David Newton

1984 Bridgestone 300, has 4130 straight-ga. main tubes, high-tension forks and stays. The frame build on this one is clean as a whistle.
The crummy steel wheels, coaster brake, bad seat and no grips are all for show. I needed to ride it and see if it fit me, and how it feels.
It feels great. Rides with no hands and no wobble.
Because the frame is slightly large for me, the 650A wheels brings it down to fit me, it is just right for stand over.
All my bikes will eventually have 650A wheels.
I'm ordering a set of CR-18 wheels and it will run a single speed 18t, and long-reach Weinman brakes.
What do you think?

sailorbenjamin

I just put my 26" SS/FG back together. It's been in a box since we moved last summer. Can't wait to get out on the road. It's a great size for a tire.

ironwood

Why 650A, and not 650B? You can get Diacomp centerpull or Tektro sidepull brakes to reach a 650B rim, but they might not reach a 650A. I have a B'stone 400, and am thinking of converting, but it rides nicely with 700Cs.

David Newton

Thanks for the remarks guys.
650A's are 590mm, 650B's are 584mm, smaller. Medium reach brakes work fine with 650A's
Everything is more expensive with 650B.
In the picture above it is set up very upright, but this frame is a little more racy feeling. I set it up this evening with a dirtdrop stem and flat bars, I have to lean forward a little, but the bike flies with very little input. The ratio is 42-18

ironwood

I confused 650A and 650C , the latter of course is too small. I converted a Univega Nuovo Sport to 650B last year, and it rides great, but there is little difference between the two sizes, except, as you said, price. I didn't know about alloy 650A rims until recently. I assumed all you had were the old English roadster steel rims.

The B'stone 400 is like the 300 except for butted tubes.

you

Good to hear about, I've been toying with the idea of 650A conversions ever since I heard you can scrounge up CR-18s in that size. Keep us posted!

David Newton

Ironwood, your 400 is really up the ladder, frame wise. I don't know the geometry, but if it is similar to the 300, it is a "sport touring" frame, great for many uses, especially a utility bike.

The 300 frame encourages a faster pace, and is rock stable with the 26" wheels. This will be my best bike.

Ya know, 650A conversions are for guys like me who can't scrounge up a proper Raleigh Sports.
Or even farther than that, want a "sportier" Sports. Like if Raleigh made a run of Sports with 531 tubes and all alloy components.

mickey85

I converted a Raleigh mixte to a coaster/650a bike. Rides really nice and, somehow, seems to roll a lot easier than the 700X40's that are on a lighter, multi-speeded road bike that I have.

Either way, I want to put together a fixed Sturmey AW to run on it with the alloy Sun 650A rims. I think that'd be fun.

I do wish that there was more of an availability of tires for this size. Particularly the Panaracer Passhunter.

ironwood

The 1985 Bridgestone catalogue has descriptions of the 300, and 400. The geometry is about the same. The big difference is the tubing, and the 400 has the sc brakes, an interesting brake, but it makes it difficult to attach a rack. I use a saddle bag, and attach a trailer for heavy stuff ,like beer. Both bikes have the same crank, and it is drilled for an optional triple, I replaced the chainwheels with a 46-36 28 combination. The biggest 700c tire that fits with fenders is a Pasela 700x 32, which is one reason I'd like a smaller rim. Our roads up here are in terrible shape because of the freezing and thawing, and I need bigger tires.
I don't know if Raliegh made a Reynolds sports, but Rudge made a bike of Reynolds with a 3 speed hub, but the wheels were 27"