650B...ollocks?

Thewaylander

Don't agree...

EH_Rob

you'll still be able to get one if you want. which i might.

thelonegroover

We are currently in a transition phase from 26er to 650b, I predict most bike designers will adopt 650b in place of their current 26ers. I think it’s been proved 650b has some of the advantages of a 26er and a 29er but fewer of the disadvantages.
29ers will continue as the other option as there is a greater difference in wheel size. This transition has already started but may take a while to complete. But, I bet by 2020 you’ll find it very difficult to find a 26er.

EH_Rob

ill be buying a new bike before 2020, so i have no idea what you're on about.

even then i suspect you're wrong.

Dannydarlo19

lawman wrote:

Dannydarlo19 wrote:

Can you convert a standard 26 frame to suit 650b?

depends on the frame. Can be done on some but I wouldn't recommend it. Both my bikes can take 650b's and 26er wheels, but unless its a 650b specific frame I'd stay with 26ers.

And what the beginner says really didn't make any sense to me either...

I have a cube acid 2012?

Thewaylander

I honest don't see 26" ever leaving the market.

Most bikes i see are 26" and im not convinced 650b will over take it. 29" is gonna be a strong market force im sure though.

benpinnick

26 will be all but dead by the 2015 model year. At that time only a few companies will be making 26 IMHO. You'll still be able to buy them, but unless you want a BSO most high street shops will be only 650/29 for the higher end (500+).

I ride 650 now, I like it. Its mainly like 26 but like having better tyres. Its not so much greater I would consider ditching a good 26 for, but if I were in the market for fast a furious fun on any terrain, I think 650 would be my choice. 29ers will continue to improve and narrow the gap, but I think that 650 will develop more long travel but good uphill options that will set them apart from 29ers, which while getting better every day, will never quite get the edge on the big terrain. Oh, and for the above reasons I think Specialized are in for a world of pain in the next 2-3 years - they are really behind the curve on the 650b. Trek are too, but I think Trek probably have some stuff in the wings, whereas I think Specialized have just hoped 650 would die. Bad call.

lawman

I agree with Benpinnick. If done well they could really offer an advantage over 26ers with fewer drawbacks than 29ers. The thing I like most about 650b is the increased axle/bb difference. I noticed with 29ers I was sat in the bike rather than on it. I didn't like the less playful nature however, but I will admit I felt faster on the 29ers I've tried. They just weren't as fun. 650b offers a degree more of that sat in feel than some 26ers and are more playful than 29ers and the geometry can be kept similar to 26ers. I think 650b is going to rule for anything 120mm + and 29ers will be mainly for XC. DH will be split between 26 and 650b, dependant on the course and I imagine we'll be seeing some very interesting stuff at the worlds in South Africa later this year, as its so pedals I think the extra speed of 650b wheels will rule the roost there, be interesting to see what the teams come up with!

bennett_346

I hate the feeling of being sat in the bike, even 650b would be a step too close to this for me unfortunately.

Thewaylander

I fail still to be convinced this is the death of 26" its just been ingrained too long to die in a couple of years.

it may decline of the next 10 years but i still doubt it, too many people like me that think your all hippies

ddraver

you ll learn....(maybe)

supersonic

The thing I like most about 650b is the increased axle/bb difference

You must be pretty sensitive to changes if you can feel the axles being 12.5mm higher!

I think that eventually 26ers will become rarer and rarer - until the manufacturers reinvent them down the line.

lawman

bennett_346 wrote:

I hate the feeling of being sat in the bike, even 650b would be a step too close to this for me unfortunately.

It's all that personal preference stuff again isn't it! I think that's the biggest thing people ignore when looking at wheel size, it's just like any other factor of a bike, you gotta try it and see what works for you. Obviously there will be trends and certain things will be more popular than others, but at the end of the day it's down to the individual to decide what works best for them. Whether that fits in with the latest standard or trend becomes irrelevant altogether

The thing I like most about 650b is the increased axle/bb difference

You must be pretty sensitive to changes if you can feel the axles being 12.5mm higher!

I think that eventually 26ers will become rarer and rarer - until the manufacturers reinvent them down the line.

I'm just rather fussy about my bike setup! I noticed it most comparing the yeti sb95 and sb66, felt a lot more perched on the sb66 than the 95. The sb95 is the quickest bike I've ever ridden, no doubts at all IMO, but it wasn't fun. On paper 650b should suit me down to the ground!

bennett_346

lawman wrote:

bennett_346 wrote:

I hate the feeling of being sat in the bike, even 650b would be a step too close to this for me unfortunately.

It's all that personal preference stuff again isn't it! I think that's the biggest thing people ignore when looking at wheel size, it's just like any other factor of a bike, you gotta try it and see what works for you. Obviously there will be trends and certain things will be more popular than others, but at the end of the day it's down to the individual to decide what works best for them. Whether that fits in with the latest standard or trend becomes irrelevant altogether

The thing I like most about 650b is the increased axle/bb difference

You must be pretty sensitive to changes if you can feel the axles being 12.5mm higher!

I think that eventually 26ers will become rarer and rarer - until the manufacturers reinvent them down the line.

I'm just rather fussy about my bike setup! I noticed it most comparing the yeti sb95 and sb66, felt a lot more perched on the sb66 than the 95. The sb95 is the quickest bike I've ever ridden, no doubts at all IMO, but it wasn't fun. On paper 650b should suit me down to the ground!

Oh yeah i'm not having a go at 650b, i just know withoiut having ridden one that the "benefits" don't apply to me because i prefer the opposite of the feel they're supposed to give. If it fits someone else's needs better i take no issue to that.

lawman

Christ we actually agree on something for once!!

bennett_346

There's a rare moment!

