[uphiller]

Hi everyone,
I've long been intrigued by 29+ bikes. I'm also getting a bit older (41) and could use some extra cushion and rollover. However, there's been a lot of talk about 29+ tires and maybe even rims disappearing, or nearly disappearing. Long story short, I don't want to invest in something that I don't know will still be around, or that will offer only two or three tire options. I've been there before with parts I love and that aren't made anymore; it sucks.
I know we don't have a crystal ball, but can anyone give me some likely scenarios about where 29+ is heading?

 

[Just J]

I’m thinking about buying another yes, I do have some stock of tyres though but the benefits are huge so I’d definitely say it’s worth the risk. Maybe buy one that’s happy to run smaller tyres too.

 

[goldsbar]

There was another thread on this a few weeks ago and I'll say the same thing. You're going against the trend. Way against the trend. Tire selection will be very limited. Stock up when you can. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the bikes or the whole plus concept, but the bike industry is fickle and parts (tires & rims, though many rim widths will work) can disappear fast.

 

[NYrr496]

I only ride plus and fat, so yes.

 

[TippyD]

Most so-called trends (in bicycling as well as most things) eventually come back around; perhaps with a slight variation for the better.
So, if you go all in on plus now, stock up on tires and rims and know that when the bike manufacturers see that they can cash in on the trend again, even better plus rims and tires will become available at that time.

 

[slimat99]

There's been a number of articles over the years talking about plus fazing out. We've seen a steady decline in new frames/forks as well as new mold tires. The writing is on the wall. Any objective rider can see it. I would say only buy 29+ if you really want it and don't mind scavenging eBay for old stock when tire supply dries up.

The bike industry makes stuff that sells in big enough quantities to warranty future investments. Just look at 650b right now.650b was the biggest marketing push in the history of the sport which made it the most popular size for a few years, and now it's on the back burner. Even some new rims and tires aren't available in 650b. The industry is very consolidated these days. When the bean counters at corporate decide new plus molds are a poor investment it's over. Residual supply will dry up pretty fast too because plus only trended strongly for a few years.

 

[lookiel]

There's been a number of articles over the years talking about plus fazing out. We've seen a steady decline in new frames/forks as well as new mold tires. The writing is on the wall. Any objective rider can see it. I would say only buy 29+ if you really want it and don't mind scavenging eBay for old stock when tire supply dries up.

The bike industry makes stuff that sells in big enough quantities to warranty future investments. Just look at 650b right now.650b was the biggest marketing push in the history of the sport which made it the most popular size for a few years, and now it's on the back burner. Even some new rims and tires aren't available in 650b. The industry is very consolidated these days. When the bean counters at corporate decide new plus molds are a poor investment it's over. Residual supply will dry up pretty fast too because plus only trended strongly for a few years.

This looks like a pretty likely outcome.

However since the current trend (which seems possibly like a long term consolidation of the industry) is 29 with wide rims and big tires you’ll be able to easily find wide 29er rims and 2.6 (maybe even a bit bigger!) tires that will suit your frame fine and still provide a nice amount of added rollover and cush.

 

[mikesee]

Would I?

Yep. I built a new 29+ FS bike this spring, as well as repurposed an older chassis to fit 29 x 2.8". All in.

I've literally got hundreds of 29+ rims and tires on the shelves right now, with as many more in the pipeline and en route.

Maxxis, Bontrager, Surly, WTB, RaceFace, Sun Ringle, Derby, and Nox all seem as committed as I am.

 

[bingemtbr]

No, I would not. Personally, I love 29+ and riding plus sized tires. However getting tires/rims is a real concern. Drawing from my experience as a Specialized Fatboy owner, Specialized (unbeknownst to me) discontinued both the Fatboy (bike) and their fat bike tires last year. What I heard is the fat bike niche wasn't profitable for Specialized. Damn.

 

[*OneSpeed*]

Yes, in fact it may be my next purchase. No concerns about parts availability.

Edit: I should add I currently own a Krampus and love it, but I'm interested in something new with a little more modern geometry.

