Being a heavy rider (120kg) getting plus size is the best choice I ever did on a bike. I also got a couple of inlays (cushcore pro) to prevent snakebites and I'm now comfortable running 27.5x2.8 @ 20 psi with no problem. Haven't had a puncture in 11 months running this setup, and I'm loving it. Well worth the extra cost for plus and CushCore! It may however be a bit on the heavy side for a lighter rider, and is definitely not what you want on a low weight bike... But on an e-bike it is perfect for me! :)
I think the plus size tyres are great for a hardtail. I hardly miss rear suspension. They also look cool. I think it depends on what you expect out of an electric bike. Personally I want the closest thing to a motorbike but if you are a pure XC mountain biker they probably aren't the best performing tyre for you.
I've been running a Trek Stache hardtail,& also a full suspension Stache for years with 3.0 tyres. Love the comfort, speed, grip and the climbing ability they have. Only problem is finding 29 x 3.0 tyres.
Still riding and loving my Trek Stache 5 from 2016 with 29x3" Tires. It's a compliant, stable and fast trail bike that's always fun to ride. Especially considering I had 2 different Full Suspension Bikes in between (XC, Enduro) that are long gone sold already, but also both were 27,5" non Plus and where not giving me, what I actually needed from a Bike.
Same here, own one and love it to bits! I've had and sold a Full stache 8 (was a brutal machine, actually regret selling it..) and a Fuel EX 9.8 but the Stache 9.8 is still my favorite next to my Rail 9.8 😅 I could never sell my Stache.. many mtbikers think it's slow and crazy 🤙🏼 but on most descends they can't keep up with me.
As a heavier rider, i tend to need more sidewall stability. With a plus size tyre at a good enough pressure to keep the sidewalls up in hard corners, they loose any of their grip/comfort benefits. Ive found a sticky medium weight sidewall in 2.5" is about spot on for me.
It seems like the theme here is the bigger the rider the wider tire you should use. My weight has fluctuated from 100 kg to about 155 kg and thankfully back down to about 130 kg right now with the goal of getting down to about 110 kg. I've noticed during those weight changes definitely wider tires help out the bigger rider.
Went from 2.8 to 2.6 on my Trek LT9 and liked the difference to cornering, now on a 22' Rail 9 GX and replaced the original 2.6s with Maxxis DHR2 in 2.4 and loving the cornering yet again. The narrower tyre cuts through the garbage and into the stuff that gives you traction
I run a 2.8 on the rear. Use a Schwalbe Eddy Current. Heavy, tough. It sure is. Haven’t had a puncture or tyre tear since I switched. I also find the heavy duty side walls offer nice stability in the corners. Now I’ve said this, I can feel a puncture coming on.
After a couple of years on narrower tyres I have recently changed my 'mullet front' 29" wheel for 27.5" with a 2.8" tyre (matching the rear) and loving the extra comfort it gives on the handlebars.
Plus ➕ size tyres may be from the past but they definitely have a place in the e mountain bike future. I've been on plus tyres for three years. They are awesome.
I run 3.0" tires on my GT hardtail, and I absolutely love them. Where I live, the terrain is a mix of sand and loose silt, and smaller tires are pretty much worthless. Plus, they just look impressive!
Great timely video. Will always fit a 2.8 in the back when summer and a studded 3.0 in the winter. Tubeless with tyre inserts. This is mainly for uphill grip in the summer and some extra flotation and grip in the winter. 29x2.6 in the front for summer and studded 2.8 for the winter. Pressures around 15psi. Having the same mature weight myself as you Steve, I would not consider a bike that cannot fit these tyres 😀
YES! i love the plus size tires, i was shocked to discover they were almost gone. The extra float and grip for me makes for such a more flexible bike! Living in norway, with snow, where i also ride fatbikes, a plus size tire would allow us to flick out the Bullit and the Levo more. As far as i can tell on the 21 Bullit, and 22 Levo, you won't be able to fit plaus size tires??? What did you do Steve? For me this is the better choice for an e-bike with the added weight and all. Pressure is crucial to get the tire to work properly though, so theres a big negative there.
Early on I was running the same pressure I used on narrow tires, and the Plus tires seemed to bounce off-line and slide on cambers. Figuring out the lower air pressure really helped. For me, even heavier than you, 20 to 23 psi rear, 17 to 19 psi front. I feel the wide tires dragging my legs on a normal bike, but they are worth it on an eMTB.
