cst68

LOL its easy ...650 B does both 26" and 29" at the same time

650B carries momentum and rolls like a 29"

650 B climbs and accelerates like a 26" and has the same snappy handling and turning on tight single track as a 26 does".

http://1.1.1.4/bmi/cdn.bikehub.co.za/forum//public/style_emoticons/default/smile.png

Correct

...and handles mud well.

650B is a fast rolling big wheel that accelerates fast and climbs(and descends) well.

Thanks.

Thanks they only have Ralphs left.

Apart from Schwalbe Racing Ralphs and Pacenti neo moto and Pacenti quasi moto....are there any local bike shops that have stock of 650B tyres?

Were both tyres slant 6 or did you use in combination with another tyre?

Kenda 26X2.1 Slant 6 DTC SCT...Using them currently front and back .Good all rounder...meaning it it does many things reasonably well..slant 6 : ... is a fast tyre(but you get faster dedicated hardpack tyres) ..gives good grip in loose over hardpack(better than a dedicated hardpack tyre but a beefier nobbly tyre will grip better...but roll slower on hardpack) ...good in wet hardpack and wet loose over hardpack(better than a dedicated hardpack tyre but a nobbier tyre wil grip more and be slower rolling) ...acceptably good in wet muddy(way better than a dedicated hardpack tyre but not as good as a dedicated extreme mud tyre) ...good grip on dry loose stoney and rockey areas(much better than dedicated hardpack tyre and slightly less than nobbier tyre) ....good grip on wet(not drenched)loose stoney and rockey areas. .....reasonably good mileage...it has harder compound in the centre and grippier softer compound on the outside....remember that hardpack and intermediate tyres have flatter nobbies and hence may wear out quicker than tyres with bigger(higher) nobbies ?Some riders are hard on tyres...2 or more back tyres to one front tyre. If you want an intermediate tyre its good.It sets up easily tubeless with stans and inflates with a footpump. As far as very thick sand goes I have not found a tyre that does not struggle in thick sand.....tyre pressure? In changing race conditions it is impossible to change pressures without loosing time. As a combination tyre it is a viable option too...for eg ...front and rear agressive knobby...........................for extreme mud and all mountain ...front agressive mud knobby...rear Slant 6............for mud and XC racing/mountain ....front and rear Slant 6..........................................for light mud and XC/mountain and most conditions...reasonably fast and good all rounder ....front Slant 6 ....rear Kenda small block 8 ......................for light moisture and most conditions...faster all rounder with less grip at the back .....Front and rear Small block 8.........................................dry/light moisture and most dryer conditions...faster Weight is approx 700 g for Slant 6 and 600 gr for Small block 8. If you must have only one combination the Slant 6 front and rear will cover you for all turns of weather. Remember tyres cannot substitute rider skill.The mtb professionals can push the envelope further by their sheer skill and ability.Tyres are "horses for courses"....select the tyre for the proper application....what you gain here you loose elsewhere and vise versa.Train harder at bike handling skills in various conditions....tyres cannot compensate as much as we want them too. Slant 6, I like them. They are tough enough.

Happy medium for me=shoulder width PLUS 15 cm for no bar ends shoulder width PLUS 18cm with bar ends I have tried 685 mm riser bars( with and without bar ends) on many occasions and 640 mm riser bars (with and without bar ends) .Tried wider flat bars and narrower flat bars too. Riser bars work well when you need more rise than the stem and spacers can give...flat bars work better when you want lower than the stem and spacers allow...its really a bike geometry and bike set up thing. I keep going back to the 640 mm risers without bar ends.I am 1.79m tall. On gnarly downhill I have enough control and on very tight single track it responds faster to tight turning....something the wider bars do not do for me. For me climbing steep climbs with too wide bars feel like climbing a very wide ladder with my hands too wide apart. Horses for courses I suppose.

Ah man ...just read your post ...you beat me to it...great idea passing LHS in the dirt

........The next road race I am going to do on my mountain bike and I am going overtake the roadies from the left hand side on the pavement over the dirt....man that would be brilliant...LOL

....it's good quality bulls#@t and everybody loves it

Domestique Members 54 posts LocationGlenwood - Durban Posted Yesterday, 19:48 Best thing about 29ers... They have devalued 26ers so much that I can finally afford a decent second hand full suspension for under 10k. Caerus and TopFuel like this Like This KingK Worst thing about 29er...they are generally much more expensive than 26ers where for the same price the 26er will have better specced forks,groupsets and wheels ... %

Domestique Members 54 posts LocationGlenwood - Durban Posted Yesterday, 19:48 Best thing about 29ers... They have devalued 26ers so much that I can finally afford a decent second hand full suspension for under 10k. Caerus and TopFuel like this Like This KingK Worst thing about 29er...they are generally much more expensive than 26ers where for the same price the 26er will have better specced forks,groupsets and wheels ... %

Agree

You want entry level...for the price of an underspecced entry level 29er you can get a really good 26....by this I mean good groupset and fork and a lighter bike..... and then later you can later buy a top of the range 26 or 27.5 or 29.

Alternatively a new fork may be even more cost effective than re chroming.

Light sandblast to remove old chrome and possibly even powder coat in any colour?

Great to hear he had a say in what he wanted to ride within the factory team....so for that course he chose a 26 then. ...mmmm ...I wonder if Burry and Jaroslav had a choice in team Spez....judging by the 2013 lineup(29ers mostly available) by Specialised I am doubtful but stand to be corrected. Seems like Spez will be "forcing" new bike sales towards 29?Scott too for 29 with 650B included. My guess is manufactured stock must be moved before RSA winter 2013 . Then new bikes will come with 1X11(38 or 42 tooth) and 11-42 cassettes in whatever wheelsize sells bikes ....and my guess 650B will be launched ironically cashing in on its big brother the 29.Those who "refused" 29 then will be ready cash wise and otherwise to buy the new stock of 650 B . Its a manufacturer win win situation.

We may not always know what team orders are ....even for Hermida ,Stander and Kulhavy. A contracted rider will do what his contract says...

Yeah ? Can't think of any off hand.