Mullet opinions

mxh

Likes Dirt
Quite a few bikes are now coming with the option to 'mullet' them - the manufacturer supplying links / flip chips etc so that you can run different size rear wheels but keep the same (or similar) geometry.

So what would make you choose a bigger or smaller wheel on the back? What difference would you be expecting to see / feel? Or as the geometry is the same, would it just feel the same? Or more to the point, why wouldn't it just feel the same?
 

Sethius

Crashed out somewhere
Had all the usuals 29, 27.5, 27.5 plus and currently on the mullet bus. Personally ready to go back to 26 for the sake to see what it's like again. My little slopestyle trid z was the most "fun" of all the bikes.
 

pink poodle

気が狂っている男
So what would make you choose a bigger or smaller wheel on the back?
I'd probably recommend the smaller wheel on the back and the bigger wheel on the front. I have no technical reason for this, just how it looks.

I ran a few bikes 26:24 a long time ago and enjoyed it. I don't know what real benefits I gained but with 2 of the frames it stopped my back tyre hitting the frame/seat before maximum compression of the rest shock.




Had all the usuals 29, 27.5, 27.5 plus and currently on the mullet bus. Personally ready to go back to 26 for the sake to see what it's like again. My little slopestyle trid z was the most "fun" of all the bikes.
They are still plenty fun.
 

mxh

Likes Dirt
Because marketing.
Well, yes - that's what I'm thinking.

I can understand that changing the wheel size (front or rear) without changing any other components will also change the geometry of the bike, so you'd expect some differences in the handling. But I can't really get my head around what you'd expect to gain by mulleting a 29er by putting a 27.5 on the rear with a new linkage to keep the geo the same (apart from changing the gearing, and the rear no longer having the 'rollover' ability of a 29)

Anyone care to / able to enlighten me?
 

Chriso_29er

Likes Bikes and Dirt
As a shorter rider, I have no trouble riding a 29er hardtail, but am wondering if I will running into ass buzzing issues if I move to a bigger travel 29er. Mullet might make sense from that aspect?
 

moorey

call me Mia
Well, yes - that's what I'm thinking.

I can understand that changing the wheel size (front or rear) without changing any other components will also change the geometry of the bike, so you'd expect some differences in the handling. But I can't really get my head around what you'd expect to gain by mulleting a 29er by putting a 27.5 on the rear with a new linkage to keep the geo the same (apart from changing the gearing, and the rear no longer having the 'rollover' ability of a 29)

Anyone care to / able to enlighten me?
My only genuine experience was trying a 27.5 front on a 26” bike and dropping 20mm travel.
I personally didn’t notice anything whatsoever. That said, I’ve got bikes that convert between 26 and 27.5, and I honestly can’t tell any worthwhile difference. The 26 ‘May’ be a bit more nimble. The 27.5 ‘May’ roll a little better….or it may be complete confirmation bias.
I’m sure jumping to 29 would be a big difference, but I’m a wee man…a stubborn wee man, and have no real interest in finding out. I really enjoy my 26 and 27.5, and they handle more than I can ever throw at them, as fast as I’m game to go.
 

mxh

Likes Dirt
I'd probably recommend the smaller wheel on the back and the bigger wheel on the front
Yes - my wording wasn't great. Most of the bikes with this option seem to be 29ers as standard, with the option to mullet by putting a 27.5on the rear. So I was asking what would be your reasoning for choosing the bigger or smaller rear wheel option.
 

DMan

shawly the least hangeriest guy on rotorburn
I shall weigh in and say I love my mullet. Flame on!
As a 27.5 both ends, and coming from a full S 29er, I found the front too twitchy and less stable. Since I went 29er front ( and dropped the travel to give the same overall bar height ) I find it much more stable and planted in the front end. Initially I noticed a difference in the rear in climbing. It would get held up on technical climbs more so than my full 29er did. And the rear came in quicker on tight corners. Now I don't notice it.
I'm not sure why you would go smaller front to rear though. Wouldn't that make it less stable?
 

Jpez

Down on the left!
My experience of mullets is throwing a 29 wheel on a 27 bike. Took a bit of dialling in but I really liked the end result. The extra roll over was very noticeable and the back end felt very manoeuvrable. I’ve ridden a full 29er big travel bike a couple of times and owned a mid travel full 29er and there is definitely a difference in the way the smaller rear wheel makes the bike feel. The 29er just being a bit harder to swing around and change direction.
it’s not a huge difference but if you’re tuned to your bike it is noticeable. In saying that I’ve just bought a full 29er and happy to keep it that way.
Of course there’s an element of marketing as with every aspect of MTB but I just see it as another way to play with two wheels. It’s all about fun right. So stuff the people that snort at mullets. I will agree that different wheel sizes looks shit though. My bike that I mulleted is now back to a 27.5 and it’s still a ripper, just different but I can look at it again without cringing because the different wheel sizes just looked all sorts of wrong especially on a bike not designed around it.
 

DMan

shawly the least hangeriest guy on rotorburn
but I can look at it again without cringing because the different wheel sizes just looked all sorts of wrong especially on a bike not designed around it.
You were going so well..... You didn't deserve it's mullety goodness anyway
 

mxh

Likes Dirt
I'm not sure why you would go smaller front to rear though. Wouldn't that make it less stable?
I'm not really suggesting this as an option.

