built up an old explosif as a cheap replacement for my little used 29er and all was fine until i thought I would see if some 650 wheels would fit, they did.
I have often advised people against this (i work in a bike shop) as it would just mess up the handling and cause more problems than it solves, but I think I may of been talking BS as it rode really well and I think it looks more right

First pic is 26 and second is 27.5?
Looking at distance between the frame and the wheels they look exactly the same to me… marginal at best

yeah but the drop outs are as far forward as can be for the 26 and as far back for the 650

Hmmm interesting, I’ve got a 2006 explisif frame that I’ve been pondering over what I should do with it.

The forks look the same in both, do 650 wheels for in them OK?

Any chance the tyre will foul the fork crown at full travel? Worth checking with all the air out of the fork? (assuming it’s not coil sprung)

I’d be surprised if that conti tyre clears the crown – but a Fox 26″ will work with some 650b tyres.

Nice salad garden.

The forks will need a bit of fettling to stop the tyre/crowd meeting but will go for a ride to make sure I like it first

should i stick 27.5″ wheels on my 2004 kona?

but I think I may of been talking BS as it rode really well and I think it looks more right

So is there a question?

Just one question. Why?

Fence is a state and garden is knee deep in weeds.. Looks like you have bigger fish to fry than worrying about some marginally bigger wheels

You’re asking the wrong question. (or not giving us all the info). It rides well with 650B, but what’s important is a) is it better than 26″? If so, it the improvement worth the fuss of limiting fork travel (if it needs it)?

Do we have to list the differences or circle them?

Is this some one who works in a bike shop admitting that people who work in bike shops quite openly tell customers a load of BS?

When I said I was possible telling people B/S was because i have told people what information I have about converting a bike from 26 to 650 which has come from industry bods and people with lots of opinions but little knowledge like you guys.
I will probably give it a go and find out for myself, as for the hassle its a half hour job to service a set of foxes and another 5 mins to limit the travel, in fact if i’m worried about losing travel (which i’m not) I could increase the travel on them and the put the increased bump stops in there.
As for the why, well other than I just like to experiment with things, some of you may of noticed that there are very few bikes left as 29er and 650 has taken over.
So really i was more putting this on to say, if you have a kona with sliding drop outs you can fit bigger wheels on it if you want as most people don’t have a shop full of spare wheels to try.
Its not my garden, its on an industrial estate and they aren’t conti tyres

explosifpete – Member

When I said I was possible telling people B/S was because i have told people what information I have about converting a bike from 26 to 650 which has come from industry bods.

Would that be the same industry bods who foisted this whole bag of wheelsize shite on us in the first place?
The shysters who depend on you selling pointless toss to people who’d be better off without it?
🙂

No, you should stick those 26inch XT wheels from the classifieds on it. That poor lad’s been starting a new sale thread on them every forty minutes for the last week without a sniff – won’t someone take pity on him?

Man that looks tall in the 2nd picture (BB height, compared to the fence), I have a Single pivot FS with optional travel slots, in the one setting it looks like your bike in the last picture and really doesn’t do the handling any favours (tall and unbalanced). Are you sure it really rode very well? I’d guess grip and rolling should be improved & so make you thinks it’s better, but the overall feel/handling?

I like that. 8)

Could we have some more pics of clearance, BB height on each?

I can feel a plan developing …..

Would that be the same industry bods who foisted this whole bag of wheelsize shite on us in the first place?
The shysters who depend on you selling pointless toss to people who’d be better off without it?

I’m as cynical as the next guy but after going from 26er to 29er I was amazed at how much faster it was so it would be interesting to wat the 650 is like.
Insistently this was a £200 build and it would cost me about £50 to size up

Nothing wrong with 29ers.
A valid option for taller people.

650B is a cynical, manipulative, contrived, arrogant, pointless, dictatorial pile of toss, sold and promoted to the gullible by rapacious con artists who care nothing about the ‘community’ they claim to support.

I’m as cynical as the next guy

Amateur. 🙂

So we can hardly tell the difference though apparently the few extra mm make trails come alive and give more rollover etc? hmmmmmmm

have you ridden one? I don’t agree with the best of both claims but the 650s I’ve ridden were better (in my opinion) than the 26″ bikes.

1″ better?

My 29er is 2″ better than those 27ers 🙂

I don’t agree with the best of both claims but the 650s I’ve ridden were better (in my opinion) than the 26″ bikes

because they were 650b, or because they were newer, more modern better bikes?

As a wild stab in the dark, the extra grip would be the new tyres.

all three bikes were the same model but in different wheel sizes and same tyres as it was on a scott test day

Man that looks tall in the 2nd picture (BB height, compared to the fence)

Given the change in the rim radius is 1/2″ I think there’s some camera angle effects at work there as it looks about 4-5″ higher at the the BB compared to the fence.

have you ridden one? I don’t agree with the best of both claims but the 650s I’ve ridden were better (in my opinion) than the 26″ bikes.

Fair enough but if I can’t run my 26 Soul any longer because I can’t get spares because the industry isn’t supporting that standard anymore, a 650B bike will cost me c £1800 that I don’t want to have to spend, with no way of offsetting that cost by selling the old one…cos it’s worth nowt despite being a premium bike…

If the industry really had confidence that 650B was better, it would have given us the choice, not bailed out on 26 and forced 650b on us.

brooess I have 3 26ers and can get spares easily enough for all of them, what are you struggling to find?

I know eventually this will be the situation but I think (hope) it’s a way off yet.

I just built pretty much my dream bike with about half what it should of cost by taking advantage of 26 inch frames forks and wheels going cheap, new and second hand. I’ll just stock up on rims and tyres when parts start getting scarce.

It looks more right

why, cos the tyres are blacker?
Just goes to proves the emperor’s new clothes thing dunnit!

that saddle looks bloody ancient

Can you measure exactly how big the 650 tyres are? I have bits enough to build a bike and whacking some 650b on will give me an excuse to do it.
Is a cyclo cross wheel bigger as I know that will fit my forks.

Weirdly, I am doing the same 650B mod to the exact same frame – a 2004 explosif – can’t wait to have it running

I’ve decided to just pop some larger volume tyres on and have increased the fork travel to 100mm.
Be good to hear how yours runs as I may be tempted at a later date