Currently mtb less and have tried various 29ers and started out on 26ers around 20 years ago. 650b for me is worth a punt. Looking for a hardtail but so far have found the Kona Explosif, Saracen Zen and a couple of Jamis bikes. What else is there off the peg?

Just fit a fat tyre to a 26 and widen your choice.

i’m still yet to see a 650b bike in a shop let alone a selection of them.

The 26in Saracen Zen is a really great bike, but a bit short (so I ride a large rather than my usual medium).

Just making you aware to look closely at the sizing if you do go for it.

I saw one of these in Evans:

I think it looks fantastic in a retro non hydroformed way 🙂

I thought it was on offer around the £1100 price mark but may have been wrong.

Just fit a fat tyre to a 26 and widen your choice

You can’t fit 3.35″ tyre in most 26″ frames. But you can fit a 2.35″ tyre in 650b frames.

I saw the Jamis, it’s £1500 down from £1900 odd.

chapaking – cheers for the heads up on the Zen sizing.