I have a 2017 Trek Fuel 9.8 27.5plus bike. With 27.5 tires, you get pedal strikes galore. With 27.5 plus its not so bad but climbing is a pain. With 29er setup, pedal strike is no longer an issue.
I ended up with using a 2.8″ 27.5plus tire up front and 2.4″ 29er tire in the back.
I definitely see the pepper spray being pretty useful for a city or commuter bike. I’d probably recommend getting it for a couple girls I know in my school.