Who makes 27.5 XC racers anymore? I dont want a 29er

simonfr

Advice please. Who makes good 27.5XC race machines these days??

I have a Scott Scale 710 2016. Carbon, 27.5, XT all round, weighs about 9.8kg (slightly modded and tubeless. Love it. Best bike ive ever had. And ive had a few (including Specialized Epics etc)
I
ve had a 29er (Cube SL LTD) - didnt like it. Didnt like the wheel size mainly. Wheels too big (for me).

Im 5' 5''. Ride medium frames.

On the Scott website, the Scale is only in 29, the Aspect just doesnt cut it. Canyon, the same 29 only. etc etc...... seem to have phased out 27.5 for this classof bike.

Its looking like the same situation wth my Scott Spark 10 (2010). Ive never found anything decent to replace it. Ok its a 26er, but still super nimble and fast. And why would i replace a perfectly good bike with something 'inferior' and more importantly heavier??

First world problems.....

Recommendations please? Anyone? Carbon Race 27.5s.....

steve_sordy

I am not an XC racer, never have been, and it's years since I owned a bike that could be called an XC bike (26" wheeled Giant Anthem X2). Right now I am riding the only 29er that I have ever owned and then only because I wanted to se what the fuss was about. I'm 6'1" so I have a wide choice of bike sizes that I can ride. Before I tried a 29er, 27.5" felt about right for me. My 29er is certainly better than just OK, in fact I may get another!

Maybe the verdict from the XC race world is that 29ers give a winning edge. People follow their heroes, and the manufacturers will follow the market, Sometimes they lead it, they in turn following their in-house experts' recommendation.

I am assuming that you have already looked hard to find what you want and failed to find anything. The market may have moved on, as it has in other areas. For example, try finding a post 2019 performance fork that has a 1-1/8" steerer or needs a 9mm skewer!

I wish you luck with your search.

mully79

650B has disappeared in xc bikes completely. I reckon its worth trying a 29er xc from the big boys, ie Trek, Specialized etc.
I always consider Cube to be a few years behind so it might have been a bad intro to 29ers.

oxoman

I'm no racer but have a 27,5 Anthem SX which i wont be replacing anytime soon having tried the newer 29er versions. For the trail centres i do i find the 29ers are to cumbersome although to be honest my best times are still on a 26 wheeled hardtail. Saying that my mates 15yr old races on a small frame 29er but definitely not XC stuff. Might be worth looking at the Trance as very similar to the Anthem.

steve_sordy

The Trance may look similar to the Anthem, but they are different. The Anthem is XC oriented, the Trance is very much a Trail bike.