29 or 27.5 inch tires?

I prefer 27.5  I am not about going fast, I like tight, moderately technical stuff, and just cruising along trails easy.

Both.  I got the Foes Mixer Enduro — 29″ up front and 27.5″ in the rear.  The combo slays everything!

Depends on the size of the wheel. 29″ tire for 29″ wheel and 27.5″ tire for the 27.5″ wheel. Kidding aside, I prefer 29 on a hardtail or short travel XC fully and 27.5 on AM (long travel) bikes. I rode a RIP 9 in Moab once and while I had a great time and cleaned almost everything, it was a bit of a handful. I am of the belief that shorter people (i’m 5’8″) do not perform as well on long travel fully 29ers as taller people. That said, there are some newer long travel 29ers with some different geometry that may end that theory. The Canfield Riot is one example of a long travel 29er that rides like a 26er. The Foes Mixer is also a very cool idea.

reading the reviews on the Foes Mixer Enduro really makes me want to try one.

I just started riding a 29er, I have never rode a 27.5, other than a parking lot for a test ride, I’m coming off a old fisher cake with 26 inch wheels to a trek ex8 29er, and the difference is just WOW! Here in Las Vegas our single tracks or covered in rocks of all sizes, on my cake I would find myself going slower through rocky sections and navigating around a lot of them. On my trek 29er I have learned to trust the bike and find myself riding a lot faster and plowing right over the same rocks that I would slow down for.  So if you got rocky and roots all over your trails and like to go fast I would say 29er all the way, but like I said I never rode 650b

I prefer 29er because it takes the edge out of hardtails.

I am short so i prefer 27.5. I tried a 29 but it was to big, and I like having a slightly smaller wheel.

picked up a 29, tested the 27.5 29 felt better to me

27.5 all day long. Im a Small guy 29 feels to big n bulky.

I started with a 26. But now after shifting to 29, I prefer 29. The primary reason is stability in turns and downhills, not to mention that it rolls over a lot more stuff then my 26 ever did.

When I tried to go back and ride the 27.5, it felt small. Although it was great for doing bunny hops, jumps, and berms, it does not have the endurance, power, and strength of the 29. My 29 feels like a rugged adult bike, while the 27.5 feels like a toy.

For you, it might come down to a personal thing. I could see where a 27.5 would be good in dual slalom or 4-cross racing. But all my events are XC, XM, or Adventure Racing. So the 29 feels good during those events, while the 27.5 made me feel like I worked twice as hard (even though I think it was mostly in my head).

So I would make mine 29.
Your choice may vary depending on what you like to race or ride the most.

Cheers!

29er for most things, 27.5 for super technical/steep terrain.

I agree that after riding a 29er, 27.5 can feel small. But, as several folks have said here, it depends how tall you are and what kind of riding you do. I’m 5′ 11″ and I really like my 29er hardtail for cross-country style riding. For shorter riders, I think a 29er can be a stretch. For all-mountain riding, the difference isn’t as clear to me. I recently ran across this page that has a pretty good discussion of the pros and cons of various mountain bike wheel sizes: http://www.cheapbikes.org/mountain-bike-wheel-size. Happy trails!

I am 6′ 1″ I ride a C-dale flash 29er lefty and it is FAST! It is also sure footed in the corners. I tried a 27.5 and felt crunched up and had pedal strikes. Also as said above felt like I worked a lot harder to climb on 27.5. It was a little more controllable than the flash but not enough to switch. I have also demoed a 27.5 plus that I liked. That is also a 29″o-d. My fatty is 26 but o-d is same as my 29er. Only way I would go 27.5 is if it was + size, but that is me. 29er rolls over a bunch of stuff that I would not try on a 27.5.

How much does 29er impair on the jumps and burms?

Both – I like 650B (27.5) for its quick agility and I find it’s easier to haggle around tight, rocky corners.

But the 29 inch tires are nice as they tend to mow over more terrain, and seem to be easier for cruising and picking up speed in a straight line.

They’re both great options; just depends on what you’re comfortable with.

How much does 29er impair on the jumps and burms?

I don’t think it impairs at all with 29er wheels. I just pick my line and have at it.  You need to go ride one on the trail.