Wheel Wars Part II: The Industry Veterans

[morgman]

Following up on our 650b piece last Friday, we solicited feedback from a selection of industry vets at Sea Otter as well as a few randoms.

Find out what the industry veterans have to say about 650b.

[Sanchez321]

This maybe stupid to ask but I really do not know or understand what is the difference between and 26' wheel and 650 B wheel is? some information on this would be nice, as I thought this whole series of articles was a joke at first poking fun at the 26 - 29 wheel war.

[xy9ine]

as the article states - 650b is 1" larger diameter than 26".

rim diameter summary:

26" - 559mm
650b - 584mm
29" - 622mm

[walleater]

I agree with Andrew Shandro. We need moar! 700D FTW!

[craw]

I am intrigued. The 650B thing seems like a good compromise to me. However I've been at this long enough to not get excited and rush out to buy a wheelset made up of the only rim/tire combo available. It feels like this is driven more by companies not wanting to miss out on the next big thing rather than addressing actual rider demand.

For now I'll just sit back and see if it sticks around longer than the 24" thing.

[mightyted]

I think the 650b thing could take off faster on the shore than in other areas. Given how much 29er hype has been landing here (Vancouver/Whistler), the 650b spec could be the wheelset more riders are willing to try. To me the idea offers a shallower learning curve for techy trails along with more options for longer XC rides. That and I'm really curious to see some of the rumour 650b specced bikes coming out over the next 18 months.

[nick]

European riders, magazines, and brands were very skeptical about 29ers when they first came out. In fact, it has taken them up until about four months ago to find out they actually really like them. However, no one likes to be proven wrong, especially by oneself. In order to save face, the Euros appear to be extra-eager to take 650b into their bosom. This way they can get their cake, eat it and still make it look like the 29er riders were wrong all along – even though everyone has been every nice and held off on saying “I told you so”.

Come on, you do you really believe that? The 27.5" has been pushed by demand for once. I believe the reason for the 27.5 push is that we realized the advantages of 29" wheels; but they still have many disadvantage as well, so 27.5 seem logical. In the end, all it shows (in racing anyway) is that the wheel size doesn’t make that much of a difference regardless of what some manufactures made us believe. It’s still the fastest rider that wins period.

[CraigH]

I'm wondering if in a couple of years that wheel size will be matched to frame size.

Small frame = 26"
Medium frame = 650B (aka 27.5")
Large & XL frames = 29"

A few bike companies make serious kids mtn bikes with 24" wheels.

[mightyted]

Originally Posted by CraigH

I'm wondering if in a couple of years that wheel size will be matched to frame size.

Small frame = 26"
Medium frame = 650B (aka 27.5")
Large & XL frames = 29"

A few bike companies make serious kids mtn bikes with 24" wheels.

I ride a large frame and 29er wheels would be too big for me.

Maybe Small and Medium frames at 26"/ Large XL at 27.5.

But I doubt even that. Too many riders, to many riding scenes for one standard.

[Oldfart]

Originally Posted by CraigH

I'm wondering if in a couple of years that wheel size will be matched to frame size.

Small frame = 26"
Medium frame = 650B (aka 27.5")
Large & XL frames = 29"

A few bike companies make serious kids mtn bikes with 24" wheels.

Back in the mid 80's Specialized and Ritchey made small mountain bikes with 24 inch wheels. I named the Ritchey the compact size. Si I think you may be right in that a persons size and wheel size may be linked although some say, 29 will stick with hardtail xc bikes, 26 for dirt jumpers and 650 for full suspension. I threw a leg over a Tallboy LT the other day sized medium. I hurt myself 'cause there was no standover. Yet I have no problem on the medium Highball.

[tashi]

I wouldn't be surprised if it shakes out to having 29" on shorter travel bikes (say up to the Stumpjumper/Tallboy/Shinobi category), with longer travel bikes going to 650B.

If there were tires available at the time, Specialized would have put us all on 650B in 1982 after all!

[CraigH]

Originally Posted by mightyted

I ride a large frame and 29er wheels would be too big for me.

Maybe Small and Medium frames at 26"/ Large XL at 27.5.

But I doubt even that. Too many riders, to many riding scenes for one standard.

You're right, I should have listed what type of mtn bike I was talking about. For my post above I was talking about what is normally called XC & trail bikes. For AM & FR maybe the wheel size range goes 1 higher?

I remember the 24" wheel mtn bikes. After the big manufacturers stop making them (I think Cannondale made them too), a friend from Arizona had Curtlo build her a steel HT with them. For people with short inseem, they work. Maybe XXS frames are 24"?

[biggles604]

Originally Posted by mightyted

I ride a large frame and 29er wheels would be too big for me.

Maybe Small and Medium frames at 26"/ Large XL at 27.5.

But I doubt even that. Too many riders, to many riding scenes for one standard.

That's a really odd, somewhat ambiguous statement? Why are the wheels too big?

[morgman]

Originally Posted by xy9ine

as the article states - 650b is 1" larger diameter than 26".

rim diameter summary:

26" - 559mm
650b - 590mm
29" - 622mm

650b is actually 584mm.

Originally Posted by walleater

I agree with Andrew Shandro. We need moar! 700D FTW!

You'll never guess what I picked up for a friend yesterday... at 587mm, 700D is actually only 3mm larger in diameter than 650B.

[connor]

best bike name ever.

must be fast... hehe