Press Release: GIANT 27.5: RIDE WITHOUT LIMITS

Press Release:


GIANT 27.5: RIDE WITHOUT LIMITS.

The off-road world now has three wheel sizes from which to choose. Through extensive research and ride testing, Giant has
thoroughly analyzed how each size performs under different riding styles and in varying conditions. Our findings show that
mountain bikes with 27.5-inch wheels deliver superior performance without the compromises of 26 or 29-inch-wheel bikes.
So to create the best off-road riding experience, Giant has fully committed its 2014 lineup to this superior technology.

Why 27.5?

There is a common misconception that the performance of 27.5 technology sits squarely in the middle between 26 and 29. But
as our data reveals, 27.5 actually displays some of the best characteristics of 26 and 29—and it never measures out exactly in
the middle.

When it comes to weight, 27.5 performs more like 26—it’s light and agile. And for efficiency and control, it outperforms 29.
Rather than introduce a single 27.5 model, as some of our competitors have, Giant is rolling out entirely new designs and
engineering solutions to maximize the performance advantages of 27.5-inch wheels. Here’s why:

27.5 TECHNOLOGY: Three reasons to believe

Lighter Weight
• 27.5-inch wheels are only five percent heavier than 26-inch. By comparison, 29-inch wheels are 11 percent heavier than
26-inch.
• Overall weights of 27.5 bikes also trend closer to 26 than heavier 29 versions of the same series.

More Efficient
• 27.5 wheels accelerate much like 26, outperforming the more sluggish feel of 29-inch wheels.
• 27.5 wheels roll over obstacles with much more control than 26. That translates into more efficient cornering,
acceleration and braking capabilities.

Better Control
• The larger the diameter of a wheel, the greater the contact patch of the tire. A larger contact patch results in better
traction—which improves acceleration, deceleration and cornering. 27.5 wheels provide a contact patch that is similar
to 29-inch wheels.
• The larger the wheel, the larger the frame dimensions must be—and that leads to unwanted flex. A flexing frame
causes sloppy handling and slower acceleration under heavy power. A 27.5 frame flexes less than a 29 frame,
resulting in better control.

1. Weight

Every rider experiences two types of weight affecting their ride: overall bike weight and rotational wheel weight. Here’s a
closer look at these two forces and how different wheel sizes alter the dynamics of your ride:

Overall Bike Weight 
Compare the weights of identically equipped bikes with different wheel sizes and you’ll see substantial weight differences. As
expected, the 26-inch-wheel bike is somewhat lighter than the 27.5, and substantially lighter than the 29 (up to two pounds of
overall bike weight savings from 29 to 27.5). Every gram saved helps you ride faster.

Wheel/Tire Weight
The overall weight of a 27.5 wheelset (wheel, tire and inner tube) is only 5% greater than that of an identically built 26-inch
wheelset. Compare this to the 12% increase of a 29-inch wheelset and you can see how a seemingly small increase in
diameter results in substantial weight gain—and poorer performance when climbing or accelerating.

2. Efficiency

Roll-over
Increased wheel diameter decreases the angle of attack (the angle in which a round object intersects a square object). This
is a good thing. A 29-inch wheel rolls over a 6-centimeter square-edge obstacle 14% more efficiently than a 26-inch wheel
does. In comparison, a 27.5-inch wheel rolls over the same obstacle 9.8% more efficiently than a 26-inch wheel does.

Another way to analyze angle of attack is the degree of impact—where 26-inch equals X degree, 27.5 equals X-4 degrees
and 29 equals X-6 degrees. Again, a shallower angle is better—so 29-inch takes the win, with 27.5 exhibiting nearly the same
performance but without the weight penalty.

Frame Stiffness
Lateral (side-to-side) frame stiffness can be affected by wheel size. To accommodate larger wheels, frame dimensions must
be elongated. Therefore, a size medium 29-inch wheel frame has more lateral flex (bottom bracket and headtube) than a size
medium 27.5- or 26-inch wheel frameset. Additional flex compromises handling under heavy pedaling or sharp cornering.

3. Control

Frame Geometry
The larger the wheel, the more difficult it is to optimize geometry, especially on smaller frames. As the frame size decreases,
head tube heights become higher (in relation to saddle height). On 26 or 27.5-inch frames, it’s less of a problem, but geometry
limitations can affect smaller 29-inch-wheel frames.

Traction
The larger the diameter of a wheel, the greater the contact patch of the tire. A larger contact patch results in better traction,
which leads to improved acceleration, deceleration and cornering. As you can see below, a 27.5-inch wheel has a similar
contact patch to the 29.

Giant 2014: The end for 26ers?

Artikel dicedok dari PinkBike.Com (Klik sini)

650B For Giant's 2014 Elite-Level Mountain Bikes

Giant USA released its 2014 bike lineup to the press and it comes as no surprise that mid-sized wheels play a large role in the brand's upper level mountain bike range. We were surprised, however, to discover that Giant will up-size all of its most important 26 inch all-mountain and dual-suspension trailbikes to 27.5 inch wheels, as well as down-size its 29er XC-racing hardtails and short-travel dual-suspension bikes to 27.5 as well. Giant will still offer its key 29er XC racing bikes next season and the Reign-X and Glory will be 26-inch only - for now - but the writing is definitely on the wall at Giant USA.

Many mid-size-wheel naysayers insist that 27.5-inch wheels are an industry-driven fad being pushed upon customers who never asked for it. After two years in the mainstream, though, the growth of 650B points at an entirely different scenario. While there is significant push-back from existing mountain bike owners, new-bike customers seem perfectly happy to buy in to 650B. Traditionally, cyclists readily accept significant, but incremental improvements in drivetrains and frame design. Rather than inciting a revolution, apparently, the 650B wheel is being accepted similarly - as a worthwhile performance enhancement to the basic mountain bike. I believe that Giant USA has done its homework on this one and could be poised to take a leadership role among North America's 'Big Three' brands. - RC 

Does This Spell the End of 26-inch Wheels For Giant?

Pinkbike asked Giant USA's Global Product Marketing Manager Andrew Juskaitis a few questions about the switch to 27.5-inch wheels:

PB: Is Giant USA eliminating 29 and 26-inch wheels from its XC, Trail and AM models for 2104?

· No, not entirely for 2014. Reign X and Glory remain 26 inch for 2014 and Anthem X and Trance X will still be offered in 29-inch. But that story will change in the future….

PB: So, there are no 29er XC racing bikes for 2014?

· Anthem X 29er, XtC Advanced 29er and XtC Composite 29er will still be offered.

PB: Will Giant follow this path throughout its DH range next year?

· Can’t answer that question directly, but you can imagine that if we believe so strongly in 27.5 for the majority of our range in 2014, you can guess what might happen in our future…

PB: Can we expect to see 29 and 26-inch wheels eventually disappear in Giant's consumer-priced bikes in the near future?

· 26-inch for sure, but 29-inch will be dependent on market feedback. That said, if the market progresses the way we believe it will, 29-inch will be phased out in approximately two years....again, totally dependent on market feedback.