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Home / Mountain Bikes and Gear / Mountain bikes / Survey

What do You Think About Mixed Wheel Mountain Bikes?

Many mountain bike brands have addd mixed-wheel bikes to their lines in the past year or two, and we're curious to know what real riders think about them.

By Jeff Barber
July 11, 2021 Last Updated: July 23, 2021

9 comments

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Many mountain bike brands have addd mixed-wheel bikes to their lines in the past year or two, and we’re curious to know what real riders think about them. Choose all that apply!

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Jeff Barber

Jeff Barber has been mountain biking since 1992 and has tested hundreds of mountain bikes and components. He is the co-founder of Singletracks and serves as Editor in Chief. Contact him at [email protected].

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9 Comments

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abegold Arizona // 2006
Jul 13, 2021

Ridden 2 mullets both were fun bikes.

1 reply

sentientcalifornian 2018
Jul 15, 2021

bike designers have built mixed wheel sizes since the beginning of mountain biking when they were still called klunkers... craig mitchell, fairfax, marin county based made several versions including 24x20 and larger versions in the 1970s... charlie cunningham also of fairfax, inventor of several of shimano's better products and original WTB brain trust member promoted the mixed wheel design as superior handling... this seems reasonable as MTB are basically under powered motocross motorcycles... all motocross bikes are mixed wheel sizes because it works and the companies like honda and kawasaki etc. have spent millions of developing them... i would not put much faith in the opinions of non engineers riding MTBs when history and industry have already made it clear...
on the way to the trail head of repack in 1978 i mentioned to charile kelly that if i had an 80cc motocross bike with pedals i could take a minute or more off the record there...
well it's come to pass... full suspension MTB are exactly that, underpowered MX bikes...

1 reply

gerryg New Mexico // 2019
Jul 18, 2021

Capable and reasonable choice if you have the money, but not as practical nor for the budget-minded who might use same tires front/back, and you would need to carry two sizes of spare tube. I wouldn't want to use one for long rides in the wilderness. If I had funds for two bikes, I would consider it.

0 reply

phardman Massachusetts // 2016
Jul 12, 2021

Maybe good until you have a serious flat and need to install a tube? Now I have to bring 2 sizes on a ride, or hope I can repair the tire with something else.

0 reply

sentientcalifornian 2018
Jul 15, 2021

tubless with a dart kit...

0 reply

Sunspot Colorado // 2019
Jul 13, 2021

Actually, I run 26 x 2.7 tubes in my b+ 3.0's without drama so not an issue. As loosely as those hang on a 27.5 rim, they will serve in a 29 as well.

1 reply

baillie2 2016
Jul 15, 2021

My 29/27.5 mullet is an ebike, which may or may not influence the handling?
I am finding that ebikes behave very, very differently in DH technical terrain.......all that power......
But re: mullets......I feel it's more stable than my 29/29 enduro was going DH and more quirky on tech climbing, when the front end seems a bit light.
Nothing for nothing!
For now I think it's well worth persevering.

0 reply

RetiredVTUPSer 2014
Dec 19, 2021

Rode a Specialized Mullet earlier this year. It was ok, but the front wheel felt like a barge on climbing turns, rear wheel snapped right around. Nice but not for me.

0 reply

Sunspot Colorado // 2019
Jul 12, 2021

So, we get to relive the early 80's when Cannodale had a 26/24 bike... How innovative and stale is that? Only put it that way since the marketeers are portraying it as something supposedly new. Does it work, perhaps so... Not a bad thing and some will find it very functional for their needs and uses.

0 reply

Tagged: about, mixed wheel, mullet bike, survey, gear, mountain bikes

First published July 11, 2021 @ 2:24:16