As a motorcycle and mtb rider, I love my 3.0 Purgatories. With 22 pounds of pressure they are perfect for my derestricted Kenevo. Much of the terrain we ride lends itself well to a wider patch and contact, especially floating over sand and mud sections.
27.5x3" are amazing, being 6.2" ~95kg on a 35kg ebike + the 12-18kg kid on the back with a kid in the trailer, so stable! - sure it's for commuting, however commuting in Christchurch = rail trails and dealing with loose soft stuff - as sharing the road with vehicles on the non-bike separate lanes is a gamble...
Have just replaced my rear from Assegai 2.5 to DHR 2.8 and definitely loved it. Lower pressure, more tractions, more confidence -> faster corner and riding. will swap front to 2.8 when it need replacement.
Steve- (Sevy from WSC here) - great points here! On my dual 29" Levo I've been running a 29x2.6 DH tire in the rear & a 29"x3.0 up front and really loving that pseudo-mullet set up. With a Zeb up front the clearance is fine but I only wish Maxxis would offer that DHF in some other rubber compounds. When your bike is already 52 lbs who cares about another pound or so? Not me. Cheers!
Very interesting insights. As a novice rider, I gravitated to the 2.8’s I tried on a demo bike; I feel as though they provide me with better control. Additionally, my stock rims have 35mm internal width; coupled with slightly higher pressures that I prefer, I do not feel that my tires/tyres squirm or fold over in a noticeable way. I also have Tannus Armour in both wheels. If I were a more experienced rider, with better knowledge and practice of pressure regulation and other techniques, I might prefer other sizes. Great video, Steve; thoughts are definitely worth considering, especially for me as my skills improve.
I have a 2017 Levo Fattie that came with 3” tires. I loved the ride they gave. The only problem was, in first gear, the chain sometimes snagged the rear tire. Now I ride 2.8s. Perfect.
Hi. I have just bought my first emtb and couldn’t afford a new one so it’s actually a 2017 Levo Fattie with 3.0 Purgatory tyres. I love them! The trails I ride 99% of the time are sand based and it’s summer right now so the plus size tyre also helps in that situation! I came from a 2018 Trek Fuel 8 with 29x2.4 and I reckon I am quicker now cos of the added traction (and not rooted after the climbs 😂). Loving E-MTB’s!
Just got my bike in Sept. full suspension E Mountain bike running Maxxis High Roller 2 's 27.5 / 3.00. And I love them. Much better than 4.0.fatts. still retain a lot of agility and tightness.( ultimately I have learned 2.6/ 2.8 Max). Great info thank you much
Run 2:8 here on both my bikes ( levo kenevo ) in the Andes Santiago . Very dry and loose trails so just love them for the grip up and down 😍 Can go faster now and never really be scared like i was before on 2.4 2:6 tires.
I love my Magic Mary 27,5x2,8. It is so plush, so much grip. I ride o lot of wood paths and on the leaves it is great. Yes, if you ride perfect fast trails they are not as exact as slimmer tires. For my riding I love having more volume and low pressure.
I run a Schwalbe Rocket Ron 27.5 x 3.0" on my Salsa Bear Grease in the summer. Perviouly I rode 4" 45 north Vanhelga's both on 50mm wide rims. I only bought the rocket ron's because they were super cheap on sale. They are faster and lighter than the big 4" tire but they do bounce quite a bit over rooty trails. I plan to test them with a tire insert this spring and and try the 4" tire but tubeless this time. The trails where I live are old and errored. So the adding a bit of cush to a summer hard tail makes things allot of fun
Coming from motocross, I setup my 21 levo with a 29 front/2.6 tire and rear 27.5 hope 35/3.0 tire. Felt perfect and comfortable for me as it was familiar. However, my long time mtb friends agree it feels much more forgiving and stable as opposed to traditional stock setup. Though due to weight and size I think this really only applies to emtb and could have more varied opinions moving to acoustic.
I love the plus tires on my Trek Stache. I think plus tires are awesome. I totally agree with you about the traction and benefits of the higher volume tires.
