X-Fusion Introduces Sweep 160 650B Dedicated Fork

X-Fusion Shox brings a dedicated 650B fork to market. The Sweep expected to be available in June of 2013, as an early release 2014 product. Their focus on new product explains why I've been waiting for a 1.125 Velvet RL2 with X15 since December.
 The new Sweep will join the ranks with its 34mm brethren 26" Slant and 29" Trace. This model will fill X-Fusion's gap for the Endruo market with the Sweep travel to be internally set from 120-160mm. 
Features include 34mm Stanchions, 46mm 650B Specific Offset, RL2 Dampener, X15 axle, DLA and remote lockout options. Probably to be offered as a Tapered Steer only, but the jury's still out on that.  All around weighing in under 4.5 lbs/2020 grams.   Retail pricing will be around $600

www.x-fusion-shox.com

 

Meet Bronson. From Santa 'Clauz'

Santa Cruz's first official offering for 650B, Bronson. A 150mm Trail frame to be available in both aluminum and carbon fiber. $1925 vs $2700! 
BSA threaded bottom bracket, Iscg05 tabs, 142 dropout spacing, bolt-on cable routing, tapered headtube, rubberized down tube protector, and dropper post routing.
http://vimeo.com/63027254

FLOW EX IN HOUSE

Stan's Flow EX rims showed up on Friday.  Got a Crest n for a rebuild, and a bunch of Flow EX for orders and a set for myself. Flow EX weighing in at 535g each, and a 29mm outer width. Retailing at $85each, plus shipping.

I've updated the 650B Rim List

I've updated the 650B Rim List, this is not for wheel systems, just rims sold individually.
Follow the link in the side bar!

Help Build the List!

Bikelugs.com Offering Custom Wheels!

I placed an order for frame building materials yesterday, and saw an empty page, but this morning Bikelugs.com launched their complete custom wheel options. All hubs are to be built around Pacenti rims.  Details aren't really needed, all is self explanatory. 


Pacenti branded wheels may be in the mix at some point. 

Bikelugs Custom Wheels

Baum 650B Featuring Sram's XX1

To see more follow: http://www.flickr.com/photos/baumcycles/8245731149/in/photostream
Tell them 650B Palace sent you!

Pacenti Rim Sale

Pacenti's 26" rims are on BlowOut over at www.bikelugs.com
Stock up now!!

NoTubes Dominates the 650B Rim Market!

Stan and his team know how to strike when the iron is hot!!! Another rim designed with XC racing in mind, the Medalist. It looks like its going to be a nice low profile yet wide-ish rim.  Gone are the days of the tube.  And I just stocked up on my Stan's sealant!! PERFECT TIMING.

Rock Shox add 650b Models

This week at Eurobike Rock Shox displayed 2 more forks with 650B on mind.  The racey Sid will get the bigger wheel makeover as well as the Reba.  Expect to find these forks on hardtails as OE parts for 2013.  Sid to be retailed just under $900 and the Reba at $675 or less with a November ETA.

STOLEN BIKE ALERT

A rare Intense 650b mountain bike was stolen from the Brentwood Criterium in Los Angeles County on Sunday, August 8 2012. FSA, which had put together the bike for a Mountain Bike Action magazine test and then planned to display it at Interbike, is asking retailers to keep an eye out for the machine. FSA's Ivan Harms noted that the bike's brakes are not functioning, and whoever has the bike might bring the brakes — which are unusual because of their red hydraulic housing — to a shop to be fixed. "The alloy reinforcment at the caliper is missing, so it will blow off if bled," Harms said. "Also there is no fluid in the housing so the brakes are nonfunctional." The frame is also unusual because Intense has not made many 650b (27.5-inch) wheel Carbine frames. Harms asked that anyone with information on the bike call him at (661) 803-2488.

Norco 2013 650B

Norco Range 650B: The Process from Dan Barham on Vimeo.

New website in the works!  Please visit our Facebook page for news and updates.  WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/650bPALACE

Ritchey Components for 2013!

