In Blue Lug’s latest video, they dig into all things 26+ and why they believe it’s still alive and well. Watch the video and find a roundup of available 26+ tires, rims, and bikes here…

Looking back, I believe the first production 26+ bike was the Surly Instigator, which was officially launched in 2014 but teased at SaddleDrive in 2012. Coincidentally, this was the same time the Krampus was released, the first production 29+ bike. Following the Instigator 2.0, a few brands experimented with the 26+ platform, but the release of 27.5+ a few years later meant that 26+ as a standard was seldom used or seen outside of kids’ bikes and a few short-lived adult models, such as the Jamis Dragonfly.

These days, there are very few bicycles that come stock with 26+ wheels and tires, although there are still a handful that brag about being compatible. It’s not surprising to see Surly holding on with the Karate Monkey, Lowside, Bridge Club, and Ogre, and the Tumbleweed Prospector, Crust Evasion, and most modern fat bikes still accommodating 26+ or “skinny fat” 26″ wheels. The Stridsland Beachcomber is probably the only truly modern bike that’s specifically designed around the 26+ platform, and Matias Stridsland is on a mission to keep it alive.

Stridsland Beachcomber
  • Jamis Dragonfly Sport Review
  • Custom Orlowski bike

No doubt, 26+ tires are also becoming less common, but they still exist if you dig around. Available options include the Surly Dirt Wizard 26 x 3.0″, WTB Ranger 26 x 2.8″, and the Innova Podium 26 x 2.8″. Finding modern 26+ compatible rims/wheels is also becoming more of a chore, but a few solid options are still being produced, such as the 39mm internal width Velocity Dually and the 40mm internal width WTB ST i40 rim, which exist because Stridsland convinced WTB to continue producing them. Stridsland has a handful of 26+ components available from their web shop.

  • 2025 Surly Lowside
  • Evasion Trail 140

Blue Lug in Japan still believes 26+ has it’s place as a functional and fun tire/wheel standard, and they just released an interesting new 40-minute video of the team discussing the history, current status, and why they ride 26-plus bikes. Watch it below and make sure to turn on closed captions if you don’t speak Japanese!

With thanks to Matias Stridsland for the additional insight and for being my go-to contact for 26+ questions!

Further Reading

Make sure to dig into these related articles for more info...

FILED IN (CATEGORIES & TAGS)

Dispatch

Please keep the conversation civil, constructive, and inclusive, or your comment will be removed.