650b bikes for shorter people?

tangled_metal

I was talking to my partner about her getting a new bike for day to day riding such as a commuting. She's about 5'3" and using her 26" MTB with slicks (schwalbe city slickers iirc). Now she's thinking of getting a faster bike such as a a skinny wheeled hybrid. That got me wondering why there seems to be no road hybrids in 650b wheel size. Are there any out there?

The reason why I ask is I read somewhere that wheel size offers a good compromise between the strengths of 26" and 29" wheeled MTBs. I just a thought as a a road going hybrid such a bike might make a good wheel size for shorter people on the road. I'm assuming that a 700 wheel is faster on the road than a 26" wheel if all other factors are the same. The 650b is almost as good for size but would perhaps result in better geometry for women who are.shorter.

This is just an idea that could be totally wrong. If it has merit can anyone let me know if there is a road going 650b bike? My partner prefers flat bar hybrid to a drop bar hybrid.

t4tomo

Have a look at the decathlon Btwin triban 500 flat bar road bikes, the S size comes with 650 wheels. I have the drop bar version for my son. Cracking bike for the money which ever version you go for.

simon_e

700c isn't necessarily faster than 26". I ride an old rigid Kona MTB with 26x1.5" slicks and doubt a hybrid would be any quicker. Small frame sizes are less likely to have toe overlap with the smaller wheels (especially once you fit mudguards).

I like the look of the £320 Ridgeback Dimension, a slightly shrunken take on their 700c Metro range. I'd also consider the Islabikes' Beinn 26 Large, which is <10kg so quite a bit lighter than most hybrids and probably a good fit at 5'3". The Carrera Subway models have 27.5" tyres.

The Rookie

Simon E wrote:

I ride an old rigid Kona MTB with 26x1.5" slicks and doubt a hybrid would be any quicker.

So you ride a bike that if sold in that spec would be a Hybrid and don't think a Hybrid would be any faster......erm OK.....

simon_e

The Rookie wrote:

Simon E wrote:

I ride an old rigid Kona MTB with 26x1.5" slicks and doubt a hybrid would be any quicker.

So you ride a bike that if sold in that spec would be a Hybrid and don't think a Hybrid would be any faster......erm OK.....

I meant compared to a (probably lighter) 700c wheeled alu/carbon hybrid with lighter road oriented wheels and skinnier tyres like my friend's Giant Rapid. I tried 1" slicks on the Kona but they were no faster.

Do you actually have anything useful to contribute?