Will 26-inch wheels disappear entirely? Not likely. They're nimble, light and still make a ton of sense for long-travel bikes, but they might become the minority within the next few years.
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NEWS: Ready or Not, Here Comes 650
NEWS: Ready or Not, Here Comes 650
- Thread starter BikeMag
- Start date
Will 26-inch wheels disappear entirely? Not likely. They're nimble, light and still make a ton of sense for long-travel bikes, but they might become the minority within the next few years.
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NEWS: Ready or Not, Here Comes 650
I don't entirely know how I feel about 650B, but that Intense Tracer looked sweet at the show, and the Intense guys said that the carbon Carbine can be converted by attaching new dropouts... so those Carbine owners out there have some options.
Wonder if this is going to actually have some serious traction with a lot of manufacturers getting on the bandwagon, or is this just going to be number five hundred in a list of ever-growing "standards"?
Wonder if this is going to actually have some serious traction with a lot of manufacturers getting on the bandwagon, or is this just going to be number five hundred in a list of ever-growing "standards"?
If you look at in a vacuum, 650B makes sense for dual suspension bikes. You get of the benefits of bigger wheels without many of the compromises needed to make 29" wheels work. And after riding a few of both I personally am more interested in 650B than 29" for trail bikes. They are only "blah" (as mentioned in the article) in the sense that they won't get the extreme, "love 'em or hate 'em" kind of reaction as 29'ers. You get a slight improvement in rolling and traction without the negative aspects of big goofy wheels. Doesn't make for exciting journalism, but that doesn't change the fact that they just work.
But the bigger question is whether a third wheel size makes sense given the existing availability of 26" and 29". I see no issue from the consumer standpoint - more choice is good. And frankly, as much as retailers and manufacturers may grumble about changing standards and inventory issues, they know (or should know) that constant evolution is key to selling product year after year. This is about showing customers what they want, not what they need.
But the bigger question is whether a third wheel size makes sense given the existing availability of 26" and 29". I see no issue from the consumer standpoint - more choice is good. And frankly, as much as retailers and manufacturers may grumble about changing standards and inventory issues, they know (or should know) that constant evolution is key to selling product year after year. This is about showing customers what they want, not what they need.
Just rode a 2013 Range last night, had been hoping to hold out for another year with my current bike. Nope. Time to make some money.
Faster and smoother on trails that i could almost ride blindfold. Trails where every ripple and undulation is imprinted from morning after morning of exercising my dog before work. Probably ideal trails for a 29r, but the rest of my riding is not IMO.
Faster and smoother on trails that i could almost ride blindfold. Trails where every ripple and undulation is imprinted from morning after morning of exercising my dog before work. Probably ideal trails for a 29r, but the rest of my riding is not IMO.
What were you guys seeing for tires and rims on those bikes?
Anything good yet?
Anything good yet?
Hans Dampf tires on my demo Range, with Avid Trail (or whatever that new brake is called) brakes.
I see 650b catching on really quick. I also see it taking up about 75% of the 29er market. Many people I see on 29ers just shouldn't be. Many people want to be on bigger wheels, but are too short.
It amazes me how many very new riders end up on 29ers for their first bike and how badly it stunts the learning curve. I say this as an instructor.
It amazes me how many very new riders end up on 29ers for their first bike and how badly it stunts the learning curve. I say this as an instructor.
I too see 650's becoming the next prominent wheel size, especially seeing bikes like the new Spitfire coming out, which would allow you to continue running your existing 26 wheel set, then switch to a 650b set when you're ready.
The Intense is outfitted with Novatech Diablo 275s and Kenda Nevegals.
I'll check on some of the others.
Even worse is I have experienced trails that were built with 29ers in mind, only wide sweeping corners and rather boring. An abomination.
Rocky Mountain Altitude is wearing a set of Sun Ringle Inferno 25s, clad in Schwalbe Nobby Nics.
Agree with VF's point that part of what's driving the industry enthusiasm is companies that were late to the 29er thing, and want to get out in front on 650b. I have ridden some 29er trailbikes in the 140mm range and been unimpressed, even with one that had short (by 29er std) chainstays, so I do hope 650b takes off so that 29er wheels can be relegated to the hardtail market where they work really well.
Woo, as far as I can tell the rim choices for 2013 will be pretty good at least for non-DH wheels (I suppose the flow ex will work for DH at least for some riders) but the tire selection is thin still (pun intended). the 2.4 Pacenti looks very promising, much larger than the so-called 2.3. But seems the Hans Dampf is the only other good choice in the somewhat aggressive / single ply category, since the Nevegal is...a Nevegal.
