Originally Posted by
CliffordK
Any additional thoughts?
One thing I've noted is that 650c tire selection is quite limited. There is a continental gatorskin that isn't a bad tire, but most of the high-end tires in that size are specifically for either TT bikes or kid's bikes, without good general riding tires.
24" or 26" MTB sizes are good sizes for the rougher riding. I'm not sure about drop bar "cross" or "gravel" bikes. There are some 650B bikes, but you'd probably be best with a 26" conversion.
That last is another good point. My short wife has an old 26" MTB conversion, regular MTB drivetrain, drop bars, brifters, short cranks. MTBs had wide rims long before it was popular on road bikes. Tire selection is limited, but there are decent 26" road tires out there. Pairing the brifters with front and rear derailleurs takes some knowledge. I know some new components are designed not to work together anymore.