On Sun, 2010-08-15 at 21:18 -0700, Jim Cloud wrote: > I'm sure that we're not going to find an agreement on the RBW Owner's > Group site.. I think, however, that this snip I took from Sheldon > Brown's site pertaining to various sizes of tires that are available > relates to my statement about the 650B tire size. > > "584 mm, 650B, is the focus of this article. This size, also known as > 26 x 1 1/2", is most popular in France, where it was the traditional > size for loaded touring bikes and tandems, as well as general utility > bikes." > > I stand by my comment that the traditional 650B size tire, as it was > used by the French was generally for "loaded touring bikes" - which > they often referred to as the "Camping" model.
Certainly it was the traditional size for tandems and loaded touring bikes. Nobody's disputing that. But you went a lot farther than that: you said it was not a randonneuring size, and that is just plain wrong. Consider this Rene Herse randonneur: http://www.vintagebicyclepress.com/images/herse52-whole2.jpg I imagine you are familiar with this bike. You might also recall that the Technical Trials /mandated/ a 650B wheel. Then, you might look at the Herse and Goeland catalogs reproduced in BQ, where you will find 650B randonneurs as well as campeurs. Or, you could look at The Golden Age of Handbuilt Bicycles, where again you will find many 650B randonneurs represented. > If some today are > using the size for a Randonneur, so be it, I really am not trying to > state that the 650B cannot be used on a Randonneur (nor that it wasn't > ever used on a French Randonneur model, but it wasn't the norm). > > As far as the wider type of 700C tire that I'm suggesting it certainly > would be better suited to a bicycle of my size (65-66cm) than the > 650B. Why stop at 622? I'm sure that on as large a frame as yours, a 700C wheel appears as every bit as "tiny and out of proportion" as a 584 wheel would do on a 60 cm frame. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bu...@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en.
