I greatly apologize for the lack of content, once again, here at 650B Palace. Frankly, I have just been lazy. I have been using my iPhone WAY too much and haven't really sat myself down to post updates and promote and buzz in the industry. I've given myself a slap on the wrist and taken away 2 "Cool Points" and learned my lesson.
I'm back in full gear and haven given The 650B Palace a little face lift. As far as I can tell this remains to be the most direct source of 650B info on the web, along with MTBR's "650b, 69er and new wheel trends" forum. We've come a long way in the 650B dept for the MTB industry, as well as the rando/touring side of things. Rawland Cycles has designed some great, and interesting rigid bikes, and Haro gave us the geared Beasley with a White Bros suspended front end; along with the 650B Sonix - then came Jamis with their Dakar with 650Bs. Yet, which bike rules the 650B roost? Is there supremacy to be had? What would make the perfect 650B bike?
Short Travel Full Suspension? Long Travel Boinger? Long Travel Hardtail? Steel - Aluminum - Geared - Single - WHAT????? Riddle me this. i'd like to build up another 650B frame and have a 130mm travel steel hardtail single speed in mind, but want to also dabble with some rear suspension. What's a guy to do? Help me out. Drop some comments on what your dream 650B bike would be.
Here's some help, fill out this survey:
Frame Material:
Frame Travel:
Fork:
Travel:
Handlebar:
Wheel-
Rims:
Hubs:
Front Tire:
Rear Tire:
Brake Set-
Lever:
Caliper:
Bottom Bracket and Style:
Crankset with chain-ring choice:
Headtube (ie, 1.5, 1.125, Tapered):
Headset :
Stem:
Pedals:
Grips:
Shifters:
Front Derailleur:
Rear Derailleur:
Cassette/Cog:
*If you prefer a singlespeed, place N/A where gears are applicable.
13 comments:
My Dream 650b would be a steel frame built with short stays (say 16.75 max - but maybe even 16.5) and built with a 130 or 145mm fork in mind. Maybe more along the lines of 130mm and with say a 68 degree HT angle and 73.5 ST angle. Give some versatile dropouts for geared or SS set up and a nice sloping top tube.
Yep - that'd be Golden!
Mark
I think I'd have to go rigid, or maybe 80mm of travel. The whole point (to me, at least) of larger wheels is so that the bike naturally has a smoother ride, which means less suspension is needed.
As far as material, go with something you haven't yet tried in 650B size.
My ideal would be 4 inch travel trail bike as light as possible but with beefy chainstays like Yeti or Banshee puts on their bikes. I like anodized Aluminum for reliability and scratch resistance. Nice low BB around 12.5 to 13 inches so the bike handles well. Oh yeah throw in all the new design elements like a tapered headtube, press fit BB and Dave Weagles new Split Pivot rear end. Don't forget ISCG mounts just because I like choices ;).
I'll try to follow the general rules here, but my dream bike tends to sync up with what I already ride and know I like.
Frame Material: Don't care (though I have steel). ~71 degree HA though.
Frame Travel: -
Fork: Manitou R7 summers, rigid for the wet/muddy seasons
Travel: 100mm
Handlebar: Misfit FU2bar
Wheel-
Rims: P35
Hubs: CK (cause he is local)
Front Tire: Neo
Rear Tire: Neo
Brake Set-
Lever: SD7?
Caliper: BB7?
Bottom Bracket and Style: Old XT square taper
Crankset with chain-ring choice: RaceFace Turbine 5 arm 110 bcd. Chainring from Homebrewed Components
Headtube (ie, 1.5, 1.125, Tapered):
Headset : 1.125.
Stem: Thompson Elite
Pedals: Time Atac?
Grips: ESI chunky
Shifters: -
Front Derailleur: -
Rear Derailleur: -
Cassette/Cog: Cog from Homebrewed Component
Great info! Keep it coming!
I've been researching S&S couplers a lot recently, so I am going to say that the dream bike should have them. On a slightly different angle, would be able to retrofit couplers to an existing frame and how much would that cost?
Victor
120 - 140 mm trail bike.
Dual link rear suspension - VPP, DW-link, Maestro...whatever.
Having ridden an FSR, single pivot, VPP1 & VPP2, the last is superior for trail riding.
IMHO, 650b is best for full suspension applications
Aluminum for material...carbon is nice, but too $$$ for slamming through rock gardens.
RE: actual spec., I need to hear more about actual trail performance of the new offerings from WB & X-fusion.
The FLow, when it finally happens, will be a nice rim, but I wish it was a bit less than 500gm...I'm no weight weenie, but if Velocity is under 460 gm, w/ the blunt...
Tire wise, I'd be happy with most of the options out there - RR, Neo (esp. the SC version), Wolverine, or Nevegal.
Also - Press-fit BB, tapered HT, Post rear brke mounts.
Dream 650B bike.
Intention: Ultimate epic ride, endurance race, and occasional xc race bike.
First this bike needs to be 80-100mm of travel in the rear with the same up front, and can be made out of aluminum or carbon. A PF BB30 is needed along with either a tapered headtube or full 1.5" headtube. Preferably aluminum because I have a mental block with carbon mtb's right now. As with all bikes it should be optimized around a 1x10 speed drive train with the lowest gear a 1:1 ratio, because lets be honest, anything lower and you can walk faster up hill. Some proper low rise uber wide bars are a must, say around 680-700. Lefty front fork.For drive train it's SRAM X9, and for brakes Formula R1. Lastly the big items are wheels and tires. Wheels will be the new Stans ZTR Flow set up tubeless, and the perfect rubbers would be WTB Wolverines with the tread reversed in the rear.
Great Post Chase!!
@Victor
Many custom builders will add S&S couplers to your existing frame, look to see if you have someone local to you and give them a call!
140mm travel FS bike for me.
The Ventana, El Bastardo, Ibis Mojo HD, or possibly an Intense or Santa Cruz.
My ultimate 650b bike would be a blend of my two current bikes. I have a Trek Fual EX9.8 and a Soulcraft Option3. So essentially I would like a Fuel EX carbon frame with 120mm travel front and rear, tapered headtube, and 142x12 rear wheel. Combine that with gearing on my Soulcraft. An XT cassette modified to 6spd for a 17-34, on a single speed hub. And match that with a 38-28 up front. I doubt we'll ever see a 12x42 thru bolt single speed cassette hub but this is a dream build and that's what I want. XTR shifters, derailleurs, and brakes. Thomson post and stem, Easton carbon bar, and Chris King wherever applicable and I'm set.
rumor has it the Mojo HD was designed with 650b compatibility in mind! got to get one of those!
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