(Or any other 650b frame only builds for that matter)

Interested to know options and any best deals out there for new forks and wheels.

I’m looking likely to go for new Pikes. Not many options but these seem ideal, I like the black lowers and black stanchions!

150 or 160mm?

Wheels seem a bit trickier, very few options in stock at most of the usual suspects. Any suggestions? Ideally I’d like DT Swiss 240’s, probably with Flow EX.

I looked into the Bronson but it was the frame plus wheels and forks purchase that put me off. Also my lbs couldn’t get a frame only for quite some time.

But the wheels I looked at where the new 650b hope hoops with arch ex rims, price is good versus overall weight. DT spline range worth a look to.. Suppose it depends on the use, trail centres, enduro, dh.

Loving the pike forks also, but kashima fox forks always look bling 😉

I bought an sworks enduro frame in the end as didn’t want to wait for the Bronson. Not regretting it quite yet….

Been out for demo on a RM Altitude (150mm 650) It had Float 34’s – I think they come in 160 but can be set to 150/140 internally. I liked the CTD on them an they worked really well, nice and stiff.

I’m guessing you have a bunch of gear to transfer over (except wheels & fork in silly sizes obviously)
For wheels I would default to the Hope build, again depends if you want specific stuff or a deal really. Any wheels can be in stock in under a day if you get someone to build them.

Edit, If you plan to do any enduro racing etc on it look at the CTD Remote option.

I bought an sworks enduro frame in the end as didn’t want to wait for the Bronson. Not regretting it quite yet….

You shouldn’t. The Suspension on the Enduro is in a different league.

You shouldn’t. The Suspension on the Enduro is in a different league.

When did you get a ride on the Bronson? Only just seen the first frames coming out?

Dan45a – it was the photos of your enduro frame that made me come so close to buying one on sunday evening when I got home from the GT enduro! if any of the online places I looked had a size large in stock I’d have gone for it. I owned an alu 2010 model for 18 months and it was fairly awesome, not perfect but damn close…

But it isn’t in stock anywhere and I’ve been deliberating over wheelsize for what feels like ages, certainly since turn of the year. I’m taking a bit of gamble on the Bronson but I just feel like, personally, if I don’t scratch my 27.5 itch I’m just going to be longing to do so for the foreseeable future so I don’t want to drop £3k on a 26″ frame and have that uncertainty. Just the way my head works.

I’ve got a decent set up at the moment, bos forks, ccdb, crossmax sx wheels etc but will need new forks and wheels. The rest of the stuff will be transferred over – xtr cranks, 10speed drive train, cockpit etc. Although I’ll be buying a stealth reverb, another draw to the Bronson frame for me (as well as a proper bottom bracket!).

Will be riding everything on this – local trails, enduro stuff, munroes, steep stuff, possibly abroad at some stage this year too.

I saw that Superstar have 650b flow ex on their Tesla hubs for cheap money just now, tempted by that if I can overcome my tarty snobbery 😕

neallyman – that will be an awesome build. I’d be really interested to hear your thougts on it once you have it built and on the trails.

Shame mavic havent gone 650b yet with the crossmaxs as they are amazing wheels. Just fitted my STs to my enduro to give it a bit more trail zip.

My mate has a cube stereo super hpc 160, carbon, it was £3k for the whole bike and has a really good spec. He is really flying on it, so I’m convinced the 650b wheels do give an advantage of grip and speed for enduro style riding.

Keep us posted on any bronson developments… 🙂

I’m convinced the 650b wheels do give an advantage of grip and speed for enduro style riding.

Believe da hype!

The normal Deville will take 650 wheel so you shouldn’t have to buy a new fork.

When did you get a ride on the Bronson? Only just seen the first frames coming out?

I’m in North America. Loads on the trails here already.

Had one on demo for a day three weeks back. Good bike, insanely stiff laterally. Solid geo although the BB felt a bit high but that could have been imagined as I usually ride 29″. Rear suspension is nowhere near as sensitive/supple as FSR. I was quite surprised at how harsh it felt so I let all the air out of the shock to see if something was binding in the pivots etc but it was okay. It’s like the prescribed axle path from the small links is fighting against the impact forces? Probably not but either way I couldn’t live with it.

Oh and I didn’t notice the wheels once. As with other 650b bikes I’ve ridden, it feels so close to 26″ that it’s a non issue. If anything you notice the extra wheel weight over any of the positives.

Seems that I need to pay an extra £220 for a shock upgrade on the carbon Bronson which I hadn’t appreciated/factored. So it’s not really £2600 but £2820 for the frame (nobody’s really going to buy it with the non-kashima shock as standard… are they?). Deep breath.

Didn’t realise the BOS would take 650b wheels, quite surprising as I looked and there really isn’t very much available space under the bridge. Probably serves to highlight how marginal the difference is between 26 and 650b…
Think I’d still go for the Pikes.

Oh and I didn’t notice the wheels once. As with other 650b bikes I’ve ridden, it feels so close to 26″ that it’s a non issue. If anything you notice the extra wheel weight over any of the positives.

I didn’t most of the time on the Altitude, except in slow speed stuff like very technical climbing or when you got stuck in a corner and accelerating out (some of this could have been due to the pants avid brakes having locked or nothing settings) it felt like the bike gained weight.

When did you get a ride on the Bronson? Only just seen the first frames coming out?

They had one as a demo bike in the Escape shop near Ingleton when I popped in a week or two ago. Looked lovely.