Along the lines of Joel's response, 650B lets you have a tire with more air
inside of it in the same general overall diameter as the skinny 700s do.
(Overall diameter = the rim bsd + (2)* the tire height. 650B has a 38mm smaller
bsd, but you can put a tire 17mm larger on it in the case of a 584x40 instead
of a 622x23 and be close in diameter) In actual practice, it tends to lower the
frame toward the ground, which is great for me, a short stature rider. There is
also a small effect on handling, but not enough to make me like it more or
less. There are fewer tire choices by far in 650B, but enough to go around, and
you will become adept at bookmarking the sites that sell them.
I have become quite fond of the 650B size and have no more bikes with 700 size
tires anymore.
Tailwinds!
________________________________
From: JoelMatthews <joelmatth...@mac.com>
To: RBW Owners Bunch <rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Mon, February 8, 2010 9:36:30 AM
Subject: [RBW] Re: Choosing between a 650B and 700c frame
> The first kept telling me that the tire was a new fad - something for the
> folks who want to be
> different. The second had no idea what I was talking about. I'm not
> all that mechanically inclined, so I depend on my LBS (to my chagrin)
> - though I hope to change this in the future and become more adept at
> working on my bike.
650B is not new, rather it is a once well known size that has come
back. The advantage of the 650B size is it allows a larger tire
without radically changing the bike design to prevent the bike from
being too high.
Case in point, I put Big Apple 700x60s on a bike roughly the size of a
59 Hilsen. Big Apples are wonderfully compliant and handling was
fine. On the other hand, I had to lean the bike way over to get on
and off. I did not like the noticeably higher distance I was from the
ground while riding.
If you intend to use wider tires - and there are several wonderful 40
and above 650b choices out there online if not in the LBS - you should
seriously consider the 650b. If you don't think you will ever go
above 35 or so, 700 may make sense.
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