First for context, I ride hardtail 27,5+ (Haibike AllTrail 6 Flyon) - it has Minion DHR II and DHF II Exo - 2,8". Those tyres can be run on 1,2 bar or even 1bar (which is just atmospheric pressure), they give grip and comfort on this carbon-frame e-bike with 140mm fork. As soon as I enter the woods, the magic begins, from too soft and too grippy on asphalt they become 'magical' on non-managed trails through woods. They are comfortable going through forest litter, through fallen branches etc. it is their 'natural terrain' - rolling resistance immediately drops when I enter 'forest litter' which is counter intuitive, but I love it. Second use case: winter rides through hard-packed snow, this crackling snow noise is soo cool :). I will always need those and will buy another pair as soon as I see it fit. My first ride, from bike shop to home, they set them up at the very low 1,2bar - probably worrying that I'll crash on this bike - the riding experience was strange, I knew that this is not full-sus bike, but a lot of the small chatter was eliminated. I cannot imagine that 2,8" and 3" are gone, they are remarkable, even with tubes they do seem like tubeless. I do have oher full with 29" wheels, love their momentum, but... this size needs to stay as I cannot imagine riding icy, snowy rides without this size, no need for spikes. I cannot imagine this bike looking differently. It is unusual experience if you did not try it, but its positive one!
@Steve, I have tried a lot of plus tires and I really like them. I always have a wheelset equipped with a set of plus tires. My experience is also that the right tire pressure (for your weight, but also for what type of trails and what style you ride) is extremely important. But I think plus tires with decent casing are a great choice. I love the Surly Dirt Wizard which has a great casing (and a lot of weight ~ 1400 g). I like really techy riding (up and down) - some kind of E-Bike-Trialy stuff and then it is great that I can run 9 psi front and 11 psi rear with decent plus tires. You just need the right tire for the right fight, but I think plus tires are great and can have a lot of benefit. I also think that the popularity of plus tires got a setback because it lacked really good tires at the beginning.
Cheers love the channel! So I run Vittoria Martello DH casing 27.5x2.8 with Vittoria tire inserts, Perfection for me. I run then on the Luna cycle X1 wit 180 Travel front and 160 rear. I weigh around 234lbs at the moment. I run my EMTB on single track, jump trails and DH bike parks. This setup has been gold for me and the secret with plus size tires in my Opinion, DH casing and inserts. With out those 2 factors I find the tires Squirm and move too much not feeling stable.
I agree- in terms of ride characteristics there are just so many advantages. Most of the cons are technical. I mean, you may equally argue that suspension forks are also more squirmy and prone to failures than rigid ones but we all know the pros outweigh the cons. Most times I've used plus tires, I really enjoyed them. I am quite surprised it didn't catch with a wider majority of riders, especially the beginner to average riders where the added confidence is massive and tire squirming is less of an issue
On a previous bike, Scott eSpark I thought the tyres were great, really helpful on the those narrow tracks with braking rut, helping to add another degree of suspension and softening out the trail. I am around the same weigh as Steve and would ride them at 17/18 psi. They may suffer from greater deformation than narrower tyres but I think you ride faster as you not being jarred so much over the bumps. I not riding to win anything only to have fun.
Have a mullet set up n my Canyon eSpectral 8 and the 2.8” on the rear is awesome. Can’t fault it on any terrain I’ve ridden on here in South Wales all the way up to blacks 👌🏽👌🏽
I use 2.8 x 27.5 Eddy Currents which have a thick side wall. Even thought they are heavy they are great for cornering and rolling over anything you put in front of them. I’m looking at buying a new bike and did considere buying a bike with thinner tyres but after using other bikes that are thinner i dont like the feel or grip so wider tyres is what I’m looking out for
My analog hardtail came with + brand new a couple years ago (whyte 905) Honestly, i love them.. would be nice to see a wider selection available though! Riding chattery natural stone trails they really shine.. also find they're great on the rooty stuff.
👍From Fattie to Mullet which now became the best solution for heavier and more stable Enduro Emtb. + rear tires are needed to support the heavier part of the bike as it is soft especially on snowmobile trails and in front a narrower 29 "tire that grips curves while the larger diameter makes it easier to roll on bumps and does not sink. I ride Specilalized Fattie 160mm, Canyon spectral ON 9.0 170mm and Orbea rise 170mm. With kind regards, from the man in the hammock😊
My new e-bike (SC Bullit) is a Mullet with normal tires. My old e-bike is a Pivot Shuttle with swapped wheels from the old Pivot shuttle that happened to be 27.5+. Pair 27.5+ with Cushcore, low pressure (15-18 PSI or less) and you can smash through wet rocks, roots where your 27.5 2.4-2.5 tires are pure no-control suffer. Currently my Pivot is a paper-weight due to a failed battery, but I am restoring it for the wet season as 27.5+ is the perfect thing for those conditions. One problem though is chain clearance. Even with Boost+ (157mm rear hub) the chain is so close to the tire when in granny-gear, that it pick all the crap up. I broke an XTR shifter that jammed up in seconds on a climb because of this.... When the rainy season comes (June) I will plan on trying the + size on my 27.5/27.5 normal bike for more grip in the much (2021 Nomad 5) ... About that squirmy sidewall thing: Custhcore sorts that out. No mushy feeling even as low as 15psi. That's my 2c on plus size.