I'm interested in mullet experiences in general, but most specifically the current trend of companies selling a 29er, then also offering a flip chip or link to enable you to put a 27.5 on the rear whilst keeping the same geometry. What can be expected to be gained from making this change?

Both yourself and Jpez have gone the other way and put a 29 front wheel on a 27.5 bike - it seems to be generally accepted that 29 rolls better than 27.5, so I can see this as an advantage. But why, if you have a bike that's designed as a 29er, would you want to put a 27.5 on the rear?

I’ve ridden a full 29er big travel bike a couple of times and owned a mid travel full 29er and there is definitely a difference in the way the smaller rear wheel makes the bike feel. The 29er just being a bit harder to swing around and change direction.
But how much of that is due to the fact that the 27.5 bike was designed around that wheel size? I'm not understanding how putting a 27.5 wheel in place of a 29, whilst keeping the geometry the same, is going to change anything.
 

DMan

shawly the least hangeriest guy on rotorburn
I'm not really suggesting this as an option.

I'm interested in mullet experiences in general, but most specifically the current trend of companies selling a 29er, then also offering a flip chip or link to enable you to put a 27.5 on the rear whilst keeping the same geometry. What can be expected to be gained from making this change?

Both yourself and Jpez have gone the other way and put a 29 front wheel on a 27.5 bike - it seems to be generally accepted that 29 rolls better than 27.5, so I can see this as an advantage. But why, if you have a bike that's designed as a 29er, would you want to put a 27.5 on the rear?



But how much of that is due to the fact that the 27.5 bike was designed around that wheel size? I'm not understanding how putting a 27.5 wheel in place of a 29, whilst keeping the geometry the same, is going to change anything.
I wouldn't do it to a full 29er as unless you have flip chip as it will drop the BB too much like you say. With a full 27.5, me changing to a 29er front and dropping the travel only increased my bb height by about 3mm. The only reason I did it was my 27.5 was too cheap to pass up. I only have one bike and I'd broken the chainstay again on the 29er I was riding. By changing the front end I got the stability I love with a 29er. I would have bought another 29er if I could have afforded it. But after saying all this it does turn in faster than my previous full 29er did and I feel I'm getting the best of both worlds.
 

wkkie

It's Not Easy Being Green
But why, if you have a bike that's designed as a 29er, would you want to put a 27.5 on the rear?
Same reasoning both ways. People say better roll over on the front end and more manoeuvrability out the back. Same end goal, just a different way of getting there.

I've got a mullet hardtail and like @Jpez was saying the rear is a little more light and playful.
 

mxh

Likes Dirt
People say better roll over on the front end and more manoeuvrability out the back
Why would it have better maneuverability? I thought that was a feature of smaller wheeled bikes because they could run shorter chain stays. But if the chain stays stay the same length, would this change anything?
 

wkkie

It's Not Easy Being Green
Why would it have better maneuverability? I thought that was a feature of smaller wheeled bikes because they could run shorter chain stays. But if the chain stays stay the same length, would this change anything?
Smaller wheel moves more easily than a bigger one.
 

beeb

Dr. Beebenson, PhD HA, ST, Offset (hons)
@mxh - The difference in axle heights make the bike turn a little more aggressively. In essence it's like having a low (and stable) BB height compared to the front wheel, and a higher (unstable, easier to initiate a turn) BB height compared to the rear wheel. Then there's the fact a 29" wheel has more centrifugal force than a 27.5" wheel, so the 27.5" wheel is "more willing" to change direction than a 29" wheel. Some people prefer the (perceived) quicker acceleration of the smaller wheel, or like the extra butt-clearance if hanging off the back of the bike or throwing the bike around in the air.

I've mulleted a 27.5" bike up to a mullet, a 29er down to a mullet (sans adapter link), and run a dedicated mullet frame. There is a difference in feel, but it doesn't change what you can ride - just the way the bike responds to rider imputs.
 

mxh

Likes Dirt
@mxh - The difference in axle heights make the bike turn a little more aggressively. In essence it's like having a low (and stable) BB height compared to the front wheel, and a higher (unstable, easier to initiate a turn) BB height compared to the rear wheel. Then there's the fact a 29" wheel has more centrifugal force than a 27.5" wheel, so the 27.5" wheel is "more willing" to change direction than a 29" wheel. Some people prefer the (perceived) quicker acceleration of the smaller wheel, or like the extra butt-clearance if hanging off the back of the bike or throwing the bike around in the air.

I've mulleted a 27.5" bike up to a mullet, a 29er down to a mullet (sans adapter link), and run a dedicated mullet frame. There is a difference in feel, but it doesn't change what you can ride - just the way the bike responds to rider imputs.
Thanks - I had considered the centrifugal force issue, but the axle height in comparison to the BB is something I hadn't thought through. That makes a bit more sense as to WHY it might feel different, even though the geometry, wheelbase etc are the same.

You'd like to think that there is some actual rationale behind these ideas, but it's sometimes difficult to get through the marketing hype!
 
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