Woo, as far as I can tell the rim choices for 2013 will be pretty good at least for non-DH wheels (I suppose the flow ex will work for DH at least for some riders) but the tire selection is thin still (pun intended). the 2.4 Pacenti looks very promising, much larger than the so-called 2.3. But seems the Hans Dampf is the only other good choice in the somewhat aggressive / single ply category, since the Nevegal is...a Nevegal.
You know I've noticed that too...new riders going straight to 29ers, why is that? Seems like always hardtails too. I myself hope we can be on 26" and they don't phase them out.
I am digging the Pacenti TL28 hoops for trail.
Allegrippis Trails at Raystown?
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For rims it kind of starts and stops with Enve for me these days.
As for tires, it's all about the Nevegal and Fire XC Pro.
Misread that - bike has Alex A Class Ved 6 wheels. Prebuilt wheelset, straight pull spokes 19mm internal width. Not the 'stock' wheels i think.
650b Hans Dampf 2.3 SS TLR Evo weighed in at 830g FYI.
Never ridden there. I was thinking about a couple of places in Northern Virginia and North Carolina. Usually flatter areas that are not ideal for technical riding. That certainly doesn't mean trails cannot be fun. A flat flowing trail that is challenging to take at a quicker pace can be an f'ing blast. A trail where any corner cat be taken at full speed with 0 drama is a snooze.
marketing.
i bet Jamis and the other handful of companies that tried to adopt 650b early on are laughing at it now somewhat catching on. its just too bad Jamis makes terrible bikes.
Maxxis is showing a 2.4 HRII, presumably dual ply from the claimed weight.
Hey, it's Vernon. Just wanted to chime in here.
I am personally excited to ride the new crop of 650B/275 all mountain rigs--as I said in the article, it's clearly a good way to improve a six-inch travel bike's ability to roll over techy sections without giving it a stupid-long wheelbase.
I'm less stoked to see 650B hardtails as you can easily create maneuverable 29er hardtails and shorter travel (4 inches and less) XC bikes. The days when all 29ers had suffered from crappy handling are long, long gone.
It's that lightweight six-inch travel bike that could benefit most from 650B and that's why I've ordered up a crop of them for testing in Bike this season. Could you put 650B tires on an even longer-travel bike. Say, a Scott Gambler DH sled? I think so. Companies are already experimenting in that direction.
The one thing that will truly help this in-between wheel size take off is that everyone (tire, wheel and fork manufacturers) is on board this time around. No one wants to be left behind, and that's why every booth that I've visited and every press launch I've attended this year has some 6560B product featured front and center.
It's coming. Actually, it's already here.
I am personally excited to ride the new crop of 650B/275 all mountain rigs--as I said in the article, it's clearly a good way to improve a six-inch travel bike's ability to roll over techy sections without giving it a stupid-long wheelbase.
I'm less stoked to see 650B hardtails as you can easily create maneuverable 29er hardtails and shorter travel (4 inches and less) XC bikes. The days when all 29ers had suffered from crappy handling are long, long gone.
It's that lightweight six-inch travel bike that could benefit most from 650B and that's why I've ordered up a crop of them for testing in Bike this season. Could you put 650B tires on an even longer-travel bike. Say, a Scott Gambler DH sled? I think so. Companies are already experimenting in that direction.
The one thing that will truly help this in-between wheel size take off is that everyone (tire, wheel and fork manufacturers) is on board this time around. No one wants to be left behind, and that's why every booth that I've visited and every press launch I've attended this year has some 6560B product featured front and center.
It's coming. Actually, it's already here.
ftfy.
here are a few of the 650 products floating around the show...needless to say, it's here to stay.
Rock Shox has three 650 forks, the Sid, Reba and Sektor (pictured).
Sram wheels
Vee Rubber has an entire line of 650b tires, as do many others
White Bros Coop
lots more to come!
Rock Shox has three 650 forks, the Sid, Reba and Sektor (pictured).
Sram wheels
Vee Rubber has an entire line of 650b tires, as do many others
White Bros Coop
lots more to come!
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Gonna reserve judgement until I spend some time on one. Feeling a little burned by the 29er hype that led me to waste a season trying to build a good handling 29er that ripped around the trails the way I like, I am reluctant to change now. I am quite happy with my playful(yes, playful = more fun(yes, more fun = more faster)) handling 26" wheels and 160mm of ti coil perfected travel. Maybe I'll try one in 2014, after the hype wears off.
i rode the carbine 650b. it really didn't feel any different from a standard one, and it felt just as nimble as my current 26 bike.
its here to stay.
if a nevegal can grip that good on it, i wonder how much better a good tire will be.
its here to stay.
if a nevegal can grip that good on it, i wonder how much better a good tire will be.
