Comments on: Fear and Jealousy will drive the 650b http://twentynineinches.com/2007/09/19/fear-and-jealousy-will-drive-the-650b/ 29er Bike Reviews, Rumors and News Wed, 15 Oct 2008 21:16:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: GRRRRR http://twentynineinches.com/2007/09/19/fear-and-jealousy-will-drive-the-650b/#comment-32256 GRRRRR Tue, 08 Jan 2008 17:57:07 +0000 http://twentynineinches.com/2007/09/19/fear-and-jealousy-will-drive-the-650b/#comment-32256 Here are two blogs worth reading on a 650B/26 front / rear combo: http://thebottombracket.blogspot.com/2007/12/riding-experimental-650b-truth.html http://bikebizbabe.blogspot.com/2007/09/650b-experiment.html I think every tire size has it's proper application, which each rider needs to decide for themselves. I can tell you why the 29 does not appeal to me personally 1) 29 cannot accomodate a 5"-6" all mountain suspension 2) more effort is needed from a standstill or at lower speeds (I spend a lot of time going up steep, technical rock outcroppings and I don't need the additional challenge of getting my wheels turning) 3) 29 is deficient in coming down tight, technical singletrack where quick steering is essential. I do believe a 29 bike is superior in cross country applications where speed and momentum can be maintained and tight technical situations are a minimum (up or downhill). While I am aware of the 29's ability to steamroll large obstacles - this ability is diminished when the going gets tight , technical and twisty and the rider is now slowed to a mere crawl. I am not against 29 or 26 wheels, but I think a 650B offers the best combination of both worlds for an all mountain rider. Based on the reviews now starting to surface on 650B wheels, a rider is selling themselves short for not at least trying a 650B before blogging of it's failure. I am strictly performance oriented which is why I will continue to try anything new to decide for myself whether it works better or not. Each rider needs to determine what is best for their own specific riding style and choose the corresponding wheelsize - which Is why I did not like reading in this blog of bloggers attempts to criticize a new wheel. Bloggers... If a 650B does not work for you - don't buy it! But don't tell me your 29" is better when you don't know my riding style and you have not tried a 650B for yourself. Cheers! Here are two blogs worth reading on a 650B/26 front / rear combo:

http://thebottombracket.blogspot.com/2007/12/riding-experimental-650b-truth.html

http://bikebizbabe.blogspot.com/2007/09/650b-experiment.html

I think every tire size has it’s proper application, which each rider needs to decide for themselves. I can tell you why the 29 does not appeal to me personally 1) 29 cannot accomodate a 5″-6″ all mountain suspension 2) more effort is needed from a standstill or at lower speeds (I spend a lot of time going up steep, technical rock outcroppings and I don’t need the additional challenge of getting my wheels turning) 3) 29 is deficient in coming down tight, technical singletrack where quick steering is essential.

I do believe a 29 bike is superior in cross country applications where speed and momentum can be maintained and tight technical situations are a minimum (up or downhill). While I am aware of the 29’s ability to steamroll large obstacles - this ability is diminished when the going gets tight , technical and twisty and the rider is now slowed to a mere crawl.

I am not against 29 or 26 wheels, but I think a 650B offers the best combination of both worlds for an all mountain rider. Based on the reviews now starting to surface on 650B wheels, a rider is selling themselves short for not at least trying a 650B before blogging of it’s failure. I am strictly performance oriented which is why I will continue to try anything new to decide for myself whether it works better or not. Each rider needs to determine what is best for their own specific riding style and choose the corresponding wheelsize - which Is why I did not like reading in this blog of bloggers attempts to criticize a new wheel. Bloggers… If a 650B does not work for you - don’t buy it! But don’t tell me your 29″ is better when you don’t know my riding style and you have not tried a 650B for yourself. Cheers!

]]> By: Cloxxki http://twentynineinches.com/2007/09/19/fear-and-jealousy-will-drive-the-650b/#comment-32229 Cloxxki Tue, 08 Jan 2008 10:48:12 +0000 http://twentynineinches.com/2007/09/19/fear-and-jealousy-will-drive-the-650b/#comment-32229 So what would be your reason to choose the slight difference in wheel size? With size differences being rather slight, personal preference in geometry and the actual turn out of a bike will matter more. It's my belief that if your builder knows his stuff, larger wheels just work out better. A 29" Huffy or Target, at this point, may not yet be better than a 26"er from their offering. Fisher's been making 26"ers for 30 years, and seems to have the hang of it. Their 29"ers though, are setting the standad all bikes of all sizes will have to be measured by from now on. G2's the real deal. Challenge : build a 650B bike that rides significantly different from 29" without making it feel like a 26"er. So what would be your reason to choose the slight difference in wheel size?