Just announced to join the 650B market is Ritchey Components.  Recently, Tom fabricated a tandem that made use of both 700c road wheels and offered clearance for 650B knobby tires.  I suppose that was just a prelude of things to come.  Today they officially released info regarding the 2013 line-up. 
Alloy 650B wheelsets, tires and a carbon rigid fork will all be in the mix for the long-time component and frame maker.  All these great parts are great, but what to hang them on??  Well, Ritchey decided that this isn't enough and is bringing in a rigid steel frame offering, too!
Look for shipping product after the great INTERBIKE EXPO!

Nino is Becoming the Poster Child for 650b

After a series of serious wins on 650B, Nino Schurter hits the cover of MBA rolling on his custom Scott scale.  Within it's pages MBA has printed a complete run down of the Scale's components with a bit of focus on the wheelset.  The August issue of Mtn Bike Action is in stores now!

Nino Schurter Wins Again

With a sprint finish to the 5th round of the UCI World Championship XC, Nino Schurter takes another win on his 650b equipped Scott carbon hardtail. Dispite suffering a flat tire.  Congrats to Nino, Scott Bikes, DT Swiss, and Dugast tires.

Pacenti's 650B line of rims is ready for your ordering pleasure!

The PL23

The CL25

The TL28

And the DL31

Click each image to be send to their respective ordering page on BIKELUGS.COM!

Stan's FLOW EX Rim in the Works!

Stan's No Tubes has put their Flow EX into production in the 650B diameter!  Expected to be 475g for the rim and boast 29mm in width, 32h only. Available as a rim only or in their complete wheel offerings.  ETA is August 1.  I will be getting a set as soon as they are available. 

SHOOTOUT

Shootouts!  Mountain Bike Action likes nothing more than shootouts!  This month they have wrangled up a herd of KHS full suspension bikes to put them through the ringer, each with a differing wheel diameter. 26, 650B, 29, all with the same suspension platform and comparable component spec. 
First Up: 26" 

Second: 650B

Lastly: 29"

Head to you favorite book store or grocer and pick Mountain Bike Action for the shootout article!
This will be MBA's second 26-650B-29 head to head to head test, as they also hit the trail with Jamis's hardtail offerings!

Was Surfing the Web and Found This:

BELOW IS A CROSS POST FROM
http://south-routt-velosport.blogspot.com/
click the FOLLOW option on the right!!

My new Eriksen 650B Hardtail is finally built and ready just in time for race season. We had so much unexpected chaos this spring I wondered if all of the parts would ever come together in the same place at the same time- and almost got used to living with a dropdead gorgeous frame, seatpost and fork nested in the viewing room like another piece of fine art bicycle furniture. Pleasing to look at- completely un-rideable.

A week out from the Gunnison Growler (a race about which I am feeling particulary grouchy after going to pre-ride a few weeks ago and finding nothing but 30+ miles of moondust where I had remembered lovely sagebrush singletrack) Dave informed me the Hardtail had built up at under 21 pounds complete with bottle cages - jaw drop- and was ready for its debut.



Just to look at this bike and to touch it the artisan craftsmanship is obvious. To ride it makes it undeniable. This bike is not designed to take the rider out of the equation and does not allow for much laid back cruise time. This is a wake up and ride sort of machine. The real allure of the bike starts in the Eriksen shop in Steamboat where the conversations and laughs and scratching of the head all take place before the gents (and lady) get down to business engineering and welding and finishing the frame and seatpost imbuing it with their mastery and enthusiasm. You feel it when you touch the frame and know it when you ride it. The fork was engineered by some of our finest Grand Valley geeks, then machined and assembled just down the road at MRP/White Brothers. Not everyone loves the LOOP...I do. I love the edgy responsiveness it allows the frame to enjoy. A true XC race machine demanding you to sit up, stand up and ride.

  Then there are the wheels- handbuilt here in Palisade by the BikeMaster himself late at night after work. He is a slave to detail demanding the absolute right spoke for the job at hand and choosing each nipple for the perfection of it anodization. Be assured, you cannot buy these bad boys at your online discounter.

Add to all of that some of the latest XTR 2x10 bling, with sculpted shifters and brakes and a little cra-bon for the sake of modernity and, VOILE! you have my new Hardtail Race Rig and latest art acquisition. How cool is that?

I can hardly wait to get her dirty and given what I anticipate in Gunnison this weekend- it won't be long!