggressor to the back and put a DHF on the front. Oh wait, I can't, I have to buy 2 new tires. Same issue if you are going on a trip and want to bring a spare tire. Now you have to bring two spares. It's not a huge deal, but it's a bit annoying.


For the OP's scenario, it's a cheap way to "upgrade" to a good part of the benefit of a 29er, but it does have the downsides I mentioned before.

Also regarding the nimbleness and the rollover stuff... Honestly I think the nimbleness mostly comes from the front tire. The rear roll over is probably more noticeable than any nimbleness you get from the back. Think about it: you want a smaller, lighter wheel to make changing direction easier. In the front that wheel is pretty much attached to just about nothing and you can feel that with your hands and arms pretty directly. Take the weight out of the rear and...well the rest of the frame and shock and all that stuff are most of the mass anyway and it's just less noticeable. It matters less.

Yeah the bike can get slightly shorter, and that's probably the biggest thing to make it feel more nimble, but if you are 6' tall like me, that probably isn't a big deal. Maybe it is for a shorter person, because the front end is shorter so as a ratio the shorter rear may matter more. If you want better roll over for stuff like roots and things, why do you want that only at the front of the bike? Why not have it at both ends?

 

[markdjr]

I just built up a Mach 6 with a 29er up front. So far pretty happy with it. I reduced a 160 Fox 36 to 150 to offset some of the change in geo. For me, I like that it is a bit slacker than the standard Mach 6 and it is still climbing well.

 

[endo_alley]

I just built up a Mach 6 with a 29er up front. So far pretty happy with it. I reduced a 160 Fox 36 to 150 to offset some of the change in geo. For me, I like that it is a bit slacker than the standard Mach 6 and it is still climbing well.

I did the same on a 2015 Mach 6. All I had was a 160 29er (RS Yari ) fork. So it sits a little higher in the front. I am considering dropping the fork down to 150mm or even 145mm (if possible). Really kind of a beast on descents even as is.

 

[Csasb]

I've been eyeing the Foes Mixer for a while, but am hesitant to make the leap since a demo is impossible, and it's still a lot of money for an aluminum single pivot. But I like the idea of a 7-9er.

So, I've been toying with converting my Mach 5.5 by adding a 29" front wheel and 36 fork lowered to 140. I'm wondering is anyone else has done this (on a 5.5 or any other bike)? Terrain is mixed new england style (mostly rocky, natural, terrain with some lift access flow trail days mixed in)

Bringing back and old thread, as i just saw it.
Did you ever get to build this with the 1400mm 29er front?
any feedback and opinions, as im about to try this..