WWMD? I have this bike....

[Timberridge]

Some years ago around the turn of the century when I was single and had disposable income, yours truly purchased a Black Sheep ti SS frame and built it up with the best components money could buy at the time...at the time when 26" wheels were still cool and rim brakes were still acceptable. I love riding this bike but the rim brakes gotta go, and since my hubs are not disc, they have to go. I figure if I gotta change the hubs, maybe I should slap on some 27.5's so my friends won't laugh at me anymore (Btw, I had the foresight to have James weld on some disc brake mounts, and it has Paragon sliders so I could conceivably fit 27.5's on this ewe.)

Without being able to try 27.5's for a ride (or three), would I be just spending money and fucking up the geometry and turning what is a sweet handling bike into ?

[plugboots]

I thought about this for another bike/frame I had, and decided it wasn't worth it. I just don't spend any "extra" money on it. I buy stuff for it as it wears out, like tires. It rides great. Of course, I have 2 other mtn bikes and a road bike, so YMMV. But I didn't find 27.5 to be a big deal, number 1, and number 2, other stuff needed to be upgraded, also, so it made more sense to throw that money towards a new bike. Oh, and rim brakes are fucking cool. So simple and easy.

[evdog]

You could borrow 27.5 wheels from someone to see if the geometry changes in a negative way. I doubt it would, the difference between 26 and 27.5 isn't much. You would need to make sure there is clearance for them on the front, otherwise a new fork would be needed too. I would be more concerned about that than the handling. Definitely try it out first to confirm though.

On the other hand you should be able to get a 26" disc wheelset for cheap. 26" works perfectly fine so why spend extra?

[SB]

your bottom bracket will be higher, you should get used to it in about 200yds or so

[Timberridge]

Thanks for the input.

Yeah, every bike shop just wants to sell me a new bike, but for less than $1000 today I get a boing boing front shock and some sketchy components.

As far as trying a 27.5 wheel set I've checked around and nobody's got one to lend me. I really don't mind the rim brakes in the dry, but in the wet...

So what Scotty said is kinda what I'm leaning to, just wanted to check if there's anything I missed...the front fork is rigid Ti and has a buttload of clearance, so much that I could probably fit a 29 up front and go bob with the smaller wheel on back....whatever happened to that concept btw? Looked whacky but supposedly worked well.

[Eluder]

I bet a guy could score some pretty nice 26" qr disc wheels on the cheap.... Do that or buy a new bike.

[plugboots]

After I went through some of my permutations with the guy at the shop, I said: "So what do you think I should do?" And he said "Ride it"

[jono]

Or buy wheels you can sell if you hate them. Start with the front, even. Be as unorthodox as you like, and change your mind later. PM puregravity for a hot deal on some carbon disks. But make sure you ride more than decide.

[54-46]

Go mullet and get 27.5 and discs up front.

Personally, for how and where I ride, my 26" wheel Titus isn't holding me back from getting exercise or having fun so I just ride it. YMMV...

[basinbeater]

^^^ yep, I'm perfectly happy with my 04 Turner 5.spot with 26 wheels.

[Camilo]

I've got a 27.5 wheelset with Sram X7 hubs that I'll sell you for under $100. Brand new, never used. I thought I could convert front hub to 15mm. If you don't like them for mtb, you can mount road tires on for cruising around. Or gravel grinding. So hot right now.

[Timberridge]

^^^Thanks for the wheel offer, but plugboots and the rest are right.

I rode it again this w/e and I'm keeping it the way it is. It weighs 20# and climbs hills like a cat with 26's...as far as discs I'll just continue to pick my path down carefully.

[jm2e]

Not one mention of Plus sized tires? Surely this would be a great opportunity.

[Shredhead]

Just ride it like it is and get something with gears, you will ride more.

[stuckathuntermtn]

Are you sure 27.5" wheels will fit your frame?
Does your fork and frame have disk tabs?
You should answer these questions for yourself first, lol.

[XXX-er]

26" and rim brakes are still very acceptable unless yer a dentist in which case you would just buy a new bike anyway

quit wanking, just ride the fucking thing and replace things as they wear out

[Pegleg]

Devil's advocate here... maybe try demoing a 27.5" or 29" new bike and see what it feels like. There's been a fuckton of changes to mountain bike tech in the last fifteen years, a new bike won't just have different sized wheels - the frame geometry is different, suspension designs are different, drivetrain is different, etc. Maybe you'll like it better, in which case you can save your pennies and get something new (the Giants are a steal for what you get around $2K). Or maybe you'll just reinforce that you like what you have. But I don't think just adding new wheels to the current ride will really get you up to date on what mountain bikes are capable of these days.