With size differences being rather slight, personal preference in geometry and the actual turn out of a bike will matter more.

It’s my belief that if your builder knows his stuff, larger wheels just work out better. A 29″ Huffy or Target, at this point, may not yet be better than a 26″er from their offering.
Fisher’s been making 26″ers for 30 years, and seems to have the hang of it. Their 29″ers though, are setting the standad all bikes of all sizes will have to be measured by from now on. G2’s the real deal.

Challenge : build a 650B bike that rides significantly different from 29″ without making it feel like a 26″er.

]]> By: GRRRRR http://twentynineinches.com/2007/09/19/fear-and-jealousy-will-drive-the-650b/#comment-32206 GRRRRR Tue, 08 Jan 2008 05:52:11 +0000 http://twentynineinches.com/2007/09/19/fear-and-jealousy-will-drive-the-650b/#comment-32206 Enough theory and speculation - I don't care who is first to the table, why they do or don't market 29 or 650B tires, or even what anyone has to say on this blog... i am going to try anything that comes out - and if it works, i'll get a better ride and tell all my friends. I just so happen to think that a 650B upfront and a 26" in the rear may be the ticket to an all mountain ride. Happy trails. Enough theory and speculation - I don’t care who is first to the table, why they do or don’t market 29 or 650B tires, or even what anyone has to say on this blog… i am going to try anything that comes out - and if it works, i’ll get a better ride and tell all my friends. I just so happen to think that a 650B upfront and a 26″ in the rear may be the ticket to an all mountain ride. Happy trails.

]]> By: Tim Grahl http://twentynineinches.com/2007/09/19/fear-and-jealousy-will-drive-the-650b/#comment-24091 Tim Grahl Wed, 26 Sep 2007 05:24:32 +0000 http://twentynineinches.com/2007/09/19/fear-and-jealousy-will-drive-the-650b/#comment-24091 Thanks to everyone for all the great feedback on the article and the 650b wheels in general. I've spent a lot of time the past couple days talking to a lot of people in the industry about this "new" wheelsize. As you can imagine there's all kinds of passionate arguments from all different angles on the subject. I'll spend some more time digging up some opinions over the next day or two and will do a full article on the overall industry feedback towards this new development. Stay tuned... Thanks to everyone for all the great feedback on the article and the 650b wheels in general. I’ve spent a lot of time the past couple days talking to a lot of people in the industry about this “new” wheelsize. As you can imagine there’s all kinds of passionate arguments from all different angles on the subject. I’ll spend some more time digging up some opinions over the next day or two and will do a full article on the overall industry feedback towards this new development. Stay tuned…

]]> By: BunE http://twentynineinches.com/2007/09/19/fear-and-jealousy-will-drive-the-650b/#comment-24016 BunE Tue, 25 Sep 2007 20:44:10 +0000 http://twentynineinches.com/2007/09/19/fear-and-jealousy-will-drive-the-650b/#comment-24016 Wow. This is quite possibly a thread that has run its course. Wow. This is quite possibly a thread that has run its course.

]]> By: BearSquirrel http://twentynineinches.com/2007/09/19/fear-and-jealousy-will-drive-the-650b/#comment-24015 BearSquirrel Tue, 25 Sep 2007 20:36:02 +0000 http://twentynineinches.com/2007/09/19/fear-and-jealousy-will-drive-the-650b/#comment-24015 >> Posted By Cloxxki >>650B : better for adults than 26″. Just 30 years late. They may be 30 years late. But I also thing they're about 5 years early as introduction at this time could hinder 29er adoption. Why don't we talk about 32ers and 36ers while we're at it? >> Posted By Cloxxki
>>650B : better for adults than 26″. Just 30 years late.

They may be 30 years late. But I also thing they’re about 5 years early as introduction at this time could hinder 29er adoption. Why don’t we talk about 32ers and 36ers while we’re at it?

]]> By: Cloxxki http://twentynineinches.com/2007/09/19/fear-and-jealousy-will-drive-the-650b/#comment-24008 Cloxxki Tue, 25 Sep 2007 19:21:42 +0000 http://twentynineinches.com/2007/09/19/fear-and-jealousy-will-drive-the-650b/#comment-24008 Got it, Ronnie! Riders who were somehow ticked off by 29" will like 650B better, as it's back the other way. It takes some real imagination to notice an inch up in wheelsize when all of the bike is going to be different. If your 26"er has heaps of tire clearance and you're dragging pedals, the choice for 650B seems sounds. However, for less you could sell the whole bike and get a 29"er, get much more of the big wheel edge. 650B : better for adults than 26". Just 30 years late. Got it, Ronnie! Riders who were somehow ticked off by 29″ will like 650B better, as it’s back the other way. It takes some real imagination to notice an inch up in wheelsize when all of the bike is going to be different. If your 26″er has heaps of tire clearance and you’re dragging pedals, the choice for 650B seems sounds. However, for less you could sell the whole bike and get a 29″er, get much more of the big wheel edge.