I rode the same bike. It was actually fun to ride, as compared to the terrible 29er trail bikes I've ridden. Felt good in the air, and it did motor over rough spots a little better...
The Nevegals were pretty terrible though. That is, if you don't mind random drifts...
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Maybe it's different for the 650b, but i've never found nevegals drift randomly. They pretty predictably start sliding any time the lean angle gets past 89˚, and don't stop till they catch on a berm or you loop out and fall.The Nevegals were pretty terrible though. That is, if you don't mind random drifts...
I did ride on my home trails, and people are afraid of building flat turns here...
I donno how you found them to drift unpredictably. they drift every chance they get whether you're ready or not. Its very predictably sh1tty.
O.K. This.
The Jamis XCT was also at the show, sporting Alex Rims XD LTE on the Comp model, and American Classic 650 BXC rims on the Pro model. Both had Schwalbe Racing Ralph shoes on.
Also mentioned was tubeless, so you'll be happy to know that the Norco has a set of Sun Ringle tubeless rims, the Charger Pro 650B, with the BST rim profile licensed from Stan's NoTubes for tubeless compatibility, and some tubeless Schwalbe Hans Dampf tires.
Sound good?
Also mentioned was tubeless, so you'll be happy to know that the Norco has a set of Sun Ringle tubeless rims, the Charger Pro 650B, with the BST rim profile licensed from Stan's NoTubes for tubeless compatibility, and some tubeless Schwalbe Hans Dampf tires.
Sound good?
ever heard of that slightly larger trade show in europe thats happens before interbike and all the new stuff that is already released there?Also mentioned was tubeless, so you'll be happy to know that the Norco has a set of Sun Ringle tubeless rims, the Charger Pro 650B, with the BST rim profile licensed from Stan's NoTubes for tubeless compatibility, and some tubeless Schwalbe Hans Dampf tires.
Sound good?
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Thanks, I'm aware, but given that - you know - someone asked if there were tubeless rims, I thought I'd reply to the person who asked a question.
Crazy, right?
i think that's the LOOP, guy...unless they changed it!here are a few of the 650 products floating around the show...needless to say, it's here to stay.
White Bros Coop
lots more to come!
Currently on velocity blunt rims with no complaints. Good middle ground between tanks and featherweights...and neo motos are really good tires for a little bit of everything.
so i have a question for the board...
Currently im on a 26" bandit which I love but im pretty sure I will be making the switch in the next year or 2 once this all gets sorted out (prob a '14 bike). I need a new fork right now which will be either the Fox 34 or Xfusion Slant.
Now, do I buy the 650b chasis and run it with my 26" wheels for a bit? Or not? I really dont want to have to buy another fork when the time comes...
Currently im on a 26" bandit which I love but im pretty sure I will be making the switch in the next year or 2 once this all gets sorted out (prob a '14 bike). I need a new fork right now which will be either the Fox 34 or Xfusion Slant.
Now, do I buy the 650b chasis and run it with my 26" wheels for a bit? Or not? I really dont want to have to buy another fork when the time comes...
I thought the 34 was already compatible? Could be wrong...
I'd say it depends on whether you will or won't mind the tiny bit of head angle increase. I honestly wouldn't buy a fork to "convert" as you won't have full tire compatibility. I can't run nobby nics on my current fork, but those are supposedly huge.
I'd say it depends on whether you will or won't mind the tiny bit of head angle increase. I honestly wouldn't buy a fork to "convert" as you won't have full tire compatibility. I can't run nobby nics on my current fork, but those are supposedly huge.
That is not a good selling point.
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pretty sure xfusion is marketing the slant as 26/650b compatible. i know their 140 fork is 650b compatible (but requires a 10 mm travel reduction spacer).
I believe rockshox will have a 650b revelation that uses the same crown/upper assembly, but with a 650-specific lower casting. The Totem is 650b compatible (w/ travel reduction).
I believe rockshox will have a 650b revelation that uses the same crown/upper assembly, but with a 650-specific lower casting. The Totem is 650b compatible (w/ travel reduction).
I def want the 34 tube size so rock shox is out. So you are bringing up a point that i am unsure on as well. Are the fox and xfusion '26 or 650b' or are they different sizes all together? If they are the same fork it makes life much easier.