Whilst out on my regular circuit in the Peak District, I met a forum-ite off here and got talking bikes and wheel sizes….as you do:) He was saying how he prefers 26″ wheels to 650b, and this got me wondering – has anyone tried both wheel sizes and preferred 26″?

My own experience of riding 650b has been limited to a couple of trail centre demo loops. I’m familiar with the route and did a loop on my bike (SC Blur TRc (26″)) and then repeated it on a first generation SC Solo/5010. First time around I couldn’t feel any noticeable difference between the two – so, I did the same circuit on both a second time and, again, didn’t feel much difference (maybe a slightly less agile and peppy feel to the 650b). I was expecting to be blown away by the 5010, but I was a bit underwhelmed – the main outcome of the demo was to remind me how good 26″ bikes can be!

Just wondered if there are any people who own, or who have tried both wheel sizes and prefer 26″?

I’ve got a mojo HDR which can be run with both sizes. I initially ran it with 26 and loved it. I’ve now gone to 650b and also love it. Without using all the marketing bs the 650b seems to roll quicker and it feels bigger. I usually ride natural stuff and it feels better over this. However it steers slower in 650b and when I go to trail centres with tighter twisty, bermy type stuff, it is noticably harder work than in 26. And the gearing makes more of a difference than I would have thought!

There’s loads of kittens to go around. One more wont hurt.

I prefer 26″. I wanted a new bike and no decent 26″ were available so I had to buy a 27.5″. I tried a few 27.5″ and didn’t like any of them. The wheels felt sluggish and not as nimble as my 26″. I took a punt and ordered a frame and bought some carbon rims to keep the weight down as much as possible. It worked and I’m very happy with the 27.5 now because it feels more like my 26″. One thing I have noticed though is that I never get on my 27.5″ and notice any benefit but when I get back on the 26″ it always feels really agile and brings a smile to my face.

Very much so, I am still trying to flog the 27.5 inch wheels that came on the bike.

I find the bikes just too long for some reason and a bit slow in the woodsy stuff round here

didnt notice a bit of diffference

You met Hora?

Lolz

I prefer 26″ over 650b as I found it reduced vibrations. This might be anecdotal, but I have a hunch it’s something to do with 26″ rotational force being more in sync with the gravitational pull of the moon.

There’s much more to a good bike than wheel size.

But having had extensive experience with all three wheel sizes, tish’s observations match my own. The larger the wheel, the more you need to work the bike in the tighter stuff and on the jumps.

Gearing is also an issue, SRAM seem to understand the need for smaller chainrings on larger wheeled bikes better than Shimano; the latter don’t seem to have noticed the demise of 26″ at all.

Hi
I have 26 and 29 bikes and like them both as I can tell the differences in the way they ride in comparison to each other.
Demoed an HD3 at the Dales Bike Centre and although it was a lovely bike in its own right I was a little underwhelmed.
It didn’t feel any different to the 26 bikes I have in real terms.
I won’t be buying one anytime soon
Cheers
Steve

bongohoohaa – Member

I prefer 26″ over 650b as I found it reduced vibrations. This might be anecdotal, but I have a hunch it’s something to do with 26″ rotational force being more in sync with the gravitational pull of the moon

LOL. nice one, that’s a keeper.

I find that 26″ are better when air pressure is above 1000mb as they cut through the heavier air easier. Below 1000mb air pressure, 650’s just make so much more sense!

Just picked up my replacement frame yesterday.
They don’t do 26″ any more so they gave me a 650b.
The dealer said “We can talk about a new wheelset when you are ready” .
I said “No,you have given me the unwanted lovechild of a 29er and 26er from a bad one night stand,it will be fine with 26″ wheels”.
If it’s good enough for Hora,etc,etc 🙂

tpbiker – Member
didnt notice a bit of diffference

This. Rode my first 650 yesterday on a demo ride. Obviously more than just wheel size was different to my own bike, but at no point did I notice anything attributable to slightly bigger wheels.

I think it’s difficult to tell on a demo ride. I rode the same bike for a while with different sizes on the same trails and could definitely feel the difference. If you are riding different bikes, it’s like comparing apples to oranges, also if you are riding bikes designed for 650b with 26 you won’t have the same feeling.
As for which I prefer, I don’t know but they do feel different. Ymmv.

The only difference I’ve noticed has been that the GF’s Capra rolls faster than my 26 bike which has the same tyres. Being 30kg heavier than her used to mean that once Gravity was involved I’d pull away from her (on her Covert) but now her bike definitely rolls quicker. And when I’ve tried other 650b bikes (a Mega and a Capra) I’ve not noticed any differences in handling but I have been quicker over rough stuff.
Still sticking with 26 for now as can’t justify changing bikes until mine needs replacing. But when I do it will probably be a 650b bike (Bird or Capra seem most likely due to pricing).