I had the choice of Assegai 2.5 front and DHR II 2.5 on the back....did bring them back unopened to the shop, went again for the Eddy Current 2.8 for the second time. Of course, less rolling, less feedback , less faster here and there, But, ...no punctures, no stress on the handlebars ( deity and cactus grip) , no wrong lines or surprise ungrip. The advantage of a larger volume tire is like riding a plank of wood to a magik carpet, at least for me and my 63 kgs. Perfect for any terrain and low PSI riding.
I have 2.6" tyres on my 2019 Stumpjumper and I love them. Every time I ride a bike with 2.3"/2.4" tyres they just feel way too small. They skit around on the trail, have hardly any small bump give and you can't run lower pressures without risking damaging your wheels. When I first got the bike it had trail casing tyres which were too weak and I had problems with the side wall buckling (I'm 100kg for reference) so I upgraded to downhill casing tyres and now they are great. I run 22.5 front and 27.5 psi rear and I don't get any squirm even when plowing through burms and it also gives me the confidence to plow through rock gardens with little risk of puncture. My ebike (Commencal Meta Power SX Race) has 2.4" tyres and I don't like them at all. The bike feels skittish and always trying to wash out so when they wear out I will definitely chuck 2.6" on there. The bike can take a 2.6" according to Commencal. As a nice little bonus, the increased tyre size will slightly increase the circumference which means my 32km/h speed limit will be slightly increased.
I actually bought a normal bike with 27,5+ tyres, it was the great Scott Spark 720 Plus in beautiful yellow and 2.8 Maxxis Rekon tyres. I loved the bike but after 6 months tried the bike on 29 wheels and 2.35 tyres and loved it even more. On ebikes I prefer mullet setup but always change the rear 2.8 tyre for a 2.6 because I feel it tracks the terrain while turning a little better and gives me mostly the same grip.
Haven't used them on my ebike (euh, my wife's ebike), but I have 3" Hihg Rollers on my hard tail, and I think they are fantastic there. They make the ride very comfortable and they are quite fast rolling (at least the High Rollers are)!
Steve, I think you hit it pretty well, IN the WINTER!! You may not of had a chance to ride in the snow with your set up. It’s essentially what I ride during the winter for all conditions including snow and ice. I did build up 27.5 with 40ml internal, and with the proper tyre have maintained the 2019 Levo’s Geometry. Tyre Pressure is key. During the dry season do you like my tiers a little bit narrower and go back to both 29 inch wheels.
I think there is one option that you did not cover. It would be a great follow up video to see if you went away from a Specialized spec Roval rim set at around 29 mm internal rim width to a 35 nmm/ 36 mm or even 40 mm internal rim width and see if all the positives of the plus tire stay and drastically improve the higher speed cornerning?
I’ve done that on my 2019 levo to make it a mullet set up. Really like the handling and the traction it provides. Plus it’s great fun in the snow and ice!
Great point, I went from a 38mm internal rim on the rear to a 30mm with a 2.8 and really noticed it squirming around. Initially I thought I'd left something lose but found I had to raise the pressure to fix it. I think rim size has a huge effect on how larger tyres feel and perform.
I like to alternate Steve. My last set was a pair of 2.6s, currently running DHR2 2.35 and Ardent 2.4. My next set will probably be some 2.8s just for fun
My Luna X2 came 27.5 plus Minion DF I have left the rear stock. Now running a Zeb 29 fork and 29 x 2.5 Minion DF up front. Same bike as the Cheeb basically a Chinese carbon fiber w/ Bafang m600 motor. Cheers from California
I run IRC Tanken 27.5x2.8 up front and a 27.5x2.6 in the rear, for me it's the best setup for overall speed, traction and control. Most of the riding I do is loose and rocky So Cal trails. I did try a IRC Tanken 27.5x2.8 on the rear, but to much traction, so overall speed and range on the battery was negative effect.
Plus-size tires are the way to go for me, I got hooked on them when they came out. I do a lot of technical trail riding. I love the traction, they are more forgiving when I don't pick the right lines and more comfortable to ride. The bigger the tire is the more energy required, but it's worth the sacrifice to me. I also think they look better. My emtb came with 2.5, I will change to 2.8 next tire change.
