When the 650B wheel was reintroduced a few years ago, the model we were following was the randonneuring and cyclotouring bicycle built in the French tradition. Many of us had spent considerable time studying these old French machines, and we could see how these marvelous bikes would be practical in everyday use. The large volume 650x38B tires were meant to carry the rider comfortably over a variety of road surfaces. The bikes were equipped with lights, fenders, and luggage systems for extended journeys and practical use in all conditions. They had a combination of attributes that made them unique and versatile, and they were beautifully executed.

A few years ago when we first started doing the 650B conversions we didn't have a lot of information about which bikes might work on the wider 650B tires. There were many older bikes that were determined to work, but most of the newer bikes and frames were space constrained. So we went around measuring and test fitting wheels in various newer bikes and frames. Some of the shop guys thought we were wacky, and well, we probably are. But once you get that 650Bug it's energizing, and there are about a million 650B convertible bikes out there waiting to be transformed into something amazingly versatile and comfortable.

Here's our little 650B Monster Crosser. With 650B 2.0 knobby tires on disc brake wheels, I'd say that this is pushing the envelope for 700C to 650B conversions. And all we did was swap the wheels! Really, it was just that simple - we pulled out the 700C disc brake wheelset with the 700x31 cross tires, and put in a pair of 650B wheels with the new Pacenti Quasi-Moto 2.0 tire. Yes, disc brakes are good like that!

Would you rather have a lot of bikes or just a couple that were wicked nice?

 

I love bikes and I want to have all sorts of different styles and configurations on hand to ride and tinker with, be they fancy or old and beat up. One of the coolest things about Bikeman HQ (a.k.a. Bath Cycle and Ski) is that we have the full spectrum of possibilities right under our noses. You can go from working on a $6k Trek Madone racing machine to rummaging through the boneyard trying to find a potential commuter bike frame for someone looking to become one less car on the road.

Dinglespeed:

A type of bicycle that uses has a single cog in the rear and a double ring set up on the crank. A chain tensioning device, such as the Paul's Component Melvin or old derailleur, is required to take up the chain slack. The use of a front derailleur is optional.

Looking for an excuse to build another bike?

Do you have an old frame or bike languishing in a corner somewhere?

Then slap a Melvin or old derailleur on there and dinglespeed that bad Larry

thats what I did to my old 1983 Fat Chance

In the 650B Conversion Guidelines article recently posted to this blog we showed you some preliminary photographs of a new Soma Fabrications Speedster frameset sitting on 650B wheels. We've just finished assembling and testing that bike, and I'd like to tell you more about that project in this article. I've been looking to identify and prove a few new 700C production bicycles for conversion to 650B.

In this edition of the 650Blog, I'm going to review my recently built Kogswell P/R, and provide some background information on a relevant topic that many of you have probably never considered; front end geometry.

Last week we introduced the 650B wheeled bicycle, and provided a brief overview on the background for this wheel format. In this week's installment of the 650Blog we're going to discuss the conversion of modern production bicycles to 650B. There's a lot happening in the world of 650B bikes right now, and I'll try to bring you up to speed quickly, so this article will have a lot of information.