The Rookie

I really don't see 26" disapearing as fast as the doomsayers predict, a frame has a life of about 4-5 years, so any frame just launched will be wanting 26" rims until 2019 at least, I do see we may progressively loose some 26ers where the 'benefits' of 650B are more obvious, but doubt we will see 26ers disapear at most points of the scale until 2021 at least....by which time I'll be too old to care!

rockmonkeysc

For downhill at least 26" will be around for a while. New models are still coming out with 26" wheels and a few teams who have tested 650B are still racing 26".

felix.london

I want adjustable wheel sizes. I want a huge red lever on the handlebar (like a CTD lever but much, much bigger - one armed bandit style) and I can set my wheel size on the fly.

bennett_346

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZb27h-aF1g

Kowalski675

felix.london wrote:

I want adjustable wheel sizes. I want a huge red lever on the handlebar (like a CTD lever but much, much bigger - one armed bandit style) and I can set my wheel size on the fly.

Sounds like the future.

97th choice

Most current 29er owners are simply waiting for a reasonable period of time to elapse so that they can go back to owning 26ers without looking stupid.

Kowalski675

I can't help wondering how much of all the big wheel hype is manufacturers trying to convince us that we all need to buy expensive new bikes. People point to the big wheel bikes winning top level races now, but how much of that is manufacturers putting big wheelers under their sponsored riders for marketing and sales benfits? I'm borrowing a 120 travel 29er this weekend to try one for myself, but I can't help feeling it's not the direction I want to go. I don't care about going faster if it's less fun - I'm not a racer. I want to have fun, and if riding stops being fun then I won't want to go out and do it (I've got an absolutely gorgeous motorbike sat under a cover that I've not touched yet this year, despite it being the bike I wanted for 3 years before I bought it, because riding (motor)bikes just isn't lighting my fire like it used to). A couple of weekends ago I had more fun bashing my cheap Kraken round Gisburn than I've had on a 150mph motorbike for ages, and I don't want a bike that's going to take the fun out of riding, when I've only just got into it.

felix.london

97th choice wrote:

Most current 29er owners are simply waiting for a reasonable period of time to elapse so that they can go back to owning 26ers without looking stupid.

thelonegroover

Kowalski675 wrote:

I can't help wondering how much of all the big wheel hype is manufacturers trying to convince us that we all need to buy expensive new bikes. People point to the big wheel bikes winning top level races now, but how much of that is manufacturers putting big wheelers under their sponsored riders for marketing and sales benfits? I'm borrowing a 120 travel 29er this weekend to try one for myself, but I can't help feeling it's not the direction I want to go. I don't care about going faster if it's less fun - I'm not a racer. I want to have fun, and if riding stops being fun then I won't want to go out and do it (I've got an absolutely gorgeous motorbike sat under a cover that I've not touched yet this year, despite it being the bike I wanted for 3 years before I bought it, because riding (motor)bikes just isn't lighting my fire like it used to). A couple of weekends ago I had more fun bashing my cheap Kraken round Gisburn than I've had on a 150mph motorbike for ages, and I don't want a bike that's going to take the fun out of riding, when I've only just got into it.

I’ve bashed a number of bikes around Gisburn forest lots of times, both 26ers and 29ers, full sus, steel and aly. I’ve had the same fun on each one, regardless of wheel size.
There is one this I have noticed though. On the rough fire roads, the 29er is smoother over the small rocks.

Thewaylander

bashed a 29" on a test ride hated it passionately if im honest. but thats life.

Kowalski675

Thelonegroover wrote:

Kowalski675 wrote:

I can't help wondering how much of all the big wheel hype is manufacturers trying to convince us that we all need to buy expensive new bikes. People point to the big wheel bikes winning top level races now, but how much of that is manufacturers putting big wheelers under their sponsored riders for marketing and sales benfits? I'm borrowing a 120 travel 29er this weekend to try one for myself, but I can't help feeling it's not the direction I want to go. I don't care about going faster if it's less fun - I'm not a racer. I want to have fun, and if riding stops being fun then I won't want to go out and do it (I've got an absolutely gorgeous motorbike sat under a cover that I've not touched yet this year, despite it being the bike I wanted for 3 years before I bought it, because riding (motor)bikes just isn't lighting my fire like it used to). A couple of weekends ago I had more fun bashing my cheap Kraken round Gisburn than I've had on a 150mph motorbike for ages, and I don't want a bike that's going to take the fun out of riding, when I've only just got into it.

I’ve bashed a number of bikes around Gisburn forest lots of times, both 26ers and 29ers, full sus, steel and aly. I’ve had the same fun on each one, regardless of wheel size.
There is one this I have noticed though. On the rough fire roads, the 29er is smoother over the small rocks.

I'm looking forward to getting back out to Gisburn tomorrow, regardless of which bike I'll be sat on (just for the record, it'll be a Trek Rumblefish).

YeehaaMcgee

ddraver wrote:

Thus far everyone that has ridden one disagrees with you b45sher, but hey don't let that stop you...

Yes, you're right, because 26" wheeled bikes aren't even getting a look in at podiums anymore.
Oh, no, wait, that never happened.

YeehaaMcgee

Oh 10 pages?
Seems I missed something here.

ddraver

YeehaaMcgee wrote:

ddraver wrote:

Thus far everyone that has ridden one disagrees with you b45sher, but hey don't let that stop you...

Yes, you're right, because 26" wheeled bikes aren't even getting a look in at podiums anymore.
Oh, no, wait, that never happened.

erm well, it kinda is happening at the moment...