I'm not a serious mounten racer but own a Surly ecr 29+ which I use as a sort of Land Rover, and a Kona Big Honzo with +tires and as you say it gives much comfort and control in dry sandy conditions in the Netherlands where I live. These bikes will never leave me (by them self) so I don't mind what manufacturers come up with.
In my experience with the 3 & 2.8 tires, they do provide a ton of traction, but they are heavy and make the bike feel sluggish with any change of acceleration and handling. In my experience over the las two years 2.5 & 2.6 tires are the real sweet spot. Giving you great traction with a much more manageable weight penalty affecting acceleration and handling
My bike came with 2.8's 27.5 front and rear, I really enjoy it. I have since put a 29 on the front with a 2.6, I like Schwalbe's and they seem wider than most brands, except Pirelli's 2.6's. I saw them on a mates bike they and the volume is equivalent to my 2.8.
Prefer 2.8 myself but I believe over 3” is fat-tire because I have one of bikes that runs 3 and no noticeable difference between 2.8 and 3. Love both…. PLANTED !!!!!!! Especially on heavyweights of my EBIKES. On my acoustic I’m running 2.25 Great conversation though…🤔 Thanks, really appreciate and enjoy the channel !!!
ive been using Maxxis Rekon 2.8 for 3 years. Love them. Keep think i'm going to go to 2.6 or 2.4. but i have so much grip. Im like a mountain goat on climbs.
2.8/3.0 tires were demonstrated again and again to carry more speed and have better rollover than 29ers. I dropped to 2.6 as its the widest that the new bikes will take. Remember though, Plus tires started with everyone converting their 29ers to 2.8 27.5s... it still works!
27.5+ is a great tire size, but I had a lot of problem with the sidewall flex in aggressive turns. However it might be fun to revisit them with a set of inserts
I own a 2016 Trek Stache 9 and Cloot Aitana 27.5 plus. Rule number one, tires need to be tubless! After that love the ride, almost compensates for no back suspension and is way easier to maintain. Only downer, and one would think the opposite, is riding tracks in the summer here in Madrid when they turn to sand. I find converting the 27.5 to 29 x 2.3 helps to dig in more and prevent loosing traction. I have scares as testomony!
running 27.5 2.8 Michelin e wild on my kenevo expert with tyre inserts, pressure wise 21psi, yes they are heavier but i can honestly say never ridden with more confidence and totally transformed the bike
I have a Stump jumper and marida hard tail I like to run both the 29er and 27.5 2.8 plus tires (+ tires makes the bike slaker) and on my stumpy I some times run mulet for the peaks helps climbing, I have ordered my fiancé an EBike with plus ties she loves the comfort and predictablity over ruffer ground.
I’ve been in 26+ since it’s inception and I’m still on them, (26 x 2.8 Minion 120tpi DHRII’s tubeless on 40i Light Bike carbon wheels). I love them and I’ll never go back to regular size wheels again. I’ve also got another wheelset, with 26 x 2.4 tires on 32i light bikes carbon wheels and I’ve done back to back rides on the same trails. There is no comparison, the 2.8’s are night and day better. There is way more traction, more cushion, (especially on small chatter, roots and braking bumps) better braking and more speed. And when I get my ebike this spring, I’ll be running them on it too.
1 psi difference is a lot for a plus size , you have to really spend some time to dial it in . I changed my 6 fattie to 2.6 front after seeing a video on rolling resistance that concluded over 2.5 on gravel no benefit was had, but it was clear a 2.3 had more resistance. Wide tyres in slop dont cut in so well but on all other occasions my 2.8 2.6 combo has been great.
I was thinking about them lately. The only problem I face right now is that ROVAL does not offer their 38mm wheels in 29. Any suggestion on good 29+ in wheels?
It might be worth mentioning that some of the first gen plus bikes arguably came with rims too narrow for the tires. I don't think sidewall squirm is as much of an issue with a 2.8 or 3.0 on an i45 rim, right? If I remember the first generation Specialized Fuse had 3.0 tires on an i28 rim (?)
I have 29x3" tires for my Stache (7 and Full Stache) sitting around. I'll try it on the Rail for the front at least, the Stache7 and Rail7 both have a Yari up front so clearance should be similar. :)
I've got a Framed Marquette hard tail on 27.5 x 2.8 " tires. I like it and I ride in some really soft sand. Sugar sand, it's almost like beach sand. The trails I ride on are not entirely sand, it's a combination of hard packed, loose and some roots and stumps. My old bike was on 2.25 " tires and tis bikes floats over the sand so much easier. I use to have to walk portions of the trails but now I never need to get off and walk. It does drift a little when I'm on a hard pack trail going down hill or carrying speed but I'll take that compromise. I'm looking at a full suspension bike and I think I'll try something around 2.5 " wide.
