Business up front, party in the back

[take-good-care-of-the-forest-dewey]

... Or the Mullet bike trend.

What are your thoughts, have you tried one?

I recently got a Pole Taival hardtail which comes as a 29er but works with 27.5+.

Pole are at the extreme end of the longer slacker mtb experiment, and as this bike was replacing a fat bike, I decided to pick up some wide 27.5 wheels to try out plus sized riding.

However, given all the hype about mullets, I thought I'd try swapping out just the rear first.

I have say I'm a convert, the added comfort at the rear is brilliant. The bike feels more agile in this set up, and you still get that front end grip and confidence associated with the 29er. 29 is a lighter set up too so retaining the 29 front allows the suspension to work better.

The only negative is it further slackens the HA, which is already DH bike of old slack, so slow speed DH switch backs are a bit more of an effort... Just need to ride faster.

I'd be interested to hear if anyone has tried it on a full sus. I suspect the benefits are less in that application.

[DaveyBoyWonder]

I remember when it was a "thing" around 2002/2003 but people running 24" rears and then it resurfaced with Singular and Trek among a few others running 26" rears and 29" fronts. Marketed as the next big thing... died out shortly after.

Not ridden a 29/27.5...

[GraemeP]

I thought the only real advantage of a mullet was for shorter legged dudes to run a niner out front, without tyre buzzing when hanging off the back of her??

[vwsurfbum]

have a watch of this, simplified answer to your question.
https://www.vitalmtb.com/features/TRAIL-BIKE-MULLE...

[take-good-care-of-the-forest-dewey]

DaveyBoyWonder said:

I remember when it was a "thing" around 2002/2003 but people running 24" rears and then it resurfaced with Singular and Trek among a few others running 26" rears and 29" fronts. Marketed as the next big thing... died out shortly after.

Not ridden a 29/27.5...

Wasn't it the original spesh demo with 24 rear?

ETA not demo that came later... Big hit.

Edited by take-good-care-of-the-forest-dewey on Thursday 2nd January 05:00

[Crippo]

Yep, agree.
I had a Trek 69er years ago and the handling was a big step up. I’m on a Merida e160 9k with the mullet set up. Got 3 friends all switching to mullet and they are handling freaks and they al, agree it’s bettter.
This will have legs.....

[DaveyBoyWonder]

take-good-care-of-the-forest-dewey said:

Wasn't it the original spesh demo with 24 rear?

ETA not demo that came later... Big hit.

Edited by take-good-care-of-the-forest-dewey on Thursday 2nd January 05:00

Few people were doing it in the freeride craze around that time but in 26" and 24" specific frames. Specialized were the first (I think unless you're counting proper old skool Yeti (?) trials bikes) to make it mainstream with the Big Hit. I had a 2003 frame and while it was brilliant, all I ever wanted was the 26" rear end for it from Goldtec!

[G0ldfysh]

Is this a good way to drive up prices of the old 26er frames still in bike shop stock?
Stick a 29er fork on front, slap on a chunky 26er rear tyre and job jobbed?

[wanders off to shed to look at old Commencal HT frame and spare forks]

Could be interesting.