Much like conversion barrels on a pistol only amplify the fun I recently learned that with the right thru axle conversion kit I could make my 15mm mtn bike front wheel from my Giant Anthem XC bike work on my 9mm quick release forks. I of course had to change the tire to a more low profile gravel style tire to clear the fork since the bike is designed to use 27.5 inch wheels and this is a 29 inch front wheel.

For about $70 total I can now swap out front wheels on two of my bikes if I need to.

The total size of the wheel is the same but going to a larger (29 inch) rim and lower profile tire really changes the handling.

Before: 27.5 inch tires front and back


After: 29 inch tire up front 27.5 inch rear tire

Hope that doesn't work out like a lot of these kids with their tuners. Super low pro tires and they taco the wheel.

The front rim is off of a cross country mountain bike so it’s already an upgrade over the factory supplied Marin rims. The Marin wheels have already been knocked out of true once.

As long as I don’t run too low of a psi (and I’m OCD about tire psi) the 29 inch front wheel should be fine. It feels quite nimble and much different from what I was expecting. The hard part was getting the tubeless tire to seat onto the rim. Theoretically, I can run a lower psi than a tube tire but with this set up a higher psi feels better.

I’m wishing I went with a different front tire. The semi slicks the bike came with are amazing on both the street and gravel. I might swap out the front tire on my 29 inch wheel for something less off road oriented.