Does 650b have a future?

[Grease_Monkey]

less than a cm in diameter.

It just changes your gearing slightly but roll over feels the same.

In fact bikes with longer front centre make roll over easier. This I have noticed

29x2.5" at the back, 27.5x2.8" plus tyre at the front. Measured at the centre of the hub there is a 1cm diffrence in height - at the top of the wheel a 2cm difference (this is obviously in height).

 

That's quite a big difference even when comparing a bigger tyre on a 27.5 wheel than the 29er wheel . If I put the same 2.5" non plus tyre on the 27.5 wheels the difference in diameter becomes even more apparent.

 

[Steven Knoetze (sk27)]

less than a cm in diameter.

It just changes your gearing slightly but roll over feels the same.

In fact bikes with longer front centre make roll over easier. This I have noticed

 

 

Add to that the increased air volume and grip for roughly the same diameter.

I think in the AM/Enduro are the 27.5 ans 29er difference is much less than say in the XC world where you have both running 2.2 at 3bar pressure.........

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

29x2.5" at the back, 27.5x2.8" plus tyre at the front. Measured at the centre of the hub there is a 1cm diffrence in height - at the top of the wheel a 2cm difference (this is obviously in height).

 

That's quite a big difference even when comparing a bigger tyre on a 27.5 wheel than the 29er wheel . If I put the same 2.5" non plus tyre on the 27.5 wheels the difference in diameter becomes even more apparent.

 

20190123_094825.jpg

so 1cm diff in radius, which is what matters. But that's on the 2.8 & 2.5. If we were comparing a 2.5 vs 2.5 then even more of a difference. 

[Grease_Monkey]

so 1cm diff in radius, which is what matters. But that's on the 2.8 & 2.5. If we were comparing a 2.5 vs 2.5 then even more of a difference.

Yup, and that's my point - it's quite a big difference when you compare apples to apples. Will be closer to 2cm difference in radius seeing as the 2.8" are extremely high in volume.

 

EDIT: And that obviously translates to quite a bit more than 1cm difference in diameter as suggested.

[DieselnDust]

Yup, and that's my point - it's quite a big difference when you compare apples to apples. Will be closer to 2cm difference in radius seeing as the 2.8" are extremely high in volume.

 

EDIT: And that obviously translates to quite a bit more than 1cm difference in diameter as suggested.

sorry meant radius.

 

But its still not such a big jump as a 26 to 29.

[jimmy hardtail]

So I was fiddling in my workshop last week with old wheels and frames etc. It turns out that a 26er with a maxims high roller 2.5 is only 5mm smaller in diameter than a 650b with an ardent 2.2. So why do we have 650b at all? 29ers are great for most things, I'm thinking of building a 29er hardtail jump bike frame next with a 120mm fork

[Grease_Monkey]

So I was fiddling in my workshop last week with old wheels and frames etc. It turns out that a 26er with a maxims high roller 2.5 is only 5mm smaller in diameter than a 650b with an ardent 2.2. So why do we have 650b at all? 29ers are great for most things, I'm thinking of building a 29er hardtail jump bike frame next with a 120mm fork

I don't get this argument, you have to compare like with like. You cannot say that because a 2.2 on a 27.5 is the same as a 2.5 on a 26er. A 2.5 tyre and a 2.2 tyre behaves completely differently - you are comparing apples to grapes.

 

2.5 tyres are generally found on trail and enduro bikes, 2.2 on XC bikes.

 

Go compare both with 2.5" tyres or both with 2.2" tyres.

[jimmy hardtail]

It's all about geometry. 26 inch wheels can still be fast

[jimmy hardtail]

I don't get this argument, you have to compare like with like. You cannot say that because a 2.2 on a 27.5 is the same as a 2.5 on a 26er. A 2.5 tyre and a 2.2 tyre behaves completely differently - you are comparing apples to grapes.

2.5 tyres are generally found on trail and enduro bikes, 2.2 on XC bikes.

Go compare both with 2.5" tyres or both with 2.2" tyres.

All I am saying is that the difference between 26 and 650b is way smaller than 650b to 29er

[Milkman]

It depends a lot were you live and the terrain you ride .

 

Staying in Potch , we ride a LOT of dirt road , and the conditions of the roads are pretty crappy - lots of sinkplaat . So we ride 29'er , and if you can afford it - dual suspension .

 

Most of SA's races are also more suited to 29'ers . 

 

How many top racers in SA and even internationally are on 650b ? I cannot think of 1 male . And the ladies that are on them are out of necessity- not choice .

 

Also - if you live out in the sticks, like I do , you will struggle to find a choice of tyres and wheels for your 650b . Even at stage races , if you have a problem and want to replace your tyre - good luck if its not a 29er . 

[Grease_Monkey]

All I am saying is that the difference between 26 and 650b is way smaller than 650b to 29er

Yup... that's how circles work

[Hairy]

that is not a bicycle ... that is a chopper without an engine

It's all about geometry. 26 inch wheels can still be fast

[jimmy hardtail]

26 can be fast. But 29ers are fastest. Why else would all the world cup dh guys be going to the big wheels? And as the geometry keeps getting better they are more fun to ride as well. Can actually smash corners properly now!

[popcorn_skollie]

I'm hoping that in the next couple of years we'll see a slow-down in geo and wheelsize development in XC to enduro bikes. 

 

We've already seen this in DH bikes. Most of the DH bikes nowadays have similar geo. It's come to be accepted that 63° HTA, 450mm reach, etc. is about the ballpark figures for a modern DH sled and few companies are going out of their way to radically reinvent DH geo. Now, they focus more on suspension and other smaller refinements. Similar thing happened in DJ and slopestyle bikes. Folks know what geo works and stick with it. 

 

However, the industry is going to milk this progression for all that it's got, so as to keep on selling more bikes with the 'latest geo and wheelsize'. 

 

I also think we have already plateaued in terms of geometry in general. While R&D should be rightly focused on refinements. Nothing sells better that wild new ideas.

[Eddy Gordo]

I dont think you can use sponsored racers as an argument point. They have to use what their sponsors dictate.

[Yo-Yo]

So the result of the poll so far are that most people think that 27.5 is going to be kept by the industry but mostly everyone is going to buy a 29r in the future.