650b

don

Well-Known Member
It seems like there is a lot of 29"er knowledge on this board. I test rode Ron's 29er at IRide up in Stowe last fall and could certainly see the merits of the bigger wheels just on a quick tour of their trails.

I don't have the room in the stable for another bike but as I've been reading about the 650B size it seems like I might be able to get that to work in my old Rhygin.

Does anyone have any experience or thoughts about the 650B size? Does anyone know which rims work? Can you use rim brakes? I'd love something US made to try to get that bike as close to 100% US as possible.

Some threads over on MTBR with guys like Pacenti and Mickey D @ Spooky have good things to say about it. And there have been some interesting conversions to the slightly larger wheel size on current 26" bikes likey the Surly 1x1.
 

TonyC

Active Member
Does anyone have any experience or thoughts about the 650B size?

hey Don,
I've been reading about the 650b wheel forums and I just don't get it.
It seems like people are liking the slightly bigger wheels on their current 26er frames, but why mess with the 26er geometry. People are having success on Santa Cruz Single pivot frames, but the increased BB height and tighter knobby space doesn't seem like a good thing.

My thoughts; I wouldn't have wheels built up just to experiment.
 

NJ-XC-Justin

KY-DH-Freddy
I would -- if my fork would accommodate a 650b wheel (with neomoto tire). My Reba unfortunately does not, but apparently all 08 and 09 fox forks and most rigid forks do. A Stans ZTR 650b rim is ninety bucks so build your wheel from there.

Check the MTBR thread on all forks that will fit a 650b wheel:
http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=392220
 

don

Well-Known Member
hey Don,
I've been reading about the 650b wheel forums and I just don't get it.
It seems like people are liking the slightly bigger wheels on their current 26er frames, but why mess with the 26er geometry. People are having success on Santa Cruz Single pivot frames, but the increased BB height and tighter knobby space doesn't seem like a good thing.

My thoughts; I wouldn't have wheels built up just to experiment.

How much is the BB being raised? I would think it would work well as aren't the SC BB heights on the low side?

I can understand the tighter knobby space and I'm hoping things will clear on my Rhygin's chainstay area. Fork shouldn't be a problem as I'm running a Surly Instigator currently but am looking to swtich to as US Made Fox or a rigid from Vicious Cycles.
 

jbogner

NYCMTB: President
JORBA.ORG
Rather than invest in a completely new wheel set, I'd just buy some lightweight high-volume folding 2.5 tires. Why spend all the money on a new wheelset when you can get nearly the same diameter out of bigger tires at a weight that's pretty much a wash?

The 650b proponent stock answer to that seems to fall into the "less tire squirm for tighter cornering", but $80 for a new set of tires is a lot less than $400 for a new wheelset and tires.

A while back I measured a 2.5 Timberwolf single ply tire (850g) I had mounted on my Uzzi, and the diameter was 27.25"- only a quarter inch less than the 27.5" outside diameter of the Pacenti Neo-Moto 2.3. With 2.5 Weirwolf's now clocking in at 760g, there's no weight advantage whatsoever to a 650b setup over a 26er setup with higher volume tires. And fat 2.5's are a blast on trails...
 

don

Well-Known Member
Rather than invest in a completely new wheel set, I'd just buy some lightweight high-volume folding 2.5 tires. Why spend all the money on a new wheelset when you can get nearly the same diameter out of bigger tires at a weight that's pretty much a wash?

The 650b proponent stock answer to that seems to fall into the "less tire squirm for tighter cornering", but $80 for a new set of tires is a lot less than $400 for a new wheelset and tires.

A while back I measured a 2.5 Timberwolf single ply tire (850g) I had mounted on my Uzzi, and the diameter was 27.25"- only a quarter inch less than the 27.5" outside diameter of the Pacenti Neo-Moto 2.3. With 2.5 Weirwolf's now clocking in at 760g, there's no weight advantage whatsoever to a 650b setup over a 26er setup with higher volume tires. And fat 2.5's are a blast on trails...

mmm, good point. My Rhygin is currently rigid and I wouldn't mind keeping that way although I've been on the lookout for an old Fox 80mm fork so a big volume tire could be nice to soften the ride.

As far as wheelset - the only way I would do this is if I could keep my current non-disc Phil Wood hubs. They aren't anything special but the front has been used by me off and on since '95. So it would be the price of a pair of hoops and spokes and tires - which, yeah, can add up but I've been wanting to get a more XC style hoop for a little while anyway.

I was thinking of going Pacenti's 2.5 up front w/ the Neo-Moto 2.3 in the back so the difference in the front might be more. I've also been thinking of keeping the 26" rear and going 650 just up front. Seems like some 69'ers out there that work for certain people.

So it looks like I will be thinking this one thru a bit more. And I'm guessing I should wait to see what is shown at Interbike for 650B stuff.
 
Last edited:

NJ-XC-Justin

KY-DH-Freddy
So it looks like I will be thinking this one thru a bit more. And I'm guessing I should wait to see what is shown at Interbike for 650B stuff.