I’ve been running plus tires since 2017 and like them a lot. I never liked the 29” x 2.6 / 2.4 tire combo that came on my 2021 turbo Levo and switched to 27.5 x 3.0 specialized purgatory in front and a 27.5 x 2.8 Maxxis Rekon in back at 16-17 psi. My current 2022 Levo came as a mullet and again, not feeling the love for that skinnier front / rear tire combo I switched to 29 x 2.8 wtb Vigilante in front and a Terrene 27.5 x 2.8 Kennebec out back. Unfortunately both the 3.0 Purgatory and the 2.8 Kennebec have been discontinued
My 2021 Commencal Meta HT has 27.5 inch 2.8 tires and I find they absorb smaller trail obstacles way beeter than my previous bike did (2.3 inch 27.5 tires).
I bought DT Swiss boost H1900 wheels (35mm internal) dirt cheap on CRC, and have settled on Marys front, Hans Dampf rear both 27.5" x 2.6". I did buy Eddy Currents 2.8" but they are off the bike after minimal miles as they seemed way too sensitive to critical pressure-nothing less than 20psi or they squirmed badly in corners, they weigh a tonne and did reduce range, lacked decent feedback and were awful on wet roots, and as someone running Mud Huggers F/R (hey, I live in the Cairngorms!) the clearance wasn't up to the job on the Pikes at the front (also same with an RRP guard), so physically they didn't fit so had to go....(Even the Mary on the front at 2.6" just clears the thin mudguard, maybe it's the fork that's the problem, maybe the arch was set too low for these forks nobody expected plus tyres on them??)
I love my rear 2.8 dhrii and e-wild. Confort, easy, feeling. But definitely less precise, less strong and not the best in extreme situation. I prefer my 2.5 DD and my 2.4 Super Gravity when I want ride aggressively.
My bike came with 2'8 great over rocky ground but the rear had a stick ram through the tyre so put 2'6 on way better no roll - no puncher - same grip plus they don't float on the mud ,first winter I put a shorty on the front, straight away I noticed how much better it turn more flickable so I've never gone bigger than 2'6.
I have 2.4s on my XC bike (rarely ride it), 2.6" on my Orbea Rise and Norco, and 3.0" on my Stache (would love to see a full sus Stache emtb). I ride my Rise and Norco over longer distances and typical trails. I ride my Stache (I purposefully got a smaller frame with high rise handle bars, strongly recommend this) as a fun bash bike for shorter rides, slop, and some light snow. If I did have a full power emtb, I would likely go with a wider tire, they do seem to take some of the chatter out and are smoother over poorly executed hops over rock ledges and curbs.
I have pondered this for a while. In the last 10 years bikes have gotten longer, slacker, heavier, more burly and more capable...yet we're still rolling round on the same 2.4" tyres as back then. Embrace the girth!
I'm still riding 2.8" tires on my Cube Stereo Hybrid 160 (27.5" wheels). I get faster downhill times on every trail here in Ventura and Los Angeles County, CA when compared to my 29er with 2.4" tires. Maybe I'm faster with the plus-size tires because of the extra grip? I also feel less squirrely on the 2.8" tires. So I think they're still a good idea. I do feel slower on the climbs with 2.8" tires, but I'm not bothered by it.
In my experience plus sized tires are great in dry surfaces, except when there is loose gravel over hard soil. The large volume make the tires kinda float over little rocks. Same thing happens when theres mud. Skinnier tires are beter on these situations because they can dig the spikes trhu loose stuff and get the grip on the bottom. 2.5 tires are the sweet spot for me, but I have an extra set of wheels that i can put on my full sus trail bike and my hardtail some times. Its like riding a different bike.
I'm riding -19 Trek Powerfly 9.7 LT with 27,5" x 2,8" Michelin E-Wild front and back (40mm rim widht). The grip is so insane that it's hard to get the bike sliding when cornering.
hi, i run Michelin E-wild 2.8 on my Haibike All-trail in the winter on heavy clay mud and find they give me lots more confidence. so + tyres get a thumbs up from me 👍
love my 2.8 tyres except if you hit a patch of mud at speed as they dont sink in as much the narrower tyres and the front end goes where it likes and you lose the front end