I’ve noticed that when I’m doing big gap jumps the bigger wheels get picked up by the wind more and actually slow me down…and since i spend so much time in the air compared to on the ground I have to ride 26″…but you know, that’s just me…rad as can be… 😆

Edit…all tosh..well, escept the part about riding 26″..that bit’s true…

Hee hee, some fun replies:) …and yes, it was Hora that I met. I think he mentioned he was after a Blur TRc frame (now, I know a nice low mileage one that might be coming up for sale;))

Interested to read fatgit’s comments about 26 & 29er. I’m currently riding my full sus 29er far more than my Blur, simply as its more comfortable with the niggling shoulder injury I have. Ive now got the 29er set up nicely so it feels pretty nimble and punchy (for a mid travel 29er!), but it’s still nice having the Blur to have a quick blast on – just wish I could get the old shoulder more comfortable on it:(

Went from g150- 650b back to a Five 26″ and for the time being that’s where I’m staying for my All mountain bike, just prefer them. Trying 27.5 plus next weekend for my N+1 so might report back after a change of heart

Oh yeah, IMO the later generation 26″ Fives are absolute classics. I used to have a 2011/2 one and wished I’d never sold it.

OP was it me? Top of climb back up from res side towards Win Hill by the gate?

Currently imbon 650b front/26 rear. 650b forks, 650b frame. I’m running the 650b front partly as my 26’er winter front tyre is shagged and its not dry enough yet to swap to the 26’er Ardent front.

Fasthaggis what forks? Be careful- you’ll need to adjust psi’s but if the A2C on the forks is low (mine are Mazz with their naturally longer a2c so it makes the BB high enough to more than work).

It won’t work on all fram/fork etc combos

@bowglie My whyte took a long time to get used to ,never seemed right and I must say I spent most of the 6 months I owned it ,either hanging on for dear life of flying over the bars ,just never seemed right , I was very lucky in finding the five ,its a last run 26 I mean last run before the mk1 650 *bastid and I was so impressed with the first ride out on it ,the next day it saw the run down Snowden and brought the biggest smile to my face since the first happy moment with a lady !

Id love for companies to go back to 26 but them days are gone I rear …

Tried both, didn’t make enough difference for me to care. Even 26 to 29 isn’t a massive difference really. Geometry, suspension design and construction make more difference, if you ride a bad 650b it’ll feel worse than a good 26 and so on.

I’ve never even tried either 27.5 or 29″ bikes as my 26″ is great and does all I need it to do, then again I’m one of the small minority who still uses a standard seat post 🙂

I’ve ridden some great 26″ bikes and some rubbish ones, the 650 ones I’ve ridden of which all were good. So statistical analysis shows 650 has a better hit rate 😉

The bike is more than the sum of its parts.

Too much worrying about wheel size, i find it ridiculous when someone says they dont like 650b bikes because they’ve ridden one. I think its fair to prefer a particular 26″ bike over a particular 650b bike but you cant like every 26″ bike more than every 650b bike.

My opinion is modern trail bikes have improved through geometry and suspension designs, yet these changes get attributed to the general shift from 26 to 27.5, partly due to marketing hype. So I’m not of the opinion that either is better than the other, thus I’ll stick with my 26 inch wheels.

Hey Hora, yes it was me! I was on my dayglo lime Camber Evo at the time. Interesting wheel/tyre combination you’re running at the mo. Give me a shout of you’re interested in my Blur…:))

I’d wondered about running a 650b front wheel in the Blur to bring the front end up a bit, but am running a 26″ Pike at 140mm, so think I might struggle to get a 650b wheel in with a decent volume tyre. For now I’ve stuck a Magic Mary on the front and am trying 40mm rise Renthals.

Youll find that I’m a nosey sod. Can’t afford a new frame but I’m out and about in the Peaks this week if your about

Ah, I’m off up to Tweed Valley on Weds morning, so not going to be around for a few days – but I’ll be back Thursday next week (might bob out for a ride when I get back – if it’s not raining;) )

Both my mountain bikes are 26″ and I’m well happy with em. Not in the market for a new bike but I’ve tried a few 650b’s just for the craic on a few demo days and have been underwhelmed, certainly don’t feel a need to rush out and buy a bike with bigger wheels. Give it another couple of years and 26″ will be the next big thing in the industry anyway.

I’ve got a hardtail that takes both 26″ and 27.5″ wheels.
It rides pretty much the same with both. However, I swop them over depending on where I’m riding – the 27.5″ wheels are ideal for some local trails that are rooty and/or rutty, so needing slightly higher BB and pedal clearance.
Apart from that *shrugs*

‘The difference’. I’ve heard blokes saying they can’t tell the difference between tyres or psi before. You can. If you can with different radius wheels, blimey!

I can tell there is some difference but as there are no bikes that will ride the same with 650b & 26 wheels it’s really hard to compare. The changes in geo (fashion/progress) over the last couple of years hit with the change in wheels. Perhaps when people have ridden the same number of 650 bikes to 26″ then they could compare or when they might venture to accept that they may have ridden a bad 26″ bike 😉

My latest 650b is one of those ‘fits like a glove’ bikes. Felt instantly at home on it.
Took my 26″ SS out on the weekend and it suddenly felt a bit too small/short.

Here’s the 650beaut. Gush.

Tried both, didn’t make enough difference for me to care. Even 26 to 29 isn’t a massive difference really. Geometry, suspension design and construction make more difference, if you ride a bad 650b it’ll feel worse than a good 26 and so on.

Very much this. I didn’t really notice the difference when I bought my 650b hardtail. Well not that I can confirm because I went from a Slackline that was too small to a Switchback that was the right size.

I swap between a 26 and a 650b easily enough, a,thought they are at different ends of the spectrum (Spesh Demo and a Switchback).

i preferred my old 26inch bike to my 29er for fun stuff/jumps/trail centre bashing but preferred the 29er for big days out. in either case the 650b does both well – best of both worlds i reckon