650B : better for adults than 26″. Just 30 years late.

]]> By: Ronnie http://twentynineinches.com/2007/09/19/fear-and-jealousy-will-drive-the-650b/#comment-24001 Ronnie Tue, 25 Sep 2007 18:09:56 +0000 http://twentynineinches.com/2007/09/19/fear-and-jealousy-will-drive-the-650b/#comment-24001 I would first of all like to explain why I have been lurking on this website for a few weeks. I have been riding on an Intense 5point5 EVP for the past four years on the rocky, rooty trails of northern New Jersey. I have tweaked and swapped components. I believe that I have the perfect ( for me ) fork and shock. I really love this bike but I have been hearing the 29 inch rumbling noise in the background and my interest is aroused. Intense has even threatened to build a 5.5 29er and showed a prototype. Maybe they will announce a production frame at Interbike. So I come here to learn about 29er bikes. They tell me that the bigger wheels will roll better over roots and logs, unlike my 26", especially when I get tired and neglect to pop the front wheel up enough. That seems to happen more frequently lately. I must be getting older. Anyway, to my horror I discover there is still another wheel size being considered, 27.5"! So I did the math. What is the point. I have true 2.3 tires fitted to my bike and I have accurately measured the tires inflated at 26.6". That would make a 27.5" wheel less than one half inch higher from the ground to the axle. If I'm going to make a change then I at least want to notice it. I would first of all like to explain why I have been lurking on this website for a few weeks. I have been riding on an Intense 5point5 EVP for the past four years on the rocky, rooty trails of northern New Jersey. I have tweaked and swapped components. I believe that I have the perfect ( for me ) fork and shock. I really love this bike but I have been hearing the 29 inch rumbling noise in the background and my interest is aroused. Intense has even threatened to build a 5.5 29er and showed a prototype. Maybe they will announce a production frame at Interbike.

So I come here to learn about 29er bikes. They tell me that the bigger wheels will roll better over roots and logs, unlike my 26″, especially when I get tired and neglect to pop the front wheel up enough. That seems to happen more frequently lately. I must be getting older. Anyway, to my horror I discover there is still another wheel size being considered, 27.5″! So I did the math. What is the point. I have true 2.3 tires fitted to my bike and I have accurately measured the tires inflated at 26.6″. That would make a 27.5″ wheel less than one half inch higher from the ground to the axle. If I’m going to make a change then I at least want to notice it.

]]> By: Guitar Ted http://twentynineinches.com/2007/09/19/fear-and-jealousy-will-drive-the-650b/#comment-23948 Guitar Ted Tue, 25 Sep 2007 05:37:37 +0000 http://twentynineinches.com/2007/09/19/fear-and-jealousy-will-drive-the-650b/#comment-23948 bloody tongue: Well, thanks for reading my blog too, (I think) Anyway, you missed the point. A: ALL things are done in business to make money. That was an assumption on my part going into that piece: that everybody was on that same page. B: Sometimes things happen PRIMARILY just to make a buck, and for no other really good apparent reasons. Okay, that"s where my blog post was coming from, I don't see really sound reasoning being put forth by the champions of this wheelsize. If I do, yes, I will be the first one to say "I was wrong". So, far the claims made are specious. As far as riding one, well that's happened already. You can choose to turn the other way and not look, but I think you'll see that my reasoning s sound if you do look at it. Your choice. bloody tongue: Well, thanks for reading my blog too, (I think) Anyway, you missed the point. A: ALL things are done in business to make money. That was an assumption on my part going into that piece: that everybody was on that same page. B: Sometimes things happen PRIMARILY just to make a buck, and for no other really good apparent reasons. Okay, that”s where my blog post was coming from, I don’t see really sound reasoning being put forth by the champions of this wheelsize. If I do, yes, I will be the first one to say “I was wrong”. So, far the claims made are specious.

As far as riding one, well that’s happened already. You can choose to turn the other way and not look, but I think you’ll see that my reasoning s sound if you do look at it.

Your choice.

]]> By: Dirt McGirt http://twentynineinches.com/2007/09/19/fear-and-jealousy-will-drive-the-650b/#comment-23927 Dirt McGirt Tue, 25 Sep 2007 01:40:13 +0000 http://twentynineinches.com/2007/09/19/fear-and-jealousy-will-drive-the-650b/#comment-23927 Check this out yous guys! http://vassagocycles.com/rapscallion.html cryptic and stuff.... ooooooooohhhhh Check this out yous guys!

http://vassagocycles.com/rapscallion.html

cryptic and stuff…. ooooooooohhhhh

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