There will be a few new 650b tires at interbike. And I would imagine more and more 26er forks made from here onward will have the extra clearance for a 650b wheel.
 

jdog

Shop: Halter's Cycles
Shop Keep
It seems like there is a lot of 29"er knowledge on this board. I test rode Ron's 29er at IRide up in Stowe last fall and could certainly see the merits of the bigger wheels just on a quick tour of their trails.

I don't have the room in the stable for another bike but as I've been reading about the 650B size it seems like I might be able to get that to work in my old Rhygin.

Does anyone have any experience or thoughts about the 650B size? Does anyone know which rims work? Can you use rim brakes? I'd love something US made to try to get that bike as close to 100% US as possible.

Some threads over on MTBR with guys like Pacenti and Mickey D @ Spooky have good things to say about it. And there have been some interesting conversions to the slightly larger wheel size on current 26" bikes likey the Surly 1x1.

I am pretty sure that standard rim brakes are a no go but there might be and exception with these (USA made) Paul's Moto BMX brakes:

http://paulcomp.com/frmbrakes.html

I am not sure if any of the 650b rims have a machined brake track though.


I actually just heard about guys running 650b on a Cannondale rush carbon with good success. This has me very interested as last year at interbike I rode every 29er dual sus I could and then a carbon rush right after. I loved the rush but I really felt like i was going to endo more often after spending 2 days on various 29ers. Those 2 days sealed the fate of 26" wheels for me.

I hope to get some time on a 650b bike soon but for now it has my attention. I have some Haro 650b bikes on order for the fall so we will have to see if this is a worth while setup.

i know for sure than there are many strong advantages of 29ers over 26 but for me the 650b might knock out the only disadvantages of 29 while still keeping most of the gains.
 

don

Well-Known Member
I am pretty sure that standard rim brakes are a no go but there might be and exception with these (USA made) Paul's Moto BMX brakes:

http://paulcomp.com/frmbrakes.html

I am not sure if any of the 650b rims have a machined brake track though.


I actually just heard about guys running 650b on a Cannondale rush carbon with good success. This has me very interested as last year at interbike I rode every 29er dual sus I could and then a carbon rush right after. I loved the rush but I really felt like i was going to endo more often after spending 2 days on various 29ers. Those 2 days sealed the fate of 26" wheels for me.

I hope to get some time on a 650b bike soon but for now it has my attention. I have some Haro 650b bikes on order for the fall so we will have to see if this is a worth while setup.

i know for sure than there are many strong advantages of 29ers over 26 but for me the 650b might knock out the only disadvantages of 29 while still keeping most of the gains.

Thanks J. I was thinking the same thing - the 650b have the best qualities of both 26" and 29" wheels. And it might be something I can get working on an existing bike which is even better.

I've heard many good things about 650b from Mickey at Spooky. I've known him over the years and he's got a great bicycle "head". I'd be very interested to hear what you have to say about how the Haro's work on NJ trails.

I was thinking the same thing about the Pauls. I know all the merits of disc brakes and actually finding stuff for canti's is starting to be a PITA. But it's something I want to do and I think for a SS XC bike that v-brakes work pretty well. Plus, using the Paul's will be another Made In US product for the build.

There is a guy on MTBR that just did a build w/ Sun CR18's and he's running V's in the back. I'll have to look more into that setup. So far I haven't found anything online about a 650B CR18 tho.
 

jdog

Shop: Halter's Cycles
Shop Keep
Thanks J. I was thinking the same thing - the 650b have the best qualities of both 26" and 29" wheels. And it might be something I can get working on an existing bike which is even better.

I've heard many good things about 650b from Mickey at Spooky. I've known him over the years and he's got a great bicycle "head". I'd be very interested to hear what you have to say about how the Haro's work on NJ trails.

I was thinking the same thing about the Pauls. I know all the merits of disc brakes and actually finding stuff for canti's is starting to be a PITA. But it's something I want to do and I think for a SS XC bike that v-brakes work pretty well. Plus, using the Paul's will be another Made In US product for the build.

There is a guy on MTBR that just did a build w/ Sun CR18's and he's running V's in the back. I'll have to look more into that setup. So far I haven't found anything online about a 650B CR18 tho.

Just keep in mind that the bigger wheels might be harder to stop.

I rode a Karate Monkey with V-brakes once.. It didn't stop well enough for my taste.

j
 

don

Well-Known Member
Just keep in mind that the bigger wheels might be harder to stop.

I rode a Karate Monkey with V-brakes once.. It didn't stop well enough for my taste.

j

mmm, very good point - I should have relized that.
 

tommyjay

Not-So-Venerable Asshat
One of those Haro's is MIIIIIIIIINE!

I gots my name all over a full-rigid, sweet steel Beasley 1x9 when it gets into Halter's. 650b is big wheel love for the short guy.

Don, Good luck with your 650b experiment (if you undertake it) - definitely let us know how the "middle child" of wheel sizes performs.
 

Mike679

Active Member
I've been toying with the idea of a 650B front wheel on my Stumpjumper. Not sure if the fork ('06 Fox Talas RL OEM fork) will accomodate it, though. I could probably find that out somewhere on MTBR if I was so inclined.

I would imagine I could correct the altered geometry somewhat by lowering the travel on the fork.

Or I could just go w/ a higher volume, greater width tire as someone mentioned earlier.
 
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