Having stated quite clearly last year that he wasn’t going to.

Is this customers walking into Halfords ‘DEMANDING’ 650b, or has he stooped to the inevitable pressure from the bigger boys…

EDIT – the launch article is on that ‘other’ bike website…

I think its more a realisation that 650B really brings the trail alive

lol. Not sure about the new stickers (sorry…decals) either. Looks a bit cheapish IMHO. And I guess the continued relationship with Halfords means no budget £700/800 full sus for the UK market (like this one they released in Asia) as it would compete with the Carrera offerings. Oh well.

I think its more a realisation that 650B really brings the trail alive

…whilst avoiding the acceleration lag of 29ers?

I thought the exclusivity deal with Halfords was coming to an end?

They just signed for another 10 years apparently.

I thought the exclusivity deal with Halfords was coming to an end?

Just signed a new 10 year deal.

Oh and:

“Will Boardman Bikes be supporting the 650b wheel size?

“No, I think it just muddies the water, personally,” said Boardman. “I think that’ll be the fad – 29ers will stick, but 650b is just indecisive, make your mind up.”

- Bike Magic, May 2012

hmm th weights have gone up too – lightest bike is about 1.5 kilos more than previous – thats them off the new bike list…

I’m sure CB (and several other bike companies) would’ve preferred to stay with 26″, but it just became like a run on the bank as more and more companies fell for it.

You might think it’s silly, but you still have to go and get your money out while it’s still there.

Commercial business in providing what people ‘want’ regardless of what they may actually feel is best shocker.

While most STW experts know that 27″ bikes are pointless ( 😉 ), the general public will buy whatever they read they should buy and the mags are all going on about 27. No one wants to buy obsolete kit, do they?

You might think it’s silly, but you still have to go and get your money out while it’s still there.

True, and his is a businessman first and foremost.

it just became like a run on the bank

Very good analogy.

clubber – fully agreed, Just a shame as, regardless of whether you like different wheel sizes or not – I saw that interview with Boardman and thought ” good for him, he’s not going to blindly follow a trend, he’s going to do what he thinks”. So I guess it is peer pressure forcing the market, rather than customer demand – which will come ‘after the fact’.

Looks like I’ll be buying obsolete kit fir the next couple of years at least.

I think its more a realisation that 650B really brings the trail alive

This and the fact that a lot of ‘ENDURO’ riders are using the in-between wheel-size… 😉

There ain’t going to be a lot of choice with new bikes soon… even Yeti! The 575 is a 650b bike for 2014 😥

starfanglednutter – Member

lol. Not sure about the new stickers (sorry…decals) either. Looks a bit cheapish IMHO. And I guess the continued relationship with Halfords means no budget £700/800 full sus for the UK market (like this one they released in Asia) as it would compete with the Carrera offerings. Oh well.

But then again, this is currently only £900
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_991934_langId_-1_categoryId_165499

There ain’t going to be a lot of choice with new bikes soon.

Been saying that for ages but got shouted down by 26″ owners, maybe they’ll wake up & smell the coffee now 🙄

I hate coffee! And I don’t want some new-fangled-fly-by-night-trendy-bandwagon-jumpin wheel size that you can’t get UST tyres for!! 😕

The new range does seem to have lost the appeal of the old range. Even the top spec bikes only have deore brakes and seem to have gained some weight.

You might think it’s silly, but you still have to go and get your money out while it’s still there

True but I dont have to go out and buy a new bike

This is where they may have the problem

if the public go no sod it I am not buying till this pointless war is won then the industry is shooting itself in the foot

I have no burning desire to get 650 b tbh as I am not sure it will last.

We are at betamax V VHS and I will wait and see what happens personally.

I suspect we will end uo with Windows and mac though with just some uber expensive niche comany making one of the sizes [ 29 ers are here to stay IMHO as they are good XC /non gnarly trail bikes]