I got this bike out of necessity as my 27.5 bike was stolen in 2020 (the summer of COVID). This was the only bike in my size that was available in my area at that time. I had been curious about plus bikes and was happy to give this a try. This is a nice bike (I got the Roscoe 8) with a decent frame and components at a good price point. At first I was noticing how this bike was heavier and not as nimble as my old bike, however after the changes I’ve made it’s much improved. First I went tubeless (BIG improvement - wheels and tires come tubeless ready) and upgraded the pedals and saddle. I took it in to the shop for my free tune up after riding it for 7 months and they tuned the fork and derailleur which has noticeably improved the ride and shifting. This bike is great at riding XC trails and will roll over just about anything. I’m liking the Maxxis Rekon tires. It's also pretty good on moderate mountain trails where the dropper seat post comes in handy on the downhill sections. I think this bike will be great for an upcoming bike packing trip I’m planning. So, in summary, this is a really good XC bike that you can make into a great bike with the minor changes I’ve mentioned above.

Not much. The weight is much improved going tubeless and overall has made handling better.