[Closed] New Heckler. You'll never guess what's happened to the wheels.

chestrockwell - Member

Opinion seems to be that anything below top end will live on in 26".

ORLY? So we'll still be able to buy a new 26er Heckler?

roverpig - Member

Can you not just stick your 26" wheels and forks on a 650B frame though?

Would you run a frame with the wrong sized fork or shock in it? Some frames'll be fine run 26er I'm sure but others won't. Why would you accept such a compromise though?

ORLY? So we'll still be able to buy a new 26er Heckler?

I should qualify that by saying 'opinions I've read on here'. I wouldn't really call a Heckler mid range when it costs what it does but get your point.

If you're in the market for a complete Heckler just buy 650 as "it doesn't make any difference". If you want to buy just a frame and then use your old kit buy some new rims and get them built up on your current hubs. Not ideal but not silly money compared to the amount you're dropping on a frame (Heckler).

I'm not a 650 or 29er convert, all my bikes are 26" but I also don't see why some people are getting so over excited tbh. I'm not worried in the slightest about spares for my bikes.

 

If you want to buy just a frame and then use your old kit buy some new rims and get them built up on your current hubs.

Would love to do some double blind tests swapping over the wheels I bet no one could tell tbh that is how much difference it makes NONE

Would you run a frame with the wrong sized fork or shock in it?

It depends if it would make any difference I guess. I keep reading that 650B is just marketing bollox and that the difference between 650B and 26" is so small that you can't really tell. Well, if that's the case then surely you can just run 26" wheels and forks in a frame designed for 650B. Either there is a detectable difference between the two wheel sizes, in which case maybe 650B is better, or there isn't, in which case you can just keep your 26" stuff and stick it on the new frame.

Junkyard + Roverpig, exactly. No need to get so upset, the world will keep turning.

If you don't want a 650 bike, don't buy one. Your 26" bike will be fine.

I'm a happy 29er HT rider and buy that the best wheel for the job is the biggest wheel that can do the job.

If bike designers think a 650b makes a better FS than 26 inch because it brings some 'big wheel benefits', but also a better FS than 29 inch because the frame can be more compact, hence agile, I can see how that could work. I'd certainly like to try one, perhaps I'd buy one - but I'm pretty sure I'll never again buy a 26 inch bike, getting the damn things to go along and up is just too painful.

Bike companies stay in business by making the best bikes they can and pleasing as many customers as they can.

roverpig - Member

I keep reading that 650B is just marketing bollox and that the difference between 650B and 26" is so small that you can't really tell.

To be fair, one place you hear that from is Santa Cruz, currently pushing 650B as hard as it can be pushed.

Personally I say there'll be a handling difference, and it'll be small, so why take on all the infrastructure change for something that at most will be a small benefit, but more likely will be a case of some small benefits and some small drawbacks. If I'm going to spend £2500 to switch bikes (frame + wheels + forks) I'd want something more than small changes...

If I'm going to spend £2500 to switch bikes (frame + wheels + forks) I'd want something more than small changes...

Fair dos, but it's not about you.

Once someone's in the market for a new bike, and doesn't have 26" baggage (like, for instance, me ... and most people buying bikes), they want the best for their money. If it looks like some of those are choosing 650b and it's getting some traction, then manufacturers need to pile in.

I've no idea myself if 650b is 'better', I've never ridden one, but the case for it, for a certain kind of bike and most riders, against both 26 and 29, does seem plausible to me.

Fair dos, but it's not about you.

Thanks for the chuckle 😀

some days old but..
the spokemagazin article in this thread explains it all...

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/what-the-f-the-wheel-decision-isnt-our-choice

mattjg - Member

Fair dos, but it's not about you.

It's not, but I long since grew out of thinking I'm a beautiful and unique snowflake...

Still, if you really want to spend a packet for a tiny difference- and that's difference, not upgrade- then be my guest.

Yeah but if I (or a new customer) bought a 650b now, it costs no more than a new 26 of equivalent spec. It makes no difference to anyone not bringing 26 inch baggage to the deal.

That goes without saying... But that's just another expensive way to get a new bike.

Even then, most current bike owners will still have kit they can't use any more, even if it's just tyres it's still adding to the cost but lots of people transfer parts from old bikes onto new- especially wheels since full-build wheels are so often a spec low point.

crazy that so many people are getting upset that 26er stuff will be obsolete and unavailable by next monday or something. 650b stuff is only *just* making it in to the stores. most bike mfrs are only just sneaking in 1 token 650b model for 2014, and half have only just had a 29er for a year or 2. and afaict everybody's favourite Flow EX Hope Hoop isn't even available (certainly not listed at any of my usual stores).

looks to me more like 650b stuff isn't available, rather than 26er stuff being hard to find.

still have no plans to buy 650b. will wait 5 years and add to the self-fullfilling prophecies. I was in the market for a 26er FS. Now I can wait.

looks to me more like 650b stuff isn't available, rather than 26er stuff being hard to find.