Sheldon Brown, here...
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/tires.html#:~:text=Wider%20Front%2C%20Narrower%20Rear&text=A%20wider%20tire%20will%20generally,some%20wrist%20discomfort%20on%20occasion.

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Wider Front, Narrower Rear
A wider front tire makes sense in many applications, however, when handling and ride comfort are considered. A wider tire will generally provide better cornering traction than a narrower one, assuming appropriate inflation pressure.
A wider tire also provides superior shock absorbency. I personally prefer a slightly wider tire in front, since I suffer from some wrist discomfort on occasion.

Best, Dan.

I have been making my rigid bikes “mini-mullets’ for a few years now - 26” wheels at both ends but 1.5 tyre at the rear and 1.75 at the front.  My logic for this is that the front end hits bumps hard so a little more tyre thickness softens the ride, while the rear wheel gets pulled over the bump.   I have the front tyre 5psi softer than the rear as it carries less load.

Have you ever replaced a threaded sprocket?  If so, you're familiar with most of it, the tough bit is removing the existing sprocket, then the carrier fits in it's place, in the same way (tighten it once the sprocket is on with a chainwhip, though the first couple of pedal rotations will do it anyway). If you've never removed a sprocket, there's plenty of advice for that which a search should lead you too. Once the carrier is on, the sprocket slides on and there's just the snap ring.  There's a bit of a technique, I'm not the most skilled at that, sometimes it pops straight on, other times it takes a few goes.
Tips - Put something on the carrier threads to ease removal if you ever need to, threadlock, copperslip, grease, whatever you have just don't put it on dry.  Have a sacrificial screwdrivers to lever the snap ring on, but don't wreck a decent one. It doesn't need much force to get it on, don't overdo it, if it doesn't pop straight on, leave it 5 min and try again (That works for me, anyway!)

This bike is still for sale and I will be re-listing on EBay shortly.  Open to sensible offers

I have a Mk 2 nomad where I have replaced the standard fork with a fork design for a Mk3 Nomad

the new fork is about 15 mm shorter crown to axel length which, when used with two 26 inch wheels Will give a slightly steeper head tube and see tube angle than the originally intended geometry.


As the mk3 nomad fork is designed to also accept 27.5" wheels, I am considering mulleting the mk 2 nomad

Mullet bikes for those not familiar, have a larger front wheel than rear wheel
typically 29 inch front and 27.5 rear
although plenty of people have tried it with 27.5 front and 26 rear.

Given that the new fork has a shorter crown to axle length, it shouldn't have as much impact on the geometry as it would to do this with a different frame.
(Ever so, slightly slacker head tube and see tube angle than originally intended)

Has anyone tried this yet with the mk2 nomad?


I'm running 2.5 inch Surley extra teresterial tyres.

I have a few spare front wheels, so I'm planning to try both of 26 inch and 27.5 inch front wheel with the same tyre for initial comparison.

If it works, I could always use a slightly wider tire at the front and it opens up options to the wider range of tyres available in 27.5.

Ewan