Any of you nerds ride/own a 650b?

[rideit]

Thinking about trying one this season. I am thinking that if Fox has (sort of) embraced the platform, tire selection should open up dramatically, etc.
Thoughts?

[DirkaDirkaJack]

You thinking to get full squish or a hard tail? How much travel if squish?

Tire options will be really good with maxis in the game next year....

[rideit]

Full squish, 5"-6.5" range.

[SB]

Hell yes, I have a Haro Beasley HT and a 2009 Stumpy with 650b rolling stock. For me its the right size. Pretty much all Fox forks fit 650b rim/tire combos. The issue with a full squish is on the rear. There are several 26" frames that fit by chance. Ibis Mojo HD 140 is about top of the 650b food chain for the moment.

The future looks bright for 650b.

[willmtbike4food]

Yep. Owned a Soma B-Side, had it set up as a rigid ss, rigid 3x9, hardtail ss, and hardtail 3x9. Loved it. 650 is also the size for me.

I have a set of i9 wheels in 650b for my next 650 bike - don't even have a frame for it yet, but I'm pretty committed with the wheels at this point.

[zombinate]

Yep, 2004 Marin Rift Zone, 4" Full squish. Did the conversion last year with the White Brothers Loop Fork (which I adore). Holds speed better than the 26" wheels did, and roll-over is better, though that is less noticeable. I'd expect my next "Fully" will be 650 too, though I am waiting for a proper designed frame at the 5-6" range so that the Bottom Bracket will be better dialed.

Like Others, 650b feels right for me. I'm 5'10" and have never found a 29 platform that really blew my skirt up.

[rideit]

Yup, I am looking for a 5-6" designed for the wheels. Kenda is doing Nevegals for 27.5", I would imagine that means more to come.

[bagtagley]

Get this, then use the search function, JONGfuck

[XtrPickels]

Interestingly Specialized sent out an bulletin regarding 650b saying that they don't see it catching on and won't be doing any bikes any time soon. They're sticking with 26 and 29". Mostly because they don't think the industry will embrace it / difficulties on dealers etc.

It was interesting that they noted 650b isn't really a "27.5" like I thought, but smaller.

[rideit]

Well, I heard DEFINITIVELY 5 years ago that Giant would never do a 29-er, no way, no how. And that was from the top. So there you go. Ventana is on the top of the list, but as bit pricey for me to just see if i dig it.

[Wolfmansbro]

Yep. just picked up this guy. Its been fun. Huge difference from my old Fuel 98. But its hard to compare, they are totally different bikes. I demoed a Pivot Mach 429 last year and the 650b feels a lot quicker out of the seat. But I've been climbing over rocks a lot easier compared to my old trek. Your options are a lot more limited. But sounds like there will be a lot more options in the near future.

[bsavery]

Yep. just picked up this guy. Its been fun. Huge difference from my old Fuel 98. But its hard to compare, they are totally different bikes. I demoed a Pivot Mach 429 last year and the 650b feels a lot quicker out of the seat. But I've been climbing over rocks a lot easier compared to my old trek. Your options are a lot more limited. But sounds like there will be a lot more options in the near future.

Completely off topic, but is it just me or does that cable routing look like a mess? Also what is the bar under the shock? Looks too thin to be for structure.

[willmtbike4food]

Completely off topic, but is it just me or does that cable routing look like a mess? Also what is the bar under the shock? Looks too thin to be for structure.

Some of the cable routing would clean up we're the bike properly assembled for the picture - Avid recommends the cables come off their calipers tangential to the rotors for best performance & least shutter/noise.

Don't recognize those wheels either - no valve stems? The picture has obviously been cleaned up, too bad the bike wasn't gone over with a fine-toothed comb first.

My best guess on the bar under the shock? Help keep the seat tube/down tube from flexing under pressure from the shock. No idea for sure though.


The big S was slow to adapt to 29, my guess is they'll eventually have a 650, but it'll come a few years later. Sounds like some other larger manufacturers are getting in the game though, at least based on the article in the most recent Bike(?, Mountain Bike?) magazine.

[SB]

The bar on the Jamis, per an ex shop owner, was indeed a solution to a flex/deform issue stemming from a lack of proper en gine earin'. The new Jam650 frames are totally different.

Have to give Jamis props for staying hard on the 650 option when others bailed.

[schuss]

I think unofficially Ibis Mojo's will fit 650b fine, but I could be wrong.

[rideit]

Yes, The HD is a viable option, as is a Giant Reign or reign X. They are still a bit of a compromise, from what i have read.

[DirkaDirkaJack]

Yes, The HD is a viable option, as is a Giant Reign or reign X. They are still a bit of a compromise, from what i have read.

well if you toss 650b's on a 26 inch bike, you just raised your BB about 20 mm....

[frorider]

well if you toss 650b's on a 26 inch bike, you just raised your BB about 20 mm....

This. the mojo HD already had a BB that was a bit high (DW links tend to ride high in their travel anyway), and the last thing i'd want to do is raise it more.

Other than the Ventana, I'm not aware of any high-end FS bikes truly designed for 650b currently, but the new Turner and some of the other brands working on 650 will change that. I recently saw pics of the new proto Pacenti 2.4 tires, which appear much bigger overall than the existing neo moto. So combined w/ the truly 650b Fox, 2013 might be the year some of us go 650 in the 5-6 inch travel category.

The current pacenti 2.35 has such a small casing volume and sidewall height that i don't think it really gets much rollover advantage than a large 26er tire. OTOH, the smallness of the current pacenti means you can squeeze it in many current frames and forks....which in itself explains why many have found the roll-over-chunky-rocks performance isn't currently much better than some 26er options, since the OD isn't hugely different.

[SB]

well if you toss 650b's on a 26 inch bike, you just raised your BB about 20 mm....

In the rooty and rocky trails I ride this is an advantage. I noticed the higher BB at first, now I don't.

[rideit]

Tire size is definitely a factor. I currently run 2.5's almost all the time, and a 2.5 DH casing in the desert.

[SB]

good source of 650b info

http://www.650bpalace.com/

[DirkaDirkaJack]

In the rooty and rocky trails I ride this is an advantage. I noticed the higher BB at first, now I don't.

why dont you run a smaller front ring and not fuck up your geo instead?

(not trying to be a dick, just wondering)...

[tellybele]

Well, I heard DEFINITIVELY 5 years ago that Giant would never do a 29-er, no way, no how. And that was from the top. So there you go. Ventana is on the top of the list, but as bit pricey for me to just see if i dig it.

Yo!

I have been on the 29 for 7 years and bought custom. Until Canfield! So, when you are checkin' to see if you dig, see if you can try multiple geos. I have never ridden a production 9er that felt good/right.

[zombinate]

... and then the opening world cup XC race was taken by a 650b prototype scott scale.

http://thegreatescapemtb.blogspot.co...50b-275er.html

[300hp]

check out the pictures on the vitalmtb.com XC race finals slideshow. The xc course was gnarly. It was real mountain biking, not some dirt peolton shit. The photags remarked the 650B was killing it in those conditions and in the tech just walked away from the rest of the pack.