Does 650b have a future?

[Headshot]

On a smooth road the wheel size should make very little difference. I recall flying on the CTCT on my old school 26er HT with slicks. In fact I was faster than several previous attempts and it's my fastest time since 2000.

[Me rida my bicycle]

There was no argument when we only had 26er, then 29er came along and at first was called clown bikes but slowly most moved over because the advantages out weighed the disadvantages.

Now there's still the die hard 26er fans and then the 650b and 29er riders.

When I was riding my 26rs it was great, when I moved to 650b I believed it was the best and now on 29rs and loving it.

As long as there's a variety there will always be an argument of "why I believe myne is best".

Funny no one has headed to the 650b dual vs 29er HT or something weird like that.

[Baron]

I have a 29 er hard tail that weight 10kg and 27.5 dual that weight 11.3kg.

I use the 29 er hard tail for gravel road rides and the 27.5 dual for the longer and more technical rides.

I will l use the 29 er one day and the 27.5 the next day and the wheel size is no big issue. Enjoy both for what I use them for. As I am a small rider, I feel more comfortable on the 27.5 bike on very technical routes.

For me bike weight is a much bigger factor than wheel size. I once did a race with a borrowed bike that was 2kg heavier than my bike, when my shock was in for a service. It was a race that had the same route every month, the distance was 80km with lots of climbs and I was almost 30 minutes slower with the heavier bike than with my lighter bike.

 

 

[Me rida my bicycle]

I have a 29 er hard tail that weight 10kg and 27.5 dual that weight 11.3kg.

I use the 29 er hard tail for gravel road rides and the 27.5 dual for the longer and more technical rides.

I will l use the 29 er one day and the 27.5 the next day and the wheel size is no big issue. Enjoy both for what I use them for. As I am a small rider, I feel more comfortable on the 27.5 bike on very technical routes.

For me bike weight is a much bigger factor than wheel size. I once did a race with a borrowed bike that was 2kg heavier than my bike, when my shock was in for a service. It was a race that had the same route every month, the distance was 80km with lots of climbs and I was almost 30 minutes slower with the heavier bike than with my lighter bike.

 

weight could have been a factor but if your set up was incorrect that could also have been a big factor.

A friend of mine had a set up done after riding her bike for long time with no pain.

It was just something she wanted to do and the difference in her riding was immediately noticeable.

I have done faster times on overall heavier bikes but the wheels were lighter and the gear ratios wider.

[DieselnDust]

weight could have been a factor but if your set up was incorrect that could also have been a big factor.

A friend of mine had a set up done after riding her bike for long time with no pain.

It was just something she wanted to do and the difference in her riding was immediately noticeable.

I have done faster times on overall heavier bikes but the wheels were lighter and the gear ratios wider.

 

 

don't forget Baron says they are a smaller rider therefore likely pretty light. The lighter you he more the bikes weight factors into your power to weight ratio

[Rouxenator]

27.5" was a mistake. They made 29" and then got the memo to change it by 1.5 - meaning make a 30.5 - but no.... they got it wrong.

 

Seriously I would like 36er to become more mainstream. 

 

26er is dead. I have one, near impossible to find wheels / tyres. 

[MrJacques]

650a is the real 27.5

[MrJacques]

27.5" was a mistake. They made 29" and then got the memo to change it by 1.5 - meaning make a 30.5 - but no.... they got it wrong.

 

Seriously I would like 36er to become more mainstream. 

 

26er is dead. I have one, near impossible to find wheels / tyres. 

 

I stockpiled 26" tyres for myself. Still riding a 26er FS. At this stage the outdated geo is a bigger issue than the wheel size for me. I'm torn between getting a 650b / 29er, but will probably get a 29er when I upgrade.

[Hairy]

you need to chat to the boys at Stoke, they have a great selection of 26'er tyres.

27.5" was a mistake. They made 29" and then got the memo to change it by 1.5 - meaning make a 30.5 - but no.... they got it wrong.

 

Seriously I would like 36er to become more mainstream. 

 

26er is dead. I have one, near impossible to find wheels / tyres. 

[Rouxenator]

I enjoy the odd ride on my 26er HT. It's 15 years old and the straight steerer and other "older" design aspects gives it a different feel to my 29er. It's also a medium whereas I ride XL, but 29 is the defacto standard these days. 

 

What is concerning to me is just as fast as 26ers started to become a rare sight, I now see a vast decrease in the amount of riders on real bikes (hard tail). Most are FS (freakin softies).  

[Me rida my bicycle]

don't forget Baron says they are a smaller rider therefore likely pretty light. The lighter you he more the bikes weight factors into your power to weight ratio

I don't know about power to weight I am so heavy doesn't matter if I am on a 8kg or 12kg bike makes no difference still going slowly????????

[Headshot]

I enjoy the odd ride on my 26er HT. It's 15 years old and the straight steerer and other "older" design aspects gives it a different feel to my 29er. It's also a medium whereas I ride XL, but 29 is the defacto standard these days. 

 

What is concerning to me is just as fast as 26ers started to become a rare sight, I now see a vast decrease in the amount of riders on real bikes (hard tail). Most are FS (freakin softies).  

A modern geo HT like my 26" wheeled steel bike is a totally different kettle of fish to an old school geo HT, which were little more than road bikes in drag. 

 

I got on an ancient Giant ATX 760 over the holidays. 580mm bars, rigid front end, cantilver brakes. The wheel size was not the biggest issue holding it back, as you can imagine. I think my road bike would have been easier to ride off road.

 

And Stoke always have some 26er tyres in stock. Maxxis Ardents are a good option. 

[Hairy]

I did a very short stint on a 29'er HT at the beginning of the holiday's .... the suspension was shocking on this particular bike, the handle bars were nearly as short as Meezo and the stem was a proper barge pole ... the brakes felt like the pads were contaminated .... that short stint was one of the scariest rides of my life on a bicycle.

[Headshot]

I did a very short stint on a 29'er HT at the beginning of the holiday's .... the suspension was shocking on this particular bike, the handle bars were nearly as short as Meezo and the stem was a proper barge pole ... the brakes felt like the pads were contaminated .... that short stint was one of the scariest rides of my life on a bicycle.

To make matters worse, the bike I tried had a Town and Country on the front and those 1990's pedal cages with straps. Not to mention the 120mm (at least) stem.

[Hairy]

lol ... I used to have a set of Town and Countries on my old Gary Fisher Hoo Koo E Koo for commuting, they were certainly more town than country!

 

 

To make matters worse, the bike I tried had a Town and Country on the front and those 1990's pedal cages with straps. Not to mention the 120mm (at least) stem.

[vulgar]

In my opinion (and i am in the trade) finding 26er tubless tyres is as scarce as chicken teeth...if you have a 26er buy stock. BE advised.

 

The industry thought they can stop 26er move on to 27.5 inch, the only guys doing it successfully is the D.H guys.

Sad thing though about 27.5 market is the kids suffer, not all of them can handle the bigger wheel where the 26er was far easier...

 

29er is here to stay!!!