Good morning all,
I have a 2009 Trek 9.9 SSL that I am looking into converting from a 26 to a 27.5 Can anyone lead me in a direction as to if I am able to do this. I would like to do both the front and back wheel. I have a Sid World Cup Front fork on it and it looks like there would be clearance but again I am new to this and the possibility.
If anyone has some time and would be willing to help me that would be greatly appreciated!
Is it the Elite 9.9 SSL hardtail? Or the Top Fuel 9.9 SSL full suspension?
Actually neither are very good candidates for going 27.5, but the Top Fuel is worse because of the suspension. Even if there were any chance of there being enough clearance to stuff in 27.5 rims, you would need to choose really small volume tires. The geometry on both those bikes would make them handle really twitchy with 27.5's. BB height is wrong for 27.5's too. fork rake would be wrong.
Unless you have a personal attachment to that specific bike, all the money sunk into trying to "upgrade" would be better spent going towards a new bike with suspension and geometry designed specifically for 27.5's. The heyday for good 27.5 geometry bikes was about 2016 to 2020 in my opinion. I think stuff like "boost" axles, longer wheel base, wider bars, shorter stems, etc really transformed 27.5 bikes, so they didn't handle like awkward 26 inch bikes with the wrong size wheels anymore.
What is your goal for going 27.5? If you are looking for a larger outer diameter, I'd check the width of your current rims, and figure out what the largest 26 inch "plus" size tire will fit the rims, the frame, and the fork and keep the rest of the bike what it is. If it has the stock tire size still, they are probably pretty small volume tires by modern standards. Bike makers tended to put really small tires on "race" bikes with the idea that small tires were lighter so they were automatically better for racing. Lots of folks ditched the small volume stock tires and put bigger volume tires in back then. Bigger volume tires might be just what you need.
