COMMENCAL NEWS POWER-Which-Wheel-Size

POWER - Which Wheel Size?

29, 27.5 or even 27.5+... Our adult eBike range is made up of three very different models; the META POWER 29, the META POWER SX and the MAXMAX POWER. Even if they do all feature a Shimano engine, each of these bikes has its own characteristics and a lot of that is to do with the different wheels and tyre sections.

Not all riders have the same approach to the eBiking, and nor will they share the same expectations. Choice of trail and where and what you’re riding are also factors to take into account when deciding what to buy. So which wheel size is right for you? Here’s all the info you need to choose your next eBike!

META POWER 29

Wheel size: 29"
Travel: 160/170mm
Tyre section: 2.5

With its large wheels and long travel, the POWER 29 represents performance in its purest form. A monster up technical climbs with a disturbing downhill ability, it’s a friend to those who go up what they come down. It helps the rider through hard sections and allows them to find flow where they wouldn’t think it was possible!

Discover the META POWER 29 range

META POWER SX

Wheel size: 27.5"
Travel: 165/180mm
Tyre section: 2.5

As the name suggests, the SX is a piece of history at COMMENCAL. Whilst it retains the fluid and aesthetic lines it always had, it’s DNA is downhill, making it the edgy model of the e-range. A bike made to do as many laps as possible, jump everything in its path and help you through the toughest parts of the ride.

Discover the META POWER SX range

MAXMAX POWER

Wheel size: 27.5+
Travel: 150mm
Tyre section: 2.8

Clean, discreet, refined… the MAXMAX POWER is like one of our mascots. With a hard tail frame and shorter travel than our META POWER, the MAXMAX is built to go anywhere. Efficient trips to town, going to work during the week, family outings on Saturdays and of course, enduro trails with friends on Sunday! This is a real hard tail designed for all types of riding. It’s simple, it’s the extra large 27.5+ tyres that give it real comfort and grip!

Discover the MaxMax Power

FROM THEORY TO REALITY (THE TRAILS)

In theory, a 29" wheel is supposed to provide excellent grip thanks to the larger tread, but it also brings comfort. As the circumference of the wheel is greater, it makes it easier to roll over obstacles and it smooths out rough edges, providing comfort for the rider. The larger size also lengthens the wheelbase of the bike, making it more stable and ultimately dominating on the trails. So it's much easier for the rider to ride over obstacles rather than try to avoid them.

Thanks to the inertia of the larger wheels, the performance of a 29" eBike should be more efficient. With 29" wheels, the META POWER 29 goes fast, very fast! Above all, it is precise. The slacker geometry and longer travel have a lot to do with it. When looking for precision and efficiency, this is the one! It’s unparalleled stiffness and grip is formidable when going downhill.

In terms of rolling ability, the 29" is the smoothest and most efficient wheel size over all types of terrain, making the META POWER 29 an ideal travel companion for adventures and expeditions.

There is still a lot to be said for 27.5 wheels too, which combine a lighter weight with and a more nimble feel. Since the chain stays of a 27.5 bike are shorter, the wheelbase is shorter compared to a 29". The bike is therefore more agile and manoeuvrable. This is why the META POWER SX features the smaller wheels.

With generous travel (170 mm), the SX is able to power through anything with its very gravity-oriented geometry which gives it its edge on descents, handling particularly well with lots of speed.

As for the climb, the 27.5" has a lower inertia than the 29, making it particularly efficient and responsive in technical and steep areas. The META POWER SX is therefore preferred by riders who may not prioritise performance so much, but who are all about the fun!

Committed, responsive and lively, the SX is for those who wish to ride the hardest and most technical trails AND have a fun and exhilarating experience!

Would the 27.5+ be a compromise? No!
As the MAXMAX POWER is a stiff frame, fitting it with 27.5+ wheels was a choice of reason. With 2.8 width tyres, this bike means comfortable business, whilst its rolling capacities are increased tenfold thanks to a wide tread and great grip. The large tyres as well as the 150mm fork also offer more possibilities. For example, the choice of the right line is less important because the 27.5+ are more capable of smoothing the ground and guarantee more stability on technical trails. The rider can therefore get away with more and perhaps not have to worry so much about the nature of the terrain.

To conclude, the MAXMAX is ideal for those who want a bike that charges through the city and its features on the way to work, and those who want to have fun on the trails on weekends. A playful and easy-to-use ebike.

Take charge!

NICOLAS MENARD.

COMMENCAL ENGINEER.

How do we choose the best tyre size for us?

Nicolas Menard: First of all, we must respect the maximum recommended width for each of our frames. On the whole, the wider the tyres the more comfortable the bike will be during small impacts and it will have more grip on dry ground. A wider tyre will also help with traction through rocky or loose stoney sections for example and it usually brings confidence to those who perhaps lack a little. On the other hand, riders who like to be strong and push the bike could experience a possible blurry feel and a rebound effect from the tyres which does not favour precision.

Wider tyres are also not the best choice in the mud. A little narrower is more precise and comfortable. It's all about balance, that's why we don't offer oversized balloon tyres on our bikes. To sum up, tyres between 2.3 and 2.5 width on 29" wheels and between 2.3 and 2.6 on 27.5 wheels. This seems to us to be the most suitable for full-suspension eBikes.

How do you determine the correct tyre pressure?

NM: It is a vast subject which depends on many things; the weight of the rider, the terrain, the carcass of the tyres (more or less reinforced) etc. In general, when the terrain is very loose and uneven we tend to over-inflate slightly. When we're looking for grip, we will drop the pressure. Be careful however, not to descend with the pressure too low as it could mean more chance of punctures and reduce steering precision.

In general, a pressure between 1.5 and 2.1 bar is consistent on medium width tyres (between 2.3 and 2.6) with an intermediate carcass like what can be found on the META POWER 29 and META POWER SX. A wide tyre (2.8) like on the MAXMAX POWER offers low pressure capabilities compared to a conventional tyre. In any case, the best way to find the right pressure for us is to experiment and make decisions based on the experience and knowledge gained over different terrain.

On a semi-rigid frame like our MAXMAX, 2.8 tyres on 27.5-inch wheels provide significant additional comfort.

Is a rider's build better suited to one wheel size than another?

NM: In principle, the 27.5 wheels are better suited for smaller riders (less than 1m80) and the 29" wheels for large riders (over 1m80). Now however, we're able to make small 29er frames as well as larger 27.5 frames which are quite suitable. Size is one of the parameters. Take into account the choice of wheel size, but also what you are going to be riding and on which type of terrain, these factors are just as important. To determine all of this, don't forget to clearly identify what you expect from your bike to start with.