 

[mikesee]

No, I would not. Personally, I love 29+ and riding plus sized tires. However getting tires/rims is a real concern. Drawing from my experience as a Specialized Fatboy owner, Specialized (unbeknownst to me) discontinued both the Fatboy (bike) and their fat bike tires last year. What I heard is the fat bike niche wasn't profitable for Specialized. Damn.

I wouldn't use Specialized as a standard bearer, other than for sucking the life out of everything they touch.

There are only a few dozen fatbike rims and tires left to choose from. You just have to choose to look beyond the big red S, and the cloud of stench they emit.

 

[bingemtbr]

I wouldn't use Specialized as a standard bearer, other than for sucking the life out of everything they touch.

There are only a few dozen fatbike rims and tires left to choose from. You just have to choose to look beyond the big red S, and the cloud of stench they emit.

I mentioned the Specialized brand by name because they are HUGE and their decision is spot on for the entire industry: if it doesn't make a profit, the manufacturer will cancel it. Of the dozen riders I know who ride fat bikes, 9 are on Fatboys, 1 is on a Trek. Spec is/was BIG here. And dropping the Fatboys shocked a lot of people in these parts.

Mike-you have connections the rest of us and our LBS do not. Its an envious position to be in but not everyone has access to you and those brands.

 

[mikesee]

I mentioned the Specialized brand by name because they are HUGE and their decision is spot on for the entire industry: if it doesn't make a profit, the manufacturer will cancel it. Of the dozen riders I know who ride fat bikes, 9 are on Fatboys, 1 is on a Trek. Spec is/was BIG here. And dropping the Fatboys shocked a lot of people in these parts.

Mike-you have connections the rest of us and our LBS do not. Its an envious position to be in but not everyone has access to you and those brands.

It's a good point. But you also have to look at it from the context of what S considers worth spending their money on: The sales volume has to be huge or they just move on. Thankfully, not every brand uses that same volume metric, even if the underlying profit motive is the same.

I actually don't have connections that any shop can't cultivate with a modicum of effort. The only limiter is the desire to make those connections.

And, everyone with an mail address does have access to the brands I stock.

 

[slimat99]

OP, just do a little research. Every single media outlet you'll find will say the same thing. When you ask about buying any kind of bike here you're going to get those that like what you're interested in telling you to buy it, and those that don't will tell you to buy something else. If you're concerned over future support these opinions aren't relevant. All you need to know is what's happening in the industry and you can get that info easily with a little research. Lots of articles on the topic, and they all sing the same song.

 

[Super E]

Yes, I wouldn’t hesitate, bought a 3.0 capable Ti frame this year. Not worried about the so called tire issues - everything is messed up right now but oddly those plus tires just keep on showing up

 

[temporoad]

I'll all in, I have been riding 29+ for 7 or 8 years and still love it. I'm 63

 

[Ogdenman]

Yes, go for it they are awesome!

 

[Catmandoo]

Yes, no question. I went from a 26" full suspension to snappy 29" HT, moves like a rocket. Next Mt. Bike will be a modern 29" FS, as light as I can afford.

 

[Wheelspeed]

What's so terrible if you bought a nice new 29+ bike and later you can't get wide tires? The bike would still work fine if you had to switch to 2.6 tires, wouldn't it?

But I'm old and remember when 27.5+ and 29+ were first coming around... There were several niche suppliers then, before the big boys got in the pool. The plus scene was pretty cool back then because of that reason. I'd bet there will be suppliers continuing supporting the 29+ fans even if the pickings are slimmer than in the heyday.

 

[141]

What's so terrible if you bought a nice new 29+ bike and later you can't get wide tires? The bike would still work fine if you had to switch to 2.6 tires, wouldn't it?

But I'm old and remember when 27.5+ and 29+ were first coming around... There were several niche suppliers then, before the big boys got in the pool. The plus scene was pretty cool back then because of that reason. I'd bet there will be suppliers continuing supporting the 29+ fans even if the pickings are slimmer than in the heyday.

As somebody running tires that are as wide as I can to raise the bottom bracket, the problem might be if the BB height is designed around plus tires, and then is too low with 2.6es.