Can You Put A 29 Wheel On A Fat Bike?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Not all manufacturers advertise it, but

most fat bikes are interchangeable with 29er wheels

. (If you’re not sure whether your fat bike is compatible, check with your local bike shop.) Your typical fat bike wheel (26 x 4–5.0in.) has roughly the same outside diameter as a 29er.

Can I put 29er wheels on a 26 bike?

Though you can put 29-inch wheels on a 26-inch bike,

it’s not recommended to do so

. Why? Because there are huge differences between the wheel size, frame size (26er-29er), geometry, width, and weight differences; without a 29er frame, you will miss many things that can make your ride a more enjoyable one.

What is the wheel size for a fat bike?

In general, older fat bike models use

26” diameter wheels and tires while newer models use 27.5”

. Some 27.5” models could fit 26” rubber, but interchanging the two sizes means new wheels and numerous pitfalls.

Can you change the wheel size on a bike?


Changing the wheels will not change how you sit on the bike or the “fit”

. This bike uses rim brakes and a smaller wheel will force you to modify them heavily if it all possible. You can’t wing this one and doing it right is way more expensive than this or a proper fitting bike is worth.

How tall should you be for a 29 inch bike?

If you are under 5’6” tall, a 26-inch mountain bike is still likely to be a better fit. If you’re

5’6′ or taller

, you should be able to find a 29er model to fit you. Riders more than 6′ tall can rejoice: You’ll definitely enjoy a more natural riding position with the size and frame geometry of a 29er.

What is the advantage of 29 inch wheels on a mountain bike?

29” Wheel Advantages


29” wheels often feel smoother to ride due to the higher air volume in their larger tires

. The extra air volume acts as additional suspension – some say that it feels like having an extra inch of travel to ride the bigger wheels.

Can I put 27.5 wheels on a 26 fat bike?

Now many fat bikes come with 27.5, some with 26, and

some will accommodate both sizes

. Unless you experience persistent powder conditions or plan on riding year-round in dry conditions, wheel size should not be a make-or-break consideration.

Can I put 27.5 wheels on a 26 bike?

Condensed answer:

It’s possible to install 27.5-inch wheels on a 26-inch frame if there’s enough clearance, and the bike uses disc brakes

. The conversion limits the width of the tires and could also greatly impact the geometry of the bicycle to the point where the modification becomes questionable.

Can you ride a fat tire bike on pavement?


Fat tire bikes can ride over pavements and other surfaces

. However, they are slower on paved surfaces because their wide knobby tires suffer a lot of rolling resistance. Also, these bikes are heavier than most, and that makes them slower.

Can I put 29er wheels on a 700C bike?


A 700C tire will fit on a 29-inch rim – without any adjustments necessary for width and casing length

. A 29-inch wheel is the same as a 700C wheel. In fact, a 29-inch tire will fit on your 700C wheel without any fiddling with either width or length.

Which is faster 26er or 29er?

In the end, the

29ers came in 7.5 seconds ahead of the 26ers

—a 2.4-percent speed increase—without making the riders work harder, as there were no differences in power output, cadence, time spent coasting, work, or heart rate.

Can you put 29 inch wheels on a 27.5 fork?


Most modern 27.5 forks will not fit a 29′′ wheel

.

Can I put 24 wheels on a 26 bike?


All 26 frames can technically run 24 inch wheels

… doesnt mean its gonna ride nice! Thats why alot of companies make both 24 and 26 inch versions of the same frames… technically it doesnt lengthen the wheelbase because wheelbase is measured from axle to axle.

Can you swap bike wheels?


As long as you have the same sizes of rim and the same size cassette, swapping back and forth shouldn’t be any problem

.

Can you change a 26 inch bike to 24 inch?


If a bike has clearance for 26”, it can obviously accept 24” wheels

. However, the problem with rim brakes would still manifest because the braze-ons would be at the wrong place. If the bike uses disc brakes, this won’t be an issue.

Are 29 wheels too big?

29ers are often better suited to taller riders.


The larger 29 in. wheels affect the overall geometry of a bike frame more drastically than 27.5 in. wheels

. This can make it difficult for shorter riders (especially those shorter than 5 ft.

What is a size 29 bike?

29ers or two-niners are

mountain bikes and hybrid bikes that are built to use 700c or 622 mm ISO (inside rim diameter) wheels, commonly called 29′′ wheels

. Most mountain bikes once used ISO 559 mm wheels, commonly called 26′′ wheels.

Can a woman ride a 29-inch bike?

Fortunately, the bike industry always finds a way to expand our horizons, and has been able to adjust bike geometries to accommodate 29-inch wheels on full-suspension bikes for all sizes of riders.

More and more women have been ditching their 27.5-inch wheels for a new 29-inch wheel mountain bike!

Is a 29er harder to ride?

Ride Experience

Largely because of their lower attack angle,

29ers roll over trail obstacles easier than 27.5-inch wheels

. This translates to a slightly smoother ride and a bit less effort to keep the bike going.

What are 29-inch wheels good for?

The leading 29-inch wheel

creates a large contact patch that generates a lot of traction and lowers the rollover resistance

. While the smaller diameter rear wheel gives more butt clearance (a factor for some shorter limbed riders) and creates a quicker handling bike.

Is a 27.5 or 29er better?

Simply put,

a 29er offers more speed, efficiency and stability, while a 27.5-inch bike offers a snappier trail feel

. So unless you are particularly tall or small then the choice of wheel size very much depends on the trail you ride and your personal preference for the ride feel.

Are 26 mountain bikes obsolete?

26-inch mountain bikes are in steep decline.

While they are certainly not dead, they may be dying

. Larger tires are taking over so MTB’s need to be able to accommodate, resulting in many switching to a bigger wheel size. Hardtails are definitely not dead but they no longer dominate.

Can you put 28 inch wheels on a 26-inch bike?


The 26-inch wheels and 28-inch wheels are dissimilar enough that you should not try to switch one for the other

. The 28-inch wheels are too large to fit in a frame for 26-inch wheels, while the brake assembly on a bike using 28-inch wheels will not reach far enough to work with 26-inch wheels.

How much bigger are 27.5 wheels than 26?

27.5 bikes are only

1 inch

bigger than 26in bikes.

Emily Lee
Author
Emily Lee
Emily Lee is a freelance writer and artist based in New York City. She’s an accomplished writer with a deep passion for the arts, and brings a unique perspective to the world of entertainment. Emily has written about art, entertainment, and pop culture.