650b Gravel/Adventure Bikes

poptart242

I'm currently thinking of buying some sort of monstercross bike, that I can whack some slicks on for winter work. I'd prefer to do some harder riding than I'd prefer to on CX type tyres, so was leaning towards bikes specced with 650b wheels from the outset.

I know of a fair few, but does anyone know where I'd be able to find a fairly definitive list of 650b specced drop-bar bikes?

Alternatively, feel free to suggest - budget from around £1k - £1.5k, ideally 1x & hydro braked.

bendertherobot

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/vitus-bikes-sub ... avel-bike/

Lots of the Vitus should be capable of doing what you need. That one comes stock 650b.

I've just got the CX Energie. It will take up to 42c by the looks of things. I've not yet figured out how much bigger I could go with 650b, if I could.

mudnmuck

This is the most definitive list I could find you, although a bit loose still!
**edit: could only search for adventure road bikes - which sounds like what you were after, couldn't specify wheel size etc!

https://gearpursuit.com/search/?q=Adven ... descending

Most seem to be what you're after, although the large majority don't seem to be 1x, when trying to find 1x only the list becomes a lot shorter!

https://gearpursuit.com/search/?q=1X&ca ... ecommended

Hope this is of some help to you

RossoCorso34

If you can find any Cannondale Slates left, they fit the bill perfectly.

bendertherobot

Not sure about those lists or what you put in. Mine is on there but it's not definitely 650b. Loads missing.

There is a list on the WTB website of absolute definites.
https://www.wtb.com/pages/road-plus

poptart242

Superb, thanks everyone.

I do love the slate, theboyfold!

mudnmuck

bendertherobot wrote:

Not sure about those lists or what you put in. Mine is on there but it's not definitely 650b. Loads missing.

There is a list on the WTB website of absolute definites.
https://www.wtb.com/pages/road-plus

Yeah it was just the best i could find, as close to what op wanted - could only search for adventure road bikes - which sounds like what op was after, couldn't specify wheel size etc!

Looks like your list wins !

graeme_s-2

Second hand slates come up from time to time in the UK on the Slate owners group on Facebook (it's an international group, but there's a reasonable number of UK folks).

https://www.facebook.com/groups/953423231415958/

bendertherobot

https://www.cxmagazine.com/wp-content/u ... 50x502.jpg

That's how I would like mine set up. But I doubt I have that type of clearance.

mudnmuck

bendertherobot wrote:

https://www.cxmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/bombtrack-275-IMG_9756-cxmagazine-ay_1-750x502.jpg

That's how I would like mine set up. But I doubt I have that type of clearance.

That looks pretty sweet. It could be worth you just going the 2nd hand route and spending the extra cash on upgrades/changes to get as close to the above as possible?

cgfw201

I've had a Slate for 6 months, goes absolutely anywhere. If you can find one, I'd recommend it 100%.

bendertherobot

mudnmuck wrote:

bendertherobot wrote:

https://www.cxmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/bombtrack-275-IMG_9756-cxmagazine-ay_1-750x502.jpg

That's how I would like mine set up. But I doubt I have that type of clearance.

That looks pretty sweet. It could be worth you just going the 2nd hand route and spending the extra cash on upgrades/changes to get as close to the above as possible?

I already have the Vitus with 700c wheels. Clearance on them is 42c or so. So all I need is some 650b to try to see how much you can run. I'd like to be able to do something like 2 inches and also the 47c Byway as per the WTB guide above

graeme_s-2

bendertherobot wrote:

I already have the Vitus with 700c wheels. Clearance on them is 42c or so. So all I need is some 650b to try to see how much you can run. I'd like to be able to do something like 2 inches and also the 47c Byway as per the WTB guide above

Stupid question time:

Bikes that are 700C & 650B compatible. Is it just they have enough enough clearance for the wider tyres you tend to get for 650B rims? For example my Planet X London Road can allegedly take 700Cx50C tyres (it was apparently sold by PX with such tyres as an option), does that mean I'd likely be able to fit a suitable pair of 650B wheels and tyres to it?

bendertherobot

If that's true, yes. That would result in the bike being higher off the ground though as the diameter would be greater. Similarly a narrow 650b would bring you closer to the ground. What's important on each is how wide the tyre can be and still clear.

graeme_s-2

I've got 38C tyres on it now with P45 SKS mudguards and a decent amount of clearance. I'm not about to order a set of 650B wheels, but it's interesting to know it might be an option.

graeme_s-2

List of wheel/tyres sizes and tyre circumferences here:

http://www.bikecalc.com/wheel_size_math

Suggests that a 650Bx47C tyre would have a slightly smaller circumference than the 700Cx38C tyres I have on the bike at the mo. Potential issue would be whether the chain stays would be wide enough

bungalballs

I managed to pick up an ex-demo Pinnacle Arkose Ltd (hydro and di2 1x gearing) well within your budget. The arkose range might be worth a look?

cgfw201

I'd check these out too http://rondo.cc/

The GCN guys rode them in this video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlyuWSrbGyk&t

bendertherobot

Graeme_S wrote:

List of wheel/tyres sizes and tyre circumferences here:

http://www.bikecalc.com/wheel_size_math

Suggests that a 650Bx47C tyre would have a slightly smaller circumference than the 700Cx38C tyres I have on the bike at the mo. Potential issue would be whether the chain stays would be wide enough

There's a lot out there on diameter. Which should always 'clear.' But little out there on width which, for me, is a tad more important!

bendertherobot

cgfw201 wrote:

I'd check these out too http://rondo.cc/

The GCN guys rode them in this video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlyuWSrbGyk&t

That gives me some hope:

"700 x 40C (CLEARANCE FOR 650B x 2.1”)

poptart242

cgfw201 wrote:

I'd check these out too http://rondo.cc/

The GCN guys rode them in this video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlyuWSrbGyk&t

That was a really fun-looking video, and one of the reasons I came back around to wanting one of these bikes!

luv2ride

bendertherobot wrote:

cgfw201 wrote:

I'd check these out too http://rondo.cc/

The GCN guys rode them in this video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlyuWSrbGyk&t

That gives me some hope:

"700 x 40C (CLEARANCE FOR 650B x 2.1”)

I'd be cautious. I have a 2015/16 Arkose singlespeed which successfully runs 700x40mm tubeless. I was all set to get some Hunt 650b wheels and WTB Horizons for it, but after a Singletrack forum response from the designer (James Olsen) he advised the clearance was a little tight, and would be likely to drop the B&B height a little too low. The later editions of the Arkose were designed with a touch more clearance meaning they were more suitable for 650b than mine. Have to say, 700x40mm rock though would have liked to have tried 650b. Its an itch I'll have to scratch sooner or later.

As for bike options, my suggestions are:
Giant Toughroad GX https://www.tritoncycles.co.uk/road-bik ... R4QAvD_BwE
Sonder Camino from Alpkit...https://www.alpkit.com/sonder/bikes/son ... draulic-V2

staffo

Graeme_S wrote:

bendertherobot wrote:

I already have the Vitus with 700c wheels. Clearance on them is 42c or so. So all I need is some 650b to try to see how much you can run. I'd like to be able to do something like 2 inches and also the 47c Byway as per the WTB guide above

Stupid question time:

Bikes that are 700C & 650B compatible. Is it just they have enough enough clearance for the wider tyres you tend to get for 650B rims? For example my Planet X London Road can allegedly take 700Cx50C tyres (it was apparently sold by PX with such tyres as an option), does that mean I'd likely be able to fit a suitable pair of 650B wheels and tyres to it?

I also have a London Road and will be fitting 650b wheels in the next few weeks. As far as I'm aware the max tyre width planet x recommend is 40c. I'm planning on fitting Schwalbe g-one allround 40 or WTB Resolute 42s if I can find them.

This fella managed to successfully fit a set of Panaracer T-Serv 650b x 42 https://groups.google.com/forum/m/#!topic/650b/kWdv1ZRGqrM

graeme_s-2

staffo wrote:

I also have a London Road and will be fitting 650b wheels in the next few weeks. As far as I'm aware the max tyre width planet x recommend is 40c. I'm planning on fitting Schwalbe g-one allround 40 or WTB Resolute 42s if I can find them.

This fella managed to successfully fit a set of Panaracer T-Serv 650b x 42 https://groups.google.com/forum/m/#!topic/650b/kWdv1ZRGqrM

They’ve definitely offered 700x50C tyres as a build option at some point. Maybe they stopped because there were clearance issues, but there’s acres of clearance on my bike with 38C tyres and P45 guards. I strongly suspect you’d be able to fit 650bx47c tyres without guards.

tangerineowl

https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/274215/

Heaps of pics/models.

bendertherobot

Imagine my surprise, flippantly suggesting on twitter earlier that the next big thing would be 650b/700c mix to find this:
https://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/art ... let-50199/

paulmon

Running lots of volume on the front compared to rear is nothing new. I was doing exactly this on my rigid MTB 6 years ago.

bendertherobot

Is that 700/26?

paulmon

bendertherobot wrote:

Is that 700/26?

Nope but the concept is exactly the same, large volume tyre at the front to soak up the hits and offer more grip. The only reason you run the different wheel sizes on an adventure bike is for tyre clearance which is obviously not an issue on a MTB.

bendertherobot

PaulMon wrote:

bendertherobot wrote:

Is that 700/26?

Nope but the concept is exactly the same, large volume tyre at the front to soak up the hits and offer more grip. The only reason you run the different wheel sizes on an adventure bike is for tyre clearance which is obviously not an issue on a MTB.

Indeed, the concept is the same. But the point was really about the bizzare 'new thing